Sampson? Really? Just after we had a discussion yesterday about bringing in new blood in the form of former players, we hear that someone would think about this move.

didnt we just have a topic about sampson taking over, some time last week??

QUOTE(#2):

Originally posted 08:58 AM ET  11.24 by Oter

didnt we just have a topic about sampson taking over, some time last week??

If so, I missed it. I've been pretty sporadic the past couple of weeks.

QUOTE(#3):

Originally posted 09:01 AM ET  11.24 by kopper

If so, I missed it. I've been pretty sporadic the past couple of weeks.

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/129103-chivas-usa-to-hire-s ampson

Isn't Martin Vasquez one of the American cronies that Klinsmann brought to Bayern with him?

QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 10:00 AM ET  11.24 by D-Wreck

Isn't Martin Vasquez one of the American cronies that Klinsmann brought to Bayern with him?

I believe that's correct, and it explains the jacket he has on in the photo.

QUOTE(#4):

Originally posted 09:37 AM ET  11.24 by Oter

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/129103-chivas-usa-to-hire-s ampson

Thanks. I wish I had seen it so I could have gotten pissed off earlier.

This is the biggest story of the day regarding MLS: and I can tell you from personal experience in related matters in other industries that this one has huge ramifications on the CBA and growth of the league.
http://tinyurl.com/yg4dop9

"FIFPro wants FIFA to take action against MLS
The members of FIFPro spoke in detail about the situation of the football players in the USA, where the Major League Soccer refuses to abide by FIFA???s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP). At their general assembly in Budapest, Hungary, the FIFPro members drew up a resolution."

Didn't we just talk about this several weeks ago where somebody in here tried taking me to task over the single entity system - and how transfer money is folded almost entirely into the league and not the clubs. I'm not into calling out wrong information by names, but I warned you that the Europeans were looking into MLS in terms of compliance to FIFA regulations. This is yet another reason why the league better start to adjust itself to established FIFA procedures and its calendar if it wants to grow at a substantial rate of return.

"It ignores FIFA rules in several respects. For instance: there are players without a guaranteed contract, player contracts are routinely terminated by the league, MLS acts as a cartel, there is no freedom of movement for any MLS player, and virtually any player can be transferred to another club in the league without his consent."

I know Grant Wahl will have a column on this later, as will several other outlets. It's a bombshell.

It shouldn't come as coincidence that this issue has surfaced days after the MLS season and just before the US 2018 World Cup bid is being put on the table mere days before the World Cup draw on December 4.

These are all political issues that FIFA is now going to hang over the USSF's head because they have established a "constructive working relationship" between players who are national team eligible which in turn leads to players eligible to work in other countries.

Here's the final TV numbers on the MLS Cup broadcast:

MLS Cup overnights rise 29%

Despite moving from broadcast to cable, overnight ratings improved for the MLS Cup.
Sunday night's Real Salt Lake/Galaxy matchup drew a 0.9 overnight rating on ESPN, up 29% from a 0.7 for last year's afternoon Crew/Red Bulls tilt on ABC, and tied as the highest overnight for the event since '05.

Didn't somebody out here think it was a terrible idea to take the game off ABC. Again, not into calling out names, but the bulk of his thought this was the right move. Looks like it was in terms of ratings.

Put it in perspective, ratings on broadcast TV for NASCAR have been on a steady decline since the 2004 season. Sunday's Ford 400, in which Jimmie Johnson clinched his 4th straight Sprint Cup title, drew a 3.2 overnight rating on ABC -- down 11% from a 3.6 last year, down 16% from a 3.8 in '07, and the lowest overnight for the race since 2000.

*** the bulk of us thought

QUOTE(#9):

Originally posted 10:37 AM ET  11.24 by dynamo

... mere days before the World Cup draw on December 4.

FIFA "if you dont abide by our rules, the USMN will be placed in the group of DEATH each year until you comply"

MLS/USSF "in other words, things will remain the same??"

QUOTE(#10):

Originally posted 10:49 AM ET  11.24 by dynamo

Didn't somebody out here think it was a terrible idea to take the game off ABC. Again, not into calling out names, but the bulk of his thought this was the right move.

i thought it was the right move...

if anything think of all the pubs and bars that keep ESPN and ESPN2 on all day every day... not to mention the fans... basically i think having it on ESPN helped out drastically...

oddly enough i went to a soccer pub up in Fishers, IN for the MLS cup game... and i asked if they could put the MLS cup game on the big screen... they said "no, we are having the NFL sunday night game on all screens, but we might be able to change that tv if you want (pointing to one of the other random tvs"

i thought this was strange, as Indiana does NOT have a solid Eagles fanbase, nor is the bears all that dominating (as we arent northern indiana).... seeing as we were the only ones in the bar, i also thought it was strange he wouldnt change it...

but we got it on the small tv... and b/c there wasnt anyone else in the bar, he opted to close shop early... hence i only saw up to about the 60-70th min of the game.... strange

QUOTE(#13):

Originally posted 10:55 AM ET  11.24 by Oter

i thought it was the right move...if anything think of all the pubs and bars that keep ESPN and ESPN2 on all day every day... not to mention the fans... basically i think having it on ESPN helped out drastically...oddly enough i went to a soccer pub up in Fishers, IN for the MLS cup game... and i asked if they could put the MLS cup game on the big screen... they said "no, we are having the NFL sunday night game on all screens, but we might be able to change that tv if you want (pointing to one of the other random tvs"i thought this was strange, as Indiana does NOT have a solid Eagles fanbase, nor is the bears all that dominating (as we arent northern indiana).... seeing as we were the only ones in the bar, i also thought it was strange he wouldnt change it...but we got it on the small tv... and b/c there wasnt anyone else in the bar, he opted to close shop early... hence i only saw up to about the 60-70th min of the game.... strange

Does not surprise me in the least Otergod. Which pub was it?

