MLS refresher

Handy little refresher on the upcoming MLS playoffs, plus a brief profile on the man who should be league MVP: Juan Pablo Angel.

I know Beckham and the Galaxy aren't in the playoffs, but presumably you'll all remain soccer fans anyway, right?

RIGHT?

Whatever. I've all but completely ignored the baseball playoffs. I haven't watched this little -- as in "virtually none of it" -- since '99 and '00 when the Yankees bored everyone to tears.

Really, I'm still reveling in the afterglow of the rugby. Oh, you haven't heard? You're the best... AROUND! Webb Ellis is back where it belongs.

Freddy's all growns up and growns up and growns up

Our boy is going to Europe! I hope I'm in the majority, here, of people who realize what a great, positive step this is in Adu's development as a player. His performance at the U-20 World Cup showed that he is perfectly capable of being that talisman that US Soccer is hoping he can become... provided he has any sort of viable talent surrounding him. That means more polished teammates held to a higher standard. That means leaving the misery of Real Salt Lake and, to a certain extent, the appauling play of MLS in the rear-view. It's always been my contention that the primary reason our talent at the youth level never seems to translate to the senior national level is because during the ages of 18-22, they're either mired in our low-grade domestic league or in college. The level of competition just isn't there. Not the way it is in Europe. Benfica is a top flight club who have made serious waves in the Champions League the last couple seasons. I expect a player of Adu's flair and accumen to excel there. Playing in Portugal is ideal, too, as Freddy can avoid the harsh spotlight felt in top leagues like the Premiership, La Liga, and Serie A, while still mixing it up with class European competition. This will be a great period of growth in his career.

The name of the game for US Soccer is cultivating talent. That should be the focus, not Major League Soccer. If we cultivate our talent at the highest level, it trickles into our national team and it is the success of the national team that will directly affect the relevance of MLS. Nothing else. And that's what people need to understand when they moan about Adu flying the coup.

Do it, Freddy.

Well, paint me purple and call me Susan.

David Beckham is coming to Major League Soccer!

According to his statement in the article, Becks says he'll be here in August. Frankly, I'm a bit stunned that he'll be coming to the States this year at all. I thought for sure that he had another season or two of European soccer left in him before setting out to pasture in the US. I'll tell you what, though, I'm excited about this move. Yes, I didn't I would be either, but I am. Why?

Well, let's set aside for a moment that Beckham isn't anywhere remotely as good as people want him to be. To use an NBA analogy, just because he's more popular than Michael Jordan, doesn't mean he is better than a fading Mark Price -- an excellent passer and free throw/free kick specialist who has just lost of lot of steam and luster over the years. There should not be a single soul in the world who should be surprised that Becks doesn't rate a place in Real Madrid's starting XI. Personally, I thought he'd be running into this kind of playing time dilemna almost immediately after joining the club. He's not an elite player, unless we're talking strictly of popularity.

As Don Garber, Tim Leiweke and company are so eager to point out, Beckham quite literally is the one hope -- the one face -- that, short of Team USA winning the World Cup, could generate a serious buzz about soccer in this country. Because he is so popular already as a sex symbol, as an icon. More importantly because he's English. He speaks the language. He brings an anglo-saxon quality to him that identifies this sport, from an American point of view, as not something that is exclusive to continental Europe and Latin America.

Are my hopes set to high? I'm not sure. My hopes were never much to begin with. But what Beckham does is he speaks to a non-soccer audience in far greater capacity, in fact, than he channels ardent soccer nuts. Broader fan base? More publicity for the league? Definitely. Living in Los Angeles (bonus for me, he's coming to the Galaxy), I've seen how incredibly easy it is for Americans who don't even particularly like the sport to fall in love with the World Cup. It's getting them to care about club football that is the real trick. MLS finally seems to have gained it's footing after ten seasons, so there's no reason the league should panic any time soon, but if Beckham can't generate interest... there might not be anyone who can. I wouldn't call him the league's "last hope," but I would say he is its greatest opportunity.

