目前分類:My MLS Note / Info (25)

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  2011年,CONCACAF中北美洲足協自1961年成立迄今已堂堂邁入第五十個年頭,CONCACAF官網將每週發文簡述關於中北美洲足協過往歷史《This Week in CONCACAF History》。這一系列文章將告訴你關於過去曾發生過哪些令人難忘或是極具紀念性、劃時代的比賽以及人們所嘗到的箇中甘甜。這是關於賽事、球員、球迷以及捧冠的那一刻……

[March 01]

2007:這 在中北美洲冠軍盃賽﹝CONCACAF Champions' Cup﹞漫長地四十五年歷史中第三度有兩支來自美國的隊伍各別晉級至半決賽中;D.C. United以及Houston Dynamo相繼打敗他們在四分之一決賽對手:來自宏都拉斯的CD Olimpia以及哥斯大黎加勁旅Puntarenas FC。(之前兩次個別晉級至半決賽我只有找到1999年,而1997及2000年則是兩支美國球隊晉級至半決賽交戰。)

D.C.United於第二腿主場賽事中,Luciano Emilo貢獻出兩球,而另一顆進球則由Christian Gomez包下,終場D.C.United以3:2拿下比賽,並在RFK Stadium慶祝他以兩勝、總進球7:3晉級至半決賽。

而 另一邊,於德克薩斯州大學城Aggie Soccer Stadium內,Paul Dalgish及Kelly Gray各有進球入帳,終場Dynamo Houston以2:0、總進球數2:1奪得最終勝利晉級。很不幸地,兩支美國球隊亦各別被墨西哥球隊CD Guadalajara和Pachuca CF所打敗,無緣問鼎冠軍寶座。

[March 02]

1967:中 北美洲足協成立後六年,足協於宏都拉斯Tegucigalpa的Hotel Lincoln舉行首屆常規會議﹝Ordinary Congress﹞。來自哥斯大黎加的中北美洲足協主席Ramon Coll Jaumet主持此場會議,並有來自十一國的足協代表參與此兩天的議程。此次會議主要是討論是否讓巴貝多以及百慕達成為足協正式會員國。

[March 03]

1957:哥 斯大黎加拿到他們在世界盃資格賽北美洲區賽事中首場完封﹝shutout﹞勝!終場比數為4:0,對手是作客來訪荷屬安的列斯﹝Netherlands Antilles﹞。Rodolfo Herrera與Alvaro Murillo分別為Ticos在Estadio Nacional獻出兩顆進球,同時也為哥斯大黎加於世界盃小組資格賽中奪得第三勝。﹝Qualifying match for FIFA World Cup Sweden 1958﹞。

[March 04]

1934:Dionisio Mejía成為首位於北美區﹝North American region﹞世界盃資格賽中上 演帽子戲法﹝hat-trick﹞的球員。因Mejia在Parque Necaxa的進球使得墨西哥在第一腿賽事以3:2打敗古巴。七天之後,Mejía同樣在Parque Necaxz球場中再度為Tricolor演出帽子戲法,這次墨西哥的對手是Leones del Caribe,最終主場隊伍以5:0取勝。而Tricolor則於3月18日在Parque España以4:1摘得勝利桂冠。

[March 05]

2001:牙 買加在中北美洲U-20決賽圈中與地主國─加拿大─於Centennial Stadium戰成零比零平手,並以A小組第二之佳績奪得該國首次參與世青賽﹝FIFA U-20 World Cup﹞席次。Reggae Boyz在A組中以績分5分居次,同組對手除了小組第一的加拿大﹝Maple Leafs﹞外,還包括宏都拉斯以及墨西哥。

March 01-05 Original article
   

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Photo from Чемпионат.ру

你是否辨別得出球員腳下這塊草皮是天然草皮亦或是人造草皮?

: 今年法甲做了一項技術革新
: 有兩個球場的草地(南錫 羅聯安特) 將使用"仿真草"


是指FC Lorient﹝Stade du Moustoir﹞跟AS Nancy-Lorraine﹝Stade Marcel-Picot﹞這兩個球場要使用人造草皮吧?

AS Nancy-Lorraine:Stade Marcel-Picot
Product: Ligaturf 245 RS + CoolPlus 22/4 ACS 70 BionPro 12
Manufacturer: Polytan Sportstättenbau GmbH
Pitch Size (LxW): 105 x 68
Authorisation Number: AE-12.12
FIFA Recommended:from 13 August 2010 to 12 August 2011

FC Lorient:Stade du Moustoir
Product: Ligaturf 245 RS + CoolPlus 22/4 ACS 70 BionPro 12
Manufacturer: Polytan Sportstättenbau GmbH
Pitch Size (LxW): 105 x 68
Authorisation Number: AE-12.09
FIFA Recommended:from 06 August 2010 to 05 August 2011

你說是法甲自己的技術革新,但這兩個球場都是由同一間公司所承包:Polytan GmbH,德國製造商,Schalke 04所使用的訓練場之一就是鋪設這家公司所作的草皮。這兩隊應該早就鋪好了,因為FIFA已在八月中對這兩個球場作評鑑,都是二星等級。

FIFA人造草皮評選制度『FIFA RECOMMENDED』,二星優於一星。二星人造草皮球場則可主辦任何UEFA Europa以及UEFA Championship賽事,一星則是除了Europa及歐冠外其他UEFA賽事皆可。對於FIFA來說,若是人造草皮球場要進行世界盃決賽圈賽事一定得達到二星標準。)

目 前 FIFA 與 UEFA 認 可 之 一 星 、 二 星 人 造 草 皮 球 場 數
  UEFA OFC CAF AFC CONMEBOL CONCACAF   FIFA  
145 1 36 46 10 35   273  
★★ 138 0 5 9 0 7   159  


會 講FieldTurf的原因在於他們是最早被FIFA以及UEFA認可且也是涵蓋量最大的人造草皮製造商。159個二星球場中有27座就是鋪設 FieldTurf,佔17%﹝16.9%﹞;273座一星球場中則有46座是FieldTurf,佔17%﹝16.8%﹞,看起來數量似乎是不多,但列 出有UEFA+FIFA認可一星二星的人造草皮球場製造商則有以下幾間:

ACT GLOBAL SPORTS Ltd.
Astor Turf LLC
Bamard
Desso Sports Systems
Domo Zele NV,BU Sports & Leisure Grass
Edel Grass B.V.
FieldTurf Tarkett Inc
GreenFields B.V.
HATKO SPORTS THCHNOLOGIES
Italgreen S.p.A.
Jiangsu Co-creation Grass Co.,Ltd.
Kolon Glotech,Inc.
Lano Sports N.V.
Leling Taishan Artificial Turf Industry Co.,Ltd.
Limonta Sport Spa
Mondo S.p.A.
Nurteks Carpet Industry & Commerce
Pe-Ba Tekstil San, Ve Tic,Ltd.Sti.


在十八間公司中佔有率達17%,且這只是足球場地的部份,若是再包含NHL或是MLB場地,據說會更高,但我不想查了。

雖然說人造草皮與PU材料看起來很像,但不代表就是在PU球場上比賽的好嗎?﹝默﹞鏟球當然可以鏟,只是鏟起來的不是土,而是黑色橡膠顆粒,「看起來」跟真草沒差很多,當然很多在天然草皮上作得動作都嘛可以做,去問曼聯去年到CSKA Moskva主場是有什麼動作做不出來的嗎?差是差在在上面翻滾打架踹人感覺不一以及傳球以及彈跳不規率難以預測之類的...

感 覺上改人造草皮也不一定會在歐戰占什麼優勢,瑞典、挪威、蘇格蘭、愛爾蘭有很多球場都不是用天然草皮球場。俄羅斯也是,之前好不容易踢進歐洲聯 ﹝Europa League﹞的Sibir Novosibirsk在自己主場佔不到什麼便宜,去年俄羅斯主場對上德國的世界盃資格賽還不是在Luzhniki球場敗下陣。使用人造草皮就像是用Jabulani一樣,傷敵一百傷己九十五,頂多就是比他人適應一點點而已,到其他人主場還不是要用天然草皮球場......

俄 羅斯跟烏克蘭這幾年所蓋得新球場,以及未來將完工的新球場幾乎都是天然草皮球場,俄羅斯這邊跟要申辦2018/2022世界盃有很大的關係。今年連 CSKA Moskva都不用人造草皮球場了,Spartak Moskva除了進行歐冠以及莫斯科德比對上CSKA會用Luzhniki球場,最近幾乎都是使用Lokomotiv的天然草皮球場進行俄超賽事。

但對俄羅斯幾個區域的酷寒來說,人造草皮還是必須存在。養護成本低,耐酷寒乾旱以及日造時間短的高緯度地區都需要人造草皮勝於天然草皮,比較起會因為氣候太乾燥造成天然草皮乾禿、太潮濕造成草地過度濕滑的不穩定性,人造草皮在這一部份便可作穩定控制。


※ 引述《zxall (小小麥)》之銘言:
: 足球週刊 仿真草後續報導!
: 英超最新的受害者
: 8/18號歐聯外圍賽首回合
: 老雷率隊作客瑞士伯爾尼那慘狀橫生的上半場 不禁讓人重視起這草地的奧秘
: 賽後老雷表示:上世紀80年代水晶宮曾鋪設過仿真草
:              但是英格蘭現在已經沒人用了 雖然我不想把輸球怪罪在草地上


那是十幾年前被淘汰的「塑膠草皮:AstorTurf」,現在用得草皮或是FIFA/UEFA認可的人造草皮都不會有這種,當初AstorTurf在破產前有出可與FieldTurf對抗的新一代草皮:AstroPlay,現在這種草皮在香港看得到,FIFA一星認證的球場。

Hong Kong International School、Kings Park field 1、Kings Park field 2、Kings Park field 3,都是用AstroTurf LLC所出的AstroPlay Z 65X,現在應該不多見了。

: 兩年前歐冠決賽 曼聯vs確爾西的決賽場地 盧日尼基 就是仿真草
: 最後蔣特里在雨中滑倒 錯失點球 也痛失冠軍
: 那場比賽我有看耶 但是看轉播時再看不出跟自然草的差別(我很嫩啦)


Chelsea and United players warned Moscow pitch isn't safe for Champions League Final

人造草皮很好認,看球員鏟球或摔倒後沾在衣服上的是土還是黑色顆粒就知道了。人造草皮不會讓球員沾上草汁或是土,但是有緩衝的黑色橡膠細粒會沾在身上,要不看門將的衣服也可辨認的出來,很好認。

: 上季國米歐冠八強抽到中央陸軍 魔力鳥拍馬趕到刺探軍情
: 不過中央陸軍只有在歐洲賽事才會啟用盧日尼基
: 平常比賽是踢較小的希姆機球場


去年因為FK Khimki還在俄超所以他們當然是使用Khimki球場作為主場,CSKA Moskca則是在Luzhniki球場;但今年是因為Khimki降級,所以CSKA才去用Khimki球場,有一陣子Dinamo Moskva也因為自家球場修繕而暫時使用這球場。Khimki球場內部走廊都貼有Dinamo Moskva跟CSKA Moskva兩隊隊徽。

: 世界杯中仿真草其實也有被首次採用
: 阿爾吉利亞VS斯洛維尼亞時 如泥鰍的普天同慶 在門前突然彈起!


這種人造草皮又是另一種:Desso GrassMaster─跟Luzhniki使用得草皮完全不同類型,拜託不要認為不是天然的草皮就全部都是同一種人造草皮。

在Polokwane及Nelspruit進行的賽事全都是用Desso GrassMaster,人造草+天然草合織的草皮。

: (不是很確定格林那球 ......)

格林奶油手那場地是天然草。(ENG-USA in Royal Bafokeneng)

: 鋪設仿真草的"內爾斯普雷特莫卡巴"球場 就是北韓0:7被葡萄牙電爆場地
: (不知道北韓球員是不是第一次在這種場地踢球 除了洪映早外)


北韓對上葡萄牙是在綠點球場(Green Point Stadium),綠點球場是天然草皮。位在Nelspruit的Mbombela Stadium只有進行四場賽事:HON-CHI、ITA-NZL、AUS-SRB、以及PRK-CIV。

不要忘了,槍手主場Emirates Stadium曼城主場City of Manchester Stadium也是用Desso GrassMaster作得草皮。

關於AstorTurf/FieldTurf有兩篇文章可以參考看看,雖然文章時間離現在都算有點久:

http://blog.roodo.com/zane_tsai/archives/2038585.html 菊瘦子的blog
http://sa.ylib.com/circus/circusshow.asp?FDocNo=975&CL=9 美國科學人

  

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Tippeligaen,是挪威職業足球層級中最高級次的比賽,就像德國有分德甲、德乙一樣。而Tippeligaen依目前我所看到的中文譯名,姑且就約定成俗稱為「挪威超級聯賽」,簡稱:挪超。挪超的官方網站同樣也是挪威足協﹝Norges Fotballforbund﹞網站。

若要在網站中找Tippeligaen的資料可看上方,"Toppfotball"→"Tippeligaen",先講點進去後左邊分類─

Tilskuertallene Tippeligaen從1990年迄今每年聯賽總進場球迷/平均人數
Fotball direkte上一賽季賽程資料
Spilleplan 20082008賽季年曆 i 賽事數據資料新聞
Fair Play年度獎項
Tabellen 積分表
Linker til klubbeneTippeligaen各隊官方網站連結

TippeLigaen賽季跟MLS一樣是一整年一整年的,而不是像西甲德甲等聯賽是跨年一季的,所以說現在在挪威是沒有任何職業比賽的,北歐很冷- -a聯賽排名前四名有資格參加每年一度,由斯堪地那維亞三國﹝挪威、瑞典、丹麥﹞所舉辦共同的「皇家聯盟杯﹝Royal League﹞」賽事。2007/08有參與資格的隊伍有:

Danmark: FC Köpenhamn,FC Midtjylland,Odense BK,Ålborg
Norge: Brann,Stabaek,Viking,Lilleström
Sverige: IFK Göteborg,Kalmar FF,Djurgårdens IF,IF Elfsborg
 
因為財務問題取消2007/08年皇家聯賽,SvD有報導。
聯賽排名第一有資格參與歐冠,二三名則為歐協,第四名有時也有參與歐協杯的資格,不過要看看第四名的球隊是否拿下挪威杯冠軍﹝
Norgesmesterskapet i fotball for herrer,就像德國有德國杯、英格蘭有足總杯一樣。

縱觀Tippeligaen共有十四支隊伍:

Sportsklubben BrannFredrikstad FotballklubbAalesunds FotballklubbLillestrøm SKFootball Club Lyn OsloStrømsgodsetOdd GrenlandRosenborgSandefjordStartTromsøVikingVålerenga
Stabæk

因為挪威賽季是一整年,故參加2007/08年歐冠的是由前一年﹝2006﹞聯賽冠軍參加;排名最低兩隊則降級。﹝草按:2007年Tippeligaen冠軍是Brann,Rosenberg則排第五位﹞,而Start跟Sandefjord於2008年賽季將被降級,Vålerenga排名第七。故,歐冠2008/2009賽季,挪威職足代表便是Brann。

欲知更多跟Tippeligaen有關的英文資料,除了Wikipedia外還可上FIFA.comuefa.com 的挪威足協頁面。

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Sacha Kljestan and Ante Razov
主要還是因為球風的改變,一點也不像之前我看到那樣傳、運球靈活的Chivas USA。

比賽結束哨音響起的那一刻,我看到沙夏在中場線一整個無力地倒在草地上,近兩場比賽背負著太多壓力以及理念,偏偏鋒線上的精神人物Ante Razov受傷,粗估約得休息四至六週才會好,心都快碎了T_T大家都踢得好慌張失措。本季正規賽最後一場比賽將對上休斯頓,希望能冷靜下來好好踢場球啊。

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假髮之夜後續!!