QUOTE(#12):

Originally posted 10:50 AM ET  11.24 by Oter

FIFA "if you dont abide by our rules, the USMN will be placed in the group of DEATH each year until you comply"MLS/USSF "in other words, things will remain the same??"

The first part of your statement is spot on - the national team gets no favors. The second part? The way I would read it is that agents now have ammunition to create a pipeline straight to Europe where perception is such that Europe provides a better environment in which to work. It has massive implications in that regard.

You also have to understand that FIFA is nothing more than a political action committee to begin with - but it has lots of supporters with big cash who know how to exert influence. I've learned so much from FIFA over the years: this is a very conservative organization that does not appreciate being asked to pick sides because that's when things can become unpredictable, especially with its labor force. FIFA depends on stability to operate, so I would venture to guess that they are already busy behind the scenes. They'll allow MLS to save face, but they do want changes.

QUOTE(#10):

Originally posted 10:49 AM ET  11.24 by dynamo

Here's the final TV numbers on the MLS Cup broadcast:MLS Cup overnights rise 29%Despite moving from broadcast to cable, overnight ratings improved for the MLS Cup.Sunday night's Real Salt Lake/Galaxy matchup drew a 0.9 overnight rating on ESPN, up 29% from a 0.7 for last year's afternoon Crew/Red Bulls tilt on ABC, and tied as the highest overnight for the event since '05.Didn't somebody out here think it was a terrible idea to take the game off ABC. Again, not into calling out names, but the bulk of his thought this was the right move. Looks like it was in terms of ratings.Put it in perspective, ratings on broadcast TV for NASCAR have been on a steady decline since the 2004 season. Sunday's Ford 400, in which Jimmie Johnson clinched his 4th straight Sprint Cup title, drew a 3.2 overnight rating on ABC -- down 11% from a 3.6 last year, down 16% from a 3.8 in '07, and the lowest overnight for the race since 2000.

Thanks for the stats Dynamo. I figured it would be around a 0.9 rating. Wasn't that stadium atmosphere amazing as well for an MLS Cup? Loved it.

QUOTE(#8):

Originally posted 10:31 AM ET  11.24 by dynamo

This is the biggest story of the day regarding MLS: and I can tell you from personal experience in related matters in other industries that this one has huge ramifications on the CBA and growth of the league.http://tinyurl.com/yg4dop9"FIFPro wants FIFA to take action against MLSThe members of FIFPro spoke in detail about the situation of the football players in the USA, where the Major League Soccer refuses to abide by FIFA???s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP). At their general assembly in Budapest, Hungary, the FIFPro members drew up a resolution."Didn't we just talk about this several weeks ago where somebody in here tried taking me to task over the single entity system - and how transfer money is folded almost entirely into the league and not the clubs. I'm not into calling out wrong information by names, but I warned you that the Europeans were looking into MLS in terms of compliance to FIFA regulations. This is yet another reason why the league better start to adjust itself to established FIFA procedures and its calendar if it wants to grow at a substantial rate of return. "It ignores FIFA rules in several respects. For instance: there are players without a guaranteed contract, player contracts are routinely terminated by the league, MLS acts as a cartel, there is no freedom of movement for any MLS player, and virtually any player can be transferred to another club in the league without his consent."I know Grant Wahl will have a column on this later, as will several other outlets. It's a bombshell.

From Wahl's column:

The contentious labor talks between Major League Soccer and the MLS Players Union are going global, but FIFA -- world soccer's governing body -- has decided not to take part, resisting a call for action against MLS and the U.S. Soccer Federation by FIFPro, the union representing soccer players worldwide.

In a high-stakes poker game involving the most powerful organization in international soccer, FIFA told SI.com that it will not interfere in collective bargaining negotiations between the MLS Players Union and MLS owners.



Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/11/23/fifa.mls/index.html#ixz z0XnGzwqPu

QUOTE(#16):

Originally posted 11:03 AM ET  11.24 by SoccerUnderground

Thanks for the stats Dynamo. I figured it would be around a 0.9 rating. Wasn't that stadium atmosphere amazing as well for an MLS Cup? Loved it.

MLS finally figured out that they need to turn this event into a spectacle. And it could only be done on ESPN. Network affiliates would have cut it too close for them and would have gone into panic mode once it went to OT. Can you imagine another Heidi game where most of America missed the Shootout?

Here's a link for the Heidi game if you need background:
http://tinyurl.com/6locyl

Strikes me that the big issue here is guaranteed contracts. I think MLS was probably planning on conceding that point as part of the negotiation process anyway. So, I don't see this being an issue - more of a negotiation tactic by FifPro to try and take away one MLS's bargaining chips.

QUOTE(#16):

Originally posted 11:03 AM ET  11.24 by SoccerUnderground

Thanks for the stats Dynamo. I figured it would be around a 0.9 rating. Wasn't that stadium atmosphere amazing as well for an MLS Cup? Loved it.

I really liked that ESPN used the telestrator to explain tactics. That has always been a glaring whole in American broadcasts. We've had the technologyfor twenty years, but no ones gone to the expense of using it in a soccer game. That can go a long way in develpoing a soccer culture here.

Also glad they finally showed a replay of a questionable offsides with a moving line representing the last defender. I'm sure you guys are as tired as I am of trying to explain offisdes to casual America observers. I think that graphic like no other drives home the idea of what is and isn't offsides to someone new to the game and at the same time proves useful to expierenced fans without being condescending.