11-08-2004 20:27									#61
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Old news, alva .

	11-08-2004 21:29									#62
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quote: Originally posted by C0ckney i'm an arsenal fan but i can't believe anyone (least of all a yid) is saying spurs will go down. spurs will never, ever, ever in your life go down. they are one of a number of teams, like villa, saints and everton (well maybe not this season ) who are never in any danger of winning anything but will not go down either. no ambition, no world class players, but they have a lot of support and a bit too much quality not to surivive. as one spurs director was quoted as saying after they lost 4-3 to man city in the cup last year 'it's ok, we'll get a full house in here again next week'

I aint no yiiiiiiiiiiiiid /Alf Garnett

Seriously, i thought the same before the Leeds catastrophy last season. BTW it may surprise you but we do have some world class players, they just arent recognised when we lose every other week. Man Utd and Arsenal will always get the 1st featured highlights on Match of the Day every saturday night for half an hour. I lose count how many superlatives Barry Davies uses for Henry in one match

	11-08-2004 22:16									#63
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Yeah I thought about putting Nesta and Cannavaro in there, but I have a bias against Italians. They are cheap and underachievers. I do respect the professional league, just I don't like the NT.

And for the teams, I didn't include American teams, because it is just too hard to compare them. I don't expect to get good response from my ranking of the teams, people usually get mad when I post it.

There is no team that will 'never' go down. All teams have ups and downs, and every team will fall eventually. it won't stay there forever. I learned this the hard way, being a Leeds fan.

	12-08-2004 00:48									#64
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That's ok wrt: American teams. They aren't on the level of the best Euro teams anyway. I'd imagine most of them these days are mid-table EPL quality. DC United, which is a mid table MLS team is actually undefeated in 5 or 6 friendlies with EPL teams (such as Tottenham and Birmingham City).

	12-08-2004 04:07									#65
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Friendlies don't mean anything, since it is very rare for either side to pick their first-choice team. I can't comment on the strength of the MLS teams, though, since I know nothing about your league ... it's just that friendly results tell you very little one way or the other.

	12-08-2004 04:20									#66
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True, but IIRC, there were plenty of first team players involved. Just showing that American teams aren't **** like most Euros think.

	12-08-2004 04:43									#67
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As a Tottenham fan I can most emphatically assure you that the ability to beat us in no way marks out a team as "not ****".

I'd like to see some MLS soccer. I saw a couple of games several years ago and it was pretty awful, but I've heard from several sources that the standard of play there has been improving rapidly.

	12-08-2004 04:47									#68
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quote: Well I did JUST start to take an interest in soccer . I played it for many years and have been interested in the World Cup for many years.

	12-08-2004 05:12									#69
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quote: As a Tottenham fan I can most emphatically assure you that the ability to beat us in no way marks out a team as "not ****".

Perhaps so . But I think at least some MLS teams could be mid-table teams in the EPL, though I guess that wasn't the way to prove it .

quote: I'd like to see some MLS soccer. I saw a couple of games several years ago and it was pretty awful, but I've heard from several sources that the standard of play there has been improving rapidly.

Well, what'd ya expect from a new league? In the beginning stages it's going to suck because who wants to play there, not knowing if it'll stick around? Now that it is relatively stable (it's financially solvent and in no danger of folding) you can attract more talent. And I it took a little bit to build up a system of finding and exploiting young American talent to showcase in the league. Adu would have found a spot anywhere, as would Beasley.. but you have the Howard's (as in Tim) and Donovan's who have the MLS to thank for maturing as good players who could hold their own in top flight European competition.

	12-08-2004 06:14									#70
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Mid-table seems a bit high, but hey, if it makes you happy.
-
So is football getting more popular in the US now?

	12-08-2004 06:56									#71
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Not really... it's at the same level of popularity only that popularity is more focused now... on one prof league.

	12-08-2004 06:58									#72
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It is funny though, as you have the best female league and national team in the world by far.

