The Cascadia Clasico

Photo credit: AP

Welcome to MLS, Portland. And welcome back, Seattle. Tonight we saw a new incarnation of the Northwest Derby, the Cascadia Derby, the rivalry game that defines a sport. Yankees - Red Sox, Packers - Bears, Ohio State - Michigan, North Carolina - Duke, FC Barcelona - Real Madrid, Inter Milan - AC Milan, Emelec - Barcelona SC, America - Chivas. These are the games we wait to see every season, and every time we see it something special happens.

For MLS it's been more difficult to establish: DC vs New York? Houston vs Dallas? Real Salt Lake vs Colorado? The Superclasico Galaxy vs Chivas USA? Great approximations, even LA - New York is a good match between marquee players. But something else was missing, a little history, a more personal touch, some sibling rivalry.

And this is what the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers bring to MLS. An established derby dating back to the 1970s and the old NASL (North American Soccer League). It reestablished itself in the WSL and the USL divisions. The teams nourished the competitiveness between fans in both cities and players alike. Case in point: Roger Levesque, detested by the Timbers fans for consistently scoring on their team.

Tonight we saw a new brand of soccer in MLS. A different passion. Not just to win, but to beat the other side at every level of the game. It wasn't about points or even goals. It was about showing your passion for the jersey, the city, and picking your side.

On the pitch we saw Seattle at its best when Fernandez scored the first tally of the night. The Sounders pressed on the Timbers defense constantly at the start of the second half after an underwhelming first 45. You could feel the loss of Zakuani in their movement and the lack of a true creative force in their midfield. Portland started slow, allowed for Seattle's attack and answered with quick counters thanks to Nagbe, Cooper, Perlaza, Chara and Jewsbury. True to fashion, Jewsbury delivered a perfect free kick pass to "Futty" Danso and he headed the ball backwards above a stretching Keller.

One - one. All tied up in Seattle and now comes the cauldron at Jeld-Wen Field. Can the Sounders break down the boisterous crowd in Portland? Seattle fans are touch to match, especially their numbers. But Portland doesn't need a large stadium to show their dominance. All they need is their fans and the extra edge that comes along with any and every Clasico, derby, rivalry game.

Portland Timbers vs Oregon State: the live experience

Yesterday I witnessed an exhibition match between the Oregon State University Beavers and the Portland Timbers. This is perhaps a long overdue post about the Timbers. Considering the fact that I will be in Oregon for at least another year and a half, it is only fitting that I support the newly-promoted team.

A little history: The Portland Timbers were a part of the North American Soccer League (NASL) that ran from the mid 70s to the ultimate folding of the team in 1982. They appeared once in the final in 1975 and lost to Tampa Bay. This team cemented soccer as a sport in the Portland area and its legacy is still present to this day. The Timbers were also resurrected briefly in the late 80s but were only around for two years. One thing to note is that that particular iteration of the Timbers had Kasey Keller in its pool of players. In 2003, the USL added the re-christened Portland Timbers as an expansion side and were relatively successful both on the pitch and in the stands. The team averaged over 8,000 fans in 2008. This success, along with investor Merrit Paulson and support from the city of Portland, allowed for the Timbers to become MLS' 18th team.

The current Timbers squad boasts players like Kenny Cooper (US Men's National Team player during 2010 qualifiers), MLS Draft 1st round pick Darlington Nagbe, former US national team goalkeeper Troy Perkins, Jack Jewsbury and Sal Zizzo (played in Spain and Germany). Their home is Jen-Weld Field (formerly PGE Park). Their rivalry with the Seattle Sounders dates back to the NASL and USL teams, making for a potent Northwest derby.

In yesterday's game, it was clear who the professional team was. Although there were plenty of misses, the Timbers controlled the pace of the game and had the larger share of goal chances. Darlington Nagbe was particularly impressive (scored the lone goal), as was Kevin Goldthwaite in the back line. Ryan Pore also had a good game and reserve goalkeeper Guppy should be a good option if the team requires his presence later this season.

