MLS needs to realize where its roots are

Major League Soccer sure did make a splash Thursday, when the league announced that superstar David Beckham would be coming stateside to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy this July. It's not every day that soccer steals the headlines in these parts. But Beckham and a five-year, $250 million contract can turn the trick.

Apparently, so can his new mission. Like a modern version of St. John, Beckham is hoping to spread the gospel of soccer to a nation that has been reluctant to embrace it.

And he might just be able to do it. After all, the former British captain transcends the sport. He is a cultural icon, whose name is splashed on the fronts of tabloids and is used in titles of movies. In a society obsessed with its celebrities, he'll fit in perfectly.

But in MLS he might be out of his element.

For the last 10 years, the league seems to have avoided trying to rely on European stars to sell its product. Since 1996, when it began play, MLS has gone a different route. Slowly but surely it has built a viable operation and cultivated a loyal following by developing players rather than waiting on old stars from overseas to decide that they want their final tour of duty to take place in the United States.

On occasion, MLS has welcomed European refugees like Roberto Donadoni and Lothar Matthaus. But the league has survived for more than a decade because of American players like Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey and DaMarcus Beasley as well as Trinidad and Tobago striker Stern John.

It seemed that MLS had learned from the mistakes of one of its short-lived predecessors — the North American Soccer League. Kind of like the contemporaneous DeLorean Motor Company, the NASL was both flashy and mismanaged. It expanded too quickly and tried to build a presence in the states by bringing in hotshots like Pele, Johan Cruijff, George Best and Franz Beckenbauer. However, the talent was spread too thin and after 16 years the league dissolved in 1984.

With its centralized ownership structure, MLS seems to have avoided the pitfalls that NASL encountered. After initially losing $350 million, MLS is starting to rake in the money and the individual franchises are beginning to turn a profit.

But is MLS now headed in a different direction now that it has courted Beckham? Is drawing big-name Europeans who are on or nearing the downsides of their careers the beginning of its new phase of growth?

It could be if MLS wants to shirk its label as a "developmental" or "secondary" league. But unless it can attract burgeoning talents like Miroslav Klose or Lionel Messi to complement Beckham it should avoid taking this course.

After all, MLS doesn't want to be a novelty act. It's looking to be at the forefront of growing the sport in America. Signing Beckham may be a short-term solution for its goal. But it's the less-famous guys like Dempsey and the Kansas City Wizards' Eddie Johnson who are the true pillars of this league.

They are the ones who will determine if MLS can indeed survive.

Photo Sources: davidbeckham.com.au, columbus.crew.mlsnet.com

More Playoffs

It’s time for the divisional playoffs and let’s get right to it. (Oh, and since all four teams I picked last week to make the conference championships are still alive, I’ll have to stay true to my word and take them again this week.)

Indianapolis at Baltimore – In a battle of old Baltimore against new Baltimore, the Ravens bring in a tremendous defense while the Colts counter with a tremendous offense. The Colts had the third ranked offense during the regular season, while the Ravens had the top defense. What does that exactly mean? Well in this one particular case, I think it means the Ravens ability to swarm a quarterback and rush him into mistakes is going to make a big difference. Baltimore had 60 sacks and 28 interceptions this season. The Ravens had a +15 turnover ratio – the best in the league. Pressuring Peyton Manning is the only way you are going to beat him and that is what the Ravens excel at, so mark this down as a 24-17 victory for Baltimore 2.0.

Philadelphia at New Orleans – I don’t think there will be a team and city more excited and more ready and pumped up for a playoff game in any sport anywhere in the world in 2007 than the Saints and their fans will be Saturday night. I’m serious. The Saints have the most potent offense in the NFC. They have a diverse attack with two tremendous running backs (Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush), a pro-bowl quarterback (Drew Brees), receivers who can stretch the field (Joe Horn, Marques Colston, Devery Henderson) and backs who can catch the ball in the flats (Bush and McAllister again). Philadelphia’s passing defense also takes a tremendous hit with Lito Sheppard out with a dislocated elbow. That will open up the passing game for New Orleans. The Eagles offense has been solid and should put up some points. Jeff Garcia has been able to create outside the pocket and the Saints must contain him to slow down the Eagles offense. That said, this will be a high-scoring game, but with the emotion surrounding this game and the home-field advantage, the Saints win a close one, 35-31.

Seattle at Chicago – Two offenses that aren’t playing particularly well square off in this one. Certainly the Seahawks have better offensive weapons than the Bears, but the Bears have a great defense and explosive special teams that will put them over the top in this low-scoring affair. The Seahawks secondary is banged up, but they should still be able to contain the Bears passing game. Shaun Alexander picks up close to 100 yards, but it still isn’t enough as the Bears win 17-13.

