May 2, 2008

No, it's not.

It's just not the best league in the world. If that's what you're looking for, you might want to go to Spain, Portugal, England, Italy, France, Germany, Brazil or Argentina.

That said, stories like this aren't going to help show off the league for what it is, which is a perfectly good second-tier league with a improving international reputation (again, it's not going to become a top-tier league anytime soon, but it is improving) and a growing domestic cultural footprint. They have a long string of (mostly very fixable) problems, but the people who are screwing up on the little things have to get the hell out of their own way.

The Galaxy seem to be a very poorly run team, which is a true shame, because even without Beckham, they could easily and quickly be the flagship side for the the whole sport in the USA. As it is, Alexi Lalas (or whoever) is running them into the ground, and it's left to the Houstons, Chivases, Torontoes, Washingtons and Columbi of the league to carry the flag for North American soccer.

Come on, guys. Pick it up. I want to believe.

posted by chicobangs at 12:12 PM CDT on May 2

1. They are talking about their "minor league" team, right? Seriously, I'm asking because If they are, I didn't even know that a "JV" squad/league existed for MLS. If they are talking about the main squad, that truly is pathetic. If this is just their JV squad, who really cares. The point is to get those guys some field time to be able to eventually contribute to the big club, right?

2. Hey, Chico-what's with not showing the Revs any love? Their championship game futility notwithstanding, they have to be considered one of the cornerstone franchises in the league.

3. Phason, why is it that any US soccer talk immediately brings out your bellyaching about some vast conspiracy that is denying you the opportunity to raise the level and notoriety of American Soccer. If Pele couldn't get this county's head out of their crevices and appreciate the beautiful sport, what makes you think you can? It is going to take more than one man to change Americans' attitude towards Soccer. We all, as fans, have to promote the sport to the uneducated and help them understand it so that they may become passionate about it.

The MLS still has a way to go, but they are getting better. What they need to do is to find a way for the World Wide Leader to give them some of the pub force that they throw behind Arena Football. A little extra coverage on Sportscenter would do wonders.

Just my 2 cents

posted by crqri at 1:04 PM CDT on May 2

0. CRQRI, it is going to take the proper approach to soccer development to improve soccer here in the USA, and I have that development program.

Actually, there has been a level of conspiracy as you put it, but those facts will hopefully come out in a book that I am going to write in the near future, which I am sure you will not be bellyaching to read.

I consider myself a fan of soccer, and aside from doing all I can as one individual, I am actually directly involved in improving the level of the game here in the USA...all I ever see you do is talk.

Pele did manage to help improve the interest of many young players get into the game here in the USA, and he helped increase the awareness of the game here in this country. At least he did his part, what have you done to improve the game, aside from just talk?

Once I get started with my developmental soccer teams, you should consider yourself privileged to be able to see the level of soccer that we will bring to the soccer field, once we setup an exhibition game that will be televised.

posted by phason at 1:26 PM CDT on May 2

They play soccer in North America? Who knew?

posted by Spitztengle at 2:26 PM CDT on May 2

CRQRI,

Factually, if we searched this forum for the total number of my writings verses yours, you would come on top.

Yes, I do seldom write, to promote the fact that today's soccer players in the USA are able to be the best in the world, not in 5 or 10 years but today.

I write less than you do, and if we got together and compared home many hours you and I have spent on the soccer field teaching and developing local USA soccer youth, I have a feeling I would probably have more hours compared to yours. I have spent a lot of time on the soccer field to be able to develop the training program that I always refer to, so yes, I have been very active on the soccer field, and hopefully will continue to be even more shortly, once I get the faculties that I referred to in my last post.

I have trained many soccer players here in this country, but the problem is that in general, the norm is that after I leave a team after I was with them on average of one month or two months max as coach or technical trainer, the next coach that team would hire, would prevent my players from continuing to do what I thought them, because their technical movement I thought them goes against today's standards, the standards that most coaches use here in this country, which kills and stifles potential soccer talent, so those new coaches had no clue what my players were doing, but because it was not familiar to them, they immediately stifled their progress by forcing today's standards down their throat, and preventing them from doing something different.