It was an intimate experience at OSU's Patrick Wayne Valley Stadium, with the stands full of a mix of students and Portland Timbers fans. Granted, there was only one side of the field with bleachers, but it was accessible and free nonetheless. The Timbers Army (fan club) was loud in its chants and drums and made the experience much more enjoyable. It was a 1 - 0 win for the visitors but the Beavers played well. This, after all, was where Danny Mwanga (1st overall MLS draft pick of 2010) played during college.

Another interesting part of the game came from listening to conversations among fans on the bleachers. They ranged from "I miss playing the game," "I like the European style," "this game is being played with FIFA rules," "Timbers are a new team in MLS." Some were familiar with soccer, others were just there with their friends. It became clear, however, that there is a deep soccer culture in this region of North America and that Portland is indeed ready for professional soccer. I hope to attend a few matches myself and you can expect more blog posts about those games. Go Beavs! Go Timbers!

America's college game: Akron prevails

There may be no promotion/relegation in America's professional soccer league system. The Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps are entering MLS as expansion sides, not as promoted squads from the USSF-2 lower division. There is also a rising tide of player development within MLS teams, but nowhere near enough to have significant homegrown talent. But American futbol has another type of soccer: the College game. Today, Akron prevailed by the score of 1-0 over Louisville and are now the NCAA champions.

Caldwell's strike in the second half gave the Zips the only goal of the match in a game that was largely controlled by the Ohio team throughout the first half. Louisville could have scored at least twice in the dying moments of the game in front of an open net. In the end, it was a deserved win for Akron and its outstanding coach: Caleb Porter. The Zips could and should have won last year but were defeated on penalties by Virginia.

But what is the real importance of the college game? How does it affect US soccer? Very much so. If you are familiar with certain names: Dempsey (Furman), Charlie Davies (Boston College), Carlos Bocanegra (UCLA), then suddenly it becomes obvious that significant talent can be found in this player pool. It is also a means for MLS to acquire the best talent available in the United States, even international players like Zakuani and Ngwenya. The US' love affair with "college draft" is preserved in the American soccer league and it deserves credit for portioning talent in an equal manner for all MLS teams.

There are some caveats to the college game, however. For one, there are the "time outs" and countdown clock. These two are as American as apple pie. There's no such thing in the world's game. Even if there are 45 minute halves, the fact that these rules remain in place surely subtracts from the league's reputation. It thus places it as an afterthought for many American fans of the game and even more so for the rest of the planet.

How long will the college tournament last in its relative prestige? With the increasing player development in most MLS teams, the situation for college players changes a bit... or does it? Maybe it should be regarded for what it is: a lower division full of youngsters eager to make the jump to professional soccer. If the NASL (formerly USL and USSF-D2) is the "Championship" or "Serie B" of the USA, then the NCAA is the "League One" or "Serie C" of US soccer. Or is it more of an alternate second division? In the end it means this: more players, more talent.

American College Soccer

Maintaining America's unorthodox approach to the beautiful game is a rare gem: College soccer. Today, as I watched the Akron-Virgina game go into overtime and the proverbial penalty shootout, I realized the uniqueness of the game in the United States. Here, soccer is not meant for the kids from the block as much as the soccer moms and the scholarships to competitive institutions. Soccer follows the pattern of all American sports. Little league, junior varsity, varsity, and, if you're lucky... college.

Of course, there's no NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB to pick up the pieces left over from college play... but USL divisions, NASL (USL off-shoot), and MLS are happy to snag the fruits of college sports. MLS has a tough time, of late, in keeping the higher picks from its "SuperDraft." This is because European markets have discovered a previously-untapped new source of players--America. Indeed, recent MLS "dropouts" include Marcus Tracy (Aalborg of Denmark) and Mike Grella (Leeds).

