Sylvae
24Apr/130

Beckham and the 5 Most Important Players to MLS Growth so Far

It is an arguable, albeit defensible, position that the most important date in Major League Soccer history to this point was July 13, 2007. It was on that day that more than 700 accredited media members arrived at Home Depot Centre to witness David Beckham’s official unveiling as a Los Angeles Galaxy player. An agreement between the then 32-year-old and the MLS club had already been reached in January, and over the following six months Galaxy shirt sales would hit a record high. Interest in the North American top flight peaked as well, and over the next five years part of Major League Soccer’s identity was tied to the fact that it was the league in which David Beckham took his famous free-kicks. Individual players have always been vital to the continued growth of MLS. While Beckham was obviously the most important, there were others who played important roles as well. The following slides will reveal a handful of those players, ending—naturally—with Beckham.Begin Slideshow
Filed under: MLS News No Comments
16Apr/130

Gordon’s Gay Slur Inexcusable but Reaction Has Been Swift, Decisive & Heartening

Major League Soccer’s “Don’t Cross the Line” campaign has been bringing the North American top flight’s message of equality, dignity and respect to television screens and stadiums for a couple seasons now. In the next few days, MLS disciplinarians will have the opportunity to put their words into practice. In Sunday’s match between the Portland Timbers and the San Jose Earthquakes at Jeld-Wen Field, San Jose forward Alan Gordon directed a gay slur at Portland midfielder Will Johnson, and given the hard line MLS has taken regarding this sort of thing in the past, the 31-year-old can expect to be handed a three-game ban before the same two sides meet in a rematch on April 21. (Gordon is banned from the match, anyway, after being ejected for a pair of unrelated yellow cards.) The incident, in which Gordon called Johnson a “F***ing faggot,” was picked up by television cameras broadcasting the match nationwide, and shortly after the final whistle, the once-capped United States international released a statement in which he apologized for his behaviour.Per SJEarthquakes.com: “Although I said it in the heat of the moment, that language has no place in our game. That is not my character, but there is still ...
Filed under: MLS News No Comments
19Feb/130

Landon Donovan Has Frustrated as Much as He Has Elated American Soccer Fans

For many, he is among the most recognizable faces in United States soccer history, if not the most recognizable. But for all the thrills Landon Donovan has provided fans of his club sides and the men’s national team over the years, there have been a comparable number of irritations. His self-imposed exile from the sport, over which he was supposedly brooding long before the MLS Cup final against Houston last December, can be chalked up in the latter category. For several months Donovan left both Los Angeles Galaxy and the national setup in the dark regarding his plans while taking a Brett Favre-style sabbatical, and while Galaxy provided a hint as to his return in statements made Sunday, the 30-year-old’s timetable is a convenience to no one but himself. Galaxy general manager and head coach Bruce Arena told the Major League Soccer side’s official website: After a series of collaborative discussions between Landon, his representatives and our key club leaders, we have agreed to allow Landon to remain on an extended leave of absence and return to training with the team during the first week of March. He added, “We understand this arrangement is not ideal, but we are confident it ...
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