**Addendum**
I'd just like to quickly address the possibility that Beckham will be another Lothar Matthaus. That is to say, he could be a slug with a lofty resume who is only interested in treating his time in the States as if it were Club Med. In my gut, I don't believe that to be the case. I think Beckham's intentions are true and noble -- even if they are from a marketing point of view. He and his people know that good play will enhance his profile here because lord know the vultures and the skeptics are circling, waiting for him to mail it in and exude a general lack of interest. I was just bumping around over on BigSoccer.com and, already, they're expecting the worst. I don't know why I'm so hopeful and optimistic -- it's so out of character for me. I guess I'm just really excited that the "beta test" for MLS is finally over. Now, we get to the good stuff.

PS - Red Bull New York is rumored to be in the market for Ronaldo. The chunky, yet still quite prolific Ronaldo.

Stick around, Freddy

Still on the US soccer tip, today. Surprising no one Freddy Adu clearly isn't ready for the trials of Manchester United and the English Premiership. Spurred on by the notion that Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo signed with the Old Trafford side at 18, but for a phenom who hasn't exactly knocked MLS on it's ear, it seemed fairly easy to predict at the start of his two-week training stint that Sir Alex wouldn't be terribly impressed either.

Adu's got talent, there's no arguing that. But strictly from a size and strength perspective, he'd be torn to shreds in the EPL. Perhaps a second-tier, less physical European league would be more to his suiting for the time being (although he'd have to wait until he turned 18 in June, anyway). Somewhere like Holland or France or Portugal, leagues where the level of competition is higher than in MLS, but also where he won't be punched in the face on a regular basis.

There's little question, in my mind, that this whole charade of getting Adu to train with United was orchestrated by the Glazer family who undoubtedly would love to have an American presence on the team. But just any American? Why not the future of the national team? To that end, I've confirmed my own belief that this was little more than a poorly conceived publicity stunt on behalf of the Glazers. Sir Alex is the one who evaluates talent. He would know what's best for the club.

As the annointed savior of the national team, it remains my contention -- despite this setback -- that Adu must play his club football in Europe if he is to ever truly elevate his game to an elite level. But as far as the here and now are concerned, I think another season (possibly two) in MLS would be best for the youngster. We all forget, he's only 17. He's a well-adjusted kid and he's headed for big things. To throw him into the fire now, however, would be a dreadful mistake.

The weekend's heroes and doinks 11/10-11/12

Heroes

Wildcats - Be they from Arizona (hell yeah!), Kansas State, or even Kentucky (okay, maybe not so much UK, although they beat Vandy), they turned college football on it's ear, yet again. Let's quickly thank Kansas State for beating Texas and putting to rest any notion that the champion from the pathetic Big 12 would have a claim to the national title game. Well done, KSU. But more importantly, in the words of Keanu Reeves in Speed, "Arizona Wildcats... good football team." And suddenly, in the third quarter against Cal, they decided that they were! With the Bears complacent, ahead 17-3, what choice was there but to open up the passing game and stand on the shoulders of Syndric Steptoe? Now the Cats stand at 5-5, potent as ever in the month of November under Mike Stoops, and need to win just one of their final two games to become bowl eligible. I'm thinking it happens against Arizona State on Thanksgiving weekend. Bear Down, bitches!

Steve McNair - One of the classiest guys in the NFL sticks it to a miserable franchise who should be ashamed for the way they treated him. For all that McNair has done for the Titans organization (MVP, AFC title games, a Superbowl appearance), they spit on his face. Very pleasing to see McNair exact a bit of revenge yesterday with the comeback victory.

