My favorite line about MLS playoffs and the variations for playoff format being tossed around: Every potential format falls into one of two categories: imperfect, and even less imperfect.
Yummy leftovers from the MLS Cup final in Toronto
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I got a lot of mileage out of that one over a few delicious Keith's pale ales in Toronto.
I’m back now, and here are some leftover thoughts after spending a few days with league officials, team officials and a few journalists who really know what’s what around MLS:
– Regarding the playoffs, no matter what format they concoct, I really am not on board with adding two more teams, which apparently will happen. I hear the arguments for it, but movement from 8 to 10 teams absolutely diminishes the regular season value. I wrote more about here at SI.com.
– Here’s something I didn’t hear much about during the week in Toronto: FC Dallas played its conference final in Los Angeles on Sunday night, and then gave up Monday for travel. Meanwhile, Colorado had moved into the MLS Cup final with a win on Saturday night. At home. In effect, Colorado had two more days rest and prep time than Dallas, which was the higher seed. Did that matter in the end? Hard to say, but it certainly couldn’t help FC Dallas. I wrote in my post-game analysis that Colorado was the scrappier team in a scrappy final, one more about will and want-to than style. So, it’s possible that extra rest time did play a part.
(read on for much more ...)
– The notion of playing the final at the site of the higher seed may be gaining traction. Quite a few empty seats at BMO Field on Sunday night provided even more reason for examination along these lines. MLS commissioner Don Garber mentioned Sunday one element to consider that I absolutely agree: that pretty much any MLS market could sell out a final with as little as six days or seven days notice. Don’t forget that Colorado drew 17,000 for a conference final on short notice.
– On the other hand … there are some very good reasons NOT to do it this way. Most of them are about logistics. Let’s say Columbus plays its way into an MLS Cup final against, say, Houston. Now, let’s say the city of Columbus also has a big convention in town. Or maybe there’s a huge Ohio State game that weekend. Where are you going to put the 1,000 or 2,000 fans coming up from Houston? Surely, MLS would allot a big block of tickets to the visitors. But how POed will they be if they simply cannot find hotels or rental cars? That’s an issue with smaller markets.
Or, what will you do if San Jose earns the right to host? Would they really play a final inside tiny Buck Shaw Stadium? Or what about Gillette Stadium with those dreadful football lines?
Finally, you may not care about sponsors. I really don’t. But they provide the cash that lets MLS be what it is. So, they need attention and sucking up to. And you really can’t arrange proper hotels, events, meeting space, etc. for sponsors and the related activities on six or seven days notice.
And what about journalists? Like sponsors, you may not care – I get that. But if MLS is going to be a big deal, it helps if a lot of notepads, recorders and cameras are around. And booking flights and hotels is a lot cheaper if you do it a month or two ahead. Costs get prohibitive when you book with six days notice.
So there are a lot of moving parts here. It sounds like a good idea, but it’s no slam dunk.
– Self-indulgent journalist hooey beginning in 3, 2, 1 ... : The New York Times' Jeffrey Marcus is a good dude. MLS Insider Shawn Francis is a good, sharp dude who keeps saying he wants to hang, but he parties like a rock star at these things and keeps better-dealing me! It hurts so much. MLSSoccer.com man Jonah Freedman knows his soccer the way Kanye West knows PR disaster. But what's more impressive: you should see than man put away the queso! AOL Fanhouse scribe Brian Straus and Goal.com's Kyle McCarthy got some big soccer brains on 'em. And as you might suspect, if there's anyone around who knows MLS inside and out more than Steven Goff or Ridge Mahoney, you'll have to point them out to me. Both just covered their 15th MLS Cup final.
– I’m hearing that D.C. United is up against in on this coaching search. Real Salt Lake assistant Robin Fraser is a name that keeps coming up, and he certainly is a well-respected figure. But I understand that he wasn’t happy about how the interview process went last year, as Kevin Payne and Co. went about their last coaching search. So, even if they want him, he may not want them – especially as he has such a good thing going at RSL, where I believe he is very well compensated. I’m just making an educated guess here, but I’d wager a few Canadian loonies and toonies that he’s the league’s highest paid assistant.
Neither does Richie Williams, apparently, want any part of the scene at RFK. I don’t know this for a fact because I haven’t spoken to Richie in some time. But I know for certain that he wasn’t happy about how Curt Onalfo was treated; Richie told me so in no uncertain terms a few weeks back. Otherwise, United is slightly hamstrung by paying off Onalfo’s salary over the next two years. So, good luck with all that.
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