Beckham Scores his first MLS goal- LA Galaxy v. San Jose Earthquakes

[Bakes]

Beckham scored a nice simple goal to get himself into the MLS books...slotting home a pass from Landon Donovan in the 9'...going between the keeper's legs.  Nothing fancy, but a good milestone for him all the same.  Donovan later returned the favor, finishing off a Beckham pass to make it 2-0...happy for Ruud Gullit, headed to his first win...but that's not the story for me.

I like this San Jose franchise...the past Trini connections make me want to root for them, but they're struggling to link passes in midfield and seem to lack any kind of identity.  On a more superficial note, I also like their colors, though the kit is kinda plain....it has potential

[Midknight]

I like this San Jose franchise...the past Trini connections make me want to root for them

Didn't follow MLS back then. Which connections are those?

[Ngozi]

I actually like the kit as well

[Bakes]

I like this San Jose franchise...the past Trini connections make me want to root for them

Didn't follow MLS back then. Which connections are those?

Lol...yeah, well I wasn't arung back then mihself...this was going back to the old NASL days.  I'll have to search for E-man's thread, had a nice thread chronicling the old Earthquakes from back then.  I'll see if I can find it.

EDIT:  Here it is...

Tallman chipped in with this nugget

De Earthquakes have been around since de days of de NASL. Steve David, Leroy de Leon and Leroy Spann played for them back then. Travis Mulraine and Adrian Narine played for them in de MLS.

[Bakes]

I actually like the kit as well

The kit itself ah li'l too plain I find man...look almost rec league.  Ah find they have ah real nice color scheme though and I like the logo...so I think if they ever invest any kind of effort into it they'll have a nice product.   Just look at how horrible LA was...then as soon as Beckham reach and they recognize the marketing potential (or maybe they'd already decide to change it...regardless) they came up with a boss kit.  DC and LA have the only MLS kits worth mentioning fuh my money.

[Observer]

DeLeon, Spann & David (I believe) played for San Jose in the old NASL

[dinho]

watch most of the first half of this game last night and fall asleep..

the overall quality of that game was poor..

Still cyah believe kicker say these MLS teams could run with the bottom 5/6 EPL teams..

[Dinner Mints]

I think at least the top 2 or 3 MLS teams could survive in the Championship.

[kicker]

watch most of the first half of this game last night and fall asleep..

the overall quality of that game was poor..

Still cyah believe kicker say these MLS teams could run with the bottom 5/6 EPL teams..

   allyuh doh sleep at all...

But check this nuh- a man in the Roy Keane thread who dismissed the MLS as garbage, said that a fit Cornell Glenn could play for Sunderland in the EPL..... A fit Cornell Glenn was a decent striker in the MLS (years back when he was probably sharper than now)- nothing out of the ordinary....and according to most the MLS is about league 1 level (2 leagues below the EPL), yet Cornell Glenn is EPL quality....not to mention he also threw Hayden Tinto in the mix as EPL quality. Wasn't Hayden Tinto an MLS (San Jose) trialist recently? Is he tearing it up in the MLS right now?   On one hand men go bawl how the best in the MLS don't really make much of a note in the EPL, then on the other hand Cornell Glenn & Hayden Tinto is EPL quality....ah waiting to see how much fight down he gets for that statement (my guess is that most people will be ok with it).....Point is, it's very very difficult to be objective and judge true quality when yuh sitting on yuh couch watching football under the many marketing influences...... It much easier to recognize the sub par quality in the MLS than in the EPL.....When I dress down the EPL, is  plenty ordinary-to-shit football (relatively speaking of course) being played in the lower tiers of the table (and I eh talking just about the relegation zone)......Ah bet yuh if you were watching Middlesboroug vs Wigan in RFK with a 10,000 (less than half full) crowd on hand heavily populated by not-so-passionate fans including large sections U-12 girls who got a free ticket through their local club teams, american commentary and no recognizable names on the field, yuh would fall asleep too....

[E-man]

Hayden Knight also played for the Quakes for part of the 1984 season.

They had a few Trinis on trial in the preseason: Hayden Tinto and Conrad Smith, but neither was signed.
Now at the moment their only Caribbean connections are Gavin Glinton (Turks&Caicos) and Ryan Johnson (Ja)

[Bakes]

DeLeon, Spann & David (I believe) played for San Jose in the old NASL

Correct...according to what Tallman had himself posted in that thread.

I think at least the top 2 or 3 MLS teams could survive in the Championship.

