Major League Soccer has dodged a bullet
MLS Commissioner Don Garber did well to resolve the league's labour problems before they blew up.
Last week Major League Soccer successfully negotiated a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that will last into at least 2014.
The new deal adds quite a few wrinkles to player contracts, including raising the minimum salary to $40,000 USD and creating limited free agency. By all accounts both sides consider the deal to be a victory for their cause.
However, settling this labour dispute before it became an actual work stoppage is the biggest win of all for the MLS and its fans.
Why? Because with the notable exception of recalls or other Enron-like debacles, removing a product from the public consciousness is bad for business. Keeping a high profile, particularly for a relative luxury like a spectator sport, is crucial.
It’s all about building consumer habits. If people know to turn on Seinfeld on Thursday nights, if they can rely on the fact that they’ll have 22 minutes of entertainment every week, they’ll keep coming back.
If fans know they can flip on the TV and tune in to Toronto FC every Saturday afternoon, it’ll be built into their personal schedule. Breaking that habit severs the relationship between the league and its consumers.
In particular, sports outside of the “big four” (football, baseball, basketball and hockey) have to do the most to protect their brand.
Fringe sports like soccer, lacrosse, and auto racing have to make sure that they deliver a high quality product consistently, since they are fighting against leagues that already have generations of fandom. They’re trying to overcome decades, if not centuries, of habitual fandom.
A TV blackout or, worse yet, a labour dispute would wreck any kind of progress the MLS has made in the North American market.
Timing played a big role in this deal. Soccer is poised to step into the spotlight with the American side a serious contender in this summer’s World Cup. Further, David Beckham, the league’s biggest name, is going to be injured for at least the start of the season.
They need to capitalize on the hype surrounding the World Cup as well as soldier on through Beckham’s time off. Missing even part of a season under those circumstances would’ve been disastrous.
MLS also dodged some potentially negative press.
The National Football League and the National Basketball Association seem destined for labour crises in the next two years, and there’s the very real possibility that sports fans are going to become pretty cynical about professional athletes.
There is, after all, a recession on right now. As the National Hockey League Players Association found in the 2004 lockout season, earning millions of dollars playing a sport that you love and asking for more is not a particularly sympathetic stance, even if it is in comparison to billionaire owners.
Distancing the MLS from these other disputes is the right play.
Most of the specifics of the deal haven’t been publicly announced, but just the fact that MLS is guaranteed four more seasons of maintaining and, hopefully, building their public profile is good news.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber is now poised to take advantage of the goodwill created by the World Cup, and maybe even take some of the NFL and NBA’s market share.
March Madness: Day 5 – Rocked, Shocked, Jayhawked?
Northern Iowa?! What?!
Just five days in to the NCAA’s annual Division I men’s basketball tournament and already Kansas - my pick to win the whole thing - is eliminated.
It’s not just me who has been rocked by the Jayhawks early departure – literally every single person in my pool had them as the champions. They were the prohibitive favourite for just about everyone I know.
Northern Iowa has become Death, the destroyer of brackets.
I’ve never seen a basketball game alter the mood in the city of Toronto, let alone an amateur match, but there was definitely a buzz in the air in the hour after Northern Iowa’s 69-67 upset of Kansas. Passing people on my way to work I could overhear talk about ruined brackets and disappointing efforts.
Most poolies are now relying on their Sweet 16 and Elite Eight picks to see them through. It’s a very different reality that’s now in place. After all, most people build their brackets around a particular team who will sweep through to the finals. Without that cornerstone, the whole thing falls apart.
Fortunately for me, I’m in good shape.
I’ve made 29 of 48 picks, and have a possible 102 points still available. That showing puts me in the 55th percentile of all Yahoo! Fantasy Sports users. My bracket is literally not half bad, but it’s not much better.
Thank God there is some time off before the Sweet 16 gets underway. I know that it’s for the teams to try and rest and re-group, but at this point I think that the fans need it just as much.
I know that I am a neophyte NCAA basketball fan, but this is the most exciting March Madness tournament I’ve followed to date.
It started with the major upsets in the first few rounds, followed by the elimination of perennial mid-major powerhouse Villanova and then finally the shocking departure of the Jayhawks, the consensus pick to win the whole damn thing.
Incredible.
In any event, thank God for that break. Now we’ve got a chance to try and figure out what’s going on, and who’s going to win the championship. The Syracuse Orange? Duke? Northern Iowa?
I really don’t know.
What I do know, is that I can’t wait for the Madness to start up again. I’ll be watching every minute of it.
