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    Guest

    Oh yeah - the Pan Am Games

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Although a pair of friendlies against the United States officially kicked-off the John Herdman’s era of the Canadian women’s national team, the first competitive games start within a week in Guadalajara. The Pan Am games start tomorrow in Mexico with the women’s football tournament starting Tuesday.
    The Americans aren’t in the event, but Canada will be challenged by two-time defending champions Brazil and up and coming Mexico. The Canucks share a group with Brazil, along with Costa Rica and Argentina. They open against Costa Rico on Tuesday, play Argentina Thursday and end the group stage against Brazil Oct 20.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    In addition to Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, Chile and Colombia make up the other group. The top two teams advance to the semi-finals.
    Even with its struggles at the World Cup, and with a NCAA/CIS heavy roster, Canada should be favoured to advance from the group, albeit as the second place team. That should set-up a semi-final match-up with Mexico — the team Canada will likely need to advance past at the Olympic qualifiers in Vancouver in January.
    Guest
    Well, it’s been a while. Last time I was here, my wife was nine months pregnant, I had a mundane day job, and Canada put in a terrible performance in the Women’s World Cup in Germany.
    Flash forward a few months, and I’m a dad, I’m the Footy Blog editor at the Score, and Canada put in a terrible performance in CONCACAF World Cup second stage qualifying against Puerto Rico.
    Which is to say, things change, including the fortunes of the Canadian national team, my lame joke aside. We’re still obviously light years behind where we need to be (yes we) within CONCACAF, but hope’s are running high for the future in some quarters, much of which has to do with what’s happening in parallel with the national set-up.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The TFC blog Waking the Red points out for instance that the Canadian soccer kids are alright, with Ashtone Morgan coming into his own at Toronto FC and the groundbreaking at Downsview on the new TFC training facility.
    While 2014 is likely a big ask for the Canadian mens team (although certainly not outside the realm of reasonable possibilities), the future, depending on a large number of future contingencies, looks relatively bright.
    So what does this have to do with media criticism? In my new job at the Score, I’ve been pouring over various Canadian soccer blogs on a daily basis for the last few months. I’ve always been proud of the quality of (relatively) DIY soccer journalism in this country, with sites like CSN leading the way.
    The coverage is so good that it no longer seems to make much sense to continue to chide the MSM sports media scene, which still bumbles and stumbles its way around the Canadian soccer wilderness. After results like that on Tuesday night, it’s not hard to blame them. Sex sells, and sexy sports sells, and, well, Canadian football is about as sexy as a tax return at the moment. In a perfect world, the media would “do their job,” so to speak, but they’re struggling and hockey is what the people want.
    But you knew that already. The reason I’m hopeful for the many talented, dedicated soccer writers in this county is because I’m hopeful about the future prospect of the national team. As they improve, the massive , yawning gap in coverage will have to be filled in some capacity by the voracious sports media machine. The blogosphere offers up that talent ready made; all the various Canadian media organizations have to do is hoover them up.
    It’s already happened in many cases around the Canadian soccer scene. Most of the writers here wear two hats, one in media and the other in independent blogging. Despite all the hyperbole (some of it fueled by yours truly), digital media isn’t poised to destroy the print media industry. What we’re seeing instead is a series of happy mergers—between television, the web, and magazines.
    As Canadian soccer improves, so will interest, over a long, long period of time. That doesn’t mean soccer will suddenly come into its own as a mainstream Canadian sport; it does however offer some hope that those producing excellent soccer coverage in this country will finally be able to earn something approximating a living wage for their labour.
    Richard Whittall's column appears every Thursday. His work can be read daily on the Footy Blog at the Score
    Guest