But beyond the obvious tug-of-war between MLS and foreign clubs, one thing remains: college soccer is like nothing else in the world. The average player age is more like a U-23, U-20 team that constantly battles against other U-20s and U-23s. It's the ultimate formative league. It also has strange rules: countdown, regressive game clock; 10 minute overtimes; a mid-game time out, and possibly one or two others I'm not aware of. This, sadly, is what keeps a lot of soccer-minded Americans away from the College game. They are only interested in its products and how they may fare in Europe or the national team or MLS.

Virginia won its 6th title today. Akron failed to win its first even though they were undefeated. Such is the fate of great teams. It was rolling the dice with penalties. It was Restrepo coming up big as a goalkeeper should. It was a fun and emotional game played on a rainy afternoon in Cary, North Carolina. It was the weight of a dynasty (Virgina) against the fun-to-watch newcomers (Akron). And the fun doesn't stop with the game. Caleb, Akron's coach, is being sought by teams like DC United. And that's the other side of the coin--the coaches. Rewind things a bit and you find familiar faces like Bruce Arena and Bob Bradley winning multiple collegiate trophies. And they grow up with the system to become managers of a internationally-competitive national team.

Last year's crop included Chris Pontius (DCU), Zakuani (Seattle), Alston (Revolution), and impressive players like Marcus Tracy (expect him at the January camp). Previous, but recent successes include [Furman's own] Clint Dempsey, Charlie Davies, Ben Olsen, Brian McBride and Tab Ramos (actually went to my own NC State). And the kids keep coming through the system: Restrepo, Bates, Tchani, Opara, Duka, among others. Some are of African descent, opting for a higher education in the States whilst providing entertainment through their sport. Others are renegade youths that chose a sport outside of the American mainstream.

In all, College soccer is a wonder of the American game. It may not have the fantasy that some of us desire, but it is gritty, fast, athletic, and most of all, competitive.

Puerto Rico Islanders: USL strikes again!

The Puerto Rico Islanders came through with a 2-0 victory. I admit I wasn't very positive on the possibilities that the lone non-Mexican team in the Concacaf Champions League would have. Not against mighty Cruz Azul. Mighty? Apparently not. Tonight, a hard-fought win by the USL team has put it that much closer to a spot in the Concachampions final and a spot in this year's Club World Cup. Granted, they still must face their Mexican counterparts in the return leg at Estadio Azul. I had heard some rumblings about the "cementeros" not living up to expectations and losing to lowly CD America--yes, to those of you unfamiliar with the Mexican league, the team is owned by a cement company--. Indeed, Galindo's team may not be a true test for a feisty USL squad that has surpassed all expectations.

This brings me to another conclusion. How is it that two so-called second-tier teams are able to make it so far in a continental tournament? Well, you can thank the Concacaf chiefs for that. No other football confederation allows for a non-league team to advance into official continental competitions. UEFA Cup and Sudamericana certainly don't follow this scheme. But where would you get representatives from Canada aside from Toronto or the Caribbean aside from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago? Clearly something got lost in translation. Even America's own representatives, which were all MLS in the first installment of the tournament, can have a USL side. That's right, the winner of the US Open Cup can go through to the Concachampions.

So let's say that Charleston beats DC in last year's Open Cup. That would mean that the US would get the Revs, Chivas and Houston along with Charleston. Ridiculous? Yes, sadly. This is the same as saying Barnsley goes through to the UEFA Champions League or Cup, or Municipal Canar goes through to the Libertadores or Sudamericana.

I understand that there is a good deal of PR (pardon the pun) going on here. No one in Concacaf wants to be left out if they have legitimate teams. But then again, what does that say about the rest of the leagues in this conference? Is the Concacaf really that much worse than the AFC (Asia) or CAF (Africa)? Or, let's try another sport--Asheville tourists in the World Series. . . I'm all about being fair to everyone but there are lines that should be clearly defined. In the meantime, how about that USL?! I love my Railhawks and I'm pulling for the Islanders all the way! Maybe it is true, USL isn't a lower division--it is an alternative league to MLS.