My weekend in junior hockey, March 19-21
Goaltender Jeff Bosch has been stellar in the playoffs for the Moose Jaw Warriors.
The Canadian Hockey League playoffs began in earnest this weekend, with many great storylines unfolding. By and large, the favourites are winning handedly, while the tight fourth and fifth seeds are dividing their series evenly.
The one exception is the Calgary Hitmen - a team I predicted to win the whole Western Hockey League – who are losing their quarter-final series 2-0 to the Moose Jaw Warriors.
Heading into the post-season Calgary had won 12 of their last 13 games, and collected a point in all of those matches. They were dominant defensively and offensively, rocketing up the standings with 107 points, the best record in the WHL.
That strong final push gave them the privilege of playing the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed, lowly Moose Jaw.
But the Warriors have had the Hitmen’s number thus far – dropping them 4-2 and 4-1 in their first four games. With the series moving to Moose Jaw for the next two games, things look grim for Calgary.
It’s a surprising turn of events. The Hitmen are the only team in the WHL to lose to a lower seed in the playoffs thus far. The other seven series have stuck to the script.
Goaltender Jeff Bosch is the key. He stopped 48 shots from tCalgary's attack in Game 1 of the series, and then turned away 29 in Game 2.
If the Hitmen have any hope of turning things around they’ll need to find a way to get past Bosch.
Friday March 19th 2010
QMJHL – Hinse has winner as Quebec nips Acadie-Bathurst in OT
Hinse had his second overtime winner in as many nights as the Remparts eked out a 5-4 result over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in the first round of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs Friday night.
Quebec had edged the Titan 6-5 in overtime Thursday night. (See more...)
OHL – Flick’s penalty shot sparks rally; Majors double Petes
Rob Flick's penalty shot got things going for the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors Friday night.
Flick scored on a penalty shot to spark a three-goal, third-period outburst and lifted Mississauga to a 4-2 victory over the Peterborough Petes in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarter-final series in the Ontario Hockey League. (See more...)
WHL – Giants rally for overtime win over Blazers
It took an extra period but the Vancouver Giants rallied to a playoff win Friday night.
James Henry's goal 33 seconds into overtime gave Vancouver a 4-3 comeback victory over the Kamloops Blazers in the first game of their Western Hockey League opening-round post-season series. (See more...)
Saturday, March 20th 2010
QMJHL – Wildcats blank Screaming Eagles; Riopel earns record
Nicola Riopel and the Moncton Wildcats won a statement game in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs Saturday night.
Riopel made 26 saves as the Wildcats mauled the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 6-0 in the second game of their quarter-final series. (See more...)
OHL – Whalers even up series with Greyhounds
Phil McRae and the Plymouth Whalers knew what they had to do to even their Western Conference quarter-final playoff series.
McRae had the eventual winner as the Whalers swam to a 5-2 win over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in Ontario Hockey League playoff action Saturday night. (See more...)
WHL – Moose Jaw shocks Calgary once again
The Moose Jaw Warriors continue to surprise in the Western Hockey League playoffs.
Jason Bast scored twice, including the winner, to lead Moose Jaw to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Hitmen in WHL post-season action Saturday night. (See more...)
Sunday, March 21st 2010
OHL – Nesbitt’s hat trick leads the way as 67’s drop IceDogs
Thomas Nesbitt provided all the offence the Ottawa 67's needed Sunday afternoon.
Nesbitt scored three times, including the game winner midway through the second period as Ottawa tamed the Niagara IceDogs 3-1 in Ontario Hockey League playoff action. (See more...)
March Madness: Day 2 – I guess that’s why it’s called “Madness”
Old Dominion?! Seriously?!
In yesterday’s post I mentioned that my strategy for NCAA pools relies heavily on picking the favourites. After all, at least on paper, they are the better team. You might recall that I even mentioned that the tactic often costs me when there are major upsets, particularly in the first round.
So when there were no less than five shockers yesterday, you could imagine my delight. Further, the three upsets I did pick (UTEP, Florida, San Diego State) managed to lose. All told, I am now ranked sixth (out of six) with only half of my picks correct. Yikes.
My one saving grace is that I still have a possible 180 points available to me, third best in my league. Nonetheless, I need things to go well for me today if I’m going to recover.
At the same time, I thoroughly enjoyed all the games I watched yesterday, especially the upsets. Yeah, it was killing me in my pool, but they were incredibly entertaining.
Villanova’s match with Robert Morris is the perfect example. For my bracket to stay alive I desperately needed ‘Nova to win. But despite myself, I was cheering for the boys from RMU. It’s a cliché, but I just loved their hustle.
