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ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (5): Dominic Cervi (Out of Contract), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Tim Howard (Everton FC), Troy Perkins (Valerenga IF), Chris Seitz (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (9): Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham FC), Dan Califf (FC Midtjylland), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege), Michael Orozco (San Luis), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)
MIDFIELDERS (10): Freddy Adu (SL Benfica), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Benny Feilhaber (Derby County), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Eddie Lewis (Derby County), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids)
FORWARDS (9): Jozy Altidore (New York Red Bulls), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC),
Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Nate Jaqua (Out of Contract), Eddie Johnson (Fulham FC), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), Josh
Wolff (1860 Munich)

OROZCO I AM TOLD WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THE ENGLAND OR SPAIN GAME UNLESS SAN LUIS IS ELIMINATED FROM THE MEXICAN PLAYOFFS THIS WEEKEND. SAN LUIS I HAVE TIPPED TO POSSIBLY WIN IT ALL SO WE'LL SEE HIM IN NEW JERSEY FOR THE ARGENTINA GAME!

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Meanwhile the TFC fans are piling on me over at my blog. Hopefully they'll take the premise of the article to heart and behave more like DC fans who have less incidents in 13 years of awesome atmosphere than TFC in two seasons.

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Jun 15 vs Barbados Los Angeles
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Sep 10 vs T&T Chicago
Oct 14 vs Cuba Washington DC
Nov 19 vs Guatemala Denver

Assuming the US defeats Barbados and advances we will need at a minimum 7 points and more likely 9 points from our home matches in the group to advance to the hexagonal.

The US and Mexico both have had all sorts of trouble with Guatemala lately. T&T is always tough but down. Cuba has been beset by defections. I think the US will advance but it won't be as easy as some may assume.

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Definatly the lower clubs should be pressured by the thought of relegation. That leaves a middle table that is tricky. Yes they have a threat of dropping into the relegation zone or the chance of making Europe with either bad or good performance respectively, but with the growing foreign investment and no salary or transfer fee cap (i.e. pure free market) the gaps between the premoted/relegated and the champions/runners up becomes ever increasing. Look at the point totals and respective places this year as opposed to last. Look at the Champions League, dominated by ever stronger English teams. The investment is making the teams better and the gap between Derby and Manchester United greater. That being said Champion or relegated is simple, West Ham is difficult. No chance at silverwear, two extra Dean Ashton jerseys sold because of a bicycle kick, and random snyde comments about Icelandic banking and coach with no Jose media sexiness. Something has to be done about clubs with nothing to play for but pride, because clearly they have none (i.e. Tottenham, West Ham, etc.) I wish I knew the answer. Mid table playoff for money, for Europe, for something.

I know very little about any other leagues than MLS and England I just thought I needed to qualify this. History and tradition will continue to dictate England's choices.

By the way Sepp Blatter is consistently a crooked, self righteous, arogannt, corrupt, foul, racist, nationalistic, outspoken, doushce bag.

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Here is the link.

No question the culture has "kicked off."

Now what can we do about it.

Dougie Brimson has suggestion which I have mentioned in the article and I have also pointed out hooliganism and passion are not the same thing. DC United has at RFK Stadium for years had an atmosphere comparable to Latin America or European matches without all the violence.

But the league's willingness to indulge Toronto FC and seemingly not acknowledge the culture they have spawned has created a copy cat affect throughout the league which threatens the league's very existence on a fairly intolerant American sporting scene.

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Went to a pub to watch the UEFA Cup final, pub had no FSC but did have Setanta so I watched Watford get bitch slapped by Hull today. CCC Final should be a good one.

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In Mexico the Regular Season doesn't mean a whole lot. What's even more interesting is Mexico like several other Latin leagues uses a two year average to figure relegation, another interesting tweak. MLS has now done the opposite, devaluing the playoffs to satisfy those who want the Regular Season to mean something. (Both Conference Champions now go directly to the CONCACAF Champions League and Superliga)So no doubt it is a tricky balance.

Maybe the playoffs should be like the Football League only for teams to 3 to 6 and not to determine promotion but European Spots? The Dutch Erevidese does something similar with teams 2-5, but the loser misses the UEFA Cup outright, the winner of the first game advances to the Champions League. Their playoff is more complicated because they have less European spots than England.

