It's been another busy week here at FSR and with TONS of little tidbits surfacing here and there, I may start updating this blog with smaller posts rather than accumulating for these monster ones.
Here's what's on my brain Friday as I work through a reporting shift:

Yes, Arsenal fans - it WAS a penalty!
A poster on one of my previous blogs seemed to take issue with the fact I called Kolo Toure's run up the back of Ryan Babel a CLEAR penalty while I did the hilites on the show Tuesday.  In fact, this might be the same viewer that took hours of their time to send us an email about how wrong I was to say such things and how bad we were not showing three minutes worth of complete hilites.  First off, I've seen the video over and over again.  I watched it when it was cut and I watched it when Arsenal fans started to email.  It's a penalty - no ifs ands or buts.  Toure makes contact with Babel in the area to take away a scoring chance.  He does not touch the ball, the move was clumsy and it was a good call by the official.  I don't see what Arsenal fans are crying over.  If you'd have done the job and scored the goals when they were presented (Adebayor, I'm looking at you!), you wouldn't have to blame the officiating.  As for showing more hilites - while we would LOVE to show 3-minutes worth of hilites accounting every major thing that happened, ESPN has the rights to the CL and we are restricted to only a few minutes per show - no matter how many games there are.  And if we show those hilites TWICE, it even further restricts us.

TFC Signs Amado Guevara
I make no secret of the fact I'm not too keen on what they're doing over there in Toronto.  From what I've seen so far and the discussions I've been involved with, they may not even be sure what they're doing.  The move for Guevara this week only confirms this.  However, I am willing to give Mo and Carver the benefit of the doubt and keep an open mind about what Guevara could add to the team.  I've seen blog after blog and article after article praising TFC for making this move but I think the praise is a little premature.  Remember, this is the same Guevara who REFUSED a trade to Toronto last season.  Now he wants to go there?  Perhaps he has learned a thing or two after his stint with Motagua but I'm not so sure.  Does he make Toronto a better team?  On paper - you bet.  We'll see if he actually does the job on the field.
Toronto also added Rohan Ricketts Friday after he was released from his contract with Barnsley.  Ricketts has been with the team for a couple of weeks and the TFC release announcing the signing had Mo saying "We've instantly added more quality depth for our team."  The club also announced they had released FW Collin Samuel due to personal reasons.  Curious to see Samuel go - obviously there is more to this than what TFC are saying.

Seattle Sounders FC
There's an old saying I heard bandied in the department this week - blue and green should never be seen unless together in a washing machine.  I dunno though - I like the new colors for Seattle and I also applaud the ownership group there for going with what the fans wanted.  The Sounders have a great tradition int he Pacific NW and naming an MLS franchise anything BUT Sounders would have been an injustice.  Can't wait to get me a Sounders cap & scarf!!

Steve Nicol Is Brilliant
I saw the salary numbers last week and I had to marvel at the astute financial wizardry of Steve Nicol and New England.  Signing Sainey Nyassi and Kenny Mansaaly for $50k US was a stroke of genius - and it likely has other teams (esp TFC - hello?  Was the U20 WC not in YOUR backyard??) going 'Damn it!"  With numerous teams seemingly having very little in the way of a plan to build for the future other than signing older players (LA, TFC), one of the league's best franchises is leading the way in showing what a little investment in time and travel can do.  There are numerous lessons to be taken here....

MLS Changes The Playoff Format - AGAIN!
Picked this one up off of Steve Goff over at the Washington Post (one of the best footie blogs out there!).  MLS has changed the playoff format to have THREE teams from each conference make the playoffs and then the next two with the best records regardless of conference get in.  The move could be called 'The Beckham Format' because it is OBVIOUSLY designed with the mindset that LA will finish 3rd in the West (behind Chivas and Houston) and thus deserve a playoff spot.  This could backfire though because I'm not so sure THIS LA team is better than FC Dallas.  I like Dallas as a surprise in the West so LA will need to hit their peak at the right time in order to finish third.  Otherwise, it's egg on the faces at league HQ come late October.

Louis Arroyave/Ives Galarcep Battle
Ok - this isn't exactly a battle but 'Soccer By Ives' provided a somewhat detailed account of the events that led upto JC Osorio making the move to New York from the Fire.  It didn't sit well with Fire fans and many have inundated Arroyave's 'Red Card' blog asking him to throw down and respond.  Now while I'm not a huge fan of Louis (posting the link to one of my most embarassing moments as a broadcaster doesn't curry my favour), I do really respect the fact that he posted a blog reply to Fire fans saying he is not a defender of the Fire but a beat reporter for the team.  He says it is not his place to defend the club - but if someone from the team wants to provide a rebuttal to Galarcep's account of things, he will gladly write an article with quotes from Fire folks should they decide to speak up.  Otherwise, it is none of his business and he is staying out of it.  Sorry folks - the rivalry won't extend to the club's best bloggers (yet).

For the record, both those bloggers - and Steve Goff - are the top guys to read if you follow MLS.  They are on top of what's happening with their teams and with the league and I make note to read them every day - a few times thanks to my Google Reader.