要不是Clarence Goodson受傷,我真的很想看到他戴,還有Moor!!為啥你沒戴= =+還有!!Arturo Alvarez戴起假髮來竟然如此少女...一整個很溫蒂﹝!?﹞風。

[Oct.11]

不講這個實在是太對不起自己了,這麼搞笑兼歡樂的事我一定要來好好說說。FC Dallas在自家主場─必勝客公園要來迎戰目前西區榜首、欲與D.C United爭奪支持者盾牌資格的Chivas USA,而這場比賽場邊將會非常歡樂。

FC Dallas陣中有位哥倫比亞籍球員名為透哈(Juan Toja),Toja在場上最大的特徵就是一頭活像野人似地亂髮跟三不五時的犯規 (此君累積犯規次數為全MLS最高是也),不過他也是達拉斯一名重要的外籍球員,且也是今年明星賽球員之一。




因為這場比賽很重要、超級重要﹝賽季都快結束了啊= =﹞,所以說達拉斯就準備在明天的比賽舉辦一場名為「透哈假髮之夜 (Toja Wig Night)」!!FC Dallas官方說:我們開放給前5000名進場觀眾索取透哈假髮的機會,請熱愛達拉斯、熱愛運動的球迷們千萬別放過這等歡樂機會,速、速、進、場讓我們頭戴假髮為Dallas加油吧!
(See the FCD guys sporting the Juan Toja wigs which will be given away to the first 5000 fans at the FC Dallas vs Chivas USA match on Thurs., Oct. 11.)

  ...........不知道有沒有禁止球員戴假髮進場的相關規定厚?要不,我還真想看到達拉斯全隊頂著假髮上場比賽!!光想到那場景就覺得會超級歡樂的XDDD

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2007年度,我認為的MLS最佳十一人一定沒有Los Angeles Galaxy的球員,Landon Donovan的表現在MLS不算是頂尖;也沒有沙夏,因為我覺得Ralston比沙夏﹝坐板凳吧笨沙夏...﹞更能勝任右翼這位置。

目前我心中的名單有Guzan(GK)or Perkins、Parkhurst、Ralston、Joseph、Moreno、Angel、Marinelli、Brennan、De Rosario、Reyna、Schelotto,但是...從進到九月開始我很多比賽都只看Highlight,所以...=_____=我現在很煩惱。

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之前一直想弄這篇,但光看球&新聞都有點自顧不暇了 囧"a

MLS Cup Playoffs 這裡不是在講MLB﹝Major League Baseball﹞的季後賽,而是在講MLS﹝Major League Soccer﹞的季後賽,不要懷疑,MLS就是美國職大聯盟,若是依照MLB的中譯名的話,翻起來就是如此。

在MLS中並沒有如其他歐洲聯賽中所謂的升、降級制度,墊底隊伍不降級、戰積最好的隊伍也未必是MLS總冠軍,就跟MLB的制度一樣,要打打﹝這裡得講"踢踢"﹞季後賽,分個四區八隊,勝出四隊再相互車拚過一場後,兩組勝隊再邁向決賽,來爭得最後的MLS冠軍杯﹝MLS Cup﹞!

MLS創建迄今也才十二年,每年賽制都不太一樣,連季後賽的資格、分組年年都變:因為我是從這一季才開始看MLS,所以就拿這一季的季後賽賽制及分區來好好說說。二零零七年MLS季後賽從十三隊中取積分最高前八隊,第一、二名分至不同邊兩區,對戰組合為:1v8、2v7、3v6、4v5,現在﹝Oct.10﹞已有六隊﹝D.C United、Chivas USA、New England Revolution、Dynamo Houston、FC Dallas、New York Red Bulls﹞具有季後賽資格、有兩隊﹝Real Salt Lake、Toronto FC﹞在剩下三輪至二輪賽事縱使全勝也踢不進季後賽,而剩下兩席位置則由半上不下的另外五支隊伍來爭奪最後踢季後賽的機會。

本季季後賽只看積分分組,而不依其為東[1]、西區[2]為根據分組,所以一、二名可能為同區隊伍,所以說最後到達決賽的隊伍也有可能為同區隊伍,但在去年﹝2006年﹞則是東、西區分兩邊,兩區隊伍要在季後賽對戰到只有在決賽時才遇得到:但今年則不一定是如此,端看積分而定。

目前季後賽席位五隊﹝Chicago Fire、Columbus Crew、Kansas City Wizards、Colorado Rapids、Los Angeles Galaxy﹞搶兩席,剩下兩輪當中每一場賽事都非常重要,環環相扣、這五隊當中誰勝誰負誰平都會影響到其他隊晉級的機會。積分表上看來,Kansas City Wizards跟Chicago Fire基本上只要剩下兩場比賽拿下一勝便能晉級,不過,我想我還是將這五隊晉級的可能性列出來吧!:P

Kansas City Wizards﹝PTS:37﹞
只要贏了星期六對上New York Red Bulls的比賽就能晉級,或是與New York Red Bulls踢平,但是Colorado Rapids或是Los Angeles Galaxy在這一輪賽事中輸了一場比賽,那Kansas City Wizards一樣能晉級。

Chicago Fire﹝PTS:36﹞
只要在星期六對上D.C United的比賽奪勝,便能夠晉級,Los Angeles Galaxy輸了星期六對上Toronto FC的比賽,這樣Chicago Fire一樣能能晉級季後賽

剩下三隊就比較複雜了,因為不是單單剩下場數全勝就能晉級得了,端看上面這兩隊在剩餘賽事的比賽結果方能斷定下面三隊是否有機會問鼎季後賽,所以,這三隊全都以:若是勝敗怎樣就無法晉級季後賽來推斷

Colorado Rapids﹝PTS:32﹞
星期日對上Chivas USA的比賽若是輸了,就沒辦法問鼎季後賽;或是與Chivas USA逼平,但Chicago Fire贏了D.C United,那Rapids一樣沒機會晉級。

Columbus Crew﹝PTS:31﹞
星期日對上New England Revolution如果吞敗,那一樣無法晉級;贏了New England Revolution,但是Chicago Fire贏了D.C United,或是Chicago Fire or / both Kansas City Wizards與其對戰隊伍踢平,那Crew一樣無緣季後賽。

Los Angeles Galaxy﹝PTS:30﹞
只要銀河隊在星期六的比賽輸給了Toronto FC,且Chicago Fire及Kansas City Wizards從其對手手中奪得一分或三分積分,那麼銀河隊就下一季加油再來。

只這是這未確定五隊當中的戰況,當然位居一、二名也有支持者盾牌﹝Supporters' Shield﹞要爭奪,爭得這支持者盾牌能幹嘛?擋弓箭、子彈、進球?不是,而是,在正規賽中積分最高者除了可獲得支持者盾牌外,還可參與美洲的職業賽事,如南美杯﹝Copa Sudamericana﹞、CONCACAF Champions' Cup、或是今年才創辦第一年的超級聯賽盃﹝SuperLiga﹞,比起其他MLS隊伍多了個與他國球隊切磋琢磨的機會。

美洲各國職業球隊所能參與的跨國職業賽事,雖比歐洲的歐冠﹝UEFA Championship League﹞、歐協杯﹝UEFA Cup﹞的比賽方式及分組等等等的來得單純,但也讓許多隊伍是王不見王也不知從何競賽起,且光卡在南美、中北美洲,就讓整個美洲的職業賽事精彩度不比UEFA賽事。

現在MLS各隊還剩兩輪賽事,名次跟季後賽名額都尚未確定,不過也快了,第二十九輪賽事結果將確定某些隊伍下一季或是這一季的命運與考驗。


[1]
東區:芝加哥火燄﹝Chicago Fire﹞, 哥倫布伙伴﹝Columbus Crew﹞, 特區聯﹝D.C. United﹞, 堪薩斯巫師﹝Kansas City Wizards﹞, 紐約紅牛﹝New York Red Bulls﹞,新英格蘭革命﹝New England Revolution﹞,多倫多﹝Toronto FC﹞

[2]
西區:切瓦士﹝Chivas USA﹞, 科羅拉多急流﹝Colorado Rapids﹞, 達拉斯﹝FC Dallas﹞, 休斯頓發電機﹝Houston Dyanmo﹞, 洛杉磯銀河﹝Los Angeles Galaxy﹞, 皇家鹽湖城﹝Real Salt Lake﹞


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Ricardo Clark 最後判決為九場禁賽﹝含季後賽、明年賽季兩場MLS賽事。﹞跟一萬美金罰鍰:寫下禁賽最多場記錄以及第二高額罰鍰﹝Revs 的 Edwin Gorter 曾因口吐種族岐視之字眼遭禁賽兩場加兩萬塊美金罰鍰。﹞

據說球員工會有點不滿這判決,覺得罰得太重:但我一點也不這樣覺得,不管支不支持Houston、不管Ruiz是否有出口激怒Clark,先動手的本來就不對,是說...也只有Houston的球迷這樣覺得,Zotinca光是頭鎚Harmse就被禁賽三場,Clark踹那一腳就已經夠過份了,還想繼續踹?縱使Ruiz 真有說些激怒Clark 的話,也不能讓這件事顯得有些許合理化:暴力本身不該存在於球場之上。

親先生﹝Brian Ching﹞在其Blog中也有談到此事

[Oct.1]

Ricardo Clark在今早對上FC Dallas這場比賽對Ruiz猛踹這舉動除了賞牌外﹝二黃換一紅﹞,高額罰鍰跟至少六場禁賽是少不了的!至少...

太誇張,我對Clark的舉動感到疑惑,Ruiz的舉動的確很不得體,但瘋狂踹人是怎樣?晚點再補。判決尚未出來,不過Houston近期內是不可能讓Clark上場了﹝竟然在必勝客公園撒野...﹞,基本上...這應該算是本季最嚴重的一次暴力事件。

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[Oct.1]

九月MLS所有賽程至今天這兩場比賽結束後正式進到十月賽程,剩下三至四輪賽事,不知道最後踢季後賽的八隊會是哪八隊?﹝前四名差不多已確定了暫不說。﹞

Chivas近兩場比賽都是靠點球求得平手積分,讓我不禁擔心起他們剩下近幾場賽事會踢得如何= =||||而D.C也有南美杯﹝Copa Sudamericana﹞要踢、Dallas跟Revs在進入十月後還有U.S Open Cup決賽要踢,希望他們能一切安好啊...
Parkhurst連十一場比賽沒犯規了,真是恐怖XD今年度最佳後衛我想非他莫屬了!且我看了排行榜,Revs果然是最和平競爭的球隊啊XD

September 1, 2007
New York Red Bulls1-0Chicago Fire 
FC Dallas0-4D.C. United 
Houston Dynamo1-1Kansas City Wizards 
Los Angeles Galaxy1-2Real Salt Lake 
September 2, 2007
Columbus Crew1-1Colorado Rapids 
September 6, 2007
Chivas USA2-2D.C. United 
September 8, 2007
Columbus Crew 0-1Chicago Fire 
Houston Dynamo 4-3Real Salt Lake 
Los Angeles Galaxy 3-1Colorado Rapids 
FC Dallas 2-0Toronto FC 
September 9, 2007
D.C. United 4-2New England Revolution 
Chivas USA 3-0New York Red Bulls
September 12, 2007
D.C. United 2-1Real Salt Lake 
September 13, 2007   
Chivas USA 3-0Los Angeles Galaxy 
September 15, 2007   
Toronto FC 0-0Real Salt Lake 
New England Revolution 4-2FC Dallas 
Kansas City Wizards 3-2Columbus Crew 
Chicago Fire 2-2New York Red Bulls 
September 16, 2007   
Colorado Rapids 1-1Chivas USA 
Los Angeles Galaxy 3-1Houston Dynamo 
September 19, 2007   
Real Salt Lake 2-2Los Angeles Galaxy 
September 20, 2007
FC Dallas 1-1Chicago Fire 
September 22, 2007
Toronto FC 1-2Columbus Crew 
New York Red Bulls 2-2New England Revolution 
Real Salt Lake 1-0Colorado Rapids 
Chivas USA 2-1Kansas City Wizards 
September 23, 2007
Chicago Fire 1-1D.C. United 
Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1FC Dallas 
September 27, 2007
Kansas City Wizards 0-1Los Angeles Galaxy 
September 29, 2007
New England Revolution 1-0Colorado Rapids 
New York Red Bulls 2-2Real Salt Lake 
D.C. United 4-1Toronto FC 
Chivas USA 1-1Chicago Fire 
September 30, 2007
FC Dallas 0-3Houston Dynamo 
Columbus Crew 1-2Los Angeles Galaxy 
[Sep.27]

好久沒弄賽程了我的天!話說我有些檔案下不到,所以...達拉斯對上銀河隊的比賽我得快點打心得啊啊啊﹝哀號﹞!

Chivas USA 對上堪薩斯隊的比賽,Razov單場進兩球,且第二球是補時絕殺!呃,Razov高興到連衣服都脫了!
雖說這樣的確是帥到爆...但是按照慣例御賜黃牌一張= =是說他進球後的眼神怎一副沒睡飽的樣子啊!!!!

[Sep.16]

噗,沒想到Chivas USA也有站上首位的時刻:)
贏 了Super Clasíco我是沒什麼感覺,因為大家狀況都很好,只是真的沒想到贏了這一場會站上西區首位!因為我鮮少去注意排名怎樣的,是看到官網寫首次登上榜首後 我才注意到:P不過Chivas的球迷這場比賽真的是太激動,這樣丟東西進場會影響到比賽耶,彩帶是還好,煙霧彈就-_-b

Revs今天也以4-2在主場勝Dallas...不過距離東區首位這位置可能有點難追,D.C一直都是MLS的王者啊...
RSL跟TFC今天以0-0戰平,很好...TFC又持續破記錄中Q_Q十場比賽沒進球了耶,且明明Shot on Goal的次數多到嚇人但...球就是進不了對方球門啊!orz

明天西區兩場比賽結果一樣會讓一二名排序有所更迭。

[Sep.12]

今年應該會有球員破單季27顆進球記錄...應該,
Luciano Emilio都19顆進球了,未來幾場比賽還有滿多機會的的。

[Sep. 9]


今天是沙夏生日啦:P且還在自家主場比賽當然輸不得,不過,這隻生日到底是九日還十日啊orz|||一整個就是不知道哪一個才是正確的。﹝明明FSN訪問時也是說今天,沙夏自己也說他今天滿二十二...但是,反正就是很混亂。﹞

D.C比完12號的賽事後休息整整十天~Chivas跟Revs這個月比較忙XD但目前的名次是有季後賽可以踢耶﹝樂﹞


[Sep. 8]

Houston跟RSL戰得真激烈,且Nate Jaqua還演出帽子戲法!!休斯頓全場九十分鐘踢下來完全沒換人,但...到底Ching的傷是要多久,從上次補上最後一班車到瑞典比友誼賽前夕受傷﹝呃﹞,當時也忘了去看他說他的傷要多久會好?

之前也不知道是MLS的哪位球員也傷,然後說什麼之前他從沒傷過這部位﹝還是EPL,忘了﹞另一邊!!Martino進球了!Gordon也進球了!等等還有D.C對上Revs...= =且MLS竟然把D.C對上Chivas USA時Perkins被進第一、二球的表情給拍下來,看了都快哭了...


[Sep.4]

唉呀唉呀,最近D.C、Revs以及Chivas都要相互廝殺...且不單單只是廝殺分出勝負而已,還攸關東、西區冠軍!!-_-a唉...之前一直忘了Revs還有 U.S Open Cup
 的賽事要踢,所以連廣播都忘了聽...不過這場會不會太扯了點,Revs十個人踢Railhawks九個人,還踢到加時賽,Joseph決賽時不能上場﹝天吶~﹞!

D.C United是我個人很欣賞的球隊、New England Revolution應該是目前最熟悉的球隊,以及Chivas USA是因為Kljestan及Razov、Bornstein在隊內,我滿喜歡他們隊上的戰術及短傳。﹝可是我重點還是放在沙夏身上XD﹞二十三週賽事 我有整整三場還沒開來看,先寫Highlight好了.........

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目前會去看的專欄,因為有滿多都不列在條目上且要找也不方便﹝尤以美國網站為甚﹞,故記於此篇爾。不過目前手邊有些專欄文章開不了,其實還有個球員子項目XD

且還有其他記者自己的 Blog 那項目也沒弄出來 >_< 之前都沒把那些網址記下來orz
FSC那邊的我還沒去好好找找,其實一直都有特定幾位在寫那一類的文章,只是我少看。有時看一看都會忘記到底是到哪裡看專欄文章...