    A wasted opportunity

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    At halftime of Tuesday’s soggy 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw with Puerto Rico, Canada had 70% possession of the ball. They hadn’t created much, and certainly hadn’t finished anything.
    Yes, the visitors were bunkering. Their shape was ragged, and the fact that they celebrated at the match’s final whistle – despite being mathematically eliminated at that very exact moment – tells ya what it tells ya, j’suppose.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Canada pushed forward – some. They also uncorked two field-wide passes that went out of bounds without anyone being able to run them down. Yes, they ran into an offside-happy linesman after the break, but late in the game, they were dawdling on the ball even more than the Bunker Boys.
    And pretty much never, when Canada worked the ball to an attack point, did the attacker look calm or comfortable. Lots of hurrying. Very little effectiveness.
    So let’s go back to halftime, and send in a play. Since head coach Stephen Hart evidently didn’t have a plan for the second half, here’s a retroactive suggestion.
    Make it a training exercise.
    “Lads, there’s a defence-minded team out there, and we’re going to go out and break them down. They’re honestly not that good. Heck, the next guy off the bench is Marco Freakin’ Velez!
    “Here’s where we learn how to dribble and play to feet under pressure. Spend the entire 45 creating. Break these yobbos down, because soon enough it’ll be Honduras out there.
    “How ‘bout, for the second half, we not even play Puerto Rico? Let’s road test what we’re going to have to do against Panama, Cuba and those blue-stripey whomligans no one up here can honestly stand."
    If all Canada wanted on Tuesday was a result, well, they got it. Kinda.
    But there was never really any serious question that Canada would qualify from this group. The real issue is, how ready are they to play for real?
    The last time we saw Canada try to do that, in the Gold Cup, they faded late against a largely second-string Panama squad. And there is no vision of Canada in the World Cup that does not include – as a basic first principle – being better than Panama.
    In the end, I wasn’t annoyed that Canada didn’t score against Puerto Rico. It was the weak, faltering way they didn’t score that concerned me.
    This team doesn’t get to play a lot of games. They get even fewer chances to just go out there any try something they’re going to need to be clear and sharp on later.
    A 0-0 draw with Puerto Rico, with the shots raining in from everywhere and the visiting goalkeeper playing the match of his freaking life? Yeah, I could live with that.
    But a good opportunity to train and improve, squandered with barely a peep? Very disappointing.
    It’s not, after all, like getting results against Puerto Rico was ever really the issue.
    Onward!
    Guest

    Remember scoring goals?

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    In case you still needed additional help forgetting the snorefest that was the Puerto Rico game, the highlights from the Canada v St Lucia drubbing are now up.
    Watch all seven goals and revel in Canada's magnificence. Or perhaps St. Lucia's awkwardness.
    My personal favourite is the four on nothing breakaway that Iain Hume eventually converts...
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]


