General MLS Discussion

[mgarbowski]

Yeah it's tough to see which of the forwards Villa beats out.

Dempsey and Donovan are both US legends, Donovan is miles ahead in both G and A and Dempsey played far longer. I think you could argue about Giovinco, but the fact that TFC won MLS Cup with Gio and we didn't with Villa is enough to keep Villa out. Keane had more G and A than Villa and won 3 MLS Cups, while Josef Martinez has the single-season goal record and an MLS Cup. Jaime Moreno was an early MLS legend, over 100 goals and 100 assists, won the Cup multiple times with DC. Wondo's another MLS legend, not so much a US legend but as the #1 career goal-scorer he's gonna have a spot on the list.

I think the only debatable entry against Villa is BWP. Yes he has more goals and assists, but he also played twice as long as Villa in MLS and the difference isn't that much (BWP: 125 goals, 36 assists in 8 seasons. Villa: 80 goals, 26 assists in 4 seasons). NYRB has won Supporter's Shield but not MLS Cup, so he doesn't have the cup win advantage. Still, it's a really close debate and I wouldn't be surprised if the recent scandal did play into it.

I considered all the players not just the forwards and came up with 2 likely candidates: Giovinco and BWP. I can imagine Villa might have made it in past either of them but for the scandal, but I can also see how they might have put both in for the reasons I identified. I think Giovinco is a more likely replacement for the might-have-been Villa. I think MLS people really appreciate longevity and BWP became an MLS lifer once he arrived. Giovinco has the same 4 years as Villa, with fewer goals but more assists. His main edge is the MLS Cup, which is a team achievement. But it's all speculation.

 

[FootyLovin]

I considered all the players not just the forwards and came up with 2 likely candidates: Giovinco and BWP. I can imagine Villa might have made it in past either of them but for the scandal, but I can also see how they might have put both in for the reasons I identified. I think Giovinco is a more likely replacement for the might-have-been Villa. I think MLS people really appreciate longevity and BWP became an MLS lifer once he arrived. Giovinco has the same 4 years as Villa, with fewer goals but more assists. His main edge is the MLS Cup, which is a team achievement. But it's all speculation.

I'd bet on the scandal. Forget about soccer for a moment. MLS is a business. They want these kinds of lists to have a player from their biggest market. NYC>NJ. NYC>TOR. Without the scandal, the coin flip absolutely puts the NYC player on the list.

 

[Dnigly13]

It's almost poetic that the first SSS in MLS hosts its final MLS game as an MLS cup final. Happy for Columbus! From sale scares to MLS Cup and a new stadium, good for them!

Lockhart for the miami fusion was the first SSS.

 

[Dnigly13]

I'm in the minority (or silent majority?) that doesn't mind generic names. I was a baseball guy for a long while and romanticized the days when teams would officially be called the Brooklyn Baseball Club and sportswriters would run with nicknames that fit the state of the club -- e.g., the Grays, Bridegrooms, and eventually Dodgers.

Would like to see more of that in MLS, and I see generic names as a canvas for it.

Yankees too. They were the New York American League team. The papers couldnt fit that on the headline so they shortened it to the NY Yanks or Yankees as short for american league team.

 

[danger]

What do folks think about what's going on with Miami? They were clearly a bust this season based on the expectations they set publicly. I did not understand their roster construction. Paul McDonough steps down. Then Paul Tenorio and Sam Stejskal report that Diego Alonso is fired. They were wrong. But that's because Diego Alonso left the meeting thinking he was fired (the Athletic). Possible he will return but as of now unclear. Seems a bit shambolic

 

[moogoo]

MLS news (rumors?):

Looks like Vanney is going to be the next LA Galaxy coach. If he can turn them around and turn them into a consistent and strong side of old, I'd be pretty amazed and should cement him as a top coach in the league.

BWP might be going to the crew... Poor guy. Was one of the most consistent strikers in the league and a groin injury changed all of it. Maybe he'll come be our backup #9 for bagels?

 

[Gotham Gator]

BWP was quite good for LAFC this season. Wonder what happened

 

[danger]

BWP might be going to the crew... Poor guy.