應該會一直增加,目前就先把這幾個弄出來,我是依稀記得Greg Lalas不只有在SI.com寫東西﹝MLS本身的節目跟報導那是另一回事。﹞,唉。

SI.comOutside The Box
Greg Lalas
 MLS Free KicksRyan Hunts
 Inside SoccerGabriele Marcotti
 Inside SoccerLuis Bueno
 Inside SoccerTim Vickery
 World Soccer Power RankingsJonah Freedman
 Gregory SicaGregory Sica
   
   
BBC Tim Vickery columnTim Vickery
 BBC Editor's Blog(Tag: Football)
 The inside line on sportMihir Bose
   
The TimesGabriele Marcotti column
Gabriele Marcotti
  Giles Smith column
Giles Smith
 Simon Barnes column
Simon Barnes
 Matt Dickinson column
Matt Dickinson
 The Game (Podcast) 
   
ESPNKristian DyerKristian Dyer
  Jen Chang Jen Chang
 Doug McIntyreDoug McIntyre

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 Facundo  Erpen
Facundo Adrian Erpen,May 13 1983

Facundo Erpen是在今夏﹝June 26,2007﹞從D.C轉會至Rapids,應該說是Rapids跟D.C交換球員:原在Rapids的Greg Vanney則到D.C。

之前看他的比賽應該是達拉斯對上急流隊﹝Dallas 1-0 Rapids﹞的那場比賽,那時只知道Rapids有Pablo Mastroeni,就想說既然有他就看看這場比賽...結果= =這場比賽讓我從頭到尾足足看了三遍有,因為場上有誰幾乎不認識。那是在Dallas主場:必勝客公園的比賽,會去注意到Erpen是因為場邊有許多球迷拿著阿根廷國旗,才讓我跑去查說這一場比賽有哪位球員是阿根廷籍﹝去掉Mastroeni﹞,其實當天場上除了Erpen外還有其他阿根廷籍的球員,只是我沒記還有誰。

1999年以前,Erpen是博卡青年隊﹝Club Atlético Boca Juniors﹞之下所屬的少年隊一員;1999-2000年於當地較低階層的職業球隊 Juventud UnidaTorneo Argentino B﹞展開職業生涯;2000年加入Club Atlético Talleres,在其隊待至2005年,Erpen在2000年加入Talleres時,Talleres還在阿根廷職業聯賽中的Primera "B" Nacional﹝阿乙?﹞,但在2002年其隊重回Primera División﹝阿甲?﹞,雖然Talleres好景不長...

2005年夏天,Facundo Erpen以 SYI 身份被D.C簽進﹝Aug. 5,2005﹞,位置是踢右/中後衛,05'年賽季為D.C出賽八場比賽﹝皆先發﹞。不過我看資料中有寫他是踢Left Back的、RB、CB都有...。前一年穩定的表現讓他在2006年時為D.C踢滿三十場MLS賽事,那一年明星賽首發陣容也有他。﹝2006年MLS明星賽所邀請的隊伍為...-_-﹞

他有個哥哥Horacio在義大利踢球﹝不過不是Serie A﹞,雙胞胎兄弟Andrés還待在Juventud Unida的樣子。我開AFA﹝Asociación del Fútbol Argentino﹞的網站開好慢,所以當下要查Andrés Erpen的資料實在是有點難。據說他們父親就是Juventud Unida的教練,不過我也不確定。

華盛頓郵報在他加入D.C後沒多久有寫篇文章關於他的文章:Erpen Is Anxious To Take the Field (August 20,2005)
為什麼會忽然講到Erpen?純粹是因為我在星期日凌晨找2006、2005年選秀照片時不小心看到他在D.C時的照片,覺得他看起來很清秀,所以一時興起XD

再加上Chivas USA馬上就要跟Rapids對戰了,是說,Brandon  Prideaux 跟Erpen一樣都是2006年D.C首發後衛群之一,不過他早到Rapids半年,2006年賽季結束後就到Rapids了。老實說我真的忘了今天Chivas的比賽是三點開始。

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筆記:2007年競賽方式﹝2007 Rules of Competition

MLS 2007年度共有13支隊伍,分兩區域:東區﹝
Eastern Conference ﹞與西區﹝Western Conference﹞,東區有七隊、西區有六隊,名稱如下:

東區:芝加哥火燄﹝Chicago Fire﹞, 哥倫布伙伴﹝Columbus Crew﹞, 特區聯﹝D.C. United﹞, 堪薩斯巫師﹝Kansas City Wizards﹞, 紐約紅牛﹝New York Red Bulls﹞,新英格蘭革命﹝New England Revolution﹞,多倫多﹝Toronto FC﹞

西區:切瓦士﹝Chivas USA﹞, 科羅拉多急流﹝Colorado Rapids﹞, 達拉斯﹝FC Dallas﹞, 休斯頓發電機﹝Houston Dyanmo﹞, 洛杉磯銀河﹝Los Angeles Galaxy﹞, 皇家鹽湖城﹝Real Salt Lake﹞

﹝*中文譯名參考自:MLS 季初分析 by JUNStudio

每一季各隊將進行三十場正規賽,與其他十二支隊伍各進行兩場比賽,主、客各一,共二十四場比賽;另外六場則與同區隊伍再各別進行一場比賽。每場賽事結束後依勝負累積積分:勝隊得三分積分、平手則兩隊各得積分一分,吞敗隊伍此場賽事不獲任何積分。所有MLS賽事中的裁判都必須為國家級裁判﹝
National Referees﹞且須與美國足球聯盟﹝United States Soccer Federation簽約之。

關於裁判條件可參考MLS Referee Policy,相關資料可參照USSF Referee Programs


Game Clock:
The official game time for all Major League Soccer games will be managed on the field by the referee. If necessary, the referee may also allot extra time (a.k.a. "stoppage time) at the end of each period (first half, second half, first overtime period and second overtime period) to allow for injuries, time-wasting or other disturbances.

The stadium clock will display the time from 0:00 to 45:00 and from 45:00 to 90:00 (plus stoppage time where applicable in each half). For statistical purposes, the minutes for goals, substitutions, yellow cards, etc., will be listed from the first minute until the 90th minute. A goal scored at 15 minutes 10 seconds will be listed as having been scored in the 11th minute. Events occurring during stoppage time will follow the international norm by being demarcated with a "+" sign and the extra minutes. For example, a goal scored three minutes into first half stoppage time will be officially identified as happening at "48+".

Game Day rosters:
Starting in 2007 each team can nominate 18 players for a game day roster. Teams are allowed three substitutions per game.

Cautions and Suspension:
A player will be suspended for one game upon receiving his fifth yellow card - regardless of the nature of the infraction which resulted in his being awarded a yellow card. A second suspension of one game would result after the awarding of an additional three cards as would a third suspension after the awarding of card number eleven.

MLS Cup Playoff Format and Team-Standings Tie-Breakers:

Who Qualifies: Eight teams will qualify for the playoffs - the top two teams in each conference plus the remaining four teams, regardless of conference, that have the most points in the standings upon the completion of the their 30-game regular season.

The seeding would look like this:

4 teams:
1) 聯盟
1) Conference Champ with highest point total (Supporters Shield Winner)
2) The other Conference Champion
3) Conference runner up with highest point total
4) Conference Champ runner up with the point total lower than the other Conference Champ runner-up

Of the remaining 9 teams, an additional 4 teams will qualify as follows:
5) Team with the highest point total (regardless of conference)
6) Team with 2nd highest point total (regardless of conference)
7) Team with 3rd highest point total (regardless of conference)
8) Team with 4th highest point total (regardless of conference)

In the first round, the match-up's shall be: 1 v. 8; 2 v. 7; 3 v. 6; 4 v. 5

Playoff Format: Conference Semifinal series are conducted in a home-and-home, aggregate-goal format. The lower seeded team in the Conference Semifinal hosts the first game. The winners of those four series advance to single-game Conference Championships that will determine the MLS Cup Finalists.

The team that scores the most goals in the home-and-home series advances to the single elimination Conference Championship. If the teams are tied after 180 minutes in the Conference Semifinal series, a 30-minute extra time period (divided into two 15-minute periods) will be played followed by kicks from the penalty mark, if necessary. The team with the higher seed between the two Conference finalists will host the Conference Championship game.

In the case of ties after 90 minutes of regulation in the Eastern and Western Conference Championship games and MLS Cup, 30 minutes of extra time (divided into two 15-minute periods) would be played followed by kicks from the penalty mark, if necessary, to determine the winners.

若是有些隊伍積分相同時將如何決定誰在前在後?

The team awarded the highest position in the MLS standings will be the team with the greatest number of points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, 0 points for a loss). In the event that two teams finish the regular season with an equal number of points, the following system will be used to break the tie:

1) The highest position shall be awarded to the team with the better win/loss record in current regular season games against all other teams equal in points. (head-to-head competition)

2) If the teams are still equal in the standings, the highest position shall be awarded to the team with the greater goal difference against all other teams during the regular season. (goal differential)

3) If the teams are still equal in the standings, the highest position shall be awarded to the team scoring the greatest number of total goals against all other teams during the regular season. (total goals)

4) If the teams are still equal in the standings, the procedures described in this section shall be applied only to games played on the road by each team against all other teams during the regular season. (road 1-3)

5) If the teams are still equal in the standings, the procedures described in this section shall be applied only to games played at home by each team against all other teams during the regular season. (home 1-3)

6) If the teams are still equal in the standings, the highest position shall be awarded to the team with the fewest team disciplinary points in the League Fair Play table during the regular season.

7) If the teams are still equal in the standings, the highest position in the standings shall be determined by the toss of a coin.

NOTE: If two clubs remain tied after another club with the same number of points advances during any step, the tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format.

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筆記:青訓計劃 Under-17 Residency Program

美國足協U-17青訓計劃目的及原由﹝Under-17 Residency Program

Started in 1999, the U.S. Soccer Under-17 Residency Program has become a symbol of U.S. Soccer’s dedication to increasing the development opportunities for players and the success of the Youth National Teams.

With the recent successes of the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team, the full-time Residency Program has doubled in the number of players from 20 to 40, adding 10 additional players in both the fall semester of 2002 and 2003. U.S. Soccer has been able to increase the number of players enrolled in the program to provide greater opportunities for young players and increase its investment in player development.

The 40 U.S. players live on campus at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and train daily under the guidance of Hackworth and assistant coaches Keith Fulk, Raul Diaz Arce, Tim Mulqueen and Brian Maisonneuve. In the afternoon, the players attend classes at nearby Edison Academy.

"We've seen over the years how the program has helped produce talented players, a number of which have gone on to the professional ranks and climbed the ladder in the men’s programs, moving on to the U-20, U-23 and even full Men’s National Team," said Hackworth. “Those type of accomplishments demonstrate the positive direction of the program and are the goals we will continue to strive for as we move forward.”

With 40 players now in residency, the program is able to field two full teams who will train together during the week, and get the chance to compete against colleges, professional club teams and international youth teams on the weekends. While in the full-time residency program, the U.S. not only trains daily under Hackworth, but also has access to the IMG Academy’s spacious facilities. The team regularly uses IMG’s state-of-the-art strength-training facilities, as well as some of the nation’s best sports psychologists that work at the Academy. The IMG Academy includes top-of-the-line soccer equipment, three Bermuda grass fields, an indoor dome with artificial turf, two swimming pools, newly renovated student housing and dining facilities.

Since its inception, 170 players have been through the Full-Time Residency Program, and more than 40 of those players have moved on to Major League Soccer, or the professional leagues in Europe. Twelve players have also registered at least one cap with the full MNT: Freddy Adu, DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley, Bobby Convey, Landon Donovan, Eddie Gaven, Eddie Johnson, Chad Marshall, Oguchi Onyewu, Heath Pearce, Santino Quaranta and Jonathan Spector. Beasley and Donovan both started in the 2002 FIFA World Cup as 20-year-olds, and were joined by Convey, Onyewu and Johnson in 2006.

“The residency program gives our elite players the opportunity to train in a professional environment and to develop in a way they would not otherwise be able to develop,” said U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bruce Arena. “I think that increasing the size of the program is extremely important, and it allows us to look at more players over a wider range of ages. I think that in the future you will continue to see the positive results of this program on the soccer field.”

The first full-time U.S. Soccer Residency Program began on January 17, 1999 with the U.S. Under -17 Men’s National Team, when U.S. Soccer collected the top 20 of the country’s elite youth players to train year-round at IMG Academy.

In its first year of existence, the U.S. Soccer residency program produced instant success as the Under-17s qualified for the FIFA Under-17 World Championship in New Zealand in 2001. On the world stage, the American teenagers rose to the occasion, winning their group and advancing to the semifinals before being ousted in a penalty shootout. The fourth-place finish tied for the best showing by a U.S. Men's Youth National Team in a major international competition. On top of that, U.S. stars Donovan and Beasley were awarded the Gold and Silver Balls, respectively, as the top two players in the entire tournament.

A semester-by-semester listing of the players involved with U.S. Soccer’s Full-Time Residency Program:

Spring 1999 (20 players):
Nelson Akwari*, DaMarcus Beasley*, Kyle Beckerman*, Danny Bolin, Filippo Chillemi, Jordan Cila*, Bobby Convey*, D.J. Countess*, Steve Cronin*, Kenny Cutler*, Landon Donovan*, Adolfo Gregorio*, Bryan Jackson*, Kellen Kalso*, Greg Martin*, Oguchi Onyewu*, Raul Rivera, Matt Roberts, Seth Trembly*, Alexander Yi*

Fall 1999 (20 players):
Nelson Akwari*, DaMarcus Beasley*, Kyle Beckerman*, Jordan Cila*, Bobby Convey*, D.J. Countess*, Steve Cronin*, Kenny Cutler*, Justin Detter, Landon Donovan*, Adolfo Gregorio*, Bryan Jackson*, Kellen Kalso*, Greg Martin*, Oguchi Onyewu*, Abe Thompson*, Seth Trembly*, Peter Withers, Alexander Yi*

Spring 2000 (18 players):
Craig Capano*, David Chun*, Daniel Fiore, Gray Griffin*, Jordan Harvey*, Ed Johnson*, Paul Johnson*, Chris Lancos*, Justin Mapp*, Heath Pearce, Santino Quaranta*, Zachary Riffett, Marco Rodriguez, Mario Rodriguez, Adam Schuerman*, Chefik Simo*, Jordan Stone*, Josh Villalobos

Fall 2000 (18 players):
Craig Capano*, David Chun*, Hunter Freeman, Gray Griffin*, Jordan Harvey*, David Johnson*, Ed Johnson*, Paul Johnson*, Chris Lancos*, Mike Magee, Justin Mapp*, Chad Marshall*, Heath Pearce, Santino Quaranta*, Adam Schuerman*, Chefik Simo*, Jordan Stone*, Josh Villalobos, Tyson Wahl*, Ford Williams*

Spring 2001 (20 players):
Craig Capano*, David Chun*, Hunter Freeman, Gray Griffin*, Jordan Harvey*, David Johnson*, Ed Johnson*, Paul Johnson*, Chris Lancos*, Justin Mapp*, Chad Marshall*, Mike Magee*, Heath Pearce, Santino Quaranta*, Adam Schuerman*, Chefik Simo*, Jordan Stone*, Josh Villalobos, Tyson Wahl*, Ford Williams*

Fall 2001 (18 players):
Corey Ashe*, Craig Capano*, John DiRaimondo*, Erik Forbes, Eddie Gaven*, Guillermo Gonzalez*, Gray Griffin*, Michael Harrington*, Chris Lancos*, Mike Magee*, Justin Mapp*, Phil Marfuggi*, Tomiwa Ogunsola, Brandon Owens*, Adam Schuerman*, Jordan Stone*, Josh Villalobos, Eric Vogl

Spring 2002 (20 players):
Freddy Adu*, Corey Ashe*, Nicolas Colaluca, John DiRaimondo*, Eddie Gaven*, Jose Gomez, Guillermo Gonzalez*, Brian Grazier*, Adam Hahn, Michael Harrington*, Drew Harrison, Kyle Helton*, Cameron Lewis, Phil Marfuggi*, Brandon McDonald, Tomiwa Ogunsola, Brandon Owens*, Jonathan Spector*, Eric Vogl, Chase Wileman

Fall 2002 (30 players):
Freddy Adu*, Corey Ashe*, Michael Bradley, Adrian Chevannes*, Steve Curfman*, John DiRaimondo*, Eddie Gaven*, Chris Germani*, Brian Grazier*, Jose Gomez, Guillermo Gonzalez*, Michael Harrington*, Drew Harrison, Kyle Helton*, Rodrigo Hidalgo, Christian Jimenez, Phil Marfuggi*, Brian Mascarenhas, Tomiwa Ogunsola, Brandon Oot, Brandon Owens*, Jacob Peterson*, Marcus Rein, Robbie Rogers, Stephen Sandbo*, Jonathan Spector*, Daniel Szetela*, Julian Valentin*, Eric Vogl, Tim Ward, Jamie Watson*, Chase Wileman