    Guest
    Today, we're joined Dave Clark from Sounder at Heart to continue a discussion on why MLS struggles to translate as a playoff league. As other sports continue see a ratings bump in their playoffs and MLS' stay stagnant we'll talk about some of the reasons why. Is it that MLS hyper-regional? Too confusing as a format? Or something else? We'll hammer out some theories on why.
    We'll also take a look at Canada's game against Puerto Rico and try to find a consensus somewhere between the Fire Hart camp and everything is fine crew.
    The archive show is now up
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/26516/oct122011final.mp3%27,initialScale:%27scale%27,controlBarBackgroundColor:%270x778899%27,autoBuffering:false,loop:false,autoPlay:false}" width="400" height="25" scale="fit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>
    Follow us on Twitter to get updates on shows and guests
    Guest
    When Canada found out that they were required to play in this round of World Cup qualification, the reaction from fans was largely positive.
    The over-riding narrative among the most ardent supporters, who have seen an under-prepared, over-matched Canadian team get schooled far too often when the games mattered, was that Canada needed these extra games against minnows to gel.
    The thinking went that Stephen Hart's ragtag bunch would benefit from some games against lesser competition -- an easier-paced extended practice session before the "real" games next year. If anything, Canada needed to play more competitive matches, just to iron out the kinks and assess what we truly have in our ranks.
    Why, then, has the narrative changed so quickly after last night -- Canada's first stumble in a race that they are destined to win?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    No doubt, the game was awful. The Puerto Ricans came in determined to kill off any notion of an actual soccer game taking place at BMO Field, instead resorting to "parking the bus" and employing maddening time-wasting tactics to preserve the scoreless draw. This despite the fact that the islanders needed a win to keep their slim hopes alive.
    Canada did not respond to the negative tactics well, of course. They held the lion's share of possession -- one report has the Canadians with nearly 70 per cent of the ball throughout the match -- and yet they could not find the final pass that would unlock the Puerto Rican fortress set up along the 18-yard box.
    That is concerning, of course, as Canada are far and away a more talented side, and should be finding ways around such cynical tactics, just like they did in Puerto Rico a month ago.
    But here's the thing -- sometimes football doesn't go the way you plan it to. On one hand, it's easy to say that Canada must win every match against such deplorable opposition if they even want to have a sniff of the Hex (or more), and there is a large element of truth to that. But given the widely-held opinion that the Canadian team needed these games to figure out how to win in such conditions, doesn't that warrant a bit of leeway?
    The fact is that Canada likely wins that same match nine times out of ten. A single goal would have opened the islanders up, and that would have meant nothing but good news for the stagnant Canadian attack. But the entire purpose of these games is to advance; and perhaps more importantly, to learn how to deal with various game conditions and come out on top.
    So if Canada had just continued to waltz through Group D without so much as a fight being put up from their opposition, would you, the diehard Canadian supporter, have been happy with that? Wouldn't you rather see some adversity and hope that Canada learn something from it?

    Rudi Schuller contributes Toronto FC and Canadian national team content to the 24th Minute. He is MLSsoccer.com's beat writer for all things concerning Canada's men's national teams, and has contributed to Goal.com and other soccer media. Follow Rudi on Twitter, @RudiSchuller.
    Guest

