It Seems to Me 2001

It Seems to Me 2000

It Seems to Me 1999

It Seems to Me 1998

An American Fan's Journal (of France '98)

It Seems To Me . . .
MLS must review inequities in its salary cap policies.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Tuesday, December 29, 1998) -- In my last column, I started to look at the issue of the hard salary cap that exists in Major League Soccer, and some of the effects it is having. I noted that for the second year in a row, D.C. United is being forced to make radical roster moves in order to get below the cap. And United is just one of perhaps five MLS clubs this season who will have to jettison players to come in under the mandated maximum of about $1.6 million a year for the total salaries of the entire roster.   Full story.

Salary cap penalizes best in MLS.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Friday, December 18, 1998) -- For fans of irony it would be hard to beat the scene played out on the field at Fort Lauderdale’s Lockhart Stadium moments after (Washington) D.C. United defeated Vasco de Gama of Brazil to capture the InterAmerican Cup.   Full story.

American soccer fans should revel in United’s InterAmerican Cup victory.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Thursday, December 10, 1998) -- Shortly after his D.C. United had shocked the soccer world with its convincing 2-0 shutout of Brazil’s Vasco de Gama, the South American Copa Libertadores de America champion, Bruce Arena stood with a small group of reporters and said, "I hope in your writing you will be able to convey to the American people the importance of what happened this evening . . . We obviously have a long way to go, but this shows that American soccer is moving in the right direction."   Full story.

Odds and Ends: MLS should adopt A-League point system -- and more.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Wednesday, December 15, 1999) -- Major League Soccer seems to be stumbling toward something of a crossroads, perhaps without realizing it.   Full story.

New Confederation Cup dates are worse than the first.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Friday, November 20, 1998) -- What a mess FIFA is causing trying to find dates to hold the Confederations Cup competition in Mexico.   Full story.

Arena will miss the midfielder he left behind.

(Tuesday, November 17, 1998) -- The words were spoken almost a year and a continent apart, but they were strikingly similar. Commenting on the United States’ 0-0 draw with Australia here in San Jose in his first outing as national team coach, Bruce Arena said "we need to find a midfielder who can hold the ball and who can create. We were missing that tonight."   Full story.

Is MLS plan to follow minor league model?

(Friday, November 13, 1998) -- To me, one of the most interesting statements to come out of MLS Cup ’98 was not contained in any of the releases or press conferences. Instead, it came from an offhand remark made by Major League Soccer commissioner Doug Logan to the Los Angeles Times as part of a "state of the league" interview.   Full story.

MLS officials go before Supporters Summit.

(Tuesday, November 10, 1998) -- In the meeting room of a small motel on the outskirts of Pasadena, Calif., Major League Soccer commissioner Doug Logan, deputy commissioner Sunil Gulati and other MLS officials made a kind of Daniel into a lion’s den performance.   Full story.

MLS Cup ’98 has league’s best two teams, but at what cost?

PASADENA, Calif. (Saturday, October 24, 1998) -- Memo to Major League Soccer Commissioner Doug Logan: Be careful of what you wish for, because it has a distressing habit of coming true. For weeks now Logan has been continually asked if he and the league weren’t hoping and praying that the Los Angeles Galaxy would get into MLS Cup so Galaxy fans would turn out in huge numbers, giving MLS a record crowd and a big payday. "Not so," Logan insisted over and over. "I hope the two best teams make it to the final."   Full story.

Soccer bashers should keep their opinions to themselves.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Thursday, October 15, 1998) -- I’ve about had it. First let me say, I enjoy both college and professional football, college basketball (professional less so), and used to be a professional hockey fanatic until it became a game of dump and chase, grab and hold. I grew up playing football, blew out a knee in high school so I could not play in college, and ended up at Saint Louis University on a golf scholarship.   Full story.