BWP was quite good for LAFC this season. Wonder what happened

It's strange to me that, even if his contract was up, there wasn't some arrangement to continue through the end of the year including CCL, like GMS for us. I would think LAFC would want as much depth on the roster as possible, and you would think BWP would want as much chance to show he's still worth it?

 

[ZYanksRule]

It's strange to me that, even if his contract was up, there wasn't some arrangement to continue through the end of the year including CCL, like GMS for us. I would think LAFC would want as much depth on the roster as possible, and you would think BWP would want as much chance to show he's still worth it?

Same as with Brad Stuver. Once they learned they were not being renewed, it seems like it was each player's decision whether he wanted to stick around for CCL or not. Understandable if they didn't want to risk injury/their next contract. If you're not being brought back for next season, seems perfectly reasonable to not stay with the team for this event.

 

[moogoo]

It's strange to me that, even if his contract was up, there wasn't some arrangement to continue through the end of the year including CCL, like GMS for us. I would think LAFC would want as much depth on the roster as possible, and you would think BWP would want as much chance to show he's still worth it?

Same as with Brad Stuver. Once they learned they were not being renewed, it seems like it was each player's decision whether he wanted to stick around for CCL or not. Understandable if they didn't want to risk injury/their next contract. If you're not being brought back for next season, seems perfectly reasonable to not stay with the team for this event.

also forgetting that maybe they just didn't want to get stuck in a bubble. stuver was vocal about being safe and taking precautions. he didn't travel to the MiB tournament for these reasons, if i recall correctly?

For all we know BWP might have felt the same... or he just wanted to get a head start finding a new contract...

 

[LionNYC]

MLS will invoke CBA force majeure - source

MLS has informed its players' union that it will invoke a force majeure clause that will terminate the CBA agreed upon in June, a source told ESPN.

www.espn.com

 

[Shwafta]

MLS will invoke CBA force majeure - source

MLS has informed its players' union that it will invoke a force majeure clause that will terminate the CBA agreed upon in June, a source told ESPN.

www.espn.com

Well, we have like half a year until the 2021 season starts, then.

 

[413Blue]

Wowsers.

I'm curious if there were any discussions beforehand or if the league is starting negotiations with this move.

 

[Fantazma]

MLS will invoke CBA force majeure - source

MLS has informed its players' union that it will invoke a force majeure clause that will terminate the CBA agreed upon in June, a source told ESPN.

www.espn.com

this is bad right? i mean the MLSPA and the owerns already were iffy on trusting each other before the season restarted and now this?

 

[Victors87]

I don't know how all of this works

 

[413Blue]

I don't know how all of this works

"Force majeure" is an obscure clause written into most major contracts allowing for one party to cancel the contract in the event that some drastic outside forces make it impossible for one side to fulfill the agreement. It was rarely used before covid-19, but has been invoked in some high profile deals this year for obvious reasons.
Usually it's just a negotiating tactic and the original deal is slightly amended, but it could be more drastic. I'm guessing MLS and the PA reasonably assumed they would be able to return to normal by tje start of this season if not late last season.
The PA can challenge whether the force majeure can be invoked here, since the pandemic was in full swing when this contract was signed. It would depend largely on the language of the contract.

 

[ZYanksRule]

MLS will invoke CBA force majeure - source

MLS has informed its players' union that it will invoke a force majeure clause that will terminate the CBA agreed upon in June, a source told ESPN.

www.espn.com

Sports owners are the worst. Duplicitous is the nicest term I can come up with.

 

[canchon]

Well, we have like half a year until the 2021 season starts, then.

get ready to roll your 2021 season ticket deposits into 2022

 

[413Blue]

Sports owners are the worst. Duplicitous is the nicest term I can come up with.

Eh. Guys that took a massive loss right to the chin but kept paying the players 95% of their salary to play in empty stadiums on private flights. I'm thankful the league still exists.

 

[mgarbowski]

Eh. Guys that took a massive loss right to the chin but kept paying the players 95% of their salary to play in empty stadiums on private flights. I'm thankful the league still exists.

Yeah. When the tv deal is worth only $90M annually and you can’t sell tickets for at least 1.5 seasons that’s pretty force majurey to me.