So soccer is over in Utah until Spring arrives, and that is a good thing. We don't need to be messing around with soccer in the Fall in Utah. There are more important things to worry about, like cleaning out my garage in preparation for winter.
This winter is going to be the one, the one where I get the garage cleaned out to the point where there is plenty of room to pull the cars in and walk effortlessly to the door with my hands full or groceries and not have to feel like I am walking through a maze of boxes and bikes.
I already have a leg up on my neighbors, they can't even park their cars in their garages due to too much junk. At least I have always been able to fit my cars in the garage. But this year I am going to put them all to shame, while they walk through the snow on their drive way with arms full of groceries I will pull into my clean garage and bask in my awesomeness.
With regards to soccer, below I posted KSL articles about RSL trying to make a big deal about how they have qualified for "5 straight playoffs" and the Monarchs trying to make themselves feel better about finishing almost last in their league.
From the Monarch's article:
Through the second half of the season, Utah finished with 10 results in the final 13 matches.
"We feel like if we can keep this momentum going, we can be a playoff contender," Utah coach Jimmy Coenraets said.
"Hitting rock bottom is OK; it gives us a great foundation to end on," he added.
Wow, "hitting rock bottom is OK"?
I guess, whatever.
With regards to RSL, I usually don't think about them but I stumbled upon a RSL conversation on ESPN 700's the Drive with Spence Checketts the other day. He had on some guy from RSL, someone from the front office, I can't remember who it was. But anyway, they were talking about the season, the playoffs, blah blah blah, whatever.
Basically the conversation ended up focusing on what MLS teams have to do to break out and get to the finals when it comes to players. Do they spend big and get a Messi or someone like him, or do they focus on more homegrown talent?
Then the RSL guy was saying how RSL used to do a good job with its academy and focusing on homegrown talent but something went array during the Deloy Hansen years. Something like that.
Then Spence said something that made me laugh out loud.
He compared RSL to a team like Everton in the EPL.
He said something to the affect that RSL is always in the middle, good enough to get into the playoffs but not good enough to get to the finals, kind of like an Everton in the EPL.
I had to smile because that is the problem with MLS. Am I the only one that sees it? It feels like I am.
In a real soccer league like the EPL, or pretty much every other league in the world, just staying in the league is an accomplishment. Not getting relegated is an achievement because the competition in you league is fierce.
But when you have a closed league like MLS with 30 teams your season is a failure if you don't reach the finals, or at least the semi-finals.
So yeah, you are doomed and your fans are going to get bored if you aren't at the top every year.
That is why I am slightly excited to start paying attention to the USL.
There is a little soccer flame burning in me again perhaps.
Ohhhh, I even toyed with the idea of someone starting a low level USL team in Provo perhaps and then watching them grow and move up the ranks. Then one day they would win promotion to USL's top tier and we would have two top tier teams in Utah.
Well, that is if you consider MLS top tier.
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