    (Help someone) Taste the Soup

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    As a reminder, the Voyageurs are holding a food drive at Maro today. So, before you buy your $12 mugs of beer and prepare to cheer Canada on to victory make sure you drop off your cans of soup (or any can goods) for donation to the Toronto food bank.
    For every can you bring, you'll be given a ticket that will be entered in a draw to win Umbro Canada gear.
    The pre-game party starts at 4 p.m. Maro is located just across the street from the Lamport Stadium parking lot, in the Sirius building. Prior to the St. Lucia game there was a crowd of close to 500 people at the club, so make sure you swing by.
    And bring soup.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    After meeting each player individually yesterday, Jesse Marsch and his technical staff have decided not to bring back defender Philippe Billy, midfielder David Testo and striker Ali Gerba to the pre-season training camp in January 2012. Current club captain Nevio Pizzolitto as well as veteran Eduardo Sebrango and young striker Mignane Diouf have been called back for the pre-season camp.
    The news have been confirmed by RDS and TSN990's Tony Marinaro.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]With a combined age of 73 years old, Pizzolitto and Sebrango will perhaps act as mentors for the club. In Diouf's case, he has had a fairly good season and has been one of the best forwards on the pitch during the training camp.
    Ali Gerba's departure isn't very surprising considering it's been known for a few weeks now. The club even confirmed that they would be willing to let him go in the middle of the season. The Canadian international played most of the season with a knee injury, which might explain why he didn't perform as well as he did in 2010, when he went a run of 9 goals in 13 games .
    David Testo and Philippe Billy, who respectively won Player of the year in 2009 and 2010 for the club, have had a difficult 2011 campaign, and did not really have much playing time as the season came to an end. Attacking midifielder Pierre-Rudolph Mayard has also not been called back.
    In other news, the club will also be confirming the signature of goalkeeper Evan Bush and French defender Hassoun Camara. It is also rumoured that Simon Gatti will also sign with the team for next season.
    Guest
    André Hainault has 24 caps for Canada. Additionally, he was a big part of the 2005 u20 World Cup side. He’s always answered the call for Canada.
    Except for now. Facing a big MLS game this week against Portland (Hainault’s Houston Dynamo hold down the final MLS playoff spot, with the Timbers right there in the battle for that final playoff position), Hainault made the decision to stay in Houston to be fully prepared for that game.
    That led at least one Canadian blogger – CSN’s and SBN’s Ben Massey – to call Hainault’s credibility into question. On Twitter, Massey wrote “If Andre thinks his country's biggest games are less important than a nap before playing for his stolen orange team, **** him.”
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    When challenged, Massey followed up with this: “I was fine with his not going to St. Lucia because it's a longer trip and it looked like we'd have McKenna, but not now...And then this: So we should cut Hainault some slack because he'd probably show up if it was a glamourous game? Got it.”
    Obviously, we cannot know whether Massey was being completely serious in his takedown of Hainault, but he gave no indication that the Tweet was utilizing hyperbole to make a point, or if he was exaggerating his opinion to engage debate. There is nothing to suggest that we shouldn’t take him at face value.
    And, that’s unfortunate. Again, Hainault is a guy that has always answered the call. This isn’t a reluctant Canuck making another excuse. As well, a player asking to be excused from national team duty to be there for his club side isn’t exactly earth shattering news in world football – especially in MLS, where they rarely break for international play.
    Club versus country debates often get bogged down in simplistic rhetoric. The truth is both club and country should be equally important to a player and we, as fans, need to keep things in full perspective. Hainault’s livelihood (and usefulness to Canada, for that matter) is dependent on performing well at Houston. It’s more than a bit naive and lacking in nuance to suggest that he should always drop everything and report to Canada every time the gets the call. In a situation like this where Canada has all but qualified (and getting worked up about the possibility of failure at this point is, well, stupid. The only question is whether they end up with all 18 points) is a perfect example of when it’s probably OK for a player to put his club needs over country.
    Bluntly, his country doesn’t need him to beat Puerto Rico. His club does need him to beat Portland.
    There are very few countries where this would need to be spelled out, but...
    Give Hainault a break. He’s more than earned it.
    Guest
    Yes, while most of you are enjoying a day off to paint your insides with turkey-and-gravy-coloured relaxation, we've taken the time to figure out what all of the possible outcomes of Tuesday's games would mean for Canada's chances of advancing to the third round of World Cup qualifying in CONCACAF.
    Now, sure, the results thus far would suggest Canada's likely to run the table in the six-game second round. But remember, nothing is ever guaranteed in Canadian soccer. Ever. Even so, here's what may happen next...
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    If Canada beats Puerto Rico by any score:

    and St. Lucia beats St. Kitts and Nevis by any score, Canada wins the group and advances.
    and St. Lucia draws with St. Kitts and Nevis, Canada essentially wins the group; the only possible way we don't is if St. Kitts and Nevis beats us twice in November and runs up the score (overall goal differential is the first tiebreaker; we're currently at +13, while St. Kitts and Nevis is at +2).
    and St. Kitts and Nevis beats St. Lucia, Canada needs just one point from its final two games (both against St. Kitts and Nevis) to win the group. Yep, we could stumble through with a draw and a loss.
    Puerto Rico is eliminated, no matter the result of the other game. St. Lucia has already been eliminated.

    If Canada draws with Puerto Rico:

    and St. Lucia beats St. Kitts and Nevis by any score OR St. Lucia draws with St. Kitts and Nevis, Canada needs one point from its final two games to win the group.
    and St. Kitts and Nevis beats St. Lucia by any score, it's (moderately) squeaky bum time. Canada needs two points from its final two games. So, two draws (or one win) against St. Kitts and Nevis would do it.
    Puerto Rico is eliminated, no matter the result of the other game.

