...Being LA's Team

Blog has been moved....

2007-03-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

I have moved my operations to another blog and would like to invite you all to join in on my continued discussion of ChivasUSA......

The new blog is hosted at The Offside and will be my main residence for now.

Thank you for all of your support and remember to change your bookmarks.

I look forward to seeing you all there.

http://chivas.theoffside.com

A Study of the LA Sports Scene- The Introduction

2007-03-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

Well then here goes nothing. As I stated in a previous post, I am going to be doing a series on the make-up of the LA sports scene and the interaction the media has upon it. Now, I have no clue how this is going to turn out, nor do I know where this will take me, however, what I do know is that this is a subject that is quite fascinating and always evolving. So join me on this journey as we walk down the path of education, knowledge and excitement, you never know where this could take you.

Los Angeles is a unique community, which encompasses numerous cultures, traditions and events, creating a vast melting pot that has become a beacon of light in the United States. Nestled in Southern California, Los Angeles is one of the largest cities in the country and is home to numerous sports teams, both amateur and professional. Each team has had a direct impact upon the community and the citizens living within its borders. Any given weekend numerous sporting events occur throughout the city, bringing together people for the love of sport, competition and camaraderie.

And every weekend numerous feats are accomplished that go unheard of. That is the root of the problem and one of the reasons I am going to try and construct this series. For there are numerous teams in the LA area that have done wonderful things, and yet the media does not spend much time detailing them, nor do people even know about them. If a team is not one of the “major” teams, then the chance that they will receive coverage is slim. Couple that with the odd nature of the sports fan in LA and you have a very unique situation. In LA we are more about looking for the next great winner and will bandwagon that team, regardless of its history. Most fans will jump from team to team without any real allegiance to a single team. Just look at when the Angeles won the World Series, all of a sudden thousands of people were filling the stadium and everyone had become an Angeles fan. Where were they when the team was in disarray and constantly loosing? Where were the sold out stadiums? Although that is only one case, this is a widespread problem in LA; most people are lacking an allegiance to a single team, regardless of wins and losses.

What happened to the days when a sports fan would stick with a team, through all the hardships and all the droughts? Those days are seemingly gone. Los Angeles has changed.

So there you have it, the beginning…..Expect Part I of the series in the next few days (or week depending on my schedule). I am hoping this can become a detailed look into the structure of the LA Sports scene.

Till next time,

David.

El Emperador Honored

2007-03-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

Another great article at mlsnet.com about a Chivas player being honored, this time its Claudio Suarez.

During his 14-year run with the Mexican national team, Chivas USA defender Claudio Suarez made quite a name for himself.
Dubbed "El Emperador" or "The Emperor," Suarez played every minute of the 1994 and 1998 World Cups and was on El Tricolor's 2006 World Cup squad as well. In all, Suarez appeared in 178 international matches, most ever amongst any Mexican and second-most among men in the world.
Last Sunday, Suarez was honored in Monterrey for his storied career. Before Mexico's friendly against Paraguay, Suarez was presented with a plaque commemorating his status as one of El Tri's most important figures. Mexican national team players - including former Chivas USA star Francisco "Paco" Palencia - carried Suarez around. Suarez even posed with the team for pictures and stood between young goalkeeper Guillermo "Memo" Ochoa and Rafael Marquez, Suarez's successor along Mexico's backline.
Despite his calm demeanor, Suarez said he was flattered by the experience.
"It was touching and very emotional. I did not expect it to be like that," Suarez said after training on Tuesday. "I just thought they were simply going to give me some sort of plaque[...]"

It is awesome to see great players honored for their talents and service. Even though he is in the twilight of his career, Suarez has proven to be quite an asset. And the fact that he is one of the better players in the MLS says a tremendous amount about his talent.

This also brings up an interesting point (that I had also mentioned in an earlier post), that we are seeing a large group of older players succeeding in the MLS. Either the strength of the young talent has yet to be realized, or the MLS has been providing a great workout regimen and atmosphere for these older players. Whatever it may be, its an honor to watch great talent in person and have them in our league.

Wednesday Morning Contemplation....

2007-03-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

"You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through."

-Rosalynn Carter

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This one I could not let go, but Laurie over at one of the galaxy blogs has determined it necessary to start a war with one of her fellow galaxy bloggers. Well its more of a full frontal attack on a blog that has not been updated in quite sometime. What does this say about the state of the gals if they must spend time fighting themselves; maybe the team will knock themselves out leaving a clear path for Chivas to take the crown. The rest of the post is her attempt to claim that Chivas is not a true rival (says this indirectly, and in a comment) and that they should be able to pick and choose who their rival is. Go figure.....

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I think its time that I unveil my first potential project; a multi-part series looking at the state of sports in Los Angeles, and how the news media represents it. This has quite an impact on Chivas, as Los Angeles is a very large sports market, that is quite different then the rest of the country, and as a result, if not correctly addressed could have a detrimental impact upon the success of the team.