So in order for my program to be successful to the point of being able to document it via the media, I do have to own and run my own facilities, so that I can develop my players for a longer period of time without external intervention, to allow them to reach a certain level of play, and to enable us to setup top media covered exhibition games to introduce the new form of technical movement to the rest of the world, to show its superiority to today's soccer standards...and by having my own facilities, I know that no one can find a way to stop me, as they have before.

Ask anyone, even outside of soccer, who has developed a new approach to an existing standard, how hard it is to introduce it the world, and they will tell you it is no easy task.

So every time I read or hear someone make statements that soccer here in this country is not up to par with the rest of the world, I can't help but to respond and write that today's soccer player here in the USA is able to be the best in the world, and can be in less than a few months, with the proper format of technical training.

If I could funnel the money that went to David Beckham's way, towards getting the necessary soccer facilities that I need to build, I could create 100's of players here in USA that would be double the player that David was, or is today, and that is not meant to take anything away from David's past, present, or future soccer achievements in today's level of soccer.

My statement's are not attacking anyone, they merely state that the knowledge is already here to help today's USA soccer players in becoming the best in the world, and if that knowledge is coming from one man, what difference does that make, the fact is, the knowledge is available.

I repeat, I will be getting the necessary facilities I have been working so hard to get sometime this late summer, then I will be able to start my developmental teams, and they will start training without any interruption, and this will happen hopefully by end of this year.

So instead of trying to attack my efforts, come on board, and let me know if you want to become one of my certified soccer technical trainers, so that you can promote a brighter future for today's USA soccer players.

I know that our USSF has opened up many youth soccer academies throughout the country, in order to start improving our soccer youth talent levels, but because the people running those facilities are certified with today's coaching standards, our youth's soccer progress is not going to excel anytime soon...but if you introduce a program that is based on principles of physics and scientific research, then maybe we can get them developed much faster, and in less than a year.

So if you want to continue to attack my statements or my efforts, join the crowd, but nothing is going to stop me from moving forward and helping today's USA soccer players from becoming the best that they can be, which I believe they deserve, and because they are our future, and why shouldn't they have the best opportunities available to them? And why should old soccer standards continually be shoved down their throats?

posted by phason at 3:13 PM CDT on May 2

Thank you again for destroying a perfectly good thread with your sales pitch. While it is wonderful that you are clearly very committed to the sport, this is not a forum about your qualificiations, but rather about interesting stories in sports.

Bingo.

posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 3:59 PM CDT on May 2

Given the fact that this was a reserve team, I really don't think it's that big of a deal. Most lower level teams carry the bare minimum of players in order to cut costs, so if only a couple are out due to injuries they run into trouble.

When I was working my way through college, one of my jobs was helping take care of the field at a park where a Northern League baseball team played. One week the visiting team asked if any of us had played any ball, when I said I had, I was "drafted" to play outfield. The situation was that some of the players were delayed due to a bus issue, and they were one short to start. I played 1 1/2 innings, fielded one grounder, and never got to bat. They gave me $50. Which to this day enables me to claim a pro career!

There's now a ticket agent that will be claiming the same.

posted by dviking at 6:08 PM CDT on May 2

It is obvious that there are very few out there who are actually trying to improve the level of our young soccer players in this country...Yet there are too many more out there pushing their stagnant opinions and their egos without any soccer improving substance...

I actually created a thread with a positive soccer message and substance, you guys create threads wth conitnuous sarcasm and negativity, and most of your threads have absolutely no substance what so ever.

The soccer players here in this country will reach the level they deserve, and I will continue to remind everyone of that fact...so get used to it.

If I were you I would try and learn from players like David Beckham and other top players who are in the MLS and other foreign players who will be coming soon, at least they do bring something extra to the game.

You guys need to get a clue to what soccer is about before you post your pathetic comments, they are a waste of my quality reading time.

posted by phason at 8:56 PM CDT on May 2

Texan_lost_in_NY,

I commend your volunteer work with underprivileged kids and their families...that is always a positive thing.

The sarcasm and negativity people dish out is not warranted, and I should have guessed you have a British background...you guys can't stand having someone state that they know more than you when it comes to soccer, that is exactly what is keeping soccer here in USA backward in development.

I am not talking about me, me, me...I am talking about the soccer players here in the States who love the game but do not have the opportunity to get the proper technical training.

Just because I say, I have developed a training program that is 10 to 15 years ahead of everyone else, does not mean I am talking about myself, but about using this innovative program to give our kids the proper training that they are not getting out there today.

