DISQUS

Lee · 1 year ago

Why do you hate MLS?

Joey Clams · 1 year ago

Consider this: Historically one of four clubs has been represented in every MLS Cup final. Los Angeles, DC United, Houston/San Jose, and Kansas City.

You don't mention New England.

undrafted · 1 year ago

and 3 of the 4 "franchises" are below average this year. Listing 5 cities with historically strong teams in a 14 team league means the league isn't competitive? No, it just means it's not random. mini-dynasties can result from good front office work.

places 6-8 in the playoffs see 6 teams between 33 and 35 points with 3 matches to play

bewildering. let's check a dictionary and find out what "competitive" really means.

kkfla737 · 1 year ago

Why do you hate MLS?

If I 'hated" MLS I wouldn't write about or think about it the way most euro snobs in this country are. Why do I constantly criticize the league? I've followed the league since its inception in 1996 closely and it is not the product it was promised to be by a long shot. Moreover, the media in this country with a few exceptions either over sells the league and its proponents who you can find on message boards all over the place claim its one of the top leagues in the world while others simply ignore it and act as if it does not exist. We try and strike a balance: talk about MLS but critique the product and explain why in my opinion the quality of play and many other things have not grown as well as we were promised in 1996.

Lee · 1 year ago

re "Why do you hate MLS?"-- "Competitive" doesn't mean 12 different champions in 12 years. It means that week in and week out you don't have a great idea who will win or not, and it means that going into the last 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 rounds of the season, neither the champion or playoff seedings are even remotely clear. Just like this year, and the past several years

If anything, MLS is TOO competitive, meaning that since all teams are just about equal, it often makes for some very pedestrian soccer.

Competition wise, as a self contained league, MLS has little to worry about.
Now if you want to say the quality could (should?) be better, or the competition versus those outside of MLS, we can talk.

Ric · 1 year ago

Wait!
Kartik writes a column comparing MLS to the rest of the world and talking about MLS not doing well in foreign competitions and how MLS is mediocre based on those two talking points?
What a shock!

*yawn*

Rex · 1 year ago

There have been 8 teams win the Supporters' Shield and 5 teams win the cup. Out of a league of 14? Thats pretty competitive. You can argue that the MLS stinks but this point is not well thought out.....

Twiz · 1 year ago

no validity in your point. eliminate tfc and san jose since they have been in the league for less than 20% of its existence. this means of the remaining 12 , 75% have won the supporters shield... a number that truly shows the competitiveness. the mls cup side, not always the best team wins, just the hottest... which is fun to watch, but does not show competitiveness. or does it? considering we do not know who will win, or who will even compete for it when the season begins or midway through. no one would have picked the crew to raise the shield this year, but they are going to after being out of the playoffs for a few years. rsl may make the playoffs for the first time. and ny has made the playoffs, just because they have not found a way to win the cup does not mean the league lacks competition. when was the last 5 goal victory? when was the last time upset got thrown around? the lack of these two occurences shows the league's equality.

Jester · 1 year ago

Allow me to introduce you to the "Comma". It's a great tool that will make your articles a tad more readable. Realistic expectations wouldn't hurt either.