    If Canada loses to Puerto Rico:

    EVERYBODY PANIC
    No, seriously. I will.
    Alright, once you've calmed down, consider this:
    if St. Lucia beats St. Kitts and Nevis, then things get complicated. Canada would need two wins in its final two games to guarantee group victory. They could do it with less than two wins (with as little as a single point, theoretically), but if you assume Puerto Rico will beat St. Lucia in its last two games, then Canada can't afford to falter.
    if St. Lucia draws with St. Kitts and Nevis, things are slightly worse. A point in two games would be enough to keep St. Kitts and Nevis at bay (unless their win against us is by a ridiculous score, such as 10-0). Puerto Rico is, again, the big variable.
    if St. Kitts and Nevis beats St. Lucia, it's true squeaky bum time. The table would read Canada 9, St. Kitts and Nevis 8, Puerto Rico 5. One win in the last two games would be needed to clinch the group.

    (Realistic) best-case scenario:
    Canada rolls over Puerto Rico to get to 12 points and eliminate them, while St. Kitts and Nevis gets past St. Lucia to go to eight. From that point on, one single, measly, stinking, solitary point in two games against a country of just over 50,000 people would be enough to advance.
    (Realistic) worst-case scenario:
    St. Kitts and Nevis gets past St. Lucia, but Puerto Rico -- knowing its World Cup life is on the line -- grabs an early lead and then bunkers enough to somehow hold onto a draw. But even then, our advancement is contingent upon gaining that single, measly, stinking, solitary point. (Edited, 4:01 p.m.: Clearly I didn't read my own post; Canada would need two points in this scenario, not just one. So, two draws or one win in two games against St. Kitts and Nevis. Still, not exactly red-alert emergency stuff.)
    The bottom line:
    Barring a meltdown of cataclysmic proportions at BMO Field on Tuesday night, Canada will -- for all intents and purposes -- have advancement to the next round sewn up with two games left to go. (That is, of course, barring a pair of cataclysmic meltdowns in the group's final two games).
    Sure, I know I said nothing is guaranteed in Canadian soccer... but by the end of Tuesday night, moving on in this qualification cycle will be a virtual lock.
    Dear God, I hope I don't have to eat those words.
    .
    Guest
    It was a typically beautiful Friday afternoon on the eastern shore of the Dominican Republic, humid and bright. Throughout the resort-filled region of Punta Cana, scores of pasty, obnoxious tourists were dipping their toes in the shimmering, turquoise ocean water, being hustled at a local market into buying bottles full of wood chips and spices, or simply relaxing and enjoying una fria by the pool.
    But at one of those resorts, one of those pasty, obnoxious tourists was bellying up to the bar in an indoor lounge, noticing a Bundesliga game flickering on the television screen and asking the bartender a rather unexpected question.
    "¡Hola! Do you have the Dominican Republic game on TV?"
    Oscar, the bartender, was incredulous.
    "We play soccer in the Dominican?!"
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Sorry to break the journalistic fourth wall, but the pasty, obnoxious tourist in question was me. And sure, I'm aware that staff are essentially paid to pretend that the world outside the resort walls doesn't exist (lest they start making troublesome inquiries). So I didn't think the country was going to shut down for a game being played on home soil against El Salvador.
    But Oscar seemed genuinely surprised to learn that his country had a national soccer team at all.
    "Where do they play?" he asked.
    "In San Cristóbal," I said -- specifically, the Estadio Panamericano (capacity 2,800), where all three of the nation's home games are being played in this round of World Cup qualifying.
    "Ohhhh, San Cristóbal," he said, both correcting my pronunciation and implying (through his tone) that this was some out-of-the-way venue where weirdos with unpopular pursuits gathered to cheer for whatever silly sport it is that they watched.
