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Do you both @Thursby @BuckTwenty follow the Crew? From what I saw, Josh was a pretty solid player - are they eyeing someone up in allocation or do we think it was a substantial amount given? I guess maybe they had plans to not protect him so it was something for nothing for them.

There have been so many trades lately.....who do you see getting added for them?
Yeah, season ticket holder. Josh made nice strides this year under our new manager. I'm sad to see him go, as well as Bernardo Anor, who was traded to SKC (he had 6 goals this year). Both were really solid players for us and could play a variety of positions which made them even more valuable. Not sure how much money we received for either player, but we should be able to make some good pick-ups with it, if not one bigger one. They'll likely come from outside of the league, so your guess is as good as mine exactly who they'll pick up, but a forward is a sure bet, especially with Arrieta's contract not being picked up for next year.

The expansion draft for NYCFC and Orlando is tomorrow, I believe. We had to protect 11 players and one that will certainly get picked from the Crew will be Ben Speas. He filled in more than admirably for Federico when he was injured, looking like one of the better players on the field when he did so. To lose Speas, Williams, and Anor is going to leave some sizable holes in this roster which with we will need to fill. It will, however, create some salary cap room for us, and there's no doubt Anor and Williams would have gotten picked up in the expansion draft if we had left them unprotected.

BTW, the Crew's not moving. New owner Anthony Precourt is committed to Columbus and is doing a lot to prove that, investing heavily in the club and the city. There's been plenty of talk about a new stadium near the arena district, but that's in the longer-term plans.
 
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CBA agreed at the last minute & the season kicked off tonight in LA with the Galaxy beating Chicago 2-0. I thought I was going to get the patented Robbie Keane roll when he scored the 2nd, instead we got an angry Robbie Keane telling people to literally "eff off".
 
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Also, on Sunday they've got a pair of national broadcasts. New boys Orlando vs. NYC FC at 5pm ET on ESPN2 & either KC vs. NY Red Bulls or Seattle vs. New England (Oh the irony) on FOX Sports 1 depending on where you are.

I keep telling myself every year that I'm going to become more vested in MLS, but it never seems to materialize. I'm set on making this season the time to act on those plans, because I really see this league beginning to take off in the next few years. That being said, I don't see it ever being able to compete with the domestic powerhouses in Europe, but I believe a strong MLS will result in a stronger USMNT & that's the ultimate goal.
 
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That being said, I don't see it ever being able to compete with the domestic powerhouses in Europe, but I believe a strong MLS will result in a stronger USMNT & that's the ultimate goal.

They haven't performed the ranking -- based on a bunch of metrics -- in almost two years, so it has changed. But I think the last time Sporting Intelligence ranked the leagues around the world, MLS ranked seventh and I believe, in the write-up, MLS was poised to pass Mexico within a year (that was 2013) and edge Brazil by 2015 to move to fifth.

But the ranking is two-years-old, so who knows where it is now (Germany was No. 1).
 
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@BVistahC Interesting. I wonder which metrics they used to weigh in on their rankings. The Bundesliga is definitely a top caliber league, despite its recent dominance by Bayern Munich. Very competitive league top to bottom with several quality teams. I still contend the BPL is the most competitive as there's a new champion every year, but the big hitters generally remain the same. La Liga is a three-team league (Real, Barca & Atletico) & Serie A has taken a significant dip with the disappearances of AC Milan & Inter.

I've never followed the CONCACAF Champions League, but looking at the schedule, it's played across two MLS seasons. Even worse for the MLS, the Group Stage is played intensively at the closing end of the MLS regular season, which is maybe why MLS teams have never fared that well in it. Kind of a shame really, but I'm assuming it caters more to the seasons of the other domestic leagues in CONCACAF.
 
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Interesting. I wonder which metrics they used to weigh in on their rankings.

Here is the criteria of the survey/study:

- Attendance
- Finances
- Goals
- Competitiveness
- Caliber of Players and Coaches
- Stadiums
- Success in Continental Competitions


Here is the Tweet (and rankings) from almost two years ago. I'm sure the rankings have changed (but No. 1, 2 and 3 are entrenched and not getting passed):

1. Germany
2. England
3. Spain
4. Italy
5. Brazil
6. Mexico
7. USA


https://twitter.com/sportingintel/status/326638820508434433/photo/1
 
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Scores from yesterday. 7 goals in 6 games. MLS still playing as cynical as ever or early season sloppiness? I will say the Crew scoreline wasn't for a lack of chances/excitement.

B_lS1pqUYAAPsL9.jpg
 
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Phew, Kaka saved the day with that goal on the free kick! Really wish I could have been there for the game.

I'm going to try and make it to one of the Crew matches (as a Crew supporter, of course, Ohio teams over all others), and hopefully a few other matches as an Orlando fan. Can't wait for the new stadium, though.
 
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Missed the first two National Broadcasts earlier, but I'm not missing Sounders-Revs kicking off now on FOX Sports 1.
 
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Nice to see such big crowds in Orlando and the regular full houses in Kansas City and Seattle.

I hope Crew SC can find a way to turn poor attendance around (I'm guess around 12K-13K real attendance -- not sold -- next weekend).
 
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Sounders put the Revs to the sword 3-0. Nicely worked 3rd goal.
 
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