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Sure playoffs are fun, but that's more or less what the tournaments (Champions League, UEFA, FA, Carling...) are for. The EPL champ should be the team who can consistently get results for 38 weeks. Granted, the middle-of-the-pack teams rarely have anything to play for in April/May, but surely the top teams shouldn't be punished for that.

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Hmmm...any form of play-off has the effect of devaluing the regular season. You make the back 20% more valuable at the expense of the front 80% of games.

Most teams still have either a shot at Europe or the fear of relegation at least 50% through the season. More like 70% probably. So to sell those games short, in return for some excitement at the end seems like it would do more harm than good.

I do have a slightly original idea that would give the back part of the season some extra significance, but I'm gonna save it for the book I'm writing.

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cmon the man with the wig i fuckin hate rangers i fuckin hate rangers

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To me the PL has become stale compared to other top leagues in Europe. For me right now the Premiership is less exciting than the Bundesliga, and less compelling than Serie A or La Liga. (Although the individual matches are more watchable than those two leagues the results seem less pre ordained in Spain or Italy than England.)

The only league in the world where the playoff system is done right is Mexico. They split the season and split into three divisions (groups). The finals are two legs home and away. I know that will never happen in Europe. That is a very Western Hemisphere concept. MLS is too Americanized with the MLS Cup final at a Neutral site. I don't like that model as the distance within the US and the one week to make plans makes it difficult for fans to travel.

The Premier League as I said is stale and seems to do anything that works to grab cash. In Spain and Italy you have surprise clubs sitting in 2nd place in the table this season and in Germany last year you had the biggest club finish out of a Champions League spot. But the idea of a playoff system would scare Man U and Arsenal and probably push them towards the safe confines of the European Super League. If they do that, good riddance the PL will be suddenly more watchable and more compelling.

Let's say they stay and are willing to play along. I then propose a six team playoff: The top two teams get automatic Champions League spots and a bye into the semifinal. Then the winners of #3 v #6 and #4 v #5 go to the "Champions" League. The losers playoff for a UEFA Cup spot. The loser goes to the Inter Toto cup.

The matches are all one off games. No second legs except in the final which is two legs. None of the matches can end in a penalty shootout. We go back to the Golden Goal if a match is a draw after 90 minutes. So the game could be decided in minute 91 or minute 201.

Any thoughts?

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Many people agree that BPL point system championships are the best enjoyment and fairest. I agree to an extent. The traditional US based sporting landscape with Playoffs seems slightly unfair as well. What about a blend of the two? Perhaps single table, point based champion, with relegation at the bottom, but a playoff in the middle of table to eliminate the Tottenhams, West Hams, etc. with nothing to play for in the league. Perhaps the reward can be Europe or a purse/silverwear worthy of late season effort. It seems goofy to me that nobody in the middle has anything to play for. Well I really only think about these things in my own head all day while working so does anybody have any input or ideas?

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Here is my thinking


-----------------------------------Howard----------------------------------------
---------------------Onyweu--------------Bocanegra---------------------------
Cherdundolo------------------------------------------------Pearce--------------
----------------Edu--------------Clark---------------------Bradley---------------
Donovan-------------------------------------------------------Demspey---------
---------------------------Thorrington----------------------------------------------

Reserves

GK: Keller
D: Lewis, Spector, Orozco, Hill
M Beasley, Rolfe, Corrales, Beckerman Rogers
F Cooper, Gordon

I know this lineup looks somewhat laughable. But the reality is that friendlies are when you experiment and find out if guys can hack it when internationals matter like World Cup qualifying. I am sure England will have their best XI which is just as well. They haven't deepened their pool when guys get hurt because they are too sweaty about results in friendlies, and thus miss out on big tournaments like the Euros.

Here are my justifications for certain picks:

John Thorrington:He has lots of experience in Europe, even if the most recent was at League 2 Grimsby Town. He played for Man U and Bayern Leverkusen so he knows tough training and without a cap in 7 years let's see if he is worthy of more looks.
Alan Gordon: When healthy he's been impressive for the Galaxy
Michael Orozco: Has been a key to San Luis great year in Mexico
Chris Rolfe: Was a national teamer before injuries struck. Playing with Blanco has given him confidence.

