Headbands Are for Chicks

Fans love to chant "headbands are for chicks" at Ryan Suarez, and honestly can you blame them for that? That thing Ryan wears does look a bit silly.

But the other day I was hanging at the MetroStars game, which one is not important, and I got a chance to talk to Ryan about the headband. Did you know he gets more money for wearing that stupid headband than he does for playing soccer?

Think about that, his salary to wear that headbands in games exceeds his salary to actual play, and win, the game.

What Color?

Ferrari a new MLS sponsor? - Pending that the Beckham family will be relocating to NYC by 2008, I wonder what color Ferrari David will be driving on the Long Island Expressway on his way to parties in the Hamptons?

You see, MLS provided both Jorge Campos and Lothar Matthäus a Ferrari to drive during their MLS journeys. Jorge is rumored to have kept his yellow one as part of his settlement agreement. Lothar also got a $10K a month apartment (if you can call it that) in Trump Tower.

Which Team

So the MLS "Select" team was not competitive in Madrid. What did MLS, or anyone else for that matter, expect? The lads that went tried hard under very difficult circumstances.

Looking back couldn't have MLS done something else to better represent itself?

Actually, many soccer writers and Big Soccer posters have suggested that MLS should have sent one of their actual teams. Frank Dell'Apa is an example of one of those with that suggestion, and you can read his article here. He makes an excellent point.

The truth is that MLS, in fact, strongly considered this, and actually went to Real Madrid with the proposition of sending one of two MLS teams to represent the league. Real Madrid quickly nixed that idea for reasons that are probably obvious and insisted on a MLS "Select" team. One would have to think a regular MLS squad, or a "team of players" who actually have spent time together, would have had a fighting chance in that scenario.

Another note to come from yesterday's match: Get used to seeing "Pepsi" on soccer stuff. Look for something similar in the coming months. Oh, and couldn't have adidas come up with a better uniform than something I see on the rec fields every weekend?

Fill in Coach

So, as our little group of "MLS All-Stars" fly off to Madrid to be thrown to the "lions in the coliseum", we all wish them the best knowing that they will play hard and represent MLS as best as a thrown together team can against the most expensive roster in the world.

What was really up in the air was who would coach the team, or actually, who wanted to. Multiple MLS coaches turned the "honor" down before Nicol was chosen/picked/volunteered. It turns out that MLS had a backup plan in case no one wanted to coach the team. Former Mutiny and Metrostar coach Alfonso Mondelo was in line to head the team to the Bernabeu. The spanish-born Mondelo is still traveling with the team as a liaison and assistant coach. He also remains very well liked in US Soccer; don't be surprised if he turns up in the MLS or US Nats coaching circles in the near future.

Gettin' Hot

Anyone want to place bets on which of the following will be gone first - Bob Bradley or Steve Sampson?

It doesn't take an MLS gossip monkey to know that both are very much on the hot seat. But I will place my money on Bradley being the first to go away. Why? When I add up several pieces of information that I have gathered it sums up that Bob's seat is on "10."

While Sampson's isn't as hot, you can bet it is unlikely either will be the coach of their current teams at the kickoff of 2006. At least Sampson is still calling the personnel shots in LA.

There's No Place Like Home.

What is going on with the Wizards? Are you, too, under the impression that the team was being bought and moved? What happened with that?

Is it possible that the one time MLS cup winners will actually remain in KC, with the help of the soccer-fairy himself, Uncle Lamar Hunt?

Consider this: Back in 2002 Lamar almost pulled a Baltimore Colts like move of the Wizards to Rochester. Being the KC loving, grandfatherly type he is, he decided to give it another go, but this time he personally got involved with the season ticket sales. As you know ticket sales shot up and the team stayed.

So in 2004 when Lamar threw on his gold Century 21 jacket and stuck an ad on Ebay (oh, that was someone else) it was assumed that it would happen quickly - hell, Lamar even hinted it wouldn't last long. But now we are in late summer 2005 and I am getting the word that Lamar really wants the team to remain in KC. Is Lamar doing yet another good soccer deed by lining up a buyer for the team that wants to keep the Wizards where they are? An owner who is ready to pull the trigger if the Johnson County stadium plans continue to go in the positive manner I am hearing?

Madrid All-Stars

So, how will the MLS honchos handle the balancing act between providing players for the Real Madrid - MLS All-Star match and the actual MLS teams that are in that all important stretch of their league season?

A few MLS observers are telling me that MLS will insist that no more than two players from any given team will be "borrowed" and that teams playing each other will be "balanced" in their losses, at least numerically.

What will make that tough is two teams really feature the players MLS might want to utilize: New England (Twellman, Dempsey, Joseph, Reis, Parkhurst) and Dallas (Ruiz, Johnson, O'Brien, Valakari, Vanney, Garlick). What's more important? Sending your best players for a friendly to the Bernabeu? Or letting your teams field the best 11 in September?

Becks

If David Beckham is not wearing a Metrostars uniform by 2008, my name isn't Doug Logan.

Did You Know: Colorado Close

From time to time I will drop a few DYKs on you readers. Just some info from MLS past that might be of interest. First up, the Rapids.

During MLS' contraction period, circa 2001, Colorado was so close to being on the chopping block, that a few Rapid employees were actually asked if they were willing to relocate to other MLS cities.

Getting Chilly in Houston

Is it just me, or do the Chivas USA home crowds seem a lot smaller than what they actually announce, more so than the usual difference we see in some MLS cities?

Now I am getting a trickle out of the south lands that Club America may be getting cold feet due to the off-field troubles of Chivas USA.

EJ Money

Word out of NY office is that Ed Johnson signed his new deal as far back as February.

Crew Coaching Hotseat

Trickling out of Columbus... Robert Warzycha will get a shot to finish the season and it's his job to lose. If the Crew play well he will have the first shot to win the job. If the Crew struggle the front runner appears to be Brian Bliss.

Buddle Arrested

Edson Buddle was arrested for "drunk driving" on Saturday night. No word yet on how that will effect his already non-existent playing time. Buddle has a total of 15 traffic items listed under his name in the Franklin County public records website.

Welcome

Hi, my name is Not Doug Logan. You may not remember me from the early days of Major League Soccer.

This is my revenge. Welcome to my world.

NDL