I tend to agree as well...I think DC, Houston and NE can be competitive in the Championship.  I also think this LA team will get much better with a fit and healthy Beckham linking better with Donovan, having had the benefit of pre-season going forward to develop an understanding for each other.  Even though Gullit is relatively unproven as a coach I also expect to see them improve under him.

[Bakes]

Ah bet yuh if you were watching Middlesboroug vs Wigan in the RFK with a 10,000 (less than half full) crowd on hand heavily populated by not-so-passionate fans including large sections U-12 girls who got a free ticket through their local club teams, american commentary and no recognizable names on the field, yuh would fall asleep too....

That's a very interesting point...particularly about fan interaction and bland commentary influencing the perception of the quality on the field.  To be certain, one cannot be deceived by the quality or lack thereof on the pitch, but certainly all the peripheral factors play a part in the experience, and those two things can work against an enjoyable experience.

[weary1969]

Of course dey could run on d same pitch when dey warming up. D commentators alone in d MLS does upset me wit dey assist. I want 2 hear bout assist I go watch Kobe

[E-man]

Of course dey could run on d same pitch when dey warming up. D commentators alone in d MLS does upset me wit dey assist. I want 2 hear bout assist I go watch Kobe

Kobe was there in the stands.

[weary1969]

Thanks eman he when 2 c d assist in football that he does b hearin bout

[Peong]

Of course dey could run on d same pitch when dey warming up. D commentators alone in d MLS does upset me wit dey assist. I want 2 hear bout assist I go watch Kobe

So what you want them to call it? Set-ups?

[Dinner Mints]

Even the Premier League does call dem assist. People hatin just to hate.

[Bakes]

Even the Premier League FIFA does call dem assist. People hatin just to hate.

lemmih help yuh out ah bit....

[dinho]

   allyuh doh sleep at all...

But check this nuh- a man in the Roy Keane thread who dismissed the MLS as garbage, said that a fit Cornell Glenn could play for Sunderland in the EPL..... A fit Cornell Glenn was a decent striker in the MLS (years back when he was probably sharper than now)- nothing out of the ordinary....and according to most the MLS is about league 1 level (2 leagues below the EPL), yet Cornell Glenn is EPL quality....not to mention he also threw Hayden Tinto in the mix as EPL quality. Wasn't Hayden Tinto an MLS (San Jose) trialist recently? Is he tearing it up in the MLS right now?   On one hand men go bawl how the best in the MLS don't really make much of a note in the EPL, then on the other hand Cornell Glenn & Hayden Tinto is EPL quality....ah waiting to see how much fight down he gets for that statement (my guess is that most people will be ok with it).....

Ah glad yuh say "ah man in de RK thread" and not me.. Coincidentally, the question in that thread regarding which soca warrior could benefit Sunderland was posed to me and you would notice i didnt respond. Truth of the matter is that I dont think we have anyone right now who could make a significant impact on that team.. The only player I think we have that can adapt to the EPL right now is Darryl Roberts, and I still not sure whether he can make a big impression..

So I understand what you're trying to say, but keep in mind that is someone else's opinion.

Point is, it's very very difficult to be objective and judge true quality when yuh sitting on yuh couch watching football under the many marketing influences...... It much easier to recognize the sub par quality in the MLS than in the EPL.....When I dress down the EPL, is  plenty ordinary-to-shit football (relatively speaking of course) being played in the lower tiers of the table (and I eh talking just about the relegation zone)......Ah bet yuh if you were watching Middlesboroug vs Wigan in RFK with a 10,000 (less than half full) crowd on hand heavily populated by not-so-passionate fans including large sections U-12 girls who got a free ticket through their local club teams, american commentary and no recognizable names on the field, yuh would fall asleep too....

interesting viewpoint but i think that speaks more to the comparitive appeal of the game as opposed to the actual quality.. You're saying both would be just as unenjoyable to watch. But when I said the quality of the game was poor, I meant that the overall quality of the play was poor. One glaring example, Galaxy had a left back name Randolph who was serious lala.. i mean from what I saw Seon Power is better than him and I very serious.. Several players on the field were well below international quality.. Same can be said of the Chicago Fire v New England revolution game that aired before it..

As bad and as unpalatable as you think a Middlesborough v Wigan game might be, you cant doubt the quality of the players on the pitch. There are seasoned international players on both teams and this is true of the other teams in the bottom 5/6 as well.. No college ballers on US $20k a year contracts and no past-their-prime veterans looking for a last payday..