San Diego 49 Cincinnati 41 - That's right, the game itself was a hero. This is why people love football. Offensive explosions, see-saw battle, comebacks, big names having really big games (LDT is easily player of the week and you can only stand in awe at what Chad Johnson and Carson Palmer did, too). What an excellent game. Too bad this pretty much signals the end for the Bengals this season. Up 21 at home and losing? Especially after losing to the Ravens last week? It's over, man. There's no coming back for them in the tough AFC.

Houston Dynamo - Your 2006 MLS Cup champions. First time an MLS Cup match has gone to penalties

Correll Buckhalter - I can't find it on YouTube, but yesterday against the hapless 'Skins he scored one of the coolest touchdowns I've seen in a long time.

Doinks

Pac Ten officials - Watching both the Arizona/Cal and USC/Oregon games (and with the memory of this entire season in mind -- particularly Oregon/Oklahoma), there couldn't be a worse set of officials in the country. No one, under any circumstances, for any play, should take 3 hrs and 12 minutes to review a call. Especially if they end up making the wrong call (Cal's interception of Tuitama when UofA was driving to tie the game at 17) or if they're reviewing a play that was clear as day and was called correctly from the start (Oregon's touchdown against SC). Neither of these were coaches challenges, mind you. Just the refs killing the game.

College football - Say what you will about how exciting Saturday was (and it was good), the system is still pooched. Suppose USC, Florida, Arkansas, and Notre Dame all pick up a second loss in the next couple weeks? It's certainly possible that it can happen. Then throw Rutgers into the mix and the dreaded prospect of a rematch between Michigan and Ohio State for the national title and you have to admit, the B(C)S doesn't work. Say it with me, now: College football is broken.

Rafa Benitez - There's only so much I can say about Liverpool's embarrassing defeat to Arsenal before I want to tear my sweet, bodiful hair out. So I'll keep it short. Watching the 3-0 massacre, I was insensed from the start that Rafa insists on playing Steven Gerrard (that would be the same "best midfielder in the Premiership" Gerrard) OUT OF POSITION ON THE RIGHT WING and as a result we're seeing a jaded, disinterested Gerrard out there. With Momo Sissoko unfortunately lost for three months, you'd think the OBVIOUS decision would be to move Gerrard back into the center of the park alongside Xabi Alonso. But no, Benitez thought Bolo Zenden (he who gives the ball away nearly every touch) would be a better choice. Against Arsenal! Mark Gonzalez played his way out of ever being considered for a starting role and Sami Hyypia displayed for all to see why he should be replaced by Daniel Agger for first team. Liverpool's title hopes are officially dashed. Their focus has to be on fourth place in the league because ManUre, Chelski, and the Arse are just plain better than us and that sucks. If Benitez could get out of his own way with this damn rotation policy, the Reds might actually play with some (gasp!) consistency.

New England - First the Patriots stink it up against the Jets (back-to-back losses for the Pats???), then the New England Revolution blow it in yet another MLS Cup. They were favorites this time around, too. The Revs seem hell bent on becoming the Buffalo Bills of American soccer (now 0-3 in the final). To add insult to injury, Clint Dempsey will likely be in Spain by the end of January.

MLS Cup - There's no way it could've been a worse match than last year's Galaxy triumph over New England, but it was still a terribly sloppy, dull, listless match save for the last eight minutes + penalties. I have seen and will continue to watch every MLS Cup, but the gap in quality between this league and the EPL is simply staggering.

New York Giants - I've got egg on my face and it's all thanks to these guys losing to Chicago, last night. When you have a feeb like Rex Grossman shaking and quivering, throwing picks and fumbling like he did in the first quarter, you step on his neck and end it. Instead, the Giants kept giving the ball back to Chicago through turnovers of their own and you're not going to beat the Bears if you don't control the football.

Damon Huard - Someone reminded the KC quarterback before gametime in Miami that he was Damon Huard.

Michael Vick - Second week in a row he's made this list and he's earned it both times. All credit to Cleveland for winning on the road, but they were playing a plastic team. Falcons are officially an afterthought.