Seriously???

As much as RSL makes me say "What the hell are they thinking?", those in charge of MLS often have me saying the same thing. ESPN has posted a list of all seven opening week games for the 2008 season, with the games to be played on the weekend of Saturday, March 29. Let's take a look:

Toronto @ Columbus
DCU @ Kansas City
NY @ San Jose
Chivas @ Dallas

Nothing too bad about these four, but then there's these 3:

Houston @ New England
LA @ Colorado
Chicago @ RSL


What on earth is MLS thinking??? It's March. Why do you send Houston to the northeast??? Why is Chicago going up into the mountains??? And why, oh why, is LA headed to Denver??? Why are these games not the other way around? Granted, Chicago isn't great in winter either, but I would wager it's nicer than a city that HOSTED THE WINTER OLYMPICS!!! And what was the thought process in sending two warm climate teams to much colder climes in March? Seriously, very odd.

In other news, I'm still super pissed about this Jamie Watson (and to a lesser extent Jimenez) thing. And now, even more details have emerged at the RSLFM report. No employer should ever treat an emloyee that way. Especially if the allegation of basically holding him hostage in order to get something out of Dallas is true. To make matters worse, he was basically the only positive PR face this franchise had. To make matters even worse, he was a solid ballplayer! He seems to be playing well with Dallas according to the 3rd Degree blog (scroll down to the bottom for a Watson blurb).

And finally, a boy can dream can't he? It'll never happen (for various reasons), but, man, I'd love to see Archie Thompson in red... It would make my brown eyes blue...or something...
I wanted to post a good video of one of his truly awesome, over the top goal celebrations but I can't find a good quality one off hand. Let's just say he is possibly beyond even Cunningham in this regard. Here's a couple Archie vids nevertheless:

Here's the main part of the goal celebration:


Here's a modified one, adding the gun celebration:


And a few more for your viewing pleasure:
Archie (13) and Australia (31) set world goal scoring records.
Very nice goal (granted, against lower competition, but still).
A-League 2007 Grand Final Highlights, Archie with 5 goals.

Tell me celebrations like that wouldn't play here in the States. Just try.

It's Tough Being an RSL Fan (aka Will the Ineptitude Ever End???)

A few things in RSL-land lately, and all have been hard to swallow:

1) This report (thanks for the heads-up to RSLFM Report) which has Jason Kreis making over $200k per year to coach RSL. This despite the fact that he has NO coaching experience. This despite the fact that 3 years running MLS Cup finalist coach Steve Nicol only makes around $175k per year. This despite the fact that Kreis's slip-ups have cost the team lots of extra money in fines. What the hell? Seriously. Let's put some of that money toward the on-field product. I swear Checketts and Kreis are having a secret love affair. It's sexy!

2) Jamie Watson is already making a case for a contract with another team, the Hoops of FC Dallas. He is one of three "guest players" (aka trialists) joining the team on a trip to Trinidad for a set of exhibition games. I've already made my feelings known on the release and treatment of Watson, but to see him already seeming to catch on with another team shows just seems to backup my viewpoint that Kreis was WAY off base on this one.

3) The MLS waiver draft is coming up tomorrow, let's see who is up for grabs from RSL:
Chris Brown (good riddance), Steven Curfman (too bad for him), Christian Jimenez (good luck), Jack Stewart (see Chris Brown), and...Jean-Martial Kipre. Now I don't know the story here, but Kipre better have DEMANDED to be released to go overseas or else someone needs to be smacked. Hard. Kipre is young, fast, and dangerous. He's already proven he can play in this league and with some seasoning, possibly be a VERY good player in MLS. If RSL is just letting him go it makes me sick. With Pope retiring we need all the help we can get on defense!

Sigh... It really is hard to be an RSL fan sometimes. Hopefully there are some big signings on the horizon...

In other depressing (at least to me) sports news, my Syracuse Orangemen have pulled an RSL and inexplicably brought back (American) football coach Greg Robinson after 3 seasons in which the team has won a grand total of 7 games and has been near the bottom in every statistical category. Look for RSL to sign him as "Grand Poobah" or something after he is fired after the debacle that will be the 2008 season.

Finally, a slight ray of sunshine on this cloudy day. Congratulations are in order for Robbie Findley, Nathan Sturgis, and Chris Seitz as the three have been called into the US U-23 camp in preparation for an upcoming trip to China. Let's hope their personal successes carry over to RSL next year. Well done boys!