USL and MLS: the live experience

In what I hope to have as a semi-tradition, I attended a friendly pre-season match between my local USL club, the Carolina Railhawks, and an MLS team, New England Revolution. We braved 39 degree temperatures and a steady light rain. I was pleasantly surprised to see a good number of people braving the weather for this season's inaugural match (at least on our side of the stadium). The Railhawks won 1-0.


This time around, as I had alluded to in a previous post, the stakes were higher due to USL's place in American soccer as well as within the international scope of the region, the CONCACAF. I wanted to see just how well a USL side could play against a "top tier" MLS team. Last year's match between New York and the Railhawks was very one sided for the eventual MLS runner's up. However, lately the USL has represented the second-tier league in the Concacaf Champions League through Montreal Impact and Puerto Rico Islanders, and they have done so in style and successfully. Puerto Rico has gone through to the semi finals after beating Honduran team Marathon and Montreal Impact lost to Santos Laguna of Mexico after an amazing run that saw them win the first leg before 54,000 fans and a second game that they lost only in stoppage time.

Mark Schulte scored the game-winner for the USL side during the first half, to the behest of a frustrated Jeff Larentowicz. I admit that I don't know many players on the Carolina side, but most of them got playing time (substitution rules are much less stringent in unofficial friendlies). The USL-1 team has former MLS players (Brian Plotkin, Columbus; Daniel Paladini, Chivas; John Gilkerson; New York) as well as some international players (Marcelo Romero, Spain; Sallieu Bundu, among others). I did recognize most of the New England squad, however. Jay Heaps, Nyassi, Mansally, Joseph, Igwe, Reis, Dube were there. The Gambians (Manssaly and Nyassi) impressed me, as did Alston (rookie).

It may be true that sometimes games can be unpredictable in friendlies as well as cup games (F.A. Cup in England, Copa del Rey in Spain, US Open Cup in America). However, what seemed like a line of 3 at the back for the Railhawks yesterday, their style of play and treatment of the ball was quite noteworthy. As was the scoreline in their favor. Distances may be shorter between leagues but a special attention should be placed to further partnerships and interactions among the two leagues.

As a side note, I propose an interesting relegation scheme for MLS... how about every season there are 3-4 teams from top USL side in the league, with two of them being relegated each season opening the way for another two USL teams. A total of 20 teams in the league can still be reached, as well as a wider audience that is increasingly favoring soccer as a top sport. Case in point: 2009 MLS expansion team Seattle Sounders has already sold out their 20,000+ season tickets. They debut on Thursday March 19th on ESPN2 against MLS Cup runners-up New York Red Bulls.

Concachampions: Montreal (USL) to the rescue

After seeing an uninspired Houston Dynamo squander a win against an undermanned Atlante of Cancun game at Robertson stadium I was getting ready to forget about MLS, and for that matter, North America from the Concacaf Champions League. But I was wrong. It wasn't another MLS team (New England, DCU and Chivas USA were all knocked out of contention in the preliminary rounds and group phase), it was USL's Montreal Impact that showed up and beat one of Mexico's top teams--Santos Laguna de Torreon. On a night that saw the biggest crowd yet for the "Concachampions" (55000+), the USL team showed up, dominated and won the game. Mexican media and the club itself claimed that the synthetic pitch plus a failure to convert chances led to their demise. More impressive is the fact that the Mexican side had starters on the pitch, including great players like Mexican international 'keeper Osvaldo Sanchez and Ecuador striker Christian Benitez.

My take? Darn good football from North America's "second division"--USL-1. I'm starting to agree with one of my readers that claimed USL is more like an "alternative" league. After all, they pick up MLS rejects, recent NCAA graduates and random foreign players. This also makes a case for Montreal re-entering a bid for an MLS team that would give it higher international presence for an up-and-coming Canadian soccer play. This may hold even more promise as Miami's potential bid for a team may have been squandered by Barcelona following the global economic downturn.