And just in terms of the knock..  I've been to a Fulham v Spurs game expecting a bore fest and I was simply amazed by the touch, control and quality of players on both teams.. Not a bad trap, and hardly a bad pass..

Anyway, kicker I'm going to see Red Bull vs Colombus Crew on saturday...

Ah go tell yuh what ah think after I done see my first MLS game live..  

[kicker]

   allyuh doh sleep at all...

But check this nuh- a man in the Roy Keane thread who dismissed the MLS as garbage, said that a fit Cornell Glenn could play for Sunderland in the EPL..... A fit Cornell Glenn was a decent striker in the MLS (years back when he was probably sharper than now)- nothing out of the ordinary....and according to most the MLS is about league 1 level (2 leagues below the EPL), yet Cornell Glenn is EPL quality....not to mention he also threw Hayden Tinto in the mix as EPL quality. Wasn't Hayden Tinto an MLS (San Jose) trialist recently? Is he tearing it up in the MLS right now?   On one hand men go bawl how the best in the MLS don't really make much of a note in the EPL, then on the other hand Cornell Glenn & Hayden Tinto is EPL quality....ah waiting to see how much fight down he gets for that statement (my guess is that most people will be ok with it).....

Ah glad yuh say "ah man in de RK thread" and not me.. Coincidentally, the question in that thread regarding which soca warrior could benefit Sunderland was posed to me and you would notice i didnt respond. Truth of the matter is that I dont think we have anyone right now who could make a significant impact on that team.. The only player I think we have that can adapt to the EPL right now is Darryl Roberts, and I still not sure whether he can make a big impression..

So I understand what you're trying to say, but keep in mind that is someone else's opinion.

Point is, it's very very difficult to be objective and judge true quality when yuh sitting on yuh couch watching football under the many marketing influences...... It much easier to recognize the sub par quality in the MLS than in the EPL.....When I dress down the EPL, is  plenty ordinary-to-shit football (relatively speaking of course) being played in the lower tiers of the table (and I eh talking just about the relegation zone)......Ah bet yuh if you were watching Middlesboroug vs Wigan in RFK with a 10,000 (less than half full) crowd on hand heavily populated by not-so-passionate fans including large sections U-12 girls who got a free ticket through their local club teams, american commentary and no recognizable names on the field, yuh would fall asleep too....

interesting viewpoint but i think that speaks more to the comparitive appeal of the game as opposed to the actual quality.. You're saying both would be just as unenjoyable to watch. But when I said the quality of the game was poor, I meant that the overall quality of the play was poor. One glaring example, Galaxy had a left back name Randolph who was serious lala.. i mean from what I saw Seon Power is better than him and I very serious.. Several players on the field were well below international quality.. Same can be said of the Chicago Fire v New England revolution game that aired before it..

As bad and as unpalatable as you think a Middlesborough v Wigan game might be, you cant doubt the quality of the players on the pitch. There are seasoned international players on both teams and this is true of the other teams in the bottom 5/6 as well.. No college ballers on US $20k a year contracts and no past-their-prime veterans looking for a last payday..

And just in terms of the knock..  I've been to a Fulham v Spurs game expecting a bore fest and I was simply amazed by the touch, control and quality of players on both teams.. Not a bad trap, and hardly a bad pass..

Anyway, kicker I'm going to see Red Bull vs Colombus Crew on saturday...

Ah go tell yuh what ah think after I done see my first MLS game live..  

seen....You living in NYC now? Where at?

[Filho]

Ah go tell yuh what ah think after I done see my first MLS game live..  

I eh know how you will come out..but de run does look far more impressive live.

[Deeks]

I don't think any MSL team can survive in the EPL at this time. I will put them in the bottom 3. They will up and down. They will have to fight in the championship. All this is only speculation.

[deltatau14]

I actually like the kit as well

The kit itself ah li'l too plain I find man...look almost rec league.  Ah find they have ah real nice color scheme though and I like the logo...so I think if they ever invest any kind of effort into it they'll have a nice product.   Just look at how horrible LA was...then as soon as Beckham reach and they recognize the marketing potential (or maybe they'd already decide to change it...regardless) they came up with a boss kit.  DC and LA have the only MLS kits worth mentioning fuh my money.

check dat......toronto FC have some real fresh kits. i notice dem de other day de first time i see dem play and pops movin to toronto dis summer, i go fix mihself up wit one and take in some games. As de mls biggin up too,  i will make toronto FC my first MLS team to support, choppy waters ahead!