I hope you enjoyed your early soccer career, I know I did, I loved every minute of it.

Don't worry, the American kids will become the best in the world and it won't be due to any British coach or technical trainer, you guys have had enough time here in this country to prove what you are capable of, and it is time for something new, so just get over it.

I saw the Barcelona and MAN U 0-0 game a few days ago...after close to two hours of effort, neither team managed to score a goal, and Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty...so you tell me, how is that possible, and I tell you I know why, no player on that field knows the true physics of the soccer ball, and they have no clue as to why they are missing the goal, or hitting the goal post...but my American kids after they undergo my training program will know why, and they will score, and score, and score.

Right now, I am in a good mood, I just completed one of my major projects...so I wish you and everyone here at SpoFi a great Friday evening.

posted by phason at 11:48 PM CDT on May 2

We need a "Summon Phason" card.

posted by Mr Bismarck at 7:20 AM CDT on May 3

Is phason really John Beck? I always wondered what happened to him.

posted by owlhouse at 9:38 AM CDT on May 3

Phason: I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you're promoting your own efforts at the expense of soccer discussions. The most effective way to promote your project here would be to write an occasional subscriber column when you have something new or noteworthy to report.

posted by rcade at 11:42 AM CDT on May 3

"Coach Ruud Gullit bemoans amateur nature of Galaxy"...

In the above Gullit article that this discussion thread is about, it is obvious he is being honest in his opinion about the level of soccer in this country.

He repeats what I have said before on other forums, not just this one, that the American soccer player lacks proper soccer development from AYSO, to competitive clubs, to high schools, and to college soccer levels.

Gullit is not the only one who has made such a statement, there have been others...

I have been aware of this for quite some time, that is why I keep writing about my soccer developmental program, as a solution to this problem.

Soon, as I have stated in one of my earlier comments, I will have the facilities I need to implement this developmental program, hopefully sometime this summer I will be able to start managing these facilities, and then after a few months I will be able to create my developmental teams.

The only way to introduce my approach to soccer development is to put a team on the soccer field, and then people will come and watch. They can then decide for themselves if the level of soccer of my kids is productive and entertaining at the same time, or not.

It has taken me 4 years of effort to get to the point of being able to manage these facilities, so to all those who are throwing some great advice as how I should market my program, all I can say, is that I have been there and done that, and of course, the effort has finally paid off.

You have no idea how excited I am to be able to finally have a venue to implement my soccer developmental program, and the good news is that these facilities are located throughout other States, not just California.

Of course, once I get started, I plan to find a way to hire a camera crew to document my efforts, on and off the field. I plan to build research facilities where we will continue research into soccer and other sports where the principles of physics that I use can be implemented, and those facilities will create those cool slow motion athletic movement videos, and we will publish our research in medical research journals, like that of http://www.jssm.org...

I want to share my findings to all interested individuals, and I want to do it in a very professional manner, so that all individuals irregardless of their background or education level can appreciate the power of this new approach to sports development.

I have witnessed how everyone is passing the buck to everyone else to develop our American soccer youth, but very few have the knowhow, or have done any research to truly be capable to property develop our youth to a level that will surpass the other countries. That is why Gullit has made the observation of the lack of developed players that he has seen from our colleges when they step unto a professional soccer field.

The LA Galaxy has done a great job to market the name 'LA Galaxy', and they have had previous soccer successes as a professional soccer club, it should be a no brainer to start also having some success on the soccer field today to match the popularity of their club's name. But it not as easy of a task as it seems.

Let us switch to Chivas USA, the club has also done a great marketing job, and many people recognize their name as well. Imagine if they knew how to take local Hispanic soccer players and developed them into top professional players; imagine how many Hispanic fans would come watch a professional club made up of local talented Hispanic players. They would have to build another stadium just to hold that many fans.

I have offered my services to both clubs, because I believe I can help them in developing great soccer players.

At least I am trying to help...

But realistically I do not have the level of marketability that I need to persuade them, even though I offered them different means of testing and proving my technical development abilities in just a period of a week, and still they were not interested.