Spring 2003 (30 players):
Freddy Adu*, Corey Ashe*, Michael Bradley, Adrian Chevannes*, Steve Curfman*, John DiRaimondo*, Eddie Gaven*, Chris Germani*, Jose Gomez, Guillermo Gonzalez*, Brian Grazier*, Michael Harrington*, Drew Harrison, Kyle Helton*, Christian Jimenez, Phil Marfuggi*, Brian Mascarenhas, Tomiwa Ogunsola, Brandon Oot, Brandon Owens*, Jacob Peterson*, Marcus Rein, Stephen Sandbo*, Jonathan Spector*, Daniel Szetela*, Julian Valentin*, Eric Vogl, Tim Ward, Jamie Watson*, Chase Wileman

Fall 2003 (40 players): Freddy Adu*, Kevin Alston*, Tony Ampaipitakwong, Eric Avila, Fernando Ayala, Michael Bradley, Michael Dalpra, Richard Edgar, Gabriel Farfan*, Michael Farfan*, Greg Folk, Jordan Graye, Jeremy Hall*, Jesse Henderson, Rodrigo Hidalgo, Christian Jimenez, Cameron Jordan, Quavas Kirk*, Eric Lichaj, Dax McCarty, Kyle Nakazawa*, Evan Newton, Marcus Rein, Bryant Rueckner*, Estuardo Sanchez, Stephen Sandbo*, Ofori Sarkodie*, Jeff Scannella, Jay Singh, Adam Sloustcher, Ryan Soroka*, Nathan Sturgis*, Daniel Szetela*, Julian Valentin*, Jonathan Villanueva, Blake Wagner*, Kenneth Walker, Tim Ward, Taylor Waspi, Mark Wiltse

Spring 2004 (40 players): Freddy Adu*, Kevin Alston*, Tony Ampaipitakwong, Eric Avila, Michael Balogun, Nicolas Besango*^, Carlos Borja, Michael Bradley, Alandus Brooks, Michael Dalpra, Richard Edgar, Gabriel Farfan*, Michael Farfan*, Greg Folk, Jeremy Hall*, Rodrigo Hidalgo, Amaechi Igwe*^, Christian Jimenez, Cameron Jordan, Brett King, Quavas Kirk*, Eric Lichaj, Dax McCarty, Kyle Nakazawa*, Evan Newton, Cesar Nunez, Marcus Rein, Bryant Rueckner*, Stephen Sandbo*, Ofori Sarkodie*, Jeff Scannella, Adam Sloustcher, Ryan Soroka*, Michael Stephens, Nathan Sturgis, Daniel Szetela*, Julian Valentin*, Jonathan Villanueva, Blake Wagner*, Matthew Walker, Tim Ward, Taylor Waspi, Preston Zimmerman*^

Fall 2004 (40 players): Eddie Ababio, Kevin Alston*, Josmer Altidore*, Anthony Ampaipitakwong, Bryan Arguez, Matt Armstrong, David Arvizu*, Eric Avila, Michael Balogun, Nikolas Besagno*, Carlos Borja, Jonathan Collier, Victor Cortez, Michael Dal Pra, Richard Edgar, Gabriel Farfan*, Michael Farfan*, Andrew Giallombardo, Jeremy Hall*, Amaechi Igwe*, Quavas Kirk*, Eric Lichaj, Ernesto Mariscal, Perica Marosevic, Kyle Nakazawa*, Evan Newton, Cesar Nunez, Brian Perk*, Patrick Rickards, Bryant Rueckner*, Ofori Sarkodie*, Joel Smith, Ryan Soroka*, Joseph Sorrentino, Michael Stephens, Blake Wagner*, Matthew Walker, Anthony Wallace, Drew Yates, Preston Zimmerman*

Spring 2005 (40 players): Eddie Ababio, Kevin Alston*, Josmer Altidore*, Anthony Ampaipitakwong, Bryan Arguez, David Arvizu*, Eric Avila, Michael Balogun, Joe Bendik, Nikolas Besagno*, Carlos Borja, Jonathan Collier, Victor Cortez, Greg Eckhardt, Richard Edgar, Gabriel Farfan*, Michael Farfan*, Andrew Giallombardo, Omar Gonzalez*, Jeremy Hall*, Amaechi Igwe*, Hector Jimenez, Quavas Kirk*, Eric Lichaj, Ernesto Mariscal, Perica Marosevic, Kyle Nakazawa*, Evan Newton, Cesar Nunez, Danny Ortega, Brian Perk*, Ryan Peterman, Bryant Rueckner*, Ofori Sarkodie*, Ryan Soroka*, Joseph Sorrentino, Michael Stephens, Neven Subotic, Blake Wagner*, Anthony Wallace, Preston Zimmerman*

Fall ’05 (40 players): Kevin Alston*, Josmer Altidore*, David Arvizu*, Edgar Barajas, Danny Barerra, Mykell Bates, Cameron Brown, Brandyn Bumpas, Kyle Davies, Greg Eckhardt, Richard Edgar, Andrew Giallombardo, Omar Gonzalez*, Jeremy Hall*, Amaechi Igwe*, Jared Jeffrey, Ian Kalis, Daniel Kelly, Quavas Kirk*, Josh Lambo^, Brandon Lee, Eric Lichaj, David MacVane, Perica Marosevic, Ellis McLoughlin, Thomas Meyer, Kyle Nakazawa*, Brian Perk*, Diego Restrepo, Bryant Rueckner*, Ofori Sarkodie*, Michael Stephens, Joseph Sorrentino, Ryan Soroka*, Brandon Tarr, Kirk Urso, Blake Wagner*, Anthony Wallace, Daniel Wenzel, Sheanon Williams, Preston Zimmerman*

Spring ’06 (40 players): Dersu Abolfathi, Josmer Altidore*, Edgar Barajas, Danny Barerra, Mykell Bates, Brandyn Bumpas, Kyle Davies, Alex Dixon, Bryan Dominguez, Greg Eckhart, Jeremy Hall*, Abdus Ibrahim, Larry Jackson, Tevin Jackson, Jared Jeffrey, Ian Kalis, Daniel Kelly*, Josh Lambo, Brandon Lee, Axel Levry, Eric Lichaj, David MacVane, Perica Marosevic, Ellis McLoughlin, Thomas Meyer, Chris Miller, Temistocles Molinar, TJ Nelson, Jesse Paredes, Brian Perk*, Dane Shea, Joseph Sorrentino, Brandon Tarr, Kirk Urso, Matthew Uy, Anthony Wallace, Daniel Wenzel, Sheanon Williams, Victor Yanez, Brandon Zimmerman.

Fall '06 (40 players): Dersu Abolfathi, Jose Altimorano, Danny Barerra, Mykell Bates, Scott Caldwell, Alonzo Carter, Kyle Davies, Alex Dixon, Bryan Dominguez, Ryan Finley, Greg Garza, Eduardo Gonzalez, Ryan Gracia, Christian Ibeagha, Abdus Ibrahim, Larry Jackson, Jared Jeffrey, Brendan King, Josh Lambo, Brandon Lee, Alex Levry, Zac MacMath, Ellis McLoughlin, David Meves, Nick Millington, TJ Nelson, Amobi Okugo, Jesse Paredes, Aubrey Perry, Evan Raynr, Kofi Sarkodie, Israel Sesay, Dane Shea, Howard Turk, Kirk Urso, Matthew Uy, Zarek Valentin, Daniel Wenzel, Sheanon Williams, Brandon Zimmerman.

* indicates player was a member of a FIFA U-17 World Championship roster
^ indicates player added later in semester

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MLS筆記:黑與紅的王者─D.C United 



Club History

Soccer participation, attendance and popularity continue to grow in the United States, as more Americans are discovering the beauty of the only true global sport. With the birth of Major League Soccer in 1996, the U.S. once again had a top-flight league, allowing soccer-hungry fans across the country to watch the world's most popular sport in their own backyard. 

As a charter member of MLS, D.C. United first stepped onto the pitch in 1996, and the team from the Nation's Capital quickly set the standard for excellence in the league, on the field and in the stands. In its short, nine-year history, D.C. United has earned more domestic and international honors than any other American side, done battle against some of the world's most famous clubs and built a fiercely loyal and dedicated fan base that understands and appreciates world-class soccer.

The club's inaugural season in 1996 proved to be a fruitful one for the "Black-and-Red." After a slow start in league play, United found the right balance and went into the postseason as the team to beat. They proved, however, to be the team that no one could beat, defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-2 on a golden goal header by defender Eddie Pope in overtime to capture the first MLS Cup title on October 20. One title wasn't enough for the Black-and-Red that fall, as three days later United shut out the Rochester Raging Rhinos of the A-League 3-0 to win the U.S. Open Cup, the country's oldest soccer tournament. The Black-and-Red became the first club to capture America's version of the "double."
 
1997 was another banner year for the Black-and-Red in MLS, as the team rolled through the regular season with a league-best record of 21-11. United went a perfect 5-0 in the MLS Cup playoffs, which culminated in a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids in MLS Cup '97 in front of a record, and rabid, home crowd of 57,431 at RFK Stadium. 

The following year United failed to capture domestic honors for the first time in their short history, losing to the Chicago Fire 2-0 in MLS Cup '98. Though United would be disappointed on the home front, their previous success gave them the opportunity to seek honors on a larger stage. After reaching the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 1997, the Black-and-Red made it one step further to the finals in 1998, where they faced Mexican 'supercampeon' Toluca. A dramatic 1-0 victory at RFK Stadium not only gave the Black-and-Red their first international trophy, but also a chance for a second by earning a berth in the 1998 Interamerican Cup. Legendary Brazilian side Vasco da Gama would be South America's representative, and they proved to be a formidable side after taking leg one of the championship at RFK Stadium by a 1-0 score. However, United shocked the Brazilian team, and much of the soccer world, by winning the away leg at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale by a 2-1 margin. Thanks to the pair of road goals, United broke the aggregate goals draw and came away with the Interamerican Cup trophy and the title "Champion of the Americas."

That contest proved to be a fitting farewell for head coach Bruce Arena, who left the District to conquer further international battles as the head coach of the United States Men's National Team. Arena left behind a legacy that would prove to be hard to follow, as he guided the Black-and-Red to an impressive 87-37-1 mark (.700) in all competitions in his three years at the helm.

The 1999 season would feature a new coach, as former Tampa Bay and New England head coach Thomas Rongen took over on the United sideline. The club still produced the same successful results its supporters now demanded, as the squad earned their second Supporters Shield for the league's best regular season record (23-9) and once again represented the Eastern Conference in MLS Cup. Just as in 1996, MLS Cup '99 would feature the Black-and-Red and the Galaxy in Foxboro, but this time dramatics were not necessary as a pair of first half goals gave United a 2-0 victory and their third Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy in four seasons.

As the 1990's passed, so too did the groundbreaking success that United enjoyed in their first four MLS seasons. The 2000 and 2001 seasons provided a few bright moments, mostly through the play of a pair of teenaged stars-in-the-making: midfielder Bobby Convey and forward Santino Quaranta. In 2000, the then 16-year-old Convey became the youngest player to suit up for an MLS side when he took the pitch in the season opener against Los Angeles on March 25. That record would stand for little more than a year, when a younger 16-year-old Quaranta not only became the youngest player in MLS history, but was also named the youngest All-Star selection and Player of the Week in league history.

After two disappointing seasons, the Black-and-Red got an early start to the 2002 campaign by naming former Miami Fusion F.C. head man Ray Hudson as the club's third head coach on January 8. Hudson saw his new club's push for the postseason last until the final match of the schedule, but the Black-and-Red missed out on the MLS Cup playoffs for the third straight season. However, 2002 did have some bright spots with a trio of club and league firsts. Domestically, United hosted the 2002 MLS All-Star Game at RFK Stadium for the first time and also won the inaugural Atlantic Cup trophy in what is to become an annual competition with their chief rival, the MetroStars. Internationally, the Black-and-Red became the first MLS side to travel to England when they defeated Tottenham Hotspur, 1-0, in a tribute match at the famed White Hart Lane in October.

Following a third unsuccessful campaign, the club used the time before the start of the 2003 season to make drastic changes to the squad. U.S. National Team star Earnie Stewart was allocated to the club, bringing the veteran home from Holland, where he enjoyed unparalleled success for an American expatriate. Richie Williams, Eddie Pope and Jaime Moreno all headed north to join the MetroStars, while defender Mike Petke made the reverse journey to join the Black-and-Red. Former Indiana University standout and MLS All-Star Dema Kovalenko was also brought in to shake things up in the midfield, while his Fire teammate and Bulgarian legend Hristo Stoitchkov was added as a player/coach.

Though United struggled early in the season to pick up points, the off-season moves did pay off, as the club posted a regular season record of 10-11-9, sending the club back to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since winning it all in 1999. However, a fourth MLS Cup was not in the cards and United fell to the Chicago Fire in the first round of the postseason.

The beginning of 2004 saw an exciting time for the Black-and-Red, as Head Coach Peter Nowak and teen phenom Freddy Adu both joined the club in January. Coach Nowak became the fourth United coach in team history, while Freddy was the first overall selection in the MLS SuperDraft. After a 5-5-5 start during the first part of the MLS regular season, United began to buy into Coach Nowak's hardworking, aggressive and team-oriented strategy and finished the regular season with an 11-10-9 record. In the final game of the regular season, the team notched a thrilling 3-2 victory over the MetroStars that vaulted them past NY/NJ and into second place in the Eastern Conference standings. United carried their hot streak into the playoffs and dispatched of the MetroStars in the first round and the New England Revolution in the Eastern Conference semifinals on the way to their fifth MLS Cup Championship game. Led by MLS Cup MVP Alecko Eskandarian, United went on to defeat the Kansas City Revolution 3-2 and capture their fourth MLS Championship. In all, United finished the season with nine victories in their last ten games in achieving their "Return to Glory."

In 2005, after a middling beginning to the season, United rebounded and finished second in the Eastern Conference with a record of 16-10-6. The 16 wins were the most since 1999, when the team won 23 games. Moreno again led the Black-and-Red charge notching 16 goals, tied for his career best. The year was also highlighted by appearances in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, Copa Nissan Sudamericana and an international friendly versus the reigning English Premier League Champion Chelsea FC.

Throughout its 10 years, the Black-and-Red have earned the right to square off against some of the world's most recognizable clubs in both international competition and friendly contests. Since 1997, D.C. United has traveled across the globe and done battle against 25 clubs from 13 countries. The list of clubs is an impressive one, including Germany's Bayer Leverkusen, Mexico's Club America and Toluca, Vasco da Gama of Brazil, Argentina's Boca Juniors and Leeds United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premiership. The 2003 season expanded United's international experience to include full national squads as D.C. defeated the El Salvador National Team by a 3-1 score at RFK Stadium on August 30.

Just as impressive as the roll call of international competition D.C. United has faced over the years is the roster of talented players that have donned the Black-and-Red jersey. The list of world-class players that have called RFK Stadium home over the years includes a legacy of great defenders that have represented the United States in the 1998 and 2002 World Cup finals: Eddie Pope (1996-2002), Jeff Agoos (1996-2000) and Carlos Llamosa (1997-2000). The United midfield has been anchored from the start by Bolivian legend and 1998 MLS MVP Marco Etcheverry (1996-present). U.S. internationals John Harkes (1996-98), Tony Sanneh (1996-98) and Ben Olsen (1998-present) also contributed to the club's success during the dynasty years. The front line has featured a trio of players that find themselves in the top four of the MLS all-time goals scored list: Roy Lassiter (1998-99, 2002), Raul Diaz Arce (1996-97, 2000-01) and United's all-time leading scorer Jaime Moreno (1996-2002). Add to that a two-time former FIFA Footballer of the Year runner-up (Stoitchkov; 1992, 1994) and it is easy to see why United has been the most successful team in U.S. soccer history. 

