We can't win anything (save the Supporter's Shield)!

Yeah, but does Chivas' coach look like a cast member from NYPD Blue? No. And, for that matter, does Edu? Again, no. Our coach is the league's most Franz-like leader.

I saw Edu in 3 or 4 matches -- these were towards the beginning of the season -- and he committed some really awful fouls. Some were stupid but some were quite nasty. Perhaps he settled down as the year progressed but I was put off by his behavior on the field.

Is Edu the first #1 pick to be ROTY?

Go Terps!

I don't think you can argue with either choice. Preki took a badly fractured team and brought them together when no one else thought he could do it. Edu started like a typical rookie, but it was clear by mid-season that Toronto had something special, and his terrific performance against Switzerland showed the sky is the limit for him. Kudos to both on their awards.

I applaud Preki for getting the honor. Well deserved in my book. I was actually rooting for Chivas to make the final but theirs and United's exit exposed a flaw in the playoff system.

I'll be very suprised if DCU gets any awards where voting is the means of choosing. Golden Boot and Supporters' Shield can't be argued--most goals and most points. But we are not loved league-wide... look at our Fouls Committed stat... the highest in the league. I Luci has a chance at MVP or Newcomer... but my guess ii it'll be Blanco or JPA on both. Not being negative or defeatist... just a general feeling that we are the Dallas Cowboys of MLS... everybody loves to see us lose.

Preki earned the award when he sent Amado Guevara packing. To take a former MVP and just dismiss him made that whole team stand up and take notice that there was a new boss and attitude. Great job with not a ton of talent.

I'm having problems submitting a question for later, but here's what I had:

Hey Steven,

1) When can teams start signing players from their youth academies?

2) Which teams have qualified youth academies that they can start taking players from?

3) Who are the top 3 D.C. United prospects?

Thanks for all your great work during the season! I can't wait to start the silly, rumor-ridden offseason.

-Joe

well deserved. good to see.

You mean Guy-Roland Kpene wasn't on the shortlist for Rookie of the Year?

Disregard a reference in my online chat to important college soccer news today. False alarm. Virginia has yet to officially announce the severity of star forward Yannick Reyering's knee injury. It looked bad on Saturday, can't imagine he will play again anytime soon.

this falls into my whatever pile....

blah blah blah....

"This was one of the mistakes (MLS) -- they have to give freedom to the owners of the teams to buy the players and (chose) which players they want to put (out)," Pelé told The AP. "The big mistake in the league now is to control the level of the teams. If they opened this up, it would be much better."

why does espn show liverpool and man united a lot, are they under contract with those teams?

Beasley is starting agains Barca

Goff,

I was reading this preview article about NE vs Chicago: http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20071106&content_id=128190&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp and at the top, just below "Suspensions" it had the following:

"WARNINGS (suspended if team advances): NE: Shalrie Joseph, Khano Smith, Wells Thompson, Taylor Twellman ... CHI: Matt Pickens, Gonzalo Segares"

What's this about? It reads as though these players will be suspended from MLS cup should their team advances. Is this a yellow card accumulation thing?

Please clarify.

A TERRIBLE FOUL CHAMPIONS CELTIC BENFICA

http://youtube.com/watch?v=UTBNNdkfeH4

last ten seconds of clip

That foul might be worth a season or more. No way to justify it...

In the playoffs, if a player receives a yellow card in two CONSECUTIVE games, he is suspended from the next game. So anyone who got a yellow in the final first-round match is in jeopardy of missing MLS Cup.

YOGA! YOGA!!

"This was one of the mistakes (MLS) -- they have to give freedom to the owners of the teams to buy the players and (chose) which players they want to put (out)," Pelé told The AP. "The big mistake in the league now is to control the level of the teams. If they opened this up, it would be much better."

Posted by: Pele | November 7, 2007 02:28 PM

Odd statement, given that talent inequities between teams were one of the main reasons the NASL folded. I'm not wild about the current system, but just leaving it wide open isn't the answer, either. We'd see a few owners spend themselves and the league into oblivion in just a few years.

Juan Pablo Angel has been called up to Colombia's national team for upcoming qualifiers against venezuela and argentina

Pele makes some really odd statements. MLS is no where near ready to be like other leagues. It won't survive. Every other sport, including European club soccer, is complaining about the few clubs that have everything and how unfair it is. The league system works fine, and until there is a big enough market to support free agents, MLS needs to stay the way it is.

I think Preki did a good job, but Soehn's job was just as tough with better results. No other team played as many games as DC (with international tournaments) and this is the first time a team has ever repeated as a Supporter's Shield winner (and many times the next year is disastrous for a SS winner).

In the end, Preki relied just as much on Razov and Galindo as Soehn did on Emilio and Gomez. Soehn also bled in new talent quite well. Soehn should have gotten the edge.

Preki did much better with the team he inherited, including one thankfully-now-gone headcase.

If DCU had looked better in any of the tournaments that we participated, Soehn's case would have been a lot stronger. As it was, I thought he made some poor tactical decisions in games, and hadn't always managed the long season well. I see it as having a great "rookie year" as a head coach, and that is definitely positive. I think he's definitely learned a lot about managing playing time for next years very busy summer.