    "What game is it?" he asked. "What competition?"
    What competition? It's the World Cup, man! The biggest sporting tournament in the world! A whole extra round was created so little countries like this would have the chance to indulge in a bit more participation in this global behemoth of athletic glory! Are you kidding?!
    "It's World Cup qualifying. Against El Salvador. It will be a difficult game for the Dominican Republic."
    No kidding. Not only that, but a loss would eliminate the country from the competition. You'd all have to wait another four long years for another chance, however minute, at making the big dance. Doesn't that worry you?!
    "Oh yeah, the World Cup," he said, pausing. "Yeah, nobody really watches soccer here, you know. Baseball, basketball, maybe some auto racing too."
    It's worth noting that Oscar was eminently polite and not dismissive of my words or the sport. For all I know, maybe I just happened to stumble upon the one and only Dominican fellow who couldn't give two whiffs about the beautiful game. I was planning to ask some of the vendors at the local market, but was strongly advised not to talk to, shake hands with or look at any of them, lest I end up voluntarily separated from large quantities of cash in exchange for gaudy trinkets.
    The evidence, though, seems weighted toward Oscar representing the majority. For instance, while the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez (capacity 35,000) in Santo Domingo (the capital) is listed as the Dominican Republic's national stadium, it isn't hosting any of these World Cup qualifiers. The games have instead been shuffled off to the city of San Cristóbal, with a tenth of the population (albeit a really cool mayor).
    Maybe the idea is to put all three games in one place and let the crowd grow organically -- which is a rather ham-fisted and grossly inaccurate way of comparing the Estadio Panamericano to BMO Field. However, though I'm willing to be proven wrong, I'm fairly certain there's no Dominican equivalent of the Voyageurs or a "support local soccer" movement down there.
    In fact, most other comparisons between Canada and the Dominican Republic would likely be way off the mark. There is, though, one that sticks: It's a nation that loves its successful athletes, but appears to have a very singular focus when it comes to sport. Dominicans love baseball. And when you look at the list of players they've produced in the last 30 years, it's clear that they're very, very good at it.
    As for us? We've got hockey. I don't need a link to a list of Canadian players; just read the roster of, well, any NHL team that's played in the last 100 years. As for soccer? I've encountered numerous Canadians who've reacted with the same shock as Oscar did at learning of the nation's footie endeavours -- though, up here, the shock is usually tinged with sardonic scorn.
    But then, that's nothing new. It's also nothing unique. Even in a warm, sports-loving, Spanish-speaking CONCACAF nation, soccer fans are met with reactions ranging from intrigue to outrage.
    For what it's worth, the Dominican Republic lost to El Salvador, 2-1, officially ending the country's World Cup 2014 dreams. I had to check this on the Internet later since, despite valiant channel-flipping by Oscar, the game was nowhere to be found on Dominican television. There was also no subsequent national malaise that I could discern.
    Later that day, of course, Canada cakewalked over Saint Lucia and will be greeted by a raucous (and growing) crowd of supporters on Tuesday evening at BMO Field. Maybe that really is all it takes. Maybe it really is all about winning. Maybe, a few decades hence, a golden generation of Dominican footballers will lift the national team from obscurity and fill the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez for a meaningful qualifying game.
    First thing's first, though, from a Canadian perspective. We are still fighting hard to emerge from the global and domestic soccer wilderness. But at least we aren't the only ones.
    .
    Guest