Honors
MLS Cup Champions: 1996, 1997, 1999, 2004
U.S. Open Cup Champions: 1996
Supporter's Shield: 1997, 1999
CONCACAF Champions Cup Winners: 1998
Interamerican Cup Winners: 1999

Ground
Robert F. Kennedy Stadium
2400 E. Capitol Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003

Colors
Primary: All black with three white stripes
Alternate: All white with three black stripes

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MLS筆記:創始至今大事記

MLS於1993年美國主辦世足賽前夕籌辦迄今已十四個年頭,從第一場比賽開賽至今也已經到了第十二年,這十幾年期間MLS從創始到雛形已出、逐漸走上軌道、遇到危機等等的大事紀皆記載在底下:

MLS 年代大事紀:1993年迄今 ﹝MLS CHRONOLOGY: 1993-PRESENT﹞

1993年12月17日:主辦及策畫1994年美國世足賽執行長Alan I. Rothenberg在本日宣布將籌組美國職業足球大聯盟﹝Major League Soccer, MLS﹞ ,並且揭露了其聯盟標章。
December 17, 1993: In fulfillment of U.S. Soccer's promise to FIFA, World Cup USA 1994 Chairman and CEO Alan I. Rothenberg announces the formation of Major League Soccer (MLS) and unveils the league logo. 

1994年3月15日:MLS與ABC體育臺、ESPN共同簽下三年播放權:第一年將有十場比賽透過ESPN播送、ESPN2播放二十五場比賽,至於冠軍戰則交由ABC電視臺轉播。
March 15, 1994: MLS, ABC Sports and ESPN announce a three-year broadcast agreement, whereby in its initial year 10 games will be televised on ESPN, 25 games on ESPN2 and the championship game on ABC.

1994年5月18日:MLS宣布22個籌組球隊的重點城市。
May 18, 1994: MLS announces that 22 cities have submitted formal bids to secure a team.


1994年6月15日:MLS選出七隊參與此聯盟賽事,這七隊各位於波士頓﹝Boston﹞、哥倫布﹝Columbus﹞、洛杉磯﹝Los Angeles﹞、紐澤西﹝New Jersey﹞、紐約﹝長島 Long Island﹞、聖荷西﹝San Jose ﹞以及華盛頓特區﹝Washington, D.C.﹞。
June 15, 1994: MLS selects its first seven teams to compete in the league. The teams announced are Boston, Columbus, Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York (Long Island), San Jose and Washington, D.C.

1994年10月12日:MLS宣布首一賽季始於1996年舉辦。

October 12, 1994:
MLS announces its plan to begin play in 1996, instead of 1995.


199年11月16日:
November 16, 1994: MLS Chairman Alan I. Rothenberg announces that Metromedia partners John Kluge and Stuart Subotnick, the Hunt family, headed by American sports entrepreneur Lamar Hunt and his son, Clark; LA Soccer Partners, headed by Los Angeles investor Marc Rapaport; and API Soccer, headed by Kevin Payne, are MLS' charter investors and team operators. New York/New Jersey will operate as a single market, with a team to be placed in Tampa.

1995年1月3日:MLS宣布美國明星國腳Tab Ramos 是聯盟第一個簽下的球員。
January 3, 1995: MLS announces Tab Ramos, U.S. national team star, as its first player.

1995年1月6日:墨西哥門將Jorge Campos是第一個與MLS簽約的外國球員,而他加入了MetroStars。隨後MLS也正式宣布第一個贊助商:百威啤酒﹝Budweiser﹞為MLS〝官方啤酒〞

June 6, 1995: Goalkeeper Jorge Campos (Mexico) becomes the first international player to sign with Major League Soccer. Also, Tab Ramos is assigned to the MetroStars. MLS announces its first official sponsor as Budweiser becomes the “official beer” of Major League Soccer. MLS announces the completion of its financing with the addition of two major investors, Denver businessman Philip F. Anschutz and New England Patriots owners, the Kraft family. MLS adds Dallas, Denver and Kansas City to its existing roster of cities for the 1996 season, giving the league 10 teams for its initial year. 

1995年10月11日:堪薩斯城巫師隊﹝Kansas City Wiz﹞ 特別指任Ron Newman為其隊總教練,
October 11, 1995: The Kansas City Wiz names Ron Newman as their head coach, the first coach hired by a Major League Soccer team. The remaining MLS head coaches are named during the next three months.

October 17, 1995: MLS hosts the gala celebration MLS Unveiled at the Palladium in New York City by unveiling uniforms, logos and colors for all 10 teams.

November 21, 1995: MLS announces its first commissioner with the appointment of long-time sports and entertainment executive Douglas G. Logan. In addition, Univision becomes the official Spanish-language broadcaster of MLS.

January 5, 1996: MLS begins its first-ever Player Combine, bringing more than 250 players to Irvine, California, from January 5-15 to be evaluated by MLS coaches.

February 6, 1996: MLS conducts its first player draft at the Hotel Inter-Continental in New York City. Brian McBride is the first player drafted, by the Columbus Crew.

February 13, 1996: The MLS Management Committee announces that MLS games which end in a tie after regulation will go directly to a shootout and that MLS will award three points for a win in regulation, one point for a shootout win and zero points for a loss.

April 6, 1996: MLS opens its inaugural season at San Jose’s Spartan Stadium in front of an overflow crowd of 31,683. The Inaugural Game sees the San Jose Clash defeat D.C. United 1-0 on Eric Wynalda’s dramatic 88th-minute goal. The game is broadcast live to a national television audience on ESPN.

May 15, 1996: D.C. United forward Steve Rammel becomes the first MLS player to record a hat trick in a 5-2 victory over Columbus at RFK Stadium. In the same game, Marco Etcheverry becomes the first MLS player to record three assists in a game.

May 22, 1996: After going scoreless for the first 80 minutes, Fiorentina of Italy's Serie A defeats the New England Revolution 2-0 at Foxboro Stadium in the first-ever international exhibition for an MLS team.

June 1, 1996: MLS welcomes its 1,000,000th fan as seven-year-old Falke Verwer walks through the turnstiles at San Jose’s Spartan Stadium. MLS passes the one-million mark in attendance in its 47th game, more than a month ahead of preseason projections.

June 16, 1996: In an historic doubleheader witnessed by 92,216 fans, the U.S. national team plays Mexico for the championship of U.S. Cup ‘96 followed by the conference leaders Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Tampa Bay Mutiny at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The crowd was the largest ever to see a U.S. professional soccer league match.

July 14, 1996: MLS holds its first-ever All-Star Game in conjunction with a game matching the FIFA All-Stars vs. Brazil. The games are played in front of 78,416 fans at Giants Stadium.

September 24, 1996: The first MLS playoff game is played as the MetroStars defeat D.C. United 3-2 in a shootout at Giants Stadium.

October 20, 1996: D.C. United wins the first-ever MLS Cup, defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-2 in sudden-death overtime at Foxboro Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

February 14, 1997: The Sports Business Daily names Major League Soccer its 1996 Sports Industrialist of the Year.

March 22, 1997: MLS opens its second season as the San Jose Clash host the MetroStars at Spartan Stadium.

April 9, 1997: MLS announces that the league will expand to Chicago and South Florida for the 1998 season, giving the league 12 teams.

June 21, 1997: D.C. United loses at the Kansas City Wizards 6-1, ending an MLS record 22-game unbeaten streak in regulation dating back to 1996.

July 9, 1997: Tampa Bay Mutiny midfielder Carlos Valderrama wins his second consecutive MLS Most Valuable Player honor at the 1997 MLS All-Star Game at Giants Stadium.

October 26, 1997: D.C. United defeats the Colorado Rapids 2-1 in front of a capacity crowd of 57,431 rain-soaked fans at RFK Stadium in MLS Cup ‘97.

March 15, 1998: MLS kicks off its third season as D.C. United defeats the expansion Miami Fusion, 2-0.

April 23, 1998: U.S. Pro-40 Select, the Nike Project-40 team that competed in the A-League, makes its debut with a 3-2 shootout loss at the El Paso Patriots.

May 6, 1998: Cobi Jones’ hat trick and Welton’s two goals and two assists lead Los Angeles to a 7-4 win over the Colorado Rapids, the highest scoring game (11 combined goals) in MLS history.

August 2, 1998: The MLS USA All-Stars defeat the MLS World All-Stars 6-1 at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, highlighting the league’s All-Star weekend in Central Florida.

August 14, 1998: The Columbus Crew breaks ground on the club’s 22,555-seat soccer-specific venue, Columbus Crew Stadium. In addition, Major League Soccer awards the 2000 MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup 2001 to the City of Columbus.

August 17, 1998: D.C. United wins the CONCACAF Champions' Cup with a 1-0 victory against Mexican first division club Toluca at RFK Stadium.

August 29, 1998: Nancy Lay and Sandra Hunt make their debuts as the first female referees in MLS history.

October 6, 1998: The Tampa Bay Mutiny announce that the club will play at Raymond James Stadium in 1999.

October 25, 1998: The Chicago Fire puts an end to D.C. United's reign over Major League Soccer, winning MLS Cup ‘98 2-0, before 51,350 fans at the Rose Bowl. Five days later, on Oct. 30, the Fire joins United as the second MLS team in three years to capture the American “double,” defeating Columbus 2-1 in the U.S. Open Cup Final.

December 5, 1998: D.C. United adds to their haul of continental honors, becoming the first U.S. club to ever win the InterAmerican Cup with a 2-0 victory against Brazilian power Vasco da Gama at Lockhart Stadium. The two-time MLS Cup champions claim the title of “Champion of the Americas” by winning the matchup of the North and South American club titlists. United wins the Cup on aggregate goals 2-1, with Vasco winning 1-0 on Nov. 14 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

March 20, 1999: Major League Soccer kicks off its fourth season with a slate of five games.

May 15, 1999: An overflow crowd of 24,471 sees the Columbus Crew defeat the New England Revolution 2-0 in the first Major League Soccer game ever played at Columbus Crew Stadium. The 22,555-seat facility is the first major league stadium built specifically for Division I pro soccer in the United States.

July 17, 1999: Kansas City midfielder Preki scores two goals and an assist to earn MasterCard MVP honors as the West defeats the East 6-4 in the 1999 MLS All-Star game held in San Diego, Cal.

August 4, 1999: Major League Soccer names Don Garber as its new Commissioner to oversee all business operations of the 12-team league at its headquarters in New York City. Garber comes to MLS after spending 16 years as the Senior Vice President of the National Football League's International division.

August 17, 1999: Major League Soccer signs legendary German defender Lothar Matthäus to a contract. The 1999 German Player of the Year will play for the MetroStars in the 2000 season.

October 3, 1999: Dallas’ Jason Kreis nets five points in a 4-3 victory against Los Angeles. Kreis, the eventual 1999 Budweiser scoring champion, becomes the first Major League Soccer player to record 15 goals and 15 assists in one season.

November 17, 1999: Commissioner Don Garber outlines a series of changes in Major League Soccer for the 2000 season and beyond. The most comprehensive television package in MLS history is unveiled, featuring “Soccer Saturdays” on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 and a weekly highlight show on Monday nights’ on ESPN2. The controversial shootout was also dropped, with team’s battling in two-five minute sudden-death overtimes before ties are counted. The official time will be kept on the field by the referee and shown on the scoreboard in conventional 0:00 to 90:00 style. Additionally, MLS realigns to a three-division format (Eastern, Central and Western).

November 21, 1999: D.C. United extends its dynasty in Major League Soccer with a 2-0 victory against Los Angeles at MLS Cup ’99 at Foxboro Stadium in front of 44,910 fans.

February 18, 2000: D.C. United defeats the MetroStars 3-2 to win the MLS Spring Training 2000 tournament. All 12 teams’ gather at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. for three exhibition games each.

March 18, 2000: Major League Soccer kicks off its fifth season with eight of the 12 teams in action.

March 18, 2000: The Miami Fusion and the New England Revolution battle to a 1-1 draw at Lockhart Stadium, the first such result in Major League Soccer history.

April 19, 2000: Boston Federal Court Judge George A. O'Toole dismisses the heart of the players' antitrust case against Major League Soccer and upholds MLS' "single entity" defense. The Court rules that it is not unlawful for MLS to require that all players be signed by the League, not individual teams.

May 16, 2000: Mexican national team all-time leading scorer Luis Hernández is signed by MLS and allocated to the Los Angeles Galaxy.

July 29, 2000: The East defeats the West 9-4 in front of an overflow crowd at Columbus Crew Stadium. The 13 goals are one of many offensive All-Star records broken.

October 15, 2000: The Kansas City Wizards defeat the Chicago Fire 1-0 to win MLS Cup 2000 at RFK Stadium.

December 11, 2000: After a 12-week trial, a Federal Court jury in Boston unanimously finds that MLS is not an illegal monopoly, as the lawyers for the soccer players had claimed.

January 10, 2001: Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), the business operations and marketing arm of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, enters into an agreement to become the operator of MLS' San Jose Earthquakes.

January 21, 2001: The Los Angeles Galaxy defeats CD Olimpia of Honduras 3-2 to win the CONCACAF Champions' Cup and advance to the FIFA Club World Championship. FIFA later announces on May 18 that the tournament has been postponed.

February 15, 2001: Anschutz Entertainment Group, Inc. (AEG) enters into an agreement to become the operator of three-time MLS Cup Champion D.C. United.

March 6, 2001: D.C. United announces that it will become the first MLS club to field an under-14 boys team in the USL’s Super Y-League. Shortly after, the Chicago Fire (March 15), MetroStars (March 21) and New England Revolution (April 17) later announce similar youth development programs.

March 29, 2001: Major League Soccer announces that 19-year old Landon Donovan has signed a four-year loan deal with the League and will join the San Jose Earthquakes from Bayer Leverkusen of the German Bundesliga.

April 7, 2001: Major League Soccer season begins its sixth regular season. For the first time in league history, 12 teams take the field on opening day.

July 28, 2001: Spartan Stadium in San Jose hosts the sixth annual MLS All-Star Game. Fan favorite Landon Donovan of the hometown Earthquakes becomes the first player in league history to score an All-Star hat trick and later adds his fourth goal of the match in stoppage time to knot the score at 6-6.

September 11, 2001: In the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C and Pennsylvania, MLS Commissioner Don Garber postpones four regular season matches scheduled for Wed., Sept. 12. Two days later, Garber cancels all 10 remaining regular season matches. Postseason seeding for the MLS Cup Playoffs would be determined using a points-per-game system based on the league standings as of September 11.

October 21, 2001: A sudden-death overtime goal from substitute Dwayne DeRosario gives the San Jose Earthquakes their first Major League Soccer championship as they defeat the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 at Columbus Crew Stadium.

November 21, 2001: Anschutz Entertainment Group, Inc. (AEG) assumes the operating rights of the MetroStars from John Kluge and Stuart Subotnick of Metromedia. With the move, AEG becomes the Investor/Operator of five MLS teams.

January 2, 2002: MLS Commissioner Don Garber announces the details of an innovative five-year broadcast arrangement with the ABC and ESPN Networks that includes the television rights of Major League Soccer through 2006 and the next two FIFA World Cup tournaments (2002 and 2006). The deal also includes the television rights to the 2003 Women’s World Cup.

January 8, 2002: MLS Commissioner Don Garber announces that the Tampa Bay Mutiny and the Miami Fusion will immediately cease operations. The decision to close both teams was made unanimously by the MLS Board of Governors, after a comprehensive strategic review of the League's operations. Additionally, the League announced that the Anschutz Entertainment Group has exercised its option to become the investor-operator of D.C. United.

January 11, 2002: In order to distribute the players formerly with the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion, MLS holds Allocation and Dispersal Drafts in midtown Manhattan. Pablo Mastroeni is the first overall selection in the Allocation Draft. A total of 20 players are selected on the day in addition to three picks in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft that were previously held by the Mutiny and Fusion.

February 26, 2002: Anschutz Entertainment Group, in conjunction with the Major League Soccer and the Los Angeles Galaxy break ground on the team’s new 27,000-seat stadium on the campus of Cal State University Dominguez Hills. The stadium will be part of an 85-acre sports complex that will include a national training center for the U.S. Soccer Federation.

March 5, 2002: MLS Commissioner Don Garber announces the formation of Soccer United Marketing (SUM), a subsidiary company set up to manage sales, service and broadcast production for MLS and English-language World Cup properties, as well as operate international matches on U.S. soil.

March 20, 2002: The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirms the summary judgment and jury verdict in favor of Major League Soccer and the United States Soccer Federation in the MLS player lawsuit, effectively ending the suit filed in 1997.