More to be updated later.

The Steady Jesse Marsch...

2007-03-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

There was a great article posted about Jesse Marsch on mlsnet.com

With D.C. United, Marsch played in just four games and 92 minutes in 1996 but he did score a goal in that short amount of time. He earned his first start in 1997 but did not become a regular until 1998. Since his first season with Chicago, Marsch has played in at least 27 games per year, save for the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

In his first season with Chivas USA, Marsch started all 30 games he played in and logged 2,604 minutes - 54 minutes shy of his career high.....
With longevity have come added responsibilities. Marsch is one of Chivas USA's leaders both on and off the field and has honed those skills over the past 11 years. "In terms of what it means this year or next game or whatever, I just try and be a guy that everybody can trust and rely on and be a good teammate and push guys the right way and make sure that our group is going forward just like a coach," Marsch said. "That's what it gets to be like once you're an older guy and you've been around a long time. Those are the qualities I try and bring."

It's great to see a lot of the older players benefit from playing with Chivas, whatever the coaching staff is doing must be right as we have seen a resurgence in the careers of Paco Palencia and Claudio Suarez. I think this also speaks to the great success of the MLS as a whole, for the league is proving itself as more then just a retirement league, but as league filled with competition and great potential.

Keep up the good work Jesse!

A response......and Looking at Chivas

2007-03-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

There was an interesting preview post on Chivas' potential for next season (done by a gals fan nonetheless) that has Chivas projected as going 4th in the western conference. TJ Boyce does talk about the addition of Amado Guevara and John Cunliffe as being positives for the team, but contrasts that with the loss of Bradley, Paco, and JPG as being the overbearing factor in a potential mediocre season.

Now I understand that the team will have to adjust to a new manager, and life without JPG and Paco; however, Preki has been with the team for quite sometime and as such, knows the strengths (and weaknesses) of the squad. It also must be noted, that any good manager knows that when taking over a team, you do not make radical changes in the first year, which should not be a problem for Preki as he is coming from within the organization.

Coaching aside, the team itself has been slowly rebuilding. Remember we have added quite a few new players to the roster so as to accommodate the loss of Paco and JPG, while at the same time bolstering our weak spots. Understandably, we do not have a superstar DP to draw attention to the team, but what we do have is a solid squad that will produce on the pitch. The players that were brought in can add immediately to Chivas, and as it stands we have a glut in attacking minded players and a solid midfield. I will have to agree with TJ that the defense might be a question, but that could change if some of our new players step up during the season.

The fact is, the MLS season is very long and much can happen during that period. The team itself has gelled quite well and will progress even that much more under Preki as the season runs. There is a tremendous amount of talent on the team that is still quite young and could prove to be a great asset to the overall performance for Chivas. The fact that Chivas will not succeed without Bradley is ludicrous, as he only spent one season with the team. With Guevara, Razov, Bornstein and Maykel Galindo on the team we can expect great offensive production that will continue the goal scoring that we saw last year.

I think Galindo will prove to be more then just good player, as he is underrated and will score quite a few goals this season.

Overall, Chivas has the potential to be in top echelon of the western division and if everything gels, we might even see a conference championship (we can hope, can't we?)

Tuesday Morning Comparison

2007-03-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

The old Guys

“You see what power is -holding
someone else's fear in your hand
and showing it to them!”

– Amy Tan

Vs.

"No garden is without its weeds."
- Thomas Fuller

Over the night...

2007-03-27T05:29:00.000-07:00

While I was beginning my channel surfing last night, I stopped on ESPN2 for a bit and to my surprise about 15 minutes into my watching, an ad showed up telling us that we should all watch the MLS season, because even if we did not like soccer we would all become fans (this is my wonderful paraphrasing, but you get the picture). The ad ended with a scene of the legion. Now I was quite surprised as I had yet to see any new TV ads by ESPN, especially when they were planning on broadcasting more games.

Maybe this is the sign of something new, or maybe its just my optimism (especially after seeing it on espn2 and not their main channel or ABC) but we have to hope for something, especially with the season starting in two weeks. In fact the more I think about it, Arena Football and re-runs of World Series of Poker get more ad time on ESPN then the MLS. But this is ESPN we are talking about and I guess any bit of air time is better then nothing, but like the numerous discussions that have been raging on bigsoccer.com more has to be done....in other soccer in TV news, the local news briefly mentioned about the US-Ecuador game, but it sounded more like the anchor threw it out there in mistake then actually wanting to talk about it....

As for ChivasUSA news, its been a light morning. So far not much has really come out as to why Whit Haskel left the FO last week, but its my hunch that he was squeezed out due to conflicting opinions....More on that later.....

