DISQUS

Good summary of where we've been the last few years. However what hard evidence do you have that we have turned the corner when we have essentially lucked into the last two wins?

Play of the game was Sam Shields 3rd down catch to keep the drive going. The 'Canes were 1 of 10 on 3rd down before that big throw from JH. As you state SS stepped up big. Nice piece last week on him as well.

Marve may be one hell of an athlete and may also be a great pure passer but he's too dumb and mistake prone to play QB at the U. Let him transfer.

Asbury will be the difference maker!

Jones isn't going to play much. Trust me, Brian Asbury who I know personally is going to step it up this year.

you know something. the people watching the premier league those who hate mls anyway. the vast majority of premier league fans are elitist and condescending. i do not care to win them over anyway.

So you are back to promoting USL. Hope they are paying you well. A semi pro league with amautuer players like USL should not be given this much space on a blog entitled MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER TALK.

What?

Montreal won on the road 4-1 against a team that beat the Revs 4-0.

How is that an embarrasment?

Who could we have gotten, that would have been better, at the same price? Keep in mind that he delivered a top 3 recruiting class, which we will not know the full effects for another 2 years. Throw in, what is shaping up as a top 10 class for next year and I'm not understanding what the complaints are. If you were to tell me that Leach, Saban, Davis, Schiano or any of the other coaches would have taken the salary we were able to offer but we chose Randy instead, than your discontentment with Randy's hire would make sense. Are all of the other coaches better than Randy? Probably, but how can you fully assess the job Randy has done when he is still working with the train wreck that Coker left behind? If Randy proves to be a crappy coach in 2 years, he is going to leave behind a load of talent for the next guy, much like Zook left for Meyer!

So we are suppossed to endure 4-8 and 5-7 until 2011?

I'm shocked that someone who has been so critical and correct in his assesment of this team is supporting Shannon. Actually beyond shocked.

You did support Haith though and wrote that sappy "we're so close" column for All Canes when we finished 12-20 and last in the ACC, so I guess anything is possible. Looking back in the archives when we missed the NCAAs by a hair you talked about how bad we were. So I guess maybe you talk about how bad we are going to be because you somehow like it. Haith was a winner at 12-20 but loser for making the NIT. Shannon is the answer at 7-10 but we were losers in Coker's next to last year at 9-2.

Like everyone else you have a clear agenda. Too bad you are right so often given this realization.

Check out Shandel Richardson's blog. Says Moncur is out for the year also.

So Brizzle anyone without a coaching license is unqualified to criticize or critique coaches? Have you ever said such and such is an idiot in any sport? If so, then your post is hypocritical.

While the headline is somewhat sensational and the premise of the article flawed to an extent, I must agree with the author about USL vs MLS.

BOTTOM LINE: Puerto Rico went to Costa Rica and got a result when MLS teams have gone there like 10 times and never gotten a draw. In fact typically MLS teams get beat 3-0 or 4-0 down there. I'm shocked that Yankee Hooligan impugnes the author's knowledge of MLS while not knowing Puerto Rico Islanders who beat one of the favorites in the Champions League is a USL side.

Back to the post itself. Losing Donovan is a problem if MLS was still marketing itself around American stars. But the league had adjusted to the problem you explain: that young U-17 and U-20 players are signing directly in Sweden, France and elsewhere. So now the league is marketed around foreigners and due to that a good opportunity exists to use any transfer money for Donovan or Edu, etc and apply it to buying attractive foreign players.

You've editorialzed before that you don't like MLS new found reliance on foreign players. While I'd agree it is not ideal, it is the reality of the times.

It was tough to be eliminated by Nigeria but I was happy for Ekpo as he is like a home grown player in a way.

Well this result is probably more embarrasing for MLS than it is impressive for USL.

Do you know that MLS teams not only lose down in Costa Rica? They normally get killed down there!

The Islanders were no doubt impressive last night and deserved the result, but my point is they came to play and take an account of themselves whereas most MLS sides simply mail it in and then make excuses.

MLS has expanded too fast. I think we have better overall talent than a few years ago but four more teams and like six on the way is too much when the talent isn't that deep yet.