March 23, 2002: Major League Soccer kicks off its seventh regular season with a 10-team schedule for the first time since 1997.

April 22, 2002: U.S. national team head coach Bruce Arena selects his final 23-man roster for 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan. Included in his selections are 12 players competing in Major League Soccer.

May 15, 2002: Sports Illustrated magazine hits the newsstands featuring MetroStars and U.S. national team forward Clint Mathis, who becomes the first MLS athlete to grace the publication’s cover. Mathis is the first male soccer player featured on the magazine’s cover since Earnie Stewart (1994). Later, Mathis, Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley appear on the cover of ESPN The Magazine (June 10), marking that publication’s first ever use of soccer as a cover subject.

May 24, 2002: The MetroStars and the New England Revolution complete the largest trade in MLS history, exchanging six players in a deal that sees the MetroStars swap forward Diego Serna, defender Brian Kamler and midfielder Daniel Hernandez for Revolution forward Mamadou Diallo, midfielder Andy Williams and defender Ted Chronopoulos.

June 5, 2002: The United States surprises the world with a 3-2 victory against Portugal in their FIFA World Cup opener in Suwon, Korea. Forward Brian McBride scores the eventual game-winner, becoming the first U.S. player to ever score in multiple World Cup tournaments.

June 17, 2002: In a battle between CONCACAF rivals, the U.S. defeats Mexico 2-0 for the country's first-ever victory in the knockout stage. McBride scores his second goal of the tournament and Donovan adds an insurance goal to outdistance Mexico.

June 21, 2002: Germany puts an end to the U.S. national team’s World Cup run in a 1-0 match in the quarterfinals.

June 22, 2002: ESPN experience record ratings figures with the U.S. national team's run to the World Cup quarterfinals. ESPN's morning telecast of the U.S. vs. Germany quarterfinal match on June 21, seen in an average of 3.77 million television homes based on a 4.36 rating, is the network's most-watched and highest-rated soccer telecast ever.

June 25, 2002: After an impressive display with the U.S. National Team at the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan, Major League Soccer’s best U.S. players return home to widespread national media attention. On this day alone, players appear on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Live! With Regis and Kelly and MTV’s Total Request Live. Stars such as Clint Mathis and Landon Donovan also appear on the The Daily Show and Late Night with David Letterman. One of the most memorable moments of the tour occurs when Letterman prompts the mohawked Mathis to launch a ball across Broadway from the rooftop of the Ed Sullivan Theater in midtown Manhattan.

July 9, 2002: The Anschutz Entertainment Group and The Home Depot announce a 10-year partnership surrounding the multi-sport National Training Center (NTC) being constructed on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). In addition to becoming the facility’s title sponsor, the world's largest home improvement retailer also pledges to support the construction of the 85-acre, $130 million sports campus that includes a 27,000-seat soccer stadium for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

August 3, 2002: The MLS 2002 Pepsi All-Stars and more than 31,000 fans weather a drenching thunderstorm that halts play for nearly an hour as the MLS All-Stars defeat the U.S. national team 3-2.

August 14, 2002: Major League Soccer announces that it has entered into a partnership with Radio Unica that will provide unprecedented Spanish-language radio coverage for the League.

September 21, 2002: Legendary MetroStars midfielder Tab Ramos plays in the final MLS game of his seven-year career with the team. Also celebrating his 36th birthday, Ramos exits the field in tears after a 3-0 blanking at the hands of the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium.

October 20, 2002: Carlos Ruiz nets a golden goal in sudden death overtime as the Los Angeles Galaxy capture their first MLS Cup championship with a dramatic 1-0 victory against the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium before an MLS Cup Playoffs record attendance of 61,316.

November, 2002: International stars Carlos Valderrama and Peter Nowak retire following the season. Valderrama, recognized in his native Colombia as the Player of the Century, finishes his career as the MLS career leader in assists.

December 18, 2002: MLS and Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen announce that an agreement has been reached that will allow forward Landon Donovan to remain with the League's San Jose Earthquakes through the end of the 2004 MLS season, ending speculation that the United States' soccer icon would return to the German Bundesliga.

December 20, 2002: The San Jose Earthquakes and Major League Soccer announces that Anschutz Entertainment Group, Inc. (AEG) has exercised its option to become the sole investor-operator of the team, after working in partnership with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E) during the 2002 season. SVS&E operated the Earthquakes from January 2001.

January 17, 2003: D.C. United selects Alecko Eskandarian No. 1 overall in the MLS SuperDraft – for the first time held in conjunction with the annual convention of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America in Kansas City.

January 15 and 28, 2003: U.S. national team standouts Earnie Stewart and Joe-Max Moore return stateside to play in MLS. Stewart will make his MLS debut with D.C. United while Moore returns to the New England Revolution.

February 19, 2003: Cobi Jones (with girlfriend Shannon Foster) and Brian McBride (with wife Dina) become the first American male soccer players to appear in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

April 1, 2003: Fox Sports International reaches a four-year agreement with MLS to nationally televise at least 25 regular-season games and at least eight playoff games per season on Fox Sports World and Fox Sports en Español. The agreement will also extend the broadcasts to Fox affiliated networks in Latin America and the Middle East.

April 2, 2003: MLS and the Dallas-based Hunt Sports Group (HSG) announce that the Frisco Independent School District, the City of Frisco, Collin County and HSG have entered an historic partnership, agreeing to build a $65 million soccer-specific stadium and soccer complex in Frisco, just north of Dallas.

April 4 and 5, 2003: Two ‘founders’ of MLS announce their retirement from the sport. Defender Marcelo Balboa and midfielder John Harkes, both former U.S. National Team stars, end their stellar professional careers.

April 4, 2003: MLS and HDNet announce a three-year agreement to broadcast live HDTV coverage of MLS games. “MLS on HDNet” brings the first MLS nationally televised broadcast in high-definition and features 28 consecutive Saturday contests.

April 5, 2003: Carlos Ruiz nets the equalizer for Los Angeles Galaxy as they tie the Columbus Crew 1-1 at Columbus Crew Stadium on the eighth Opening Day in MLS history.

April 17, 2003: The Major League Soccer Players' Union (MLSPU) is designated by the MLS players to serve as their exclusive bargaining representative. Following this designation, the MLSPU sends the League a request for recognition. In accordance with the National Labor Relations Act, MLS recognizes the MLSPU.

May 7, 2003: MLS along with its member teams, official suppliers and fans kick off an “Iraqi Aid” soccer ball and equipment donation program in the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Columbus, New York, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, San Jose and Washington, D.C. MLS and AEG Soccer coordinate efforts to secure 10,000 soccer balls and additional equipment such as shoes, shirts and shorts for the children of Iraq.

May 8, 2003: The U.S. national team, made up with an entirely MLS-based roster, and Mexico battle to an intense 0-0 draw in front of 69,582 fans at Reliant Stadium in Houston. The match was the first between the two nations since their historic 2002 World Cup encounter.

May 26, 2003: MLS Commissioner Don Garber is part of the delegation that travels to FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland to support U.S. Soccer’s campaign to bring the 2003 Women’s World Cup to the United States. After the SARS outbreak forced FIFA to move the World Cup out of China, the United States secures the right to host the event.

June 7, 2003: In front of a sellout crowd of 27,000, the Los Angeles Galaxy defeat the Colorado Rapids by the score of 2-0 in the inaugural match at the state-of-the-art The Home Depot Center. World soccer legend Pele also takes the field to a rousing standing ovation as he participates in the ceremonial first kick.

July 14, 2003: MetroStars superstar goalkeeper Tim Howard transfers to world-renowned English Premier League club Manchester United. Howard would play his first game for United on his one-time home field of Giants Stadium, defeating Juventus 4-1 on July 31.

July 24, 2003: MLS launches its official 4-v-4 soccer tournament: MLS Futbolito, a grassroots program targeting the League’s Hispanic fan base. Staged as an all-day event in nine of 10 MLS markets plus Houston, Texas, the national MLS Futbolito features the presence of legendary midfielder Carlos “El Pibe” Valderrama as the official MLS Ambassador.

August 2, 2003: The eighth annual MLS All-Star Game brings together the best players in MLS and one of the top clubs in Mexico as part of a new format for the exhibition. The best of MLS defeat CD Guadalajara 3-1 in the 2003 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game at The Home Depot Center.

September 23, 2003: Kroenke Sports Enterprises purchases the Colorado Rapids from AEG and announces that the team will play in a new stadium. KSE, which is headed by Stan Kroenke, is a company that also owns the NBA Denver Nuggets, the NHL Colorado Avalanche, the NLL Colorado Mammoth, the Pepsi Center and has a stake in the AFL Colorado Crush. Kroenke Sports also becomes an investor in Soccer United Marketing (SUM).

October 15, 2003: The Chicago Fire earn a 1-0 victory against the MetroStars and the championship of the 2003 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Giants Stadium.

November 19, 2003: MLS announces the signing of 14-year-old soccer prodigy and U.S. international Freddy Adu to a multi-year contract. One of the most recognized young soccer player in the world, the U.S. under-17 national team star turned down lucrative offers from prestigious European clubs to sign with the League.

November 21, 2003: MLS Commissioner Don Garber announces that Cleveland, Ohio-based businessman Bert Wolstein has signed a letter of intent to become the investor-operator of an expansion MLS team. Also, Chivas owner Jorge Vergara has finalized an agreement with MLS, signing a letter of intent to enter the League in 2005.

November 23, 2003: The San Jose Earthquakes defeat the Chicago Fire 4-2 in MLS Cup 2003 in front of a capacity crowd at The Home Depot Center.

November, 2003: International stars Marco Etcheverry (Bolivia), Mauricio Cienfuegos (El Salvador), and Hristo Stoitchkov (Bulgaria) retire from MLS following the season.

December 8, 2003: Soccer United Marketing (SUM) Chief Executive Officer and MLS Commissioner Don Garber announces the multi-year acquisition of the marketing, promotional and broadcast rights in the United States for InterLiga™, a new qualifying tournament that will determine the automatic berths for Mexican clubs to the Copa Libertadores.

January 16, 2004: The youngest player in modern professional team sports, 14-year-old Freddy Adu, is selected by D.C. United with the No. 1 selection in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C.

January 25, 2004: After months of reviewing stadium proposals from more than 20 Chicagoland communities, AEG President and CEO Timothy J. Leiweke and Chicago Fire General Manager Peter Wilt announce that they have signed an agreement with the Village of Bridgeview to build a $70 million, 20,000 to 25,000-seat, world-class soccer stadium.

January 27, 2004: Former United States national team member and seven-year MLS veteran Alexi Lalas is named president and general manager of the San Jose Earthquakes, becoming the first former player to serve as president of an MLS team.

February 18, 2004: The Dallas Burn host the official groundbreaking ceremony for their new stadium and entertainment complex in Frisco, developed by Hunt Sports Group.

March 4, 2004: "The 100", the top 100 living footballers are selected by FIFA and include Galaxy defender Hong Myung-Bo and former MLS participants Lothar Matthaeus (MetroStars), Hugo Sanchez (Dallas Burn), Hristo Stoitchkov (Chicago Fire, D.C. United) and Carlos Valderrama (Tampa Bay Mutiny, Miami Fusion and Colorado Rapids).

March 24, 2004: Major League Soccer announces that MLS regular-season contests will no longer feature overtime periods when games are tied after 90 minutes. The League also abandons the 3 + 1 (goalkeeper) substitution rule, instead allowing a team only three substitutions per game.

April 3, 2004: Major League Soccer's ninth season kicks off with five games. The first game, nationally televised on ABC, matching San Jose against D.C. United. Freddy Adu comes on as a substitute, becoming the youngest player in the modern era of U.S. professional team sports.

May 5, 2004: Eric Wynalda and Paul Caligiuri become the first MLS players elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame, joining U.S. women’s national team legend Michelle Akers in the 2004 class of inductees.

July 14, 2004: Salt Lake City, Utah is awarded an MLS expansion team, which will join Chivas USA as an expansion team for the League’s 10th year.

July 27, 2004: Kroenke Sports Enterprises (KSE) and officials of Commerce City, Colo. announce plans for a new soccer-specific stadium to become the new home of the Colorado Rapids in spring 2007. The stadium plans call for a 20,000 seat stadium as well as youth soccer fields, retail development and a new Commerce City civic center.

July 31, 2004: Amado Guevara scores twice to lead the East to a 3-2 victory against the West in the 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

August 2, 2004: Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber, Jorge Vergara, owner of Mexican club CD Guadalajara (Chivas), and his business partner Antonio Cue, announce that Vergara's expansion team, Chivas USA, will be located in Los Angeles and share fields at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. with the Los Angeles Galaxy. The addition of the 11th MLS team gives the League its first true intra-city rivalry, or “derby.”

August 12, 2004: Hunt Sports Group announces that, upon completion of the 2004 season, the Dallas-based MLS team name will change from Dallas Burn to FC Dallas.

September 22, 2004: The Kansas City Wizards thwart the Chicago Fire's attempt to make history by becoming only the sixth club to win four or more U.S. Open Cup titles, defeating them 1-0 in extra time in the final.

October 9, 2004: Major League Soccer’s Utah-based expansion team unveils its globally-inspired name, Real Salt Lake, as well as its new logo, colors and identity.

November 10, 2004: Major League Soccer, Soccer United Marketing and adidas formally announce an exclusive 10-year partnership agreement granting adidas the official athletic sponsor and licensed product supplier for the United States' Division I professional league. The partnership incorporates every aspect of the game, from product creation, to grassroots programs, television rights and retail distribution.

November 11, 2004: Major League Soccer and Major League Soccer’s Players' Union reach agreement on a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the first in League history, to run through the end of the 2009 season.

November 14, 2004: Major League Soccer announces that its rosters will expand for the 2005 season. Overall roster size will expand from 24 to 28 and the number of international players allowed on each team will increase. Additionally, teams will be held to three transitional internationals, and the limit on senior internationals will increase from three to four. Those transitional international spots are eligible to be traded among teams.

November 14, 2004: D.C. United scores three goals in a seven-minute period during the first half of MLS Cup 2004 to defeat Kansas City, winning their fourth MLS Cup in a nine-year span before a crowd of 25,767 at The Home Depot Center.

November 17, 2004: Real Salt Lake, Major League Soccer's 12th team, introduce Jason Kreis, Major League Soccer's all-time leading goal scorer, as the expansion team's iconic first player.

November 19, 2004: Major League Soccer holds an expansion draft to field teams for the two expansion clubs, Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake. The 10-round draft sees midfielders Arturo Torres and Andy Williams picked as the No. 1 selections by Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake respectively.

December 9, 2004: Kansas City Wizards owner Lamar Hunt announces that the team is for sale. Hunt states his preference that the team remains in Kansas City, but that he will look into relocation if no local ownership group steps forward. Funds for a soccer-specific stadium will be a key requirement for any proposal.

January 6, 2005: MLS, in partnership with adidas, inaugurates the Generation adidas player development program to help find and develop the most promising young soccer talent in the United States in a professional environment. This partnership replaces the Nike Project-40 program.

January 14, 2005: Real Salt Lake selects 16-year-old Nik Besagno with the first pick of the 2005 MLS SuperDraft. Besagno is the second youngest player ever to be drafted into MLS. Chivas USA, the league’s other expansion team, uses its first pick (second overall) to select goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

February 21, 2005: The MetroStars make a splash on the international transfer market by signing French World Cup legend Youri Djorkaeff.

March 30, 2005: Landon Donovan returns to MLS. After a brief reunion with Bayer Leverkusen, the club that signed him as a teenager, Donovan decides to return home to southern California, signing with MLS to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Galaxy had traded forward Carlos Ruiz to FC Dallas in exchange for the allocation used to acquire Donovan.

April 2, 2005: MLS kicks off its 10th season with six opening day matches. Chivas USA plays host to D.C. United in its first-ever game, losing 2-0. In the Meadowlands, Real Salt Lake plays its inaugural game, drawing 0-0 with the MetroStars.

April 9, 2005: MLS inaugurates its Reserve Division with its first official reserve game, a 2-0 victory by Chivas USA over the host San Jose Earthquakes.

April 23, 2005: The Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA meet up in the league’s first ever intra-city derby, or ‘clasico’. The Galaxy win the game 3-1 before a sold-out crowd in The Home Depot Center. The League also celebrates its 25 millionth fan at the game, Jorge Larios of Downey, Calif.