Rumors, Season Tickets and Everything in between....

2007-03-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

Like I was saying before, the season tickets finally came in the mail and with a few surprises. The first being the three bonus games that each season ticket holder receives to be used some time during the season.

Possible Rumor: From what I have heard by my contact in the Front Office we can expect another big game like last years extravaganza at the Coliseum. You remember it, the double header that drew over 92,000 people to watch a soccer game. A soccer game. And it would seem the Chivas FO is planning another one that will trump last years game. Who will be coming I have no clue at the moment, but from what I hear it will be quite the experience.

But back to the season ticket package. Now I must warn you this was not the most exciting packaging, coming by Federal Express and placed into a ChivasUSA (flimsy) paper holder, but alas its the contents inside that matter more then the presentation. Along with the bonus games, I also have the chance to attend a special meet and greet with the team, the ability to use the VIP dinner area on game days, ticket exchange, a free scarf and 20% off in the LA team store. OK so it does not sound great but its a start, and you must hand it to the FO for trying their hardest to reach out to the season ticket holders.

Talking about out-reach, one of things Chivas really needs to work on is its grassroots efforts in the surrounding community. Although, Chivas has a strong following throughout the country, its not going to fill the stands every weekend. The FO has to work harder to spread the message to the soccer fans so as to put more people in the stands. Its great and all that we have one of the most exciting atmospheres in the MLS, but with a sub-par attendance what motivation (other then the title and beating the Gals) does the team have to succeed? A plan is needed and the community needs to speak.

The future of fan involvement? You never know, it could be us! And think, if we do so, Chivas could be the crown jewel of the MLS.

Feels like the beginning of the season...

2007-03-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

To my surprise I come home from work and there are my season tickets. Now it feels like the MLS season is almost here. Its just around the corner and I can't wait.

I'll post an update when I get back from my errands on some of the changes that have occurred with the new season tickets and the possibilities for those looking to purchase them.

In the time being make sure to purchase your season tickets if you have not done so or check out the ChivasUSA website for more information.

I would also like to take some time out to give a quick thanks to D over at DCenters for his generous comments, and a great post on the growing community of MLS fans, bloggers and teams.

Monday Morning Picture

2007-03-26T07:55:00.000-07:00

(mlsnet.com)

"The toughest thing about success is that you've got to keep on being a success. Talent is only a starting point in this business. You've got to keep on working that talent. Someday I'll reach for it and it won't be there." Irving Berlin.

What to expect in the coming Week

2007-03-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

Just a heads up of what you can expect in the coming week as we get closer to the new season:

Analysis of the new players
Overview of the Team
Updates on pre-season games
Commentary on the progression of the team/coach
A look at how the Front Office will respond to Whit Haskel's departure
Events and other information

Exhibition Games and the Offseason

2007-03-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

So far ChivasUSA's off season has been filled with many varying results. Though, 0-2-2 in preseason MLS matches, Chivas has picked up a few new players to add to their squad and increased their image in Southern California. As with any team starting with a new coach, it takes quite awhile for the team to adjust. In Chivas' case Preki has proven to be a half-way decent fit thus far, as he has continues Bob Bradley's intensity on the field, but this is just the pre-season and Preki's real test will come against Tornoto FC. The team itself must work together to ensure unity and continued connected play during the season that was readily seen last season; crisp passing and logical play.

I am planning on providing some in-depth analysis of Chivas this week, and be prepared for pre-match analysis for Toronto.

In other news Chivas will be playing the Seattle Sounders in an exhibition game June 2nd, which will give Chivas more exposure and a chance to play a variety of teams. Talking about exposure, SuenoMLS has been quite a boon for Chivas as numerous major news outlets in Southern California have written either about Jorge Flores' success in the competition or the competition itself.

Jorge Flores Crowned Winner of Sueño MLS

United by a game and a dream

With the success of SuenoMLS we are witnessing an evolution in soccer in Southern California, as more kids are participating in the sport. What will be interesting is to see how this progresses over time as soccer gains more exposure on a National level.

Rumor of SuenoMLS winner

2007-03-25T11:28:00.000-07:00

Today is the big day, as the winner of the Sueno MLS is supposed to be named. With 5 very talented players it will be quite a move for Chivas, and whichever player ends up winning they will be well deserving of the spot. There is rumor that Jorge Flores has won the SuenoMLS tournament, but it is not definite. What will be interesting is to see if all five of the participants will be allowed to stay/train with the team.

More to come later as we move towards finding out the winner of the competition.

UPDATE:

It was just officially announced that Jorge Flores was picked as the winner of SuenoMLS, congrats to Mr. Flores on job well done and for the rest of the competitors who participated in the inaugural competition.

