Timbers Tid Bits: Labor Day Edition

by Geoff Gibson on Sep 5, 2011 8:58 AM PDT

Hope everybody is enjoying their day off today... well day off that is unless you work in retail or as a blogger. In any case, the day is ripe for barbeques and hiking around the greater Portland area so I hope some of you are able to escape from work and soak up some sun.

We have just under a week left until the next Timbers road game so you can expect the return of our preview series this week as the team heads to Philadelphia. We'll also have a training report or two from our two newest editors. So keep a look out for that.

Until then, enjoy the morning news!

Timbers specific news

Costa Rica shuts out Americans; Timbers' Rodney Wallace gets winning goal
More on Wallace's goal.

Taking in a Portland Timbers Reserve match hearkens back to the Timbers USL Days
The casualness of it all is quite refreshing.

RECAP: Portland's Wallace lifts Ticos over U.S. with second-half goal
Should we be proud or dismayed? Conflicting...

MLS news (after the jump)

Ubiparipovic key part of Impact's recent turnaround
With such a horrid season though, will it be enough?

Orlando City: Orlando City has surpassed expectations
Remember, this is a team that has ambitions for MLS one day.

Miami has chance to impress MLS with U.S. match
I don't know about that. Getting fans out to a USMNT match is different than an MLS match.

Real Salt Lake beats Philadelphia in Major League Soccer
That fourth place position in the West just got a little harder to attain.

MLS Misses an Opportunity to Attract EPL TV Viewers
They're damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Sporting KC prepares to face LA's galaxy of soccer stars
Sporting KC doesn't have the best home record.

Rested L.A. begins tough stretch
Will they be able to keep their form?

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Comments

I actually agree with EPLTalk about the weekend

There was nothing going on this weekend, really, and if you as a league are willing to play two games, why not play a full slate? I would have loved to have more MLS this weekend.

by pdb on Sep 5, 2011 9:05 AM PDT reply actions

Yeah it's just funny though...

For years MLS ignored international dates only to be blasted my fans and presa like about how they should “respect” players and teams commitment to their national sides.

This year, MLS makes a solid attempt at doing such a thing and then they get blasted for not using the opportunity to attract more fans.

RCTID - Stumptown Footy
Moderator of /r/MLS

by Geoff Gibson on Sep 5, 2011 9:41 AM PDT up reply actions

My question regarding EPL and MLS fans in the US:

Are the numbers of people following EPL and MLS in the US that disparate anymore?

Community Manager for Stumptown Footy

by William Duke on Sep 5, 2011 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm not sure I fully understand your question

I’m sure there are many people in the US that don’t follow both leagues – I never used to care about MLS until the Timbers, and I’ve been an Arsenal fan since before there was a Premier League. I know a bunch of people that don’t care about MLS but watch England, and vice versa.

by pdb on Sep 5, 2011 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions

Totally agree with you

They talk about how they “try” to like MLS, but they don’t try and see things from our point of view.

The commenter who points out that the owners pay fees to be in this league in excess of $40 million, plus stadium costs, makes a valid point: why make that kind of investment when you’re not guaranteed to be at the top level? I know the EPL fans will answer “get better players and stay there” but it’s not that easy; how many EPL teams have been relegated/promoted since the EPL was formed? Or perhaps it’s easier to ask how many haven’t been…

The comment about the Rowdies being better than most MLS sides made me laugh though.

Blazers win!

by The X-man on Sep 5, 2011 1:40 PM PDT up reply actions

Since Sky Sports invented soccer in 1992 there are only 10 teams that have not been relegated

Arsenal
Man United
Liverpool
Everton
Spurs
Villa
Chelsea
Fulham
Wigan
Stoke City

by pdb on Sep 5, 2011 4:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Craptacular article.

Damned for not respecting the FIFA dates, even from MLS fans, and damned if you do. They were forced into playing this weekend. It was free when the schedule was first established.

Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.

by Kejsare on Sep 5, 2011 6:59 PM PDT up reply actions

I honestly think that if they had played a full slate of games instead of only two, nobody would have batted an eye

And even if so – why should the US, MLS, or MLS fans care what England thinks about the US domestic league? The US doesn’t need England or English fans’ stamp of approval in order to play.

by pdb on Sep 5, 2011 8:28 PM PDT up reply actions

But that site is primarily NOT an English originating site.

The site is the EPL from an American perspective. The site is identical and run by the same people as majorleaguesoccertalk.com. There may be ex-pats who write for the site, but it is American in origin.

This is an American voice coming through and thus it is not seeking the approval from an English fan.

Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.

by Kejsare on Sep 6, 2011 9:37 AM PDT up reply actions

It was a clean weekend as I already stated too.

MLS once had it open, but found a way to muddy the waters. Even the DC match reschedule was not displaced because both teams had international commitments.

Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.

by Kejsare on Sep 6, 2011 9:39 AM PDT up reply actions