July 30, 2005: The MLS All-Stars defeat Fulham FC of the English Premier League 4-1 in the 10th annual MLS All-Star Game at sold-out Columbus Crew Stadium. The game kicks off a month of high-profile friendlies between European teams and MLS, with D.C. United facing Chelsea, the Chicago Fire playing AC Milan and the Los Angeles Galaxy playing Real Madrid.

August 6, 2005: Pizza Hut Park, MLS’s third soccer-specific stadium hosts its first official FC Dallas game.

August 16, 2005: Mexican legend Francisco Palencia and rising star Juan Pablo García join Chivas USA.

August 23, 2005: An MLS All-Star selection is invited to Spain to play Real Madrid in their season-opening Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu game.

September 23, 2005: D.C. United loses in heartbreaking fashion to Chile’s Universidad Catolica in MLS’s first-ever participation in Copa Sudamericana. After a hard-fought 1-1 draw in the first leg and taking a 2-0 second-leg lead, United surrenders three goals to lose on aggregate.

September 28, 2005: Kroenke Sports Enterprises celebrates the official groundbreaking of the Colorado Rapids’ new soccer-specific stadium. Located in Commerce City, just outside Denver, the stadium will serve as the cornerstone for one of the world’s largest soccer complex.

October 16, 2005: D.C. United clinches the first MLS Reserve Division title, with an overall record of 8-4-0.

November 11, 2005: To cap off the celebration of its 10th season, MLS announces an All-Time Best XI: Tony Meola, Marcelo Balboa, Jeff Agoos, Eddie Pope, Carlos Valderrama, Peter Nowak, Marco Etcheverry, Landon Donovan, Preki, Brian McBride and Jaime Moreno.

November 13, 2005: The Los Angeles Galaxy defeat New England 1-0 on Guillermo "Pando" Ramirez's overtime goal to win their second MLS Cup before a standing-room-only crowd at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The victory gives Los Angeles a domestic double as they also captured the U.S. Open Cup with a victory against FC Dallas.

December 15, 2005: After an extended period of failed negotiations to find a suitable venue and ownership group for the San Jose Earthquakes, Major League Soccer announces that the team will relocate to Houston starting in 2006. The Earthquakes name and records remain in San Jose in the hopes that an MLS team returns to the Bay Area.

January 20, 2006: The MetroStars select Marvell Wynne, the son of former Major League Baseball player Marvell Wynne, Sr., becomes the first player taken in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft.

March 7, 2006: A Carlos Ruiz bicycle kick from May 28, 2005 against D.C. United beats out 29 competitors to take the Goal of the Decade honor, as selected by fans on MLSnet.com.

March 9, 2006: The MLS Board of Governors approves the sale of the MetroStars to Austrian energy drink company Red Bull Ltd. The name of the organization is changed to Red Bull New York, with the team to be known as the New York Red Bulls, and a new logo and new colors are unveiled.

March 9, 2006: While returning from Costa Rica having seen his team play in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, Los Angeles Galaxy president and general manager Doug Hamilton passes away at the age of 43.

April 1-2, 2006: The 11th season of Major League Soccer kicks off with a full slate of six games, three on Saturday and three on Sunday. Houston Dynamo begin their history by downing Colorado, 5-2, as Brian Ching scores four goals.

May 2, 2006: Eleven players who are members of Major League Soccer teams are part of the USA's 23-man roster for the 2006 World Cup. In addition, four other MLS players will travel to Germany with the national teams of Costa Rica, Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago.

May 11, 2006: The League's 13th team is unveiled as Toronto FC will begin play in the 2007 season. Operated by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, owners of the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) and Toronto Raptors (NBA), the team will play at a new 20,000-seat stadium being constructed at Exhibition Place in Toronto (later named BMO Field). The venue will also serve as the home for the Canadian national team.

July 18, 2006: Days after his contract is not renewed as manager of the U.S. men's national team, Bruce Arena is introduced as head coach of the New York Red Bulls.

July 27, 2006: MLS announces a five-year deal with Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español, which includes a return of the Saturday night MLS Game of the Week.

August 4, 2006: As part of his State of the League address, MLS Commissioner Don Garber announces a landmark, 8-year agreement with ESPN and ABC. The deal includes MLS Primetime Thursday, a single game broadcast on Thursday nights.

August 5, 2006: The MLS All-Stars defeat world power Chelsea FC of England 1-0 in the Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game at sold-out Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.

August 12, 2006: Players from Real Madrid help their counterparts from Real Salt Lake break ground for the new soccer-specific stadium to be built in Sandy, Utah in time for the 2008 MLS season. Later that night, Real Madrid defeats RSL 2-0. On the same day, FC Barcelona defeats the New York Red Bulls, 2-1, at sold-out Giants Stadium. Three days earlier, in Seattle, Real Madrid and D.C. United play to a 1-1 draw.

August 28, 2006: Investor/operator Philip Anschutz and MLS player and executive Alexi Lalas are inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

October 5, 2006: U.S. national team assistant coach and former Colorado Rapids head coach Glenn Myernick dies of a heart attack at age 51.

September 19, 2006: After seven years of negotiations, ground is broken in Harrison, N.J. for a new soccer-specific stadium that will be home to the New York Red Bulls.

September 25, 2006: MLS announces an eight-year partnership with Univision and its family of Spanish-language channels. Coverage in 2007 will include a game of the week on Sundays.

November 12, 2006: The Houston Dynamo defeat the New England Revolution in MLS Cup 2006. It's the first MLS Cup Final to be decided on penalty kicks, after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes, with both goals scored in extra time.

2006年12月12日:
December 12, 2006:
After a long battle with cancer, MLS founding investor Lamar Hunt passes away at age 74.

January 11, 2007:
The Los Angeles Galaxy and AEG announce they have signed English icon David Beckham to a contract worth some $250 million. It is the first use of the League's new "designated player" rule, which allows teams to sign players without regard to salary cap limits, having just $400,000 count toward the team salary budget.

January 12, 2007: The MLS SuperDraft is held at the Indianapolis Convention Center. Maurice Edu of the University of Maryland is taken first overall by Toronto FC.


January 13, 2007: The formation of SuperLiga, a tournament matching four teams from MLS and four teams from Mexico's Primera Division for the championship of North America, is announced. The competition will kick off July 24.

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帥呀老皮XD皮奇教練在鑑長Bob Bradley離開Chivas USA接任國家隊教練後接下帥印,迄今累積戰積為十一勝六敗三平!不過說真的耶,難不成Chivas USA高層的專長就是很會找教練嗎!!!Bob Bradley已經算是很變態的教練了﹝看他的頭就知道:P這隻是厲害角色。﹞,沒想到又來了個Preki!!

不過Chivas USA球員短傳做得很扎實且默契都很不錯,沒有那種高空神經病似的傳球XD我看了他們對上銀河隊整場比賽後更加確定...沙夏啦、葛林朵、拉薩夫這幾個人玩同樣的技倆都玩不膩,且對方都被耍得團團轉!怎樣的技倆?就像Razov傳給沙夏的這一球一樣!Chivas的中場跟鋒線呢常用這招,超卑鄙的好不好!XD可是我還滿愛這招的 科科科,中場跟後衛群則是W型傳球:P

下面是FoxSoccer的訪問稿,MLS這週在Chivas USA勝了RSL後有做專訪跟ExtraTime電訪。

Preki pushing all the right buttons in L.A.

Keith Costigan

When Bob Bradley left Chivas USA to take over with the U.S. national team, the club began looking for a new coach to continue its run after a successful season in 2006.

They decided to give former assistant Preki his first head-coaching position on the back of his incredible playing career. It was a gamble but it has paid off so far, with Chivas flying high in the Western Conference and Preki one of the favorites for Coach of the Year award.

I got the chance to sit down with the former U.S. international and talk about the season so far and his hopes for the future.

Costigan: A first job as head-coach is always difficult, but was it harder replacing Bob Bradley, who has such a great track record?


Preki: It was always going to be difficult to step into the shoes of a coach like Bob who has been a tremendous coach in this league for a long time. He also did a tremendous job with this team last year, so it was definitely going to be a challenge, but I love a challenge and so far it has worked out really well.

KC: Coming into this season what were your expectations for this team and did you set any goals for the year?


Preki: I did not set the team any specific goals for the season. From the first day, I tried to get this group of players to understand the potential here, if we all worked together and the mentality was right. It was my opinion, that if we did this, then we would be successful and would not have to set goals.

KC: Watching Chivas play, you can see how everybody works hard together and there is no real superstar. Is that a help that no one player stands above the team, like we see at other MLS clubs.


Preki: Of course I think this is a good thing for us. If you look at the best clubs in the world like Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United, the emphasis is on eleven guys going on to the field and working hard for each other as a team. It is the same in MLS with successful teams like D.C. United, Houston and New England, building their success on the same foundations and that is what I am trying to create here.

KC: Earlier in the season you released Amado Guevara, a player who you gave up your designated player spot for. Can you talk to us about this situation and how you saw it, especially as it was so early into your coaching career?

Preki: When Amado first came here I tried to let him know that no one player would come above the team and he would be expected to work hard and be a part of the team. It was obvious he had all the playing qualities, but after three or four games it was clear to me that he was not willing to put the work in, to compliment his skills, and that made it easy for me to make the decision to let him go.

KC: How much of a pleasant surprise has the play of Maykel Galindo been for you this year?


Preki: I think that he has surprised everybody else with his play, but we knew going into the season what qualities Maykel brought to the table. He is very mobile and fast and our main question then was: Could he score goals at this level? He has now shown he can do that with ten goals already and I am sure he will get a few more before the end of the year.

KC: As a former player you will know that there are moments in a game that can define a season. In the last Super Classico there was an incident between Jesse Marsch and David Beckham, and your team really got together and showed solidarity. They then came out firing and absolutely hammered Los Angeles. Was that one of those defining moments for your team?


Preki: Our team knows that when we step on the field it is important that we stay together and back each other up 100%. Now there were certainly parts of that scuffle that, as a coach, you could not be happy about, but on the day we stuck together and on the day it seemed to spur us on and we won the game.

KC: You have been really successful up to this point, so just how far can this team go this year?


Preki: We are playing well now but we don't want to get ahead of ourselves and look too far down the road. I am always very honest with my team and I let them know that they will go as far as they want to go. We know we have the quality now and if we want to go up another level then it is up to us, as a team, to challenge ourselves.

KC: Some great players have found it hard to translate that over to the coaching side of the game. How have you managed to do it successfully?


Preki: I really can't speak for anyone else, but for me it was always about setting a tone and mentality for my team from day one. If you can get the players to buy into this then you have a chance at being really successful. So far my group has bought into my system and that is why we have done well to this point.

KC: With the great job you have done, some people have mentioned you as a possible Coach of the Year candidate. How does that make you feel?


Preki: That is nice but that is up to other people to talk about. I really don't like talking about myself and I am just trying to focus on my locker-room so we can continue to be successful for the rest of the season.


Fox Soccer Channel's Keith Costigan writes about American soccer for FOXSoccer.com, and contributes his blog to interact with his fans.

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MLS筆記:誰家賽事緊湊?

今早我看了篇ESPNSoccernet 的評論說下半季銀河隊賽事緊湊多半跟Beckham有關係,當初銀河隊跟他簽約時是考量到自己可以賺多少錢,畢竟Beckham所帶來的廣告效益以及觀眾可不是平時MLS進行正規賽時所能達到的數量。

之前我有想過將Beckham入主MLS前、後其他MLS進場球迷人數是否有增加做個圖表出來,但是.......我很懶耶XD不過這不是重點,重點就是銀河隊高層似乎下了個決定,就是讓上半季球季(明星賽前)的比賽減少,挪幾場到下半季。﹝不過這一個消息我不太確定,我是看那篇評論說的﹞

MLS賽季是四月開始,五月、六月、到七月中共有三個半月的時間,而下半季是八月開始、九月、到十月底,僅有三個月的時間,其中還不包涵自家球隊接下的友誼、熱身以及超聯賽事...許多球隊賽事在明星賽前多半已進行到十八、十九場(每隊一季賽事為三十場是也),因為下半季期間較短且某些隊伍還有季後賽要踢。

所有MLS球隊都是用三個半月踢半季超過的賽事,只有銀河隊卻是反其道而行,用三個月的時間踢十八場賽事,為什麼?銀河隊花了那麼多錢簽下Beckham,當然要好好賺一筆。不過光說這些也不準,先來看看其他隊在下半季有多少場MLS賽事以及其他阿里阿雜的比賽:

西區
Houston Dynamo12 場MLS賽事、4場超聯賽事
Chivas USA15 場MLS賽事、無
FC Dallas12 場MLS賽事、2場超聯賽事、US Open Cup 2場
Colorado Rapids
13 場MLS賽事、US Open CUP 1場
Los Angeles Galaxy18 場MLS賽事、5場超聯賽事、友誼賽3場
Real Salt City15 場MLS賽事、友誼賽2場
東區
New England Revolution15 場MLS賽事、US Open 2場
D.C Untied15 場MLS賽事、3場超聯賽事、友誼賽2場
New York Red Bulls14 場MLS賽事、無
Kansas City Wizards14 場MLS賽事、無
Columbus Crew13 場MLS賽事、友誼賽1場
Chicago Fire14 場MLS賽事、友誼賽2場
Toronto FC
14 場MLS賽事、友誼賽1場

回到正題,當初 Galaxy高層所下的決定現在被批說不像是個大人所做出來的決定,反倒像個小孩子的決定似的。而Yallop為什麼現在可能會因此下臺?(可能...)據說跟讓Beckham傷勢未好便讓他上場、夏轉簽下的球員表現又不盡理想、以及讓Beckham用未完全恢復的左腳撐過一整場有關(﹝當時三個替換機會已用完﹞。

銀河隊的球員真的那麼差嗎?我不覺得。

戰績差我覺得跟教練用人有關,以及整支隊伍整合有關,而隊伍整合就跟教練本身有很大的關係。且,球員本身不是不好,是踢得不夠好,雖然說傷兵也是個問題,但板凳深度不夠也是問題之一(我覺得),但戰術運用跟球員、教練心態也是目前銀河隊的問題之一。且若是我說這一定跟教練有關,畢竟帶一個球員本身就是要遇到傷兵可能會很嚴重的問題,去看看EPL封冠的隊伍,又有哪些是全員健健康康踢完EPL賽事後封王的?傷兵哪隊沒有?哪隊不多?這些問題是身為一個球隊的教練該去想辦法解決的。

老是在說先發主力受傷而踢不好,倒不如說這教練怎不把自家板凳搞好以備不時之需?明明就有Dev.的制度,說Dev.球員不夠好,那也是身為教練沒有眼光挑好球員的關係吧!不過關於銀河隊究竟踢得怎樣...我覺得還是問JUNstudio比較清楚XD因為我看球球齡很短,所以很多事也都只是自己粗淺的主觀看法或想法而已。

現在銀河隊傳出欲招攬德國國家隊前主帥Jürgen Klinsmann也不是沒有理由,除了同在洛杉磯近郊的距離外,在他帶兵之下的德國隊在去年世足也踢出了不算差的成績。Frank Yallop究竟會帶兵或是不能?我不清楚,但單單依目前這狀況,Yallop被撤換是遲早的事,而...誰接任?

Jürgen Klinsmann?

I don't know.

