The business of sport is crucial, distasteful
Nov 29, 2021
Art and commerce have always been linked. Sports, and the business of sports, are inseparable. For sports fans like me, this produces two dichotomies.
What comes next for Minnesota United FC?
Nov 22, 2021
The MLS playoffs feel bizarre sometimes. The Loons played 34 games from mid-April to mid-November. They didn’t have their spot in the playoffs confirmed until the final whistle blew in game number 34. And now, two weeks after the conclusion to that very long season, they played a little bit of good soccer but a larger bit of bad soccer — and wham, season’s over. That’s an awfully long season to have the postseason be over after 90 minutes.
Minnesota United Season Awards
Nov 19, 2021
Local soccer genius Bruce McGuire put out a call yesterday for votes for Minnesota United season awards - pre-playoffs but post-season. I cast my votes, but I thought I’d expand on them here.
Alternate Octagonal standings are better for Mexico and Panama, worse for USA and Canada
Nov 17, 2021
As the U.S. Men’s National Team tries to carefully navigate its way through World Cup qualifying, there’s one thing that everyone - coaches, players, fans, TV pundits, internet pundits, me - keeps saying: A point on the road is a good result.
The MLS Supporters Shield is great. Let's have more
Nov 12, 2021
Please go to the ESPN college football standings page and scroll down. Notice anything that maybe you don’t see from other standings / tables / posiciones?
Appreciate the Loons - they could be the Timberwolves
Nov 11, 2021
Monday, I tweeted a note about the Loons, and specifically about coach Adrian Heath. He’s one of four coaches in MLS that have coached the last three full seasons and made the playoffs in each one, along with Brian Schmetzer (Seattle), Gio Savarese (Portland), and Jim Curtin (Philadelphia). I’ll add here, in this unlimited space, that the Loons are one of only seven MLS teams to make the playoffs in all three of those seasons; the others are NYCFC, the New York Red Bulls, and the New England Revolution.
Wounded Loons need points in Houston
Aug 28, 2021
Two weeks ago, Minnesota United seemed to be impossibly short of attacking players. Mid-season signing Franco Fragapane was dealing with a medium-term injury. Leading scorer Robin Lod injured his calf in training. And first-choice backup winger Niko Hansen hurt his hamstring, leaving manager Adrian Heath to play Hassani Dotson out of position at left wing.
The most popular soccer league in the USA is not in the USA
Aug 4, 2021
Twice a year, when Mexican soccer begins anew, I’m reminded of the hidden truth of soccer in the United States: the most popular soccer league in the USA is not the one that’s in the USA. By TV viewership, the way that we measure everything in the United States, Liga MX is the most popular league in the USA. It’s not particularly close.
Theoretical mustards, ranked
Jul 15, 2021
In my fridge, I have a bottle of what is labeled “Irish mustard.” How it got into my refrigerator is not important; suffice it to say that this came from a neighboring state, with a sterling recommendation from some residents of said neighboring state.