So, with tonight's win by USL's Puerto Rico Islanders against Marathon of Honduras it is not at all impossible that we can see two USL squads make it all the way to the Concachampions semis. Either MLS needs to step up its international play or there should be a stronger relationship with USL. I'm not going to blame Houston's form on the fact that they're not playing "competitively" right now. Montreal isn't in-season at the moment either. As a side note, I'm looking forward to watching a USL-1 (local team Carolina Railhawks) team take on an MLS team (Revolution), even if it is pre-season.

Highlights below:

USL and MLS

Just yesterday I received a pleasant, albeit unexpected phone call. It was the Carolina Railhawks on the line wanting to know about my experience at the game, input I might have and the kind of media I'm most in contact with (that being XM, FSC/ESPN, the Internet). Granted, I've only been to one Railhawks game, last year, against the Red Bulls in what I hoped (and my wish was granted) would be Jozy Altidore's last season with MLS. It was a great experience, a great although uneventful game, good family atmosphere, some scattered Hispanics reminiscing days of futbol, and even some rowdy fans pulling for the men in orange on the far side of the stadium (WakeMed Soccer Park).
The Railhaks belong to America's so-called "second tier" (lower division) United Soccer Leagues or USL-1 [a reader actually commented it is an alternative league to MLS and that is correct]. After reading up on them I found that they have several divisions including player development, women's leagues and tryouts. They, of course, compete in the US Open Cup, one of the oldest soccer competitions in the world and which pairs up amateur, semi-pro and professional teams in a cup-style format. The USL has teams in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. Two of these teams, Montreal Impact and Puerto Rico Islanders, advanced through the play-in and group stages of the Concachampions and are now in the quarterfinals. Only Houston made it through out of 4 MLS teams.
I alluded to MLS's recent failures when addressing Concacaf competitions previously and I will not dwell on it here. Instead, I want to point out the obvious high level in the USL. They continuously feed players into MLS and ingest players from the league after their time in MLS competition has expired due to age or performance. But is there a real, true relationship between the leagues? Short answer is no with a but since MLS does, indeed, prick off the best of the best from USL. And yet, after some serious sleuthing, I found that there are a lot of concerned fans of the game out there either on BigSoccer or personal/professional blogs that are collectively annoyed at the lack of relationship between these two institutions. I've read a lot about the youth development in MLS and US Soccer in general but USL seems to be putting a lot of emphasis on this. They also become a repository for college graduates that don't make the grade in MLS or abroad. Reading through MajorLeagueSoccer magazine I've seen the great progress made with the youngsters, there is certain difficulty in transitioning youth development into first team status. Not too long ago it was individuals pointed out how Kassel of the New York Red Bulls saw significant red tape when trying to make a move to MLS. So, besides the attention to detail in the USL, why aren't there more avenues for cooperation? Unlike Minor League Baseball and how its teams are affiliated with MLB clubs, no such format exists between USL and MLS. Given that Americans are obsessed with "drafts" from collegiate institutions and that promotion/relegation has no chance to ever fly in this country, it would only be advisable, if not imperative, that a tighter bond occur between USL and MLS. College drafts, especially this year, do offer an excellent avenue for new players to join the league, but as Steven Goff of the Washington Post has alluded to recently, the omission of a reserves tournament and lowering the number of players in MLS teams will mean very few options for a gifted round of individuals that in the past generated players like Clint Dempsey and Maurice Edu. Generation Adidas, is another avenue for our youngsters that allows them to not count against MLS rosters but there are only a limited amount of spots.
Once expansion teams are fully integrated into the league, spaces will become even more scarce and a partnership with USL gains more attention. Already we've seen some involvement when teams like Seattle Sounders make the jump to MLS and feed in players from their USL squad, but this is not a widespread practice. Clearly, as the Concachampions has shown, there is considerable skill available in America's lower division and it falls upon MLS to learn how to tap into this resource in a much more seamless manner. In the meantime I think I'll enjoy the Railhawks play the Revs in March. At least I get to watch some soccer sometimes.