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筆記:MLS球員需知及條件

各個MLS球隊球員完整陣容為二十八人:職業隊﹝Senior Roster﹞十八人、預備隊﹝Developmental Roster﹞十人,預備隊成員不可超過十人、職業隊則不可超過十八人。這二十八人可在賽季期間無論有無比賽都可揀選之。

職業隊﹝Senior Roster﹞球員條件:

一、國內球員,需具有美國公民證或是擁有綠卡的長久居留者,或是在特殊情況下居住在美國者﹝ex.流亡者、被收容安置於美國者﹞,此項不受年齡及國籍數量限制。

二、外國球員(S-I),不具有條件一之球員者,每支球隊僅能有四名外國球員,需年滿二十五歲﹝於賽季中滿二十五歲亦可﹞。
*位居於加拿大多倫多的TFC享有特殊條件,因位居加拿大故在S-I、SYI 球員可多享有三人名額。

三、來自國外的年輕球員(SYI),低於二十四歲、不具有美國公民證、綠卡者,在其將滿二十五歲那一年始可放進S-I 陣容中。2005年開始允許將來自國外的年輕球員們放至二十八人陣容中,每隊僅限持有三名此類球員數量。不同於其他職業隊陣容合約,年輕球員可簽短期或是永久合約,無論是職業隊合約亦或是預備隊合約。

預備隊﹝Developmental Roster﹞成員條件需知:


預備隊(Dev),不管是否因職業隊球員受傷而長期離陣皆不可超過十人。年齡低於二十四歲﹝門將則為二十五歲﹞,預備隊的球員合約及薪資並不算在球隊預算當中,但其薪資限需低於年薪一萬美金。預備隊的合約可隨時被解除及新簽,簽預備隊球員次數無限制,但陣中人數不可超過十人

球隊可自Adidas Generation合作的球員中揀選球員,透過選秀會、發崛國內外新人、棄選系統等的簽下球員放置在此陣容中。

I 獲得球員的方式有以下十種方式﹝
METHODS OF PLAYER ACQUISITION﹞

MLS teams may acquire players and add them to their Senior and Developmental rosters via the following 10 mechanisms:

(A.) ALLOCATIONS

A club receives an allocation for (1) poor performance during the preceding MLS regular season; (2) as a replacement in the case of the departure or transfer of key players; (3) due to expansion status; (4) or in exceptional circumstances as approved by the Competition Committee.

Each year the MLS Competition Committee determines how many allocation spots are made available to each team and whether they are classified as "major" or "minor" allocations (based on the monetary value applied to each allocation by the MLS Competition Committee which considers various factors in determining the figure). Allocation spots or portions thereof (see splitting of allocations below*) can be traded by teams.

Each year, allocations are given a ranking by the MLS Competition Committee. The ranking is as follows: the major allocations for failure to make the playoffs (ranked between themselves in reverse order of finish from previous season), followed by major player replacement allocations, minor replacement allocations, and finally, remaining portions of split allocations. In 2005, each expansion team had one allocation (of three as expansion teams) in the top ranking order ahead of teams that failed to make the 2004 playoffs (Chivas USA won by coin toss at MLS Cup 2004 to rank higher than RSL). The remaining two allocations followed the minor player replacement allocations.

In the event that a U.S. National Team player in any age group signs with MLS, (and, if he is a player returning to MLS, if his original club does not have the right of first refusal), the club with the first ranking allocation has the option of using its allocation to acquire the player in question, provided that the value of the allocation is sufficient to cover the cost of the player (a minor allocation may not be enough to acquire an expensive player).

Allocations or portions thereof may be used to re-sign current MLS players, with League approval.

* Teams may split major allocations into up to three portions as long as no split portion makes up less than 25 percent of the original value of the allocation. Once an allocation has been split, the remaining portion(s) shall drop to the bottom of the allocation order. Teams may trade allocations and split portions of allocations.

** If a team has an outstanding replacement allocation for a departed player, or has not received a replacement allocation, that team has right of first refusal in the event of his return to MLS. If a team has utilized its replacement allocation, either by acquiring another player or through trade or split, the team loses its right of first refusal to such returning player, who is then assigned in the normal manner.

(B.) DESIGNATED PLAYER

The Designated Player Rule allows the League to sign players (under the League's single entity system) whose salary will fall outside of the team salary budget and whose cost above the salary budget charge will be the financial responsibility of the club for which they play. A Designated Player's salary charge will be capped at $400,000 per annum, but his salary could be higher. Each team initially received one Designated Player slot, and clubs are allowed to trade Designated Player slots. However, no team can have more than two Designated Players. The Designated Player Rule is a three-year initiative that will conclude after the 2009 MLS season when its future will be reviewed.

(C.) SUPERDRAFT & SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT

These are players drafted by teams at the annual MLS SuperDraft, which consists of four (4) rounds and the MLS Supplemental Draft, also consisting of four (4) rounds. In order to be eligible to be drafted, players must be: Invited to participate in that year's MLS Player Combine; be Generation adidas-signed players; be signed Youth International players; or be college players who no longer have college eligibility who are nominated by MLS teams. The selection order is determined as follows: The first five selections are from teams that did not qualify for the previous playoffs beginning with the team with fewest regular season points (3 points per win, one point per tie). The remaining eight positions are ranked by fewest regular season points among the teams that were eliminated in the same round of the previous years MLS Cup Playoffs.

A player who was drafted by a particular team through the SuperDraft or Supplemental Draft and did not sign with the League, is placed on that team's "College Protected List" until the second December 31 immediately following the draft in question, after which the team loses the rights to the player.

(D.) TRADES

Players, rights to sign players, SuperDraft picks, allocations (or split portions thereof), Designated Player slots and Youth International slots may all be acquired and exchanged in trades approved by the MLS League Office provided all of the necessary rules regarding roster and salary budget compliance are met and the trade is consummated during the valid trading period. The trade window opened on November 13, 2006 and will close at the 2007 trade deadline of September 14, 2007 (in conjunction with the discovery claim and roster freeze deadline).

(E.) DISCOVERY SIGNINGS

Each team has the opportunity to make six (6) discovery signings per season. The last day for discovery player signings is September 14, 2007 - coinciding with the roster freeze date and trade deadline. The six Discovery signings can be used to fill senior roster spots only. If multiple teams claim the same player using a Discovery, the team that filed the claim first will have first rights to the player. Discovery claims expire following each season. If a player was unable to come to terms during the season, the team that first filed the discovery retains the right of first refusal in the event the player is signed.

(F.) DEVELOPMENTAL ROSTER SIGNINGS

Teams are permitted an unlimited number of development player signings during a given season to ensure all 10-man developmental roster spots are occupied at any given time. Youth international limits per team still apply.

(G.) WAIVERS

A team may place a player on waivers at any time during the regular season at which point he is made available to all other teams. The waiver claiming period shall commence on the first business day after the League delivers a notice to teams and shall expire at 5:00 p.m. EST on the second business day after the Waiver Period Commencement Date. The claiming period is 48 hours.

Clubs each have the opportunity of claiming a player off waivers in reverse order based on points-per-game total during a given season. If the waivers occur before every team has played three regular season games, the point totals of the previous year are instead taken into consideration with the team with the worst point total having the first option.

Once a team selects a player off waivers, that club is automatically moved to the bottom of the priority list for subsequent waiver selections in a given season, regardless of its points-per-game total. Players who may be placed on the MLS waiver wire are as follows:

         1. A player waived by an MLS team in the current season
         2. A player who completed his college eligibility within the past season that was not made available in either the SuperDraft or Supplemental Draft; or
         3. a player who has played in MLS previously where his last MLS team does not wish to exercise their right of first refusal or no longer has the right of first refusal since 12 months have passed since the player's date of release, except in the case of returning U.S. National Team players as stated above.

(H.) LOTTERY

Some players shall be assigned to MLS teams via the weighted Lottery process. Any team assigned a player through the lottery in any particular season shall not be assigned another lottery player that season unless and until all teams have received a lottery player or have agreed to waive their option to participate in a Lottery. The players made available through lotteries include:

         1. Generation adidas players signed after the MLS SuperDraft;
         2. Draft eligible players to whom an MLS contract was offered but who failed to sign with the League prior to the Draft.

The weighted lottery takes into consideration each team's performance over its last 32 regular season games and the most recent postseason. The team with the worst record over its last 32 regular season games (dating back to previous season if necessary) will have the greatest probability of winning the lottery. Teams are not required to participate in a lottery. Players are assigned via the lottery system in order to prevent a player from potentially influencing his destination club with a strategic holdout.

(I.) EXTREME HARDSHIP CALL-UPS

Teams may add players to their roster in cases of "extreme hardship" as follows: (1) a team has less than two available goalkeepers or (2) a team has less than 15 available players. Extreme hardship call-ups are made on a game-by-game basis.

(J.) SEASON-ENDING INJURY REPLACEMENTS

A team with a player lost to a season-ending injury can replace that player on its roster, while remaining responsible for the full amount of the injured player's salary. A player can be placed on the season-ending injury list once another player has been signed as a replacement. International player limits still apply at the time a season-ending replacement is made (with the player being replaced not counting against those limits).

(K.) RETURNING U.S. NATIONAL TEAM POOL PLAYERS

In the event a U.S. National Team pool player playing abroad returns to the U.S. and there is interest from multiple MLS teams, preference will be given first to a team prepared to use an allocation. If there is more than one team prepared to use an allocation on a particular player, the current season's allocation rankings as determined by the MLS Competition Committee would be used. In the event no team is willing to use an allocation, the player will be assigned via waivers.

NOTE: No changes may be made to a team's active full roster during the period beginning on September 15, 2007 (Roster Freeze Date) through the day after MLS Cup. Nevertheless, a team may obtain players in accordance with the extreme hardship rules and procedures to replace players who are injured or otherwise legitimately unavailable after the Roster Freeze Date. Any other replacements after the Roster Freeze Date may only be made in exceptional circumstances in the League's sole and absolute discretion.


II 釋出球員方式﹝
METHODS OF RELEASING PLAYERS﹞

(A) 棄用
﹝WAIVERS﹞
Teams may waive players based on performance at any time during the MLS season. Players on guaranteed contracts waived on or after July 1 of any year, however, will continue to have their salary budget count against the team's salary budget and the team waiving the player will not receive a replacement except under the normal player acquisition mechanisms. Players may not be waived while they are injured, unless the League reaches a settlement with the injured player for his release. In such a scenario, the settlement amount will be charged to the team's salary budget. Upon return to fitness, however, a player may be waived normally.

(B)轉會與租借:

所有MLS球員在任何時候皆可轉會或租借到他國其他隊伍及職業聯盟;而在MLS球隊本身要釋出球員至其他MLS隊伍則有一定的轉會及租借窗口開啟時間:

1月15日 ─ 4月15日﹝首次窗口開啟時期﹞
6月15日 ─ 8月15日﹝第二次開啟時期﹞

(C) 合約期滿﹝CONTRACT EXPIRATION﹞
When a player's contract expires, the player does not count against the roster or budget of the team in question. A team retains the rights to the player indefinitely following the expiration of a contract only if attempts were made to re-sign the player.

NOTE: No changes may be made to a team's active full roster during the period beginning September 15, 2007 (Roster Freeze Date) through the day after MLS Cup. Nevertheless, a team may obtain a goalkeeper in accordance with the extreme hardship rules and procedures to replace a goalkeeper who is injured or otherwise legitimately unavailable after the Roster Freeze Date. Any other replacements after the Roster Freeze Date may only be made in exceptional circumstances in the League's sole and absolute discretion.

III 球員權利﹝
PLAYER RIGHTS﹞

The following explains the status of player rights in specific instances:

WAIVED PLAYERS: A team waiving a player who clears waivers holds a right of first refusal to such player for 12 months from the date of his release.

OUT OF CONTRACT PLAYERS / OPTIONS NOT PICKED UP: A team retains the right of first refusal to the player indefinitely only if attempts were made to re-sign the player.

DRAFTED BUT NOT SIGNED: A player who was drafted by a particular team through the SuperDraft or Supplemental Draft and did not sign is placed on that team's "College Protected List" until the second December 31 immediately following the draft in question, after which the team loses the rights to sign the player.

PLAYER TRANSFERRED OUTSIDE MLS: If a replacement allocation is granted, a team does not retain a right of first refusal unless the team has not yet used or traded in full or part the compensatory allocation. In such a case, the team may retain the right of first refusal on the player provided they surrender the full amount of the replacement allocation. If an allocation is not granted, the team will retain a right of first refusal should he return to MLS.

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Week #22
MLS Fantasy

其實我只是無聊所以才弄個Team出來,反正第二十二週賽事是到九月二日,到時會再換。這些人都是九月一日、二日、八月二十九日有比賽的人,所以就沒選自家跟Revs的球員了。這種遊戲我不太會玩XD其實我是少玩遊戲的那一種,一直搞不懂像這樣的遊戲該怎麼玩。

Rules─


All Player Points:Team Win +10 / Yellow Card -5 / Red Card -10 / Hat-trick Bonus +20 / Assist +10

Goalkeepers:
Goal allowed  -5 / Cleansheet bonus (must play entire game) +20 / Every complete ten (10) minutes played +1

Defenders:Goal Scored +30 / Cleansheet bonus (must play entire game) +10 /
Team goal allowed -2 / Every complete ten (10) minutes played +1

Midfielders:Goal Scored +25 / Every complete ten (10) minutes played +1

Forwards:Goal Scored +20 / Every complete ten (10) minutes played +1

September 1New York Red BullsvChicago Fire
 FC DallasvD.C. United
 Houston DynamovKansas City Wizards
 Los Angeles GalaxyvReal Salt Lake
September 2Columbus CrewvColorado Rapids  

........................我錯了,我怎麼把D.C那兩隻很恐怖的後衛以及Dallas兩隻後衛丟一起啊 囧|||啊不管了自求多福,反正到時再說。

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筆記:MLS選秀會

美國職業足球大聯盟 MLS﹝Major League Soccer﹞賽季與歐洲賽季不太一樣,MLS賽季並不是跨年份,而是一整個年度。

然 而,除了這一點不同之外,MLS還有所謂的選秀制度 SuperDraft,若是有在看棒球還是MLB常會聽到什麼第幾輪選秀、選秀狀元之類的等等等的,MLS選秀制度其實棒球選秀制度差不多。說真的,我覺 得MLS的選秀會﹝MLS SuperDraft﹞應該會讓歐洲球會很摸不著頭緒。

怎麼選?誰選誰?什麼第幾輪排名第幾?

如 何選?在每年MLS賽季結束後,會依球隊總排名來決定誰有權第一選、第二選之類的,墊底球隊持有第一選秀權, 以此類推,第一名的球隊在第一輪選秀就是最後一個挑選球員的。每年選秀會通常都在MLS開季前、一月舉辦,先辦SuperDraft選秀會,隨後幾天才會 再舉辦另一場Supplemental Draft。

MLS SuperDraft ? MLS Supplemental Draft?


MLS SuperDraft, 我也不知道中翻要怎麼翻會比較好,此選秀會中所包含的球員大多都是剛自大學球隊畢業出來的球員,或是在當時並沒有與其他MLS簽約的球員且也可以參與此項 選秀會,亦可為其他MLS球隊給選走。而SuperDraft選秀會於2000年始辦,在那之前也有選秀會,但分兩種:

MLS College Draft在大學球隊裡踢球又有報名選秀的大學球隊球員,而MLS所有球隊透過此選秀會挑選在當屆選秀名單中的大學球員。
MLS Supplemental Draft主要為非大學球員、與MLS球隊無契約者的選秀會,

因MLS創建於1994年、首場賽事開始於1996年,故兩選秀會皆於1996年創辦。
2000 年兩場選秀會直接合辦,統稱之為SuperDraft:雖然SupplementDraft已於2000年跟CollegeDraft混在一起合辦,但 2003年時又在SuperDraft 選秀會過後又辦了場SupplementDraft選秀會,原因我不太清楚。

2005年因要落實Developmental Rosters﹝預備隊﹞擴增的關係而讓原本一年僅辦一場選秀會的SuperDraft又得再另外辦一場SupplementDraft選秀,故行之四年的一年一場選秀會的SuperDraft馬上又變成一年兩場選秀會。

什麼是Developmental Rosters?


Developmental Rosters,在此編制中的球員給予其最基本最低的MLS工資,年薪得低於一萬美金,但預備隊薪資不列入正規球員薪資限制中*。簡言之就是預備隊,以備正規球員受傷而得長期缺陣時所用,2005年之前此預備隊陣容僅限六人,但05'年後擴編為十人。

選了不一定會簽下!狀元不一定最好!

在 選秀會選到的球員會因為各種因素而不一定要與選到他的球隊簽約,反正這都是看雙方意願啦,薪水啦、合不合用啦、是不是真的有實力、跟隊伍本身配不配合得來 等等等的,有時不一定第一輪被選中的球員就是最好的球員。像是去年MLS最佳新秀﹝MLS Rookie of the Year Award﹞Jonathan Bornstein 就是在第四輪選秀才被Chivas USA給選走...(37th)

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話說,我發現這篇有點錯誤XD因為我現在在看球員條款,對於選秀會成員有一定限定,等等再來弄一篇選秀球員必須條件篇。﹝其實還滿複雜的且我英文又不好...﹞

其實我對Bob Bradley鑽漏洞的事比較感興趣。

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