Of course, this is what makes March Madness great. That sense of desperation, that swelling of emotion with each shot, each steal, every made basket. Even an impartial observer gets wrapped up in the action.
That emotional investment does a lot to gloss over a lot of the problems with the level of play. There are glaring errors made by all the teams in the tournament, particularly when it comes to defence. I can’t tell you how often I caught myself yelling at the TV yesterday as I saw an ill-advised double team. Discipline is also always an issue with such young players, so tactics quickly fall apart.
But it’s that reckless play that makes March Madness so fun to watch; it’s completely unpredictable and usually has a wild finish. You never know when a team is going to fall apart.
I’m looking forward to seeing how day two plays out. Hopefully it’ll be as exciting as yesterday.... only with things going my way.
March Madness: Day 1 – For the sake of transparency
Here is my official March Madness bracket, thanks to the good people at Yahoo! Sports and their PDF generator. Click the link to see my rather uneducated guesses. No, I am not sponsored by KFC.
March Madness: Day 1 – Ignorance is bliss
One of the most peculiar periods in the Canadian sporting year is the last two weeks of March.
That’s when, like everyone else in the civilized world, Canadians become obsessed with the NCAA’s Division I basketball tournament. However, unlike our neighbours to the south, we can come at it from an oddly objective place.
Let me explain.
Obviously, there are no Canadian schools in the tournament. There are rarely Canadians to root for, either. Like following the National Football League we’re left to our own devices to figure out which teams to pick. We are unfettered by any kind of loyalty or regional bias.
Really, in general, Canadians are blissfully ignorant of college basketball until about early March. There’s little coverage on Sportsnet or TSN. Only hardcore basketball fans who seek out games on the Score or online have any real knowledge of the NCAA game. Everyone else gleans what they can from American shows like Pardon the Interruption or Around the Horn. Our focus is, and always will be, hockey.
Does that stop Canadians from participating in March Madness pools? Not even a little. Practically everyone I know has at least one bracket, and suddenly basketball is on all kinds of TV channels. After all, there is no better way to while away the time once your NHL team is eliminated from the playoffs.
My only NCAA allegiance is to Syracuse University Orange. Not because of Carmelo Anthony, but because of their lacrosse team. After all, that’s where Gary and Paul Gait went. Not to mention the Powell boys. Also, it’s kind of local to Toronto. I guess that's nice.
Aside from that small preference for the Orange, I can enjoy the tournament bias free. Heck, I’m even indifferent to Duke University which, according to ESPN’s Bill Simmons, people hate.
Personally, I enjoy the fact that as a Canadian I can operate from a point of objective ignorance: It means that I rarely over-think things. My judgement is never clouded by preference or conflicting sources of information.
If 75% of users are picking a team online, it sounds good to me. I’ll never be tempted to pick an underdog, since, hey, I don’t know anything beyond the seeding. Historical trends? Don't know, don't care. It’s wonderfully liberating.
My strategy is to pick teams I’ve heard of, relying on the assumption that if they're on my radar up here in Canada, they must be good. Failing that, I go with the higher seed. If two well known teams meet at some point in my bracket, I follow the lead of my fellow online users. When I feel particularly daring I’ll take an underdog (usually a 12 seed over a five) but that’s as wild as I get.
It’s actually a pretty good system. It leaves me open to upsets, but that’s rarely a problem beyond the Sweet 16.
Now I can just sit back and enjoy the show, along with my free health care. The beauty of being Canadian.
It’s all but official: Beckham’s career with England is over
With all the excitement of Sunday’s March Madness selections, the news that David Beckham tore his Achilles tendon in the closing minutes of AC Milan’s 1-0 win over Chievo Verona slipped between the cracks.
Although the 34-year-old had surgery to repair it almost immediately, orthopedic surgeon Sakari Orava estimates that it will take six months for him to recover.
This rules Beckham out for this summer’s World Cup in South Africa, and probably means the end of his illustrious, although somewhat disappointing, career as a member of England’s national squad.
Given Beckham’s age, the severity of the injury and the fact that he’d already been cut from the English side once, it’s highly unlikely that fans will ever see him in meaningful play for England again. The 2014 World Cup is simply too far away and even the 2012 European Cup squad would be tough for him to make.
Sure, he’ll probably recover and be able to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy again, but Major League Soccer is hardly a big enough stage for one of the most recognizable athletes in the world.
It’s a sad end for one of the best players in English history. Many felt Beckham would be the Chosen One to bring the World Cup back to Old Trafford, but now he’s missing out on his last chance to return the Three Lions to their former glory.