Who is missing: Jozy Altitdore and Freddy Adu: Both have hit a wall in their development and don't need to waste time with the national team right now. We have guys ready to contribute who deserve a look.

Actually now that I have bantered maybe this should have been a blog post!

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Bundesliga: Much at Stake

Erik, I agree with all your points about Friedel except for one: He was only better than Keller for a short period of time that coincided with the world cup in 2002. Keller has been more or less since 1995 the most successful American doing wonders in Spain, Germany and England. You are right about the other things: despite being in Europe for five more years than Friedel never developing the accent Friedel quickly developed, and of course playing for his country on a minutes notice even if it hurt his standing at his club.

I have little interest in Friedel or his club career and don't follow him the way I follow other Americans. From my perspective even pre 2002 he was always a reluctant American.

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While I think Keller is a more nationalistic American despite Friedel's Ohio academy Friedel's consitency has to be noted. That being said anybody that develops a partial British accent after growing up in the States fits the typical "Eurosnob" depiction. He might have the largest american ego of all time as well!

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FORZA ROMA!

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the oddsandsods

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See all the records that Derby managed to break or equal in this oh so futile campaign.

http://derbyyankfan.blogspot.com/2008/05/record-breaking-rams.html

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The results of the team drug tests will prove that 'Boro had chemical help in putting 8 past Sweden's #1.

Either that, or Alves finally decided to display the form he had in the Dutch League.

Or Man City are no better than Heracles.

Thx,

Jay!

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It was like the US National Team out there today. I was that wrapped up in it. Those are our boys and I am so proud of them. The Yank bashing never stops in England but we showed them a little of what makes Americans so successful in athletic competitions these last few weeks!

American Grit.

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Not taking anything away from Middlesboro's performance but I think that Man City tanked the match intentionally.

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YOU CAN'T BEAT KELLER!

YOU CAN'T BEAT KELLER!

HE'S THE BEST KEEPER EVER!

YOU'LL NEVER BEAT KELLER!

An old chant from the US National Team matches.

Fulham stay up. Thanks largely to the greatest American footballer ever.

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Oh dear.

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Rather good looking design.

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Here is the link

I'm headed abroad tonight first to India (via London) and then to London itself for the US-England game on May 28th. I'll be back online in a few days with a new post on Hooliganism in Toronto. I interviewed Dougie Brimson author of March of the Hooligans yesterday.

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MLS is doing fine but has some work to do including the stamping out of Hooliganism which I spoke at length to Dougie Brimson about. My articles upon reflection have been a bit too critical but have been provocative and gotten some good feedback on that.

As far as the national team, Mexico is better by a long way than we are. Carlos Vela, Gio Dos Santos, Andres Guardado......do we have anyone even close to those guys? I submit if we combined the national teams, ten Mexicans would start and one American would start: Landon Donovan. The entire bench would be made up of Mexican players except for Tim Howard and maybe Gooch. (J. Magillion isn't as physical as Gooch but positions himself better)

I'm proud of what we've accomplished against Mexico, but understand they are technically far superior to us. We are more physical and are in their head. We are no way even close to being as skilled as they are. That having been said we continue to get results against them and they have far greater macro issues than we do right now so the point is fair but soccer isn't always as simple as head to head results.

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Dude, I know you are trying to be provocative and get people to listen to your show like the rest of the 2Gs network, but I know ten different people who were European fans who'd never watch MLS who have tuned in and been impressed by the standard. As for the National Team you constantly say Mexico is so much better than us, but if that is the case how come they never beat us? Claiming Honduras and Guatemala are better than us would have laughed out of most cocktail parties.

I will agree with you however, that MLS should be signing players exclusively from Latin America and appealing to Latin fans instead of European fans since the style of play is so much more latin than British.

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Everton, Man Utd, Villa, Sunderland, Blackburn and West Brom chase ...

"It is believed that Blackburn boss Mark Hughes and West Brom boss Tony Mowbray were in Holland last week running a personal check on the young star."

Thx,

Jay!