So that aside, with my upcoming opportunity to manage the soccer facilities that I have been waiting for, I will now have the opportunity to create the marketability I need, and my services will still be available, and maybe by then I might be offered a head coaching job with one of the MLS teams, and then I can show the American public the power of our local dormant soccer talent.

posted by phason at 1:56 PM CDT on May 3

P.S. I commend Peter for believing in something and being passionate about it. I think he just might have enough passion to make it happen. Keep trying!! You obviously have some experience.

posted by brandy at 9:51 PM CDT on May 3

there's more to being a supporter than jumping on the biggest bandwagon.
I love that!! You are so right Dave2007!!

posted by brandy at 12:19 PM CDT on May 4

Texan lost in NY,

It seems you have it all down, you know the physics of the soccer kick, and you have faith in your approach to soccer philosophy, so that is great, I am happy for you. Plus the fact you are Texan means you have a great future, you might even become President of this country one day, you never know...it takes confidence to be a good President, and you seem to have all the confidence the big state of Texas can offer...

As long as your heart is the right place and you keep an open mind, I have a feeling you will do well in your soccer efforts.

Remember, the more we work together, even if we share different philosophies and ideologies in the world of soccer, the better we can improve the soccer game so that we can both sit back and enjoy watching our youth develop into talented soccer players and soccer entertainers, because don't forget, the soccer game is also an art.

Progress involves allowing people to have differences of opinion, and finding a way to compromise those differences.

Just as a note, attempting to lean over the soccer ball with the top part of your body will actually increase your chances of kicking the ball over the goal not keep the ball lower...today's simple and stale kicking standard which has not changed to date is not based on any principles of physics what so ever, hence players have no clue how to master the soccer ball in a consistent manner when it comes to horizontal and vertical direction.

Once I have a chance to create my developmental youth soccer teams, I would love to setup a friendly match with one of your youth teams, assuming you will have one at that time, and we can see whose players are more accurate in passing and finishing, yours or mine. We can review the game over some pints of beer; it will give us a chance to get to know each other, becuase I grew up in Texas also, and I played pro soccer in England as a trialist for QPR in 1980's, so we do have some things in common; especially, a passion for the game.

posted by phason at 3:32 PM CDT on May 4

Owlhouse,

Let me know how I can contact you, and once I start managing the soccer facilities that I have referred to in this thread, and setup my research program I will contact you and we can attempt to collaberate on various research, not just in soccer, but in other sports where the mechanics of physics are involved.

You have to reallize the research you referred to, like the top clubs in Europe and elsewhere are engaged in, are missing one important fact. They are attempting to evaluate and research the movement used in today's standard soccer kick by top soccer players...if you keep analyzing the existing then you will never progress to an alternative movement, not any time soon.

Looking forward to speaking and/or meeting you soon.

My e-mail is p1234land@yahoo.com....

posted by phason at 6:05 PM CDT on May 4

It happened the last time he ventured out too Chico.

Every now and then the gates come down on a football thread, the lights flash and the Phason Express hammers through and derails.

Maybe the Pope's suggestion that he turn his loquaciousness to the column section might appeal.

posted by Mr Bismarck at 1:05 PM CDT on May 5

Every now and then the gates come down on a football thread, the lights flash and the Phason Express hammers through and derails.

That sentence reminds me of these commercials. Of course phason's rants are neither cool, refreshing, or intoxicating.


There is about as much body and substance in a Coor's Light as in his rants though.

posted by tommytrump at 2:26 PM CDT on May 5

Chico, that is kinda the point I was making when I first posted here. I wasn't "attacking" Phason's ideas, as he claimed, rather his need to post whenever a thread regarding American Soccer is started. Phason, the fact that I do have more posts than you proves our point against you. I have more posts because I am a sports fan an I like to engage in conversation regarding my various interests. It is apparent from this thread that you are known for one particular reason, an not a positive one at that. We have offered suggestions because we don't want to keep reading your self promoting materials. In short, Put your money where your mouth is. Once your clinics/Academies/training facilities, etc, are open, give us the link to your site and let us see what you are espousing. Once your book is published, PM me the Amazon link and I will decide if I feel it is worth my time. Until then, there are many other means of increasing awareness and support. Please find them and use them.

posted by crqri at 3:39 PM CDT on May 5

"What we've got here is...failure to communicate. Some men you just can't reach. So you get what we had here last week, which is the way he wants it... well, he gets it. I don't like it any more than you men".

-The Captain

posted by BoKnows at 7:10 PM CDT on May 5