Mathis just one of many problems

AreliusIII · 10-17-2005, 08:31 AM

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=345891&root=mls&cc=5901

SoccerPrime · 10-17-2005, 09:07 AM

Chivas gets a a bye because they "tried to do their own thing" but RSL were morons?

Get real Ives, come on.

Morg · 10-17-2005, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoccerPrime

Chivas gets a a bye because they "tried to do their own thing" but RSL were morons?

Get real Ives, come on.

My thoughts exactly.

SokkerNut · 10-17-2005, 09:31 AM

Gotta love it---I think he writes for a New Jersey newspaper. Love how he writes about a team he knows nothing about.

Dadof3 · 10-17-2005, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoccerPrime

Chivas gets a a bye because they "tried to do their own thing" but RSL were morons?

Get real Ives, come on.

Yes and no...Chivas recognized their mistakes a lot earlier than did ReAL and actually took steps to correct them...let's face it, there is no debate re which of these 2 teams were playing better, more attractive soccer, at the end of the year.

I can only hope that Ives was incorrect re Mathis' contract. I had always heard it was a 3 year deal with just the first year guaranteed. If all 3 were guaranteed, we are (to use a fitting term) "royally" screwed. The team cannot play effectively with Mathis on the pitch, and, if we are stuck with him, even if he is benched, we are screwed via the salary cap.

I think he got the front office issues correct. From all sources, Pastorino is a marketing and organizing wiz...the front office had a great year. But he is not an evaluator of talent. RSL put all of their player identification eggs in Ellinger's basket...if he does as poorly next year as he did this, RSL is in danger of losing their fan base.

fuegote · 10-17-2005, 09:41 AM

I am not a Mathis supporter, but (and if you know me, I usually have a huge but) He did play very well the last three matches. If we get that Mathis next year, I'll be happy.

noxum · 10-17-2005, 09:43 AM

I agree, Mathis isn't the only problem RSL has. Ellinger needs to stop being so nice, and fans need to stop using "we're an expansion team" as an excuse and force RSL to be accountable. We're paying for entertainment, not to have just a soccer team. If that were the case, just raise taxes to pay for the team, and I'll look for the score in the paper.

ReAl · 10-17-2005, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuegote

I am not a Mathis supporter, but (and if you know me, I usually have a huge but) He did play very well the last three matches. If we get that Mathis next year, I'll be happy.

There is no way Mathis can keep up that pace for a season and that's what he would have to do to earn his salary.

prk166 · 10-20-2005, 10:10 AM

You can nit pick Ives on things but overall he's spot on. The MLS is the embodiment of parity. No way RSL should have only got 20 of 96 possible points this year. ANd playing well at the end of the season? Playing well? What? So well that we played into a 10 game losing streak? Playing so well that we didn't win a game during the last 2 months? What consititues playing well? Getting spanked by DC United at home 3-1 instead of the 5-1 embarrasement at RFK? Or would that be having 30 minutes of good team play durign the game instead of the usual 15? Demonize Ives all you want but the fact is the team did worse than an MLS expansion team should do + they did not improve as the season went on. Ellinger's gotta go.