What Don Garber Wants from Supporters

What do foreign leagues have that M.L.S. wants? “The flags and the songs and hopefully not the flares.”

Don Garber on M.L.S. Supporters

Get over to the New York Times' Goal blog for some interesting audio excerpts from an early morning sit down with Commissioner Don Garber and DeputyComm. Ivan Gazidis. The bit above is one of a number of quickly digestible soundbites on topics ranging from scheduling, Beckham, and supporters. Great stuff from one of the best blogs around.

Video: ESPN Video Highlights TFC Supporters

Well I asked and I received. The odd thing is that I received it from ESPN, who randomly put together this subtitled video of basic Toronto FC chants. Call it "TFC for Dummies" or "Red Patch for Beginners" if you will, but it's kinda cool that ESPN --who get accused of hating soccer on a daily basis-- spent the time to highlight some work that a supporters group does week in and week out to provide much-needed atmosphere.

ESC Video and an Open Door

Hey guys. Sorry for the lack of post this past week but it seems that now that the season has started we're all too busy actually doing the stuff that supporters do to talk about the stuff that supporters do. Funny how that works.

So once again I'd like to put the call out there to anyone who wants to contribute in any way they seem fit. Feel free to email me supporter-related videos (like the one above), news, post ideas or whatever...the space is there for you, don't hesitate to use it.

New Chicago News Blog

Just an FYI post about a new blog that's out there. If you're a Fire fan or if you're hunting for a bit of Chicago-related news, add Backdraft to your bookmarks. It's written by a slew of Section 8er's and is one of the best supporter-run blogs out there....give them a click when you get chance.

READ THIS: US - Argentina Tickets on Sale Now!

If you're planning on attending the US-Argentina match June 8th at Giants Stadium, the window for tickets in the Sam's Army section is very tight. To get your 90 minutes (not including tailgate time) of passionate & patriotic loudness in you must head over to the Sam's Army website and purchase your ticket by April 5th.

Don't hesitate, go there now. Mexico matches aside, the US men typically play one high-profile "glamour friendly" at a year and this is it for 2008. If you're even marginally close to the tri-state area do your damnedest to get stuck in with the finest all-singin', all-standin' fans around.

PitchInvasion Sounds Off on The Sounders Movement

Ahead of MLS Seattle's name unveiling this week, be sure to read PitchInvasion's take on the whole thing. Some times you should be careful what you wish for as in this case where the new team's owners said they want the fans to name the team but their's a good chance that the fans don't want to rename the team. They like the sound of Sounders.

My 2 cents? I love my league but I have to say that following the Houston 1836 debacle I would hope that the league would have learned from past experience that it may not be best to let the public hold so much sway on these decisions. While it is great for the public to feel like they've gotten their way, it's not the best thing for the league's image to be so mailable or for their aspirations of possessing teams with names that sound more "global".

The thing that is most interesting about the whole situation is that one of the critcisms often leveled at American clubs is that they have no tradition. Yet here is a team whose history goes back 30 years and but is in danger of a premature ending. Very strange.

We'll see how this all pans out on April 7th when the new name is announced (or before when the information is inevitably leaked), with the amount of chatter this has generated in the press and amongst the supporters in Jet City I would honestly be shocked if it was not the Sounders.

Foul Territory Becomes Verbal Abuse Zone in KC

Just a quickie post that I have to get out before tomorrow's match in KC. The photo above was snapped earlier this week at the Wizards new sublet on the Kansas side of the river. Check out how close the seats are to the back of the goal; if you're an opposing keeper may I suggest that you A) invest in some moderately-priced, noise-canceling ear plugs and B) learn to use sign language to communicate with your back line.

Why? Because you aren't going to want to hear the things that the Cauldron are going to have to say about you. And with that I give you MLSU's Top 5 Nerve-Rattling Statements for KC's Opposing Keepers:

5. "Your thong is showing."
4. "Walk away if you want but you can only come off your line so far."
3. "Even Kevin Hartman's hair isn't as bad as yours."
2. "Let us know if you're tired because there's a little girl here from
Make A Wish who's looking like a better option right now".
1. "Come a little closer, Bubba wants to give you a reach-around."

Toronto Fans Plan Flyover of Crew Stadium

The Toronto opening day road trip just keeps getting better. As if 2,000 away supporters isn't enough mud in the eyes of the Columbus faithful, they're renting one of those planes with a banner trailing it.

Any suggestions for a message? Do you worst in the comments.

U-23's Notes From Tampa, Nashville

Are you going to the U-23's match tonight? Wondering what to expect? Primetown will be blogging tonight live from Nash-Vegas tonight and throughout this weekends matches. Check in with them for photos, video and commentary on the exploits of the the team and the NY/NJ based group of supporters in which Primetown is embedded.

Another NY supporter (and native Floridian) by the name of Kubrik was in Tampa for the opening leg of matches and sent in the following notes about his trip down to the first round:


Hey there. Here's a few pics of the Olympic Qualifying matches for MLS Underground. My girl Steph got a great one of Adu doing his "I am a celebrity with the 12 year olds thing". Attendance was an issue, but the Sam's Army guys (what passed for Sam's Army) said there was no advertising done at all. Zero. There were about a dozen real hard core guys that were part of the Mutiny supporters group that were there on Sat and I feel bad for them, not having a team.

Florida is just an awful sports market. Everything is too spread out -- People don't want to drive, and are just too lazy to go. Unless its big time football or a big event, people just don't care that much. Think Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey was popular before they made the Finals?

Nevertheless, one schmuck (who was wearing a Liverpool kit) I was was talking with in the SA section didn't understand why they couldn't let Freddy Adu take the PK that Charlie Davies missed in the Honduras match. I explained to him that he wasn't even dressed for the match, to which he replied, "Couldn't they let him on the field just to take the kick?" I swear to god he had no idea Adu wasn't on the field.

See you around....

I just know that there is a joke in there somewhere about that ignorant Liverpool supporter. If you make it out of Nashville alive tonight, let those of us stuck watching in front of a TV at home know what's what in the comments.

EDIT: Get yourself over to PRIMETOWN for all the evening's dirt.

Philly Weekly's SoB Film

The SoB hype machine rolls on. Next thing you know these guys will have a segment on Sportscenter.