New England at San Diego – One coach is great in the playoffs, the other not so much. One quarterback is 11-1 in the playoffs, the other has never made a start. That makes this decision easy, right? Not so much. The Patriots are the glamour team of the playoffs (have been for a few years now – everyone expects them to win because that is what they seem to do at this time of year). Tom Brady is as good as ever, but his receiving options are not quite what they once were (plus tight end Ben Watson is questionable, so he’ll be playing at less than 100 percent at best). LaDanian Tomlinson is the best running back in the NFL. He is the MVP for a reason. The Chargers will rely on him as Philip Rivers makes his playoff debut. And, Tomlinson will have a huge game (125 yards and three touchdowns is probably about right). New England’s fifth-ranked rush defense will be put to the test this week and might not break, but it certainly might bend a lot. Look for the Chargers to win this one, 27-21.

Photo Sources: cbc.ca, nfl.com

Going pro would be a bad move for Carroll

Perhaps he feels he has unfinished business. Maybe he wants a new challenge. It's hard to determine exactly why Pete Carroll would be interested in returning to the NFL as a head coach. After all, he's got it made in Los Angeles, overseeing college football's most glamorous program — USC.

A few months back, I got a chance to see Carroll after the Trojans thrashed Arkansas 50-14 at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. It was about 30 minutes after the game and all the fans had left. The place had become an empty tomb. But there was Carroll standing near the south end zone, gazing up at the scoreboard that stood 140 yards away and admiring the crooked numbers his team put up.


He was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit and looked like he could still be an NFL coach. But you could also tell that Carroll really seemed to enjoy the college game and loved being the captain of a ship that always seemed to be going full steam ahead.

Since he arrived in 2001, the Trojans have posted a 65-12 record and won two national championships. Even more remarkable is the fact that six of those losses came in his first season at USC.

Known for his energetic and fun-loving personality, Carroll has been able to woo great players to Los Angeles — stockpiling talent like embers needed to keep a fire burning. In turn with each passing season, he has enhanced the program's tradition, returning USC to the status it held in the 1970s.

In a city that has no pro football team, the Trojans have managed to fill the void. Hollywood's A-list celebrities show up for games and mingle with the athletes. Comedian and USC alumnus Will Ferrell gives impromptu pep talks. Marcus Allen will stop by at practice.

Carroll is the ringleader of this circus. And he's great at it. There's probably not another coach in the entire country that is better suited for USC than Carroll. It's hard to imagine anybody else who could thrive under the same circumstances, make use of the rich resources there and at the same time so easily block out all the distractions.

So it's a mystery why Carroll would entertain the idea of going back to the NFL, where he failed time and time again. As coach of the New England Patriots and New York Jets, he was 33-31. In his four seasons in the pros, he won a grand total of one playoff game.

There's no rational reason for Carroll give the NFL the old college try again, and right now he seems to be thinking along those same lines. He said he is not interested in filling the Miami Dolphins' head coaching vacancy after talking with team owner Wayne Huizenga.

The conversation, he told reporters, "only strengthens my resolve about being here and knowing what I have and how lucky I am to be in the situation I'm in."

Then why even listen? There's no sense leaving football's Garden of Eden unless he feels he has something to prove. And nobody really thinks that except maybe Pete Carroll.

Photo Source: USA Today

Four More Teams...

So a couple weeks ago I wrote about four teams I think could make the Final Four. I still believe those four teams have a great shot at making it that far.

If you missed the column, the teams are UCLA, Florida, Ohio State and Alabama. I know UCLA and Alabama lost last week, but no one goes undefeated in college hoops anymore. And Alabama is still pretty banged up (Check out my Final Four Frontrunners column here).

Anyway, here are four other teams I think have a shot to go deep into March and three of which have a legitimate shot at playing on the first Monday in April. I’ve decide to throw in one wildcard that has a chance to go deep, but certainly stands out from the rest (everyone likes an underdog).

North Carolina – They might be young, but so is Ohio State. Sophomore Tyler Hansbrough might be one of the best big men in the country. He is averaging better than 18 points and nearly eight rebounds per game. Freshmen Brandan Wright and Wayne Ellington are better than advertised, combining for 28 point and 10 rebounds per game. The team has been incredibly strong on offense, hitting nearly 52 percent of its shots – as a team! The strong shooting has them averaging nearly 90 points per game. Granted, things will get more difficult during conference play, but still, a team shooting 52 percent at this point in the season in phenomenal and cannot be overlooked. If the offense continues to be strong, the Tar Heels could make the Final Four.

