News & Notes - MLS 2011 [R]

gwar0127 wrote:

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My word, that away kit is fugly. Looks like something that the '96 teams would have worn.

Rex Kramer wrote:

gwar0127 wrote:

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My word, that away kit is fugly. Looks like something that the '96 teams would have worn.

That hurt my eyes!!!

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First, about half of them don't work. Not on
any level. They fail to produce goals or wins or added revenue. They are
big ol' flop-a-rooskies.

Second, just because someone can "still
play" in their home country, that hardly equates to a slam dunk success
here. Far from it.

Third, people tend to diminish age as a
consideration, theorizing that veteran know-how gained over years in a
superior league will mitigate any loss of speed, etc.

Fourth, they all can't play in New York or Los Angeles.

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Quote :

At age 27, longtime D.C. United midfielder Santino Quaranta is
retiring from MLS to work full-time with a youth soccer club he helped
create and to assist a substance abuse program that helped turn around
his life and career four years ago.

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Chivas USA made the biggest move in Monday's short first stage of the
2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft by using its fourth overall selection to pick
former Real Salt Lake midfielder Arturo Alvarez.

Two other teams made selections, as the New England Revolution used
the second overall pick on former Toronto FC fullback Danleigh Borman,
and the Columbus Crew used the ninth overall pick to add former New York
Red Bulls defender Carlos Mendes. The remaining 16 teams opted to pass.

Seriously?? Chivas used its #4 on Spare-o Alvarez?

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Real Salt Lake's Andy Williams announced his retirement Monday night,
ending a productive 14-year playing career. The skillful Jamaican
midfielder won't be straying far from the game at all, though, as he
will join the Real Salt Lake techinical staff as a scout.

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MLS and adidas on Tuesday unveiled the new adidas PRIME, which replaces
the adidas Jabulani ball beginning in 2012. Designed exclusively for
MLS, the adidas PRIME was created to improve on “accuracy, consistency
and performance” under all field and weather conditions, according to
adidas.

Dallas native Lee Nguyen is now in MLS.

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On Tuesday, the 25-year-old former Dallas-area youth phenom made it
official, putting pen to paper and signing a multi-year deal with Major
League Soccer.

“Lee is a player that MLS is delighted to sign, with the contract
potentially extending through 2015,” said MLS director of player
personnel Lino Di Cuollo. “We feel his signing is a testament to the
league's commitment to bringing back talented American players. He has
done well internationally, having played on multiple clubs in Europe and
Asia, and we expect that he will be a terrific attacking option for
whichever club he joins."

Despite having previous US national team experience – Nguyen has
three caps, all in 2007, including two substitute appearances at the
Copa América – the attacker will enter a weighted lottery rather than
the allocation ranking customarily used for players with USMNT
experience to determine which team will end up with his services.

Here is why Nguyen left his club in Vietnam:

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A dispute with the coach of Hoàng Anh Gia Lai had led to his departure
and by last June he’d burned another bridge. Nguyen and Binh Duong FC
agreed to terminate his contract and then began discussions with MLS,
which will conduct a weighted lottery – probably next week – to assign
his rights.

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The 2012 MLS Draft is a month away, and the Montreal Impact's options with the No. 1 overall pick are ready to get a lot weaker.

Akron University striker Darren Mattocks, a consensus pick to be
among the first two players selected in January's MLS Draft, is ready to
pass on the Generation adidas contract offered to him by MLS to sign in
Europe. According to Mattocks' agent, Patrick McCabe, clubs in Norway,
Sweden and Denmark have made offers to the Akron sophomore and he is set
to select one of those options over the MLS Generation adidas offer.

If Mattocks does pass on signing with MLS, it will shake up the top
of the draft, where he and Duke star Andrew Wenger were the consensus
top two picks in the draft. According to sources, Montreal was strongly
considering Mattocks with its top pick, and may be more inclined to deal
the No. 1 overall selection if the Jamaican-born striker is
unavailable.

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#30

DON GARBER

Commissioner, Major League Soccer

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] CHANGE FROM 2010: +4

A decade ago, Major League Soccer was struggling. Today the
league’s legitimacy is inarguable, with a nationwide footprint, average
attendance that surpasses both the NBA and NHL, and a new TV deal with
NBC. Garber has led the charge, and his next task is to solidify stadium
plans in New York City for a 20th team.

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BBVA Compass, an international bank with dozens of branches in Houston,
has signed a 10-year, $20 million naming rights deal on the Dynamo's new
stadium, which will open on May 12, 2012.