I’ll be the first to admit that Beckham wouldn’t have been a major contributor to the English cause. In fact, just last week I spotlighted him as a player whoI think is past his prime.
However, he’d still be useful as a role player.
Beckham would have undoubtedly helped England in free kick and penalty kick situations, as well as providing invaluable leadership off the pitch. After all, he’s made 115 international appearances, second only to goalkeeper Peter Shilton's 125 appearances for England from 1970-90.
This injury is the most disastrous moment in Beckham’s international career since 1998 when he was sent off in the crucial World Cup match against hated Argentina.
In any event, it’s heartbreaking that Beckham isn’t getting one last kick at the can, one last opportunity to prove himself as one of the best players England has ever produced. He and his fans worldwide deserved the chance to give him a proper send off with the Three Lions on his chest.
Canadian Hockey League playoff match-ups
During yesterday’s weekly junior hockey round-up I predicted that the Drummondville Voltigeurs, Barrie Colts and Calgary Hitmen would be representing their leagues in the Canadian Hockey League’s Memorial Cup tournament.
Today, I figured that it would be of some use to show people what the first round quarterfinal match-ups are for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Western Hockey League.
Links to the official playoff schedules for each league are also included.
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (Schedule here)
Saint John Sea Dogs (#1 Atlantic) vs. P.E.I. Rocket (#4A)
Moncton Wildcats (#2A) vs. Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (#3A)
Drummondville Voltigeurs (#1 Central) vs. Lewiston Maineiacs (#4C)
Victoriaville Tigres (#2C) vs. Shawinigan Cataractes (#3C)
Quebec Remparts (#1 East) vs. Acadie-Bathurst Titan (#5A)
Rimouski Oceanic (#2E) vs. Chicoutimi Sagueneens (#3E)
Rouyn-Noranda (#1 West) vs. Val-d’Or Foreurs (#4W)
Montreal Junior (#2W) vs. Gatineau Olympiques (#4W)
Ontario Hockey League (Schedule here)
Series A (East)
Barrie Colts (1) vs. Sudbury Wolves (8)
Series B (East)
Ottawa 67’s (2) vs. Niagara IceDogs (7)
Series C (East)
Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors (3) vs. Peterborough Petes (6)
Series D (East)
Kingston Frontenacs (4) vs. Brampton Battalion (5)
Series A (West)
Windsor Spitfires (1) vs. Erie Otters (8)
Series B (West)
London Knights (2) vs. Guelph Storm (7)
Series C (West)
Kitchener Rangers (3) vs. Saginaw Spirit (6)
Series D (West)
Plymouth Whalers (4) vs. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (5)
Western Hockey League (Schedule here)
Series A (East)
Calgary Hitmen (1) vs. Moose Jaw Warriors (8)
Series B (East)
Brandon Wheat Kings (2) vs. Swift Current Broncos (7)
Series C (East)
Saskatoon Blades (3) vs. Red Deer Rebels (6)
Series D (East)
Kootenay Ice (4) vs. Medicine Hat Tigers (5)
Series A (West)
Tri-City Americans (1) vs. Chilliwack Bruins (8)
Series B (West)
Vancouver Giants (2) vs. Kamloops Blazers (7)
Series C (West)
Everett Silvertips (3) vs. Kelowna Rockets (6)
Series D (West)
Spokane Chiefs (4) vs. Portland Winterhawks (5)
My weekend in junior hockey, March 12-14
Brandon Kozun, of the Calgary Hitmen, will likely be the best forward in the 2010 Memorial Cup.
As all Canadian Hockey League fans know, last weekend was the end of the regular season with the final playoff berths being decided as late as Sunday.
There are tight races in all three leagues, but I have my favourites to join the Wheat Kings as they host this year’s Memorial Cup in Brandon, Manitoba.
For starters, I really like the chances of the Drummondville Voltigeurs to win the President’s Cup and represent the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. They’ve won 16 straight behind the incredible goaltending of Jake Allen. Although he did not look strong in the World Junior Championship final for Canada, Allen is arguably still the best goaltender in Canadian junior hockey today.
One of the strongest teams in Canada since the Christmas break, the Barrie Colts have run away with the Ontario Hockey League’s Eastern Conference. They’ve got lots of firepower in Luke Pither (36 G, 58 A), Alex Hutchings (47 G, 34 A) and Bryan Cameron (53 G, 25 A) and a solid team dynamic that has made them into a consistently competitive team.