Wisconsin – Alando Tucker is one of the best players in the country. It’s just that simple. Well, it’s not actually that simple. He has a great supporting cast, including Kammron Taylor. Tucker is averaging 20 points per game and Taylor nearly 13. With the Big Ten down a bit this year, the Badgers have the chance to put up a gaudy conference record (they will compete till the end of the season with Ohio State for Big East supremacy). Like its football team earlier this year, the basketball team is flying under the radar, but shouldn’t be. Catch Wisconsin on television and you’ll see a team that is athletic and has great depth (nine players average more than 10 minutes per game and only two average more than 30), which allows them to wear down opponents.

Texas A&M – The Aggies have only lost two games this season. Both were on the road – at LSU and at UCLA (well technically a neutral court, but practically in the Bruins backyard). Texas A&M has great balance between its front and backcourts. Acie Law IV is one of the 10 best point guards in the nation and leads the team in scoring (15.3 points per game) and assists (5.7 per game). The frontcourt is led by junior Joseph Jones who averages more than 14 points and nearly six rebounds per game. The balance between the players in the paint and on the perimeter gives them multiple options. Teams will find it difficult to collapse into the middle when the ball in passed into the paint because a quick dish to the outside can lead to easy mid-range jumper or three-point by Law or Josh Carter (6-foot-7 sophomore guard is shooting 53 percent from three-point range).

Butler – I am really unsure if another mid-major could make the Final Four this year, but if anyone can do it, it’s Butler. They’ve already shown they can win a tournament this season (Preseason NIT). They’ve beaten some very good teams – at Notre Dame, Indiana, at Tennessee, Gonzaga. That’s an impressive enough resume that they don’t need to win their conference tournament to make the Big Dance. But they are likely to win the Horizon League this year. Butler is very experienced (top eight scorers are all juniors and seniors), which should help come tournament time. The one thing that could hold them back is their size. No one on the team is taller than 6-foot-7 and a high-scoring big man could be their Achilles heel.

I seriously contemplated making Air Force my wildcard, but they don’t have as many big wins as Butler, though they do have one of the most efficient offenses in the nation. Playing a version of the Princeton offense, they milk the clock and almost always get a good look at the basket. Their defense is solid. If they can impose their style of play, chances are they’ll win the game.

Photo Sources: nbadraft.net, columbiatribune.com

Urban Revitalization

Urban Meyer is cocky. He's arrogant. He's smug. And he has the right to be. Meyer affirmed his status as one of the best coaches in college football Monday night as the No. 2 Florida Gators chomped, chewed and spit out the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in a 41-14 rout at the Fiesta Bowl.

Not that Meyer really had to prove himself. In little over 24 months, he had already turned around a program that had meandered under former coach Ron Zook and still hadn't recovered from its post-Steve Spurrier hangover. Even if the Gators stumbled in the national championship game — as many had expected them to do — Meyer would have deserved kudos for the transformation he has orchestrated in Gainesville.


It wasn't too long ago that Florida fans were looking for a savior — somebody who could rescue the Gators from their perceived descent into mediocrity. In three seasons, Zook led Florida to a 23-15 record. That would be good for most programs. But not Florida.

Zook was fired during the 2004 season as Meyer was leading Utah to a 12-0 record and an eventual 35-7 victory over Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl. At 40, Meyer was one of the hot, young coaches.

Florida immediately began pursuing Meyer, but he seemed more likley to become the new coach at Notre Dame. He was a devout Catholic, who was named after a pope. The Golden Dome and "Touchdown Jesus" seemed destined to provide the backdrop for his latest venture. But Gators athletic director Jeremy Foley lured him to Gainesville in December 2004. Soon thereafter, headlines began popping up that played off Meyer's first name. "Urban Renewal" was underway, one proclamed. Another said that Florida was in the beginning stages of for "Urban Planning."

But even as many people were ready to jump on Meyer's bandwagon others were skeptical that he and his Spread-option scheme would fare well in the Southeastern Conference. After all, Meyer didn't really have the personnel to carry out his offense. Twenty-two of Florida's 24 starters Monday were holdovers from the Zook era, including quarterback Chris Leak. But Meyer adapted. He brought in a new energy and confidence that had been lacking in Gainesville. He pieced together a lightning-quick defense.

The Gators went 9-3 in 2005. This year, they marched to the national championship. Their only stumble came against Auburn in a 27-17 loss at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Even though they didn't always win in convincing fashion, they seemed to gain momentum as the season progressed. Then they saved their best performance for last — blowing out the favored Buckeyes to claim the program's second national title.

Urban renewal has indeed taken place at Florida, and the 42-year-old Ohio native has now earned a seat at the big coaches' table along with Carroll, Spurrier and Tressel. They all have rings. Now so does Meyer.

Not a bad 24 months. Not bad at all.

Photo Source: http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2006/writers/stewart_mandel/01/31/fla.recruiting/t1_urban_si.jpg