[Bakes]

check dat......toronto FC have some real fresh kits. i notice dem de other day de first time i see dem play and pops movin to toronto dis summer, i go fix mihself up wit one and take in some games. As de mls biggin up too,  i will make toronto FC my first MLS team to support, choppy waters ahead!

It decent...





Still find they could do better though.

[dinho]

Aight kicker...

Notwithstanding de fact that I reach in de stadium 5 mins before half time because of the modern technological wonder that is GPS..   

I have to say that the quality was decent last night in the Red Bulls versus Colombus Crew game.. I was actually pleasantly surprised..

The first thing that strike me when I sat down was the size of the pitch. Look like a real small astroturf pitch both lenghthwise and width. Also, the stadium was basically half full on the lower level and nobody on the upper level plus they block off the areas behind the pitch. So was about 15,000 for an MLS opener which I find was kinda low. But the fans seem pretty passionate and had some drumming sections going throughout and a kinda coordinated mosh pit scene going on behind one of the goals which look real, real sweet.. Plenty of the fans you could see was kids soccer teams with their parents and girls soccer teams..

In terms of the quality, I find that the majority of players were good and composed on the ball, but there was nothing special really to talk about.. Overall all the players could control and pass well and keeping it on the floor nice, but for sure no one was doing anything outside of the box. If a man running in one direction you could pretty much predict what he would do next.. No chance of seeing a change of direction or moment of brilliance.. No beat, no run past, no taking on nobody.. a kinda functional brand..

The brand name players, you could immediately see they were a cut above.. JP Angel you could see he was a class above in terms of control and awareness.. Also Frankie Hejduk for Crew was probably their best player.. Altidore did not play and I still dont know why not.. Red bulls had a shitty forward name Etcheverry who was shaming de last name, de man couldnt get out of first gear at all.. Crew make some glaring throw way in front of goal too but all in all the game half ah game was enjoyable to watch and I would go back again.. Thinking bout going and see Galaxy when they come down and US v Argentina in Giants stadium is a definite..

In de final synopsis, I still dont think I see anything to suggest that any of dem sides could do anything above mid-lower table Championship level.

But I would have to see DC United or another of the better teams play to see if that would change my mind, but for now still feel the same... cyah believe u say dey could run with the bottom 5/6 EPL..

[kicker]

Aight kicker...

Notwithstanding de fact that I reach in de stadium 5 mins before half time because of the modern technological wonder that is GPS..   

I have to say that the quality was decent last night in the Red Bulls versus Colombus Crew game.. I was actually pleasantly surprised..

The first thing that strike me when I sat down was the size of the pitch. Look like a real small astroturf pitch both lenghthwise and width. Also, the stadium was basically half full on the lower level and nobody on the upper level plus they block off the areas behind the pitch. So was about 15,000 for an MLS opener which I find was kinda low. But the fans seem pretty passionate and had some drumming sections going throughout and a kinda coordinated mosh pit scene going on behind one of the goals which look real, real sweet.. Plenty of the fans you could see was kids soccer teams with their parents and girls soccer teams..

In terms of the quality, I find that the majority of players were good and composed on the ball, but there was nothing special really to talk about.. Overall all the players could control and pass well and keeping it on the floor nice, but for sure no one was doing anything outside of the box. If a man running in one direction you could pretty much predict what he would do next.. No chance of seeing a change of direction or moment of brilliance.. No beat, no run past, no taking on nobody.. a kinda functional brand..

The brand name players, you could immediately see they were a cut above.. JP Angel you could see he was a class above in terms of control and awareness.. Also Frankie Hejduk for Crew was probably their best player.. Altidore did not play and I still dont know why not.. Red bulls had a shitty forward name Etcheverry who was shaming de last name, de man couldnt get out of first gear at all.. Crew make some glaring throw way in front of goal too but all in all the game half ah game was enjoyable to watch and I would go back again.. Thinking bout going and see Galaxy when they come down and US v Argentina in Giants stadium is a definite..

In de final synopsis, I still dont think I see anything to suggest that any of dem sides could do anything above mid-lower table Championship level.

But I would have to see DC United or another of the better teams play to see if that would change my mind, but for now still feel the same... cyah believe u say dey could run with the bottom 5/6 EPL..

lol @ the modern technological wonder called GPS...

Thanks for the run-down..... If the best MLS teams can't run with the bottom 5 of the EPL, and the top half of the championship, then there's a bigger gap between the best of competitive soccer here in the U.S., and 2nd tier football in England than I imagined.... oh well.