	12-08-2004 08:02									#73
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It's because, as I've seen, Euros and Asians football fans don't take woman's soccer seriously and don't seem like they will.

	12-08-2004 08:05									#74
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Female football is getting more popular in England though, but not on the continent.

	12-08-2004 09:19									#75
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The growth of the game in this country is limited, though, because all our best players go and play in the US.

	12-08-2004 09:29									#76
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You've been watching too much "Bend It Like Beckham" . The profession women's soccer league in the US folded last year

	12-08-2004 09:34									#77
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They'll likely still go there anyway because the coaching is better and the game has a great deal more respect than in the UK.

	12-08-2004 17:51									#78
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I'd be rather surprised if a MLS team could even avoid relegation from the PL, let alone be mid-table. Unless there has been dramatic improvement in the last couple of years. I watched it a bit 2 years ago or so and it was dreadful.

-Arrian

	12-08-2004 17:53									#79
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Well, putting aside that in friendlies they don't play all their best players, MLS teams have done extremely well against EPL teams. I'd be surprised if a team like the LA Galaxy would be relegated.

	12-08-2004 17:57									#80
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First of all, you need to work on the names. LA Galaxy!!
I'm sure they would do well in the Scotisch League, say third or something.

	12-08-2004 18:00									#81
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I have never seen a MLS game but the key comparison with the Premiership is consistency. There are probably a lot of sides who would show up well against a top Premiership team in a single game. Could a MLS team maintain that level over the course of a season with 50+ competitive games?

	12-08-2004 18:11									#82
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alva, a 'poly XI would probably come third in the Scottish League.



In fact, that's something for PH to mention at his meet this weekend.

	12-08-2004 18:17									#83
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quote: LA Galaxy

What, compared to say the Tottenham Hotspur? What the Hell is a Hotspur and why should a football team be nicknamed after it? Newcastle United Magpies? Wha?

quote: Could a MLS team maintain that level over the course of a season with 50+ competitive games?

I believe they have a chance. Most MLS teams suffer from a lack of depth, but there are a few who I think would be able to do well even having to use the most out of their bench.

	12-08-2004 18:25									#84
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Who the hell are Newcastle United Magpies?
Do the play against Manchester United Devils and West Ham United Hammers?

[edit]: If you had read Henry VI, then you'd know that a hotspur is a young gentleman of fiery temperament, one giving his all and afraid of nobody.

Nicknames in English football are mostly dumb, I'll give you that Imran, but LA Galaxy is the name of the team, not their nickname.

Mind you, MK Dons.....

	12-08-2004 18:31									#85
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The 'Galaxy' is the nickname. In the US, we also tend to refer to teams by their nicknames. We have to because we have so many more sports than you lot do.

	12-08-2004 18:33									#86
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What's their real name? I thought Galaxy was the real one.

-Arrian

	12-08-2004 18:49									#87
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LA Galaxy, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew.

These are the real names of the teams, as registered with the league. It's not LA United FC or anything like that.

	12-08-2004 18:57									#88
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But they are nicknames, just like Denver Broncos or NY Giants are registered with the NFL. The actual NAME of the team is Denver and New York (NFC). The nicknames are registered to avoid confusion with other leagues.

Trying saying "New York has a good team" without any context and see how many different teams people think of.

	12-08-2004 19:03									#89
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Oh please. It the "official nickname" then. And they SUCK.

-Arrian

	12-08-2004 19:07									#90
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Galaxy isn't that bad of a nickname. Hell, you have plenty worse in the other major sports. Columbus Crew is perhaps the best city name + nickname in all of American sports though . Rapids is pretty decent and apt for that area. Dallas is changing their nickname from the 'Burn', which was kinda silly. Chicago Fire is very good. New England Revolution is also good. NY/NJ Metrostars is too wordy and dumb... what's a Metrostar? Miami Fusion (when they existed) was a good name.

I wonder what Chivas USA and Salt Lake City will have for their nicknames when they come in next year.