    Johnson ruled out for Tuesday

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    Will Johnson has returned to Real Salt Lake following an injury in the St. Lucia match, Canadian soccer announced yesterday.
    There has been no indication of the extent of the injury but Johnson, who was subbed out in the 16th minute following a hard tackle, will return to his club as a precaution and will not be available for the match against Puerto Rico on Tuesday.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It is expected that no replacement player will be called in Johnson's absence. But for those pining to see Joseph Di Chiara get himself a cap, the window of opportunity may have just swung wide open.
    Guest
    In case you missed it, and you did unless you were actually in St. Lucia, here are a few of the goals from Canada's 7-0 drubbing of the small island nation.
    Watch the brief highlight pack courtesy of Sportsnet.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
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    Guest

    “Draw”ing some conclusions

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    I’m glancing at the almost-final standings of the tier-three Canadian Soccer League, and something quite glaring has caught my eye.
    The much-maligned and oft-ignored league has played 179 games in its top division this season (TFC Academy still has three matches to play against non-playoff teams, while everyone else is done.)
    Of all those games, just 30 have ended in draws. That’s 17%, if you’re scoring at home.
    Major League Soccer, by contrast, has completed 283 matches as the sun comes up this morning. 101 have come up dead-even – 36% – more than double the draw rate in the CSL.
    That is a large and unsatisfying number, and the gulf between the two leagues deserves some investigation.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Draws, cumulatively, are a mathematical function of a lack of goals. The fewer goals scored in a league, the more draws you will see – in general – over the course of an entire season.
    In those 179 matches, CSL first-division sides have rung up 602 goals – 3.36 tallies per tiff.
    The MLS number is significantly lower – 730 goals in 283 games, just 2.58 goals per game.
    If you’re seeking a solution, the solution is clear. Score more goals. But how would you go about legislating a thing like that?
    The old North American Soccer League had a unique way of calculating its standings. Teams got six points for a win, three for a draw – and a bonus point for every goal scored, up to a maximum of three per game.
    The incentive to score goals was clear. If you could max out, the value of a win was boosted by 50%.
    Yes, the value of a draw could be doubled, but those lovely old teams which I still miss very much, thanks, weren’t spending a whole lot of time playing for draws. Drawn games ceased to be an issue completely in 1975, when the NASL abolished them, opting for a game-deciding shootout instead.
    In 1974, the final season where drawn games were permitted, the NASL’s 15 teams played a grand total of 150 matches. The official standings report – unhelpfully – that 18.5 of those games ended in draws. That’s not possible, so I rounded down. Only 12% draws. The league averaged 3.25 goals a game, fewer than this year’s CSL, but pretty much three-quarters of a goal per game more than MLS ’11.
    That system, of course, was ludicrously unfair. An NASL team could go out and win a gritty, deliberate 1-0 grind-fest against a top divisional foe, and still lose ground if another team blew out a bottom-feeder.
    I don’t see any useful way that such a standings-based goal inititive would actually improve MLS.
    Better, I think, to hope this year’s draw infestation is a one-year statistical fluke, brought on more by overall parity than by a lack of goals. Parity has eased somewhat in the three-DP universe, and can be further cured by letting more bad teams into the league. (I’m looking at you, Montreal!)
    Just out of curiosity – and an early-morning touch of nostalgia – I’ve reworked this morning’s MSL standings using the old NASL system. Here’s how we look:
    East:
    Kansas City 180
    New York 175
    Philadelphia 169
    Columbus 169
    Houston 168
    D.C. 158
    Chicago 151
    Toronto 125
    New England 115
    West:
    Los Angeles 236
    Seattle 217
    Salt Lake 194
    Colorado 175
    Dallas 173
    Portland 157
    Chivas 148
    San Jose 129
    Vancouver 105
    The big winners? New York Energy Drink! The Pop Cans vault from fourth place to second in the East, sitting smugly in an automatic playoff slot, instead of being jammed up in a multi-team wild-card-avoidance scramble.
    … And do you think Philly, Columbus and Houston would be going all-out to score goals from here on in? … And do you think they’d all be trying to sign a Thierry Henry play-alike in the off-season?
    The only switch out west is Colorado nudging ahead of Dallas for fourth place.
    It still looks like the same ten teams in the playoffs, but the old system puts D.C. United significantly closer than their present plight.
    None of this last part particularly proves anything. MLS ’11 is virtually the identical league under both systems.
    What we’ll never know is how many more extra goals would have been scored in a universe where almost every net-nuzzler goes directly into the points column. No one’s catching L.A. and Seattle, but the entire north end of the East Division is up for grabs, and could look significantly different.
    The old NASL points system had some glaring inefficiencies, and really wasn’t all that fair.
    But a 36% draw rate can’t continue, either.
    Thoughts?
    Onward!
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