Gullit to Galaxy?

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=480003&cc=5901

Goff and your DC sycophants - For all your spiteful and petty bad mouthing of KC they just jumped ahead of DC getting a permanent stadium. $267M approved today by the KC TIF commission. Stadium scheduled to open in spring of 2010.

Where will mighty DC Utd be playing in 2010 - probably second fiddle to some lacrosse team at a crumbling RFK.

Oh, and by the way, who's still in the playoffs?

Well, Gryphon's sort of got a point (made me lol) ... despite the spiteful and petty bad mouthing he did...

Gullit to Galaxy?

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=480003&cc=5901

Posted by: emanon | November 7, 2007 05:18 PM

The rumors alone already make this the best "off-season" ever. MLS cup hasn't even started and we already have 2 major coaching changes, a new stadium in KC and two possible new expansion teams.

Gryphon,

Good luck in the playoffs. Great news on the stadium.

If you lose though, feel free to come to ratty, old, RFK. While you are suffering through another Columbus match in front of 7,000, we'll be taking on Pachuca or Chivas or America with 20,000 plus.

Thats outstanding for KC. Cool for the league. Stadiums are always a positive.
But hey cool guy, DC have bagged International play for 08 and a not to shabby Supporter's Shield. Not exactly a horrid year.
Good luck in Houston, I wouldn't bet a dime on KC coming out of that Cauldron.

Let's see now...last international competition:

KC Wizards, 2005 CONCACAF Champions Cup: Lost to Deportivo Saprissa (Costa Rica), 0-0, 2-1

DC United, 2007 Copa Sudamericana: Lost to Chivas Guadalajara, 2-1, 0-1 (Chivas advances on away goals)

Let the record speak for itself. :)

Outlook: The Revolution, which has yet to win an MLS title, is appearing in the Eastern final for the sixth consecutive year. The key against the Fire is containing Cuauht¿moc Blanco, the ornery midfielder with a masterful passing touch.

Just wondering, from our resident Spanish tutor, if the above spelling of Mr. White's first name (pulled from the on-line Conf Champ preview) is in form?
Thanks ;-)

Gryphon,

Let me repeat what I wrote to Mastodon Juan a long time ago. It must be awful for you. Your team, and the fan community around it, sucks so bad that you have to come to a DC United website to get your news. You think we're DC Syncophants? Gee, I wonder why? Maybe because this blog is written by a DC United beat writer in the WASHINGTON F'ING POST! And as for your stadium, congrats! Prepare to be outnumbered by the opposing fans at every home game. Oh, and I think I found the anthem for your Grand Opening. Enjoy!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8rY9zOd0f-k

"Alexi Lalas, the Galaxy's president and general manager, said Monday that he wanted a "sexy" coach, someone who would attract attention in the same way David Beckham has done and at the same time get the team playing the attractive attacking style that soccer fans demand."

As much as I hate the Galaxy I really feel bad for them that they are stuck with this Jack-a** as president and General manager. Lalas is fully incompetent and it will be great seeing Yallop and the expansion Earthquake beat the crap out of them next year.

Any truth to the rumor that Galaxy are going to release Donovan for the expansion draft?

more rumors/"confirmations"

David Beckham could train with Watford as he bids to keep up his fitness ahead of England's upcoming games. (Mail)

Ruud Gullit will be handed a multi-million dollar three-year contract to coach David Beckham's club LA Galaxy. (Telegraph)

Beckham's management company were involved in Gullit's recruitment and will supplement his wages. (Times)

Good choice for Coach of the Year, although I thought Tommy Boy did a nice job with DC. However I though Dane Richards should have won Rookie of the Year, not to take anything away from Edu but from the games I saw involving NYRB & TFC I think Richards had a much bigger impact for his team.

Sorry to crash in - "Your team, and the fan community around it, sucks so bad that you have to come to a DC United website to get your news - this blog is written by a DC United beat writer in the WASHINGTON F'ING POST!"

Wow I didn't know this blog was only for DC fans. I would think conversation from all soccer fans would be encouraged.

Anywho, more SSS's is fantastic news. The PR the MLS has gotten this year is also a good sign of things to come. Just wait, in 5-10 years there actually may be enough interest and teams to go to a single table.

I know that would make DC fans happy since you tend to have the best record every year.

On a different note does anyone else feel like NE doesn't deserve another chance to win the MLS CUP?

Its time for the FIRE to shock the MLS with an improbable run to the title.

GO FIRE.....

Relax people. No-one claims that this blog is only for DC United fans. But wouldn't you expect things on washingtonpost.com to be skewed toward the local readership?

Congratulations to KC on getting a stadium. It is good news because the league will bleed less money. I, and others, will be happy if this solves your attendance woes. After 12 years, however, I'm not optimistic.

"On a different note does anyone else feel like NE doesn't deserve another chance to win the MLS CUP?"

Good point.

Inquiring DVRs/Tivos/VCRs want to know: What is the projected kickoff time for tonight's game on BSPN2?