Comments on: The Sweeper: Time To End the MLS All-Star Game? http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/07/30/the-sweeper-time-to-end-the-mls-all-star-game/ A soccer blog featuring essays, news and photography exploring soccer around the world Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:59:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bob Carr http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/07/30/the-sweeper-time-to-end-the-mls-all-star-game/comment-page-1/#comment-19792 Bob Carr Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:44:15 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=1887#comment-19792 I just came across this post and I agree that the MLS all star soccer game needs more flash. North Americans are used to more pizzaz from other sports and some kind of skill contests would fit in very nicely. Having the players do a run through with some kind of tricks with the ball, making accurate passes and then finishing with an attempt to score would mimic some of the other popular sports and how they appeal to the fans desire to see the talent of the players. I just came across this post and I agree that the MLS all star soccer game needs more flash. North Americans are used to more pizzaz from other sports and some kind of skill contests would fit in very nicely. Having the players do a run through with some kind of tricks with the ball, making accurate passes and then finishing with an attempt to score would mimic some of the other popular sports and how they appeal to the fans desire to see the talent of the players.

]]> By: Tom Dunmore http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/07/30/the-sweeper-time-to-end-the-mls-all-star-game/comment-page-1/#comment-7980 Tom Dunmore Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:37:56 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=1887#comment-7980 Bazzer, I'm not sure what the answer is, but right now this 'summer of soccer' is so overloaded with high-profile games promoting the sport that the actual competitive games domestically the sport is supposed to be about are getting lost in the shuffle. I'm just concerned that at the end of the day, what MLS is meant to do gets lost with yet another friendly promoted when tournaments like the US Open Cup are disregarded by the league's marketing arm. I do see it has some value in promoting the sport, of course, but as a fan of MLS I want the kind of spotlight we see last night put on games that matter as well (or perhaps instead of). As for Peterlin, I don't know enough about him, but MLS' scouting network does leave something to be desired. Still, maybe he had crappy try-outs at some point and got a bad rep -- I've no idea. Anyone know if any MLS team ever took a look at him? Bazzer, I’m not sure what the answer is, but right now this ‘summer of soccer’ is so overloaded with high-profile games promoting the sport that the actual competitive games domestically the sport is supposed to be about are getting lost in the shuffle. I’m just concerned that at the end of the day, what MLS is meant to do gets lost with yet another friendly promoted when tournaments like the US Open Cup are disregarded by the league’s marketing arm. I do see it has some value in promoting the sport, of course, but as a fan of MLS I want the kind of spotlight we see last night put on games that matter as well (or perhaps instead of).

As for Peterlin, I don’t know enough about him, but MLS’ scouting network does leave something to be desired. Still, maybe he had crappy try-outs at some point and got a bad rep — I’ve no idea. Anyone know if any MLS team ever took a look at him?

]]> By: Bazzer http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/07/30/the-sweeper-time-to-end-the-mls-all-star-game/comment-page-1/#comment-7979 Bazzer Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:12:53 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=1887#comment-7979 What do you want to do with it though Tom? I mean as an English Evertonian now living in the USA, the honest answer is that this game did not mean much to Everton FC, not in the sense of it being a must win game anyway. Our season is about to start and we need practice, also what do you expect when you are allowed to make endless substitutions or even bring a previously substituted keeper back onto the pitch, something our manager, Moyes, found amusing. The fact is, it is about promoting the game and while there was a packed stadium, there were also many people watching the game via the TV. I know of many, many Everton fans that stayed up and watched it live via the internet at 2:30 am in the morning, so dont be too hard on this game. We have just signed a promising player in Antonin Peterlin from the US football leagues and this for me highlighted one of the problems you face. How did the top MLS clubs miss this player, because lets be honest if he can ply his trade in the EPL then he most certainly should be able to in MLS's top league. Instead however, they focus on buying former superstars which in itself is not a bad thing, but it is important to get the balance right. I thought it was a good game, the crowd seemed to enjoy it and Tim Howard is most surely one of the best goal keeps in the world at the moment. What do you want to do with it though Tom? I mean as an English Evertonian now living in the USA, the honest answer is that this game did not mean much to Everton FC, not in the sense of it being a must win game anyway. Our season is about to start and we need practice, also what do you expect when you are allowed to make endless substitutions or even bring a previously substituted keeper back onto the pitch, something our manager, Moyes, found amusing.

The fact is, it is about promoting the game and while there was a packed stadium, there were also many people watching the game via the TV. I know of many, many Everton fans that stayed up and watched it live via the internet at 2:30 am in the morning, so dont be too hard on this game.

We have just signed a promising player in Antonin Peterlin from the US football leagues and this for me highlighted one of the problems you face. How did the top MLS clubs miss this player, because lets be honest if he can ply his trade in the EPL then he most certainly should be able to in MLS’s top league. Instead however, they focus on buying former superstars which in itself is not a bad thing, but it is important to get the balance right.

I thought it was a good game, the crowd seemed to enjoy it and Tim Howard is most surely one of the best goal keeps in the world at the moment.

]]> By: Sean Patton http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/07/30/the-sweeper-time-to-end-the-mls-all-star-game/comment-page-1/#comment-7978 Sean Patton Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:05:14 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=1887#comment-7978 Yes Steve I care As an Everton fan my response to your churlish claims would be with the chant Sing when your winning You only sing when your winning Yes Steve I care

As an Everton fan my response to your churlish claims would be with the chant

Sing when your winning
You only sing when your winning

]]> By: Tom Dunmore http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/07/30/the-sweeper-time-to-end-the-mls-all-star-game/comment-page-1/#comment-7976 Tom Dunmore Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:40:28 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=1887#comment-7976 Well, I would disagree, KT. There's plenty to think about, unless one wishes to merely be a passive consumer of whatever the league chucks at us. Would MLS' resources be better spent supporting and promoting other events? It's not like the league has oodles of financial and marketing resources to just toss around. All the attention it works to get focus on the All-Star game could be going elsewhere. I think it's worth considering its value and what could or should be done with it. Well, I would disagree, KT. There’s plenty to think about, unless one wishes to merely be a passive consumer of whatever the league chucks at us. Would MLS’ resources be better spent supporting and promoting other events? It’s not like the league has oodles of financial and marketing resources to just toss around. All the attention it works to get focus on the All-Star game could be going elsewhere. I think it’s worth considering its value and what could or should be done with it.

]]> By: KT http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/07/30/the-sweeper-time-to-end-the-mls-all-star-game/comment-page-1/#comment-7974 KT Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:15:10 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=1887#comment-7974 It was fun. I watched. I smiled. Then I went to bed. There's really not much more depth of thought one needs to devote to the All-Star Game. It was fun. I watched. I smiled. Then I went to bed.

There’s really not much more depth of thought one needs to devote to the All-Star Game.

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