The Calgary Hitmen combine the best qualities of the Voltigeurs and the Colts – like Drummondville they’re the hottest team in the WHL and like Barrie they’ve got the best record in their league. In fact, it’s thanks to their 13-game points streak that they’ve been able to vault to the top of their standings.
Calgary will also have the benefit of the single best forward in the post-season: Brandon Kozun (32 G, 75A), Kozun has lit up the WHL to edge out Jordan Eberle for the Bob Clarke Trophy as the league’s leading scorer.
Friday, March 12 2010
QMJHL – Poulin has 26 saves as Tigres blank Lewiston
Goalies ruled the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Friday night.
Kevin Poulin turned aside 26 shots as the Victoriaville Tigres stormed past the Lewiston Maineiacs 5-0 in QMJHL action. (See more...)
OHL – Lindsay, Cuma and Nesbit lead 67’s past Generals
With just one more weekend left in the regular season, the Ottawa 67's are gearing up for the playoffs.
Cody Lindsay, Tyler Cuma and Thomas Nesbit scored third-period goals for the Ottawa 67's as they netted a 4-3 victory over the Oshawa Generals in Ontario Hockey League action Friday night. (See more...)
WHL – Wudrick strikes twice as Rockets down Giants
The Kelowna Rockets spoiled the coming home party for the Vancouver Giants Friday night.
Geordie Wudrick scored twice for the Rockets as they took a 4-3 game over the Giants in Western Hockey League action. (See more...)
Saturday, March 13 2010
WHL – Silvertips in a position to take conference
The Everett Silvertips put themselves in position to claim the Western Hockey League's U.S. Division title and the Western Conference's top seed Saturday night.
Thomas Heemskerk made 25 saves for his fourth shutout of the season as the Silvertips blanked the Chilliwack Bruins 5-0 in WHL action Saturday night. (See more...)
Sunday, March 14 2010
QMJHL – Voltigeurs pound on Maineiacs
Philippe Lefebvre and Jake Allen kept the Drummondville Voltigeurs white hot entering the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs.
Lefebvre had a hat trick and an assist while Allen made 15 saves as the Voltigeurs blasted the Lewiston Maineiacs 7-0 in QMJHL action Sunday night. (See more...)
OHL – Nesbitt the OT hero as 67’s outlast Sudbury
The Ottawa 67's entered the Ontario Hockey League post-season in fine fashion Sunday night.
Thomas Nesbitt scored 2:46 into overtime as Ottawa eked out a 3-2 win over the Sudbury Wolves in OHL action. (See more...)
Paralympics off to a poor start before they can even begin
In the wake of the very successful Vancouver Olympics there’s a nice afterglow surrounding Canada’s amateur sports. Events like downhill skiing and curling are given more prominent airtime on television and commentators like ESPN’s Bill Simmons are still talking about the 2010 Games.
It’s little wonder. After all, Canada finally got the monkey off its back when Alex Bilodeau won a gold medal, the first time a Canadian has won the top prize on home soil. Canadians then went on to win 13 more gold medals, an Olympic record for the host nation of a winter games, culminating in a dramatic 3-2 overtime victory over Team USA in men’s hockey.
The closing ceremonies struck the right note as well. It was funny, charming and distinctly Canadian, provided you turned the TV off as soon as Nickleback took to the stage.
But all that goodwill is going to be wasted by tonight’s Paralympic Opening Ceremony which you will be able to watch.... nowhere. See, neither CTV or NBC are showing the ceremony live. Instead, they’re going to air the “hit” TV show, Medium, and run the tape of the ceremonies on Saturday.
I understand that the Paralympics don’t have all the glitz and glamour of National Hockey League players or the sex appeal of Lindsay Vonn or the Curlougar Cheryl Bernard, but surely they deserve to have their opening ceremonies live to air.
Can the demand for the latest and greatest episode of Medium really be that high?
To me, the Paralympics do way more to capture the spirit of the Olympics Movement. Their precursor was the Stoke Mandeville Games, organized by Dr. Ludwig Guttmann in 1948 during the London Olympic Games. Orginally, they were an exercise for British World War II veterans with spinal conditions. The hope was that the competition would motivate them to stay active despite their handicap.
The first official Paralympics were held after the 1960 Olympics in Rome with a broadened scope that included anyone with a physical disability or vision impairment. They focused on the participants’ athletic achievements and fitness for the physically disabled around the world.
That is what the Olympics should be all about – the triumph of the human spirit, creating new heroes that people around the world can admire for their determination and will power. It’s a real shame that CTV and NBC have forgotten that lesson just two weekends after the Olympics ended.
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