That's it folks!
Have a great weekend!
Here's hoping United v. Arsenal is as good as we hope!

The week 2 fantasy team managed to acrue 110pts - that was 4th best for the week and it put me in 3rd place in the league table.

Despite KC & New England playing two games this week, I moved a player from each OUT of my squad.  I did add a KC player though so it evens out I guess.

Here's the changes:

Conrad (30pts wk 2) ----> OUT
Prideaux (10pts YTD) ----> IN

Edu (7pts wk 2) ----> OUT
Marinelli (9pts YTD) ----> IN

Joseph (-5pts wk 2) ----> OUT
Blanco (31pts YTD) ----> IN

As of Friday - Marinelli has -6pts for me (he's my Cpt) so here's hoping he and the rest of the team have a much better showing this weekend.

Good luck with your fantasy team in week 3!

The opening weekend of MLS has come and gone and as I sit here getting prepped for week two, I thought I'd plug the MLS Fantasy game on FSC.  For those unaware, I'm a HUGE fantasy gamer - have been for years.  I'm mainly into the NFL (usually 10-11 leagues) but last year got into the MLS Fantasy game and am again involved in the FSC league.

A number of us here at FSR were into it last year (Derek, Mitch, Bobby, Myself, Dom) - but this year it is just Derek, Bobby and I from this side of the 49th.  It's too much work I've been told by some....Ya but it pays off when you get to dog your co-workers about how much you shellacked them this past week....

With that in mind, here's what I had from week one on MY MLS Fantasy team and what they got me for points:

St.Louis FC - 4-3-3 (cuz we like to ATTACK)

GK Will Hesmer - CLB              51pts
RB Jose Burciaga Jr - KC        10pts
CB Jimmy Conrad - KC            10pts
CB Marvell Wynne - TFC             0
LB Frankie Hejduk - CLB           5pts
RMF Maurice Edu - TFC -           5pts
CMF Shalrie Joseph - NE          2pts
LMF Marcelo Gallardo - DCU    2pts
FW Brain Ching - Hou                0
FW Luciano Emilio - DCU         8pts (Captain)
FW Carlos Ruiz - LA                   2pts

Head Coach - Sigi Schmid

So, that line-up got me 104pts - good for 3rd in my MLS league.
Derek Taylor was the top gun for week one - he scored 125pts

We're allowed three changes per week so I made a few moves:
GK Hesmer OUT                     GK Zach Wells IN
CB Wynne OUT                        CB Tyson Wahl IN
FW Ruiz OUT                            FW Angel IN (Captain)

I'll let you know next week how it works out!!

Feel free to share you fantasy stuff below!

10.Toronto FC are as bad as advertised.  Mo Johnston did little to improve his team in the off-season and it showed.  Here's hoping Johnston isn't all talk when it comes to acquiring more players and comes through - otherwise it'll be a LOOONG season at BMO Field.
9. Toronto FC fans are as GOOD as advertised.  Even with their team getting beaten they never let up and showed Columbus fans how to always back your team.  They continue to be an example to MLS supporters everywhere.
8. Cuauhtemoc Blanco still has it.  In injury-time he AGAIN shows that he still possesses the ability to change the game in an instant.  Tough way for RSL to open the season.
7. Maybe there IS a plan in Colorado.  It's been assumed by many close to MLS that Colorado are a rudderless ship just floating through MLS but after they thumped LA Saturday night, maybe the Rapids brass DO have a plan!!  Then again, maybe LA are just shite.
6. Welcome back Becks!  Yes, David Beckham and Ruud Gullit got a great glimpse of what the season has in store for them.  Beckham got half a season last year - can you imagine how frustrated he'll be having to endure a full schedule of losing??  Anyone seen the odds on Lalas lasting the full term?
5. FCD and Chivas - fit to be tied.  Both sides were under-strength and it was perhaps fitting this one ended drawn.  It was a quiet game from a coverage stand-point but these two teams have plenty of potential going forward.
4. Kansas City defence won't get enough credit.  In my pre-season previews, I said the defence for KC was the question mark.  After week one, question answered.  It's not easy to shut-down the most vaunted attack in the league.
3. Denis Hamlett could start a new trend - suits!  I saw Luis Arroyave mention this on his blog and I noticed it as well - Hamlett looked great in a suit.  I'm a BIG fan of coaches wearing suits - it shows respect for the position, respect for the game and respect for yourself.  You're a leader - at least look the part.
2. Houston need help!  Sure - it is just one game but to lose to New England the way they did showed that Houston have some decent sized holes to fill.  You cannot tell me they weren't 'up' for the game versus New England - and they got throttled.  Dom Kinnear needs to find some scoring - and fast.
1. New England look like MLS Cup Favorites.  Again - it is week one....But the combination of Sainey Nyassi, Kenny Mansally & Mauricio Castro added some serious pace to the Revolution attack.  Pat who?  Taylor who?

Enjoy!  Feel free to comment.