A small bio from the suenomls site:

Jorge Flores Bio
Name: Jorge Flores
Born: September 16, 1989, Anaheim, California
Position: Forward
Hometown: Anaheim, California
Height: 5 ft 9 in
Weight: 140 lbs.
Soccer Notes:
Flores played three seasons for Anaheim High School, completing a stellar senior year with double digit goals and school MVP honors. He was also selected to the All-County Team and the district All-Star Game. Flores additionally played for the Santa Ana DSP Juventus Under-18 club team, which won the Coast Soccer League's Harvest Cup and California Cup in 2006.
Personal:
Currently a high school senior, this mercurial 17-year old left winger risked his job (he cleans a church near his home in Anaheim) to try out for Sueño MLS. Flores was the only Sueño MLS player to score in the games vs. the Chivas USA Under-19 team at The Home Depot Center. He also scored in the first day of his two-week trial with the team, in a scrimmage vs. the Chivas USA U-17's. He reached the two-week trial phase of the competition along with his second cousin, Abraham García, whom he met for the first time during Sueño MLS. Jorge's mother and step-father are both from the city of Pénjamo, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Mr. Flores will be placed onto ChivasUSA's Under-19 team and we can expect great things from this young player, as the youth team has proven to be quite competitive on the international level. Being a striker, Mr. Flores will be a great addition to the ChivasUSA organization and will definitely prove to be an asset.

More to come about the rest of the players in the SuenoMLS competition.

Sueno MLS and Youth Development

2007-03-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

As you all know ChivasUSA had created an open try-out competition, to cultivate the local (and international) talent in an effort to find the next great thing. Well that competition is coming to a close this weekend and after more then 2,000 soccer players participated in it we will finally find out who wins...

Starting with 2,000 participants, down to 60, then 24, and lastly the "Final Five," te Kloese and his colleagues have seen many talented dreamers give everything they've got for a chance to play with Chivas USA.
"At fist with so many people it was a bit hard, but when we got down to the final 24 and they played against the Chivas USA U-19 team, some of them began to stand out," to Klose said.
The five that stood out the most from that final 24 soon turned into the Sueño MLS Final Five. They have each given more then they ever thought possible for this chance to make their dream of playing professional soccer a reality....For now, only one will be named the winner of "Sueño MLS Chivas USA Wants You!" Don't forget to tune in to Republica Deportiva on Univision this Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. ET as one talented dreamer will be crowned on national television. (mlsnet.com)

Unlike some of the other open-tryouts that we have seen (especially from that other team in LA), Chivas was planning on utilizing all of the talent that they have reviewed. Even if a player does not win SuenoMLS that does not mean they will have to forfeit a chance at professional career, as ChivasUSA will place those players into their youth leagues. This is quite different from the rest of the MLS teams, as they seem to lack a drive in cultivating local talent. Most MLS youth programs are quite pathetic and have yet to produce any sort of talent that is capable of playing in the MLS, nor do they spend the time to search for these players. Understandably, there are a few existing programs, yet most of these lack in finance and a dedicated staff in which to run them.

If the MLS is going to participate in international competition, they will have to try harder to cultivate youth talent instead of spending time and money on washed up, old players. The MLS wants to be the league of the future for soccer, but at the moment we are looking more like a retirement home then a viable league.

A new start again........

2007-03-23T10:41:00.000-07:00

I know I have not posted in a few days; I have been swamped with work. But I am back again and this time with a new gusto. I would also like to introduce a new addition to the team, Casey who will be writing on the blog.

Look forward to new additions and a lot more analysis with the MLS season coming close. As for a bit of news it looks like Laurent Merlin is getting closer to signing a deal. He will be a great addition to the team, and will further add attacking power. Whatever the case is, if Merlin turns out to be a strong player, the Gals will end up walking around with egg on their face as they have let another player slip through their fingers. Ladies and gentlemen we might be seeing the emergence of the Gals as the new Clippers of the MLS.

On Being LA's Team

2007-03-05T09:38:00.000-08:00

With the MLS season getting closer and more attention being paid to this sport, it is time to lay down the one burning question: Who is LA's Team? As we know there are two soccer teams in Los Angeles, but only one team has captured the hearts and minds of the fans. Only one team embodies the rich history of culture and relationships that exists within this vast area. As was expressed in the Los Angeles Times article today, Chivas USA is LA's team.

Thus this blog has been created as a way in which to detail the progression of LA's Team through commentary, news, analysis and community interaction. So join me as Chivas moves into the position of recognition as the true team of LA. I am not the only one who has begun to realize the importance and allure of Chivas, as Robert Daeley of Celsius1414 points this out on his blog.

Just as Antonio Cue argued, ""We'll continue to be the immigrant team of this nation," Cue said, arguing that the Chivas vertical red and white stripes are a sign of permanence, whereas when the Galaxy changes its logo and team colors in time for Beckham's arrival, it will be the fourth such change in a dozen years." (latimes.com)