There isn’t a word (well actually there is if you read below) to describe how idiotic the MLS and its commissioner Don Garber are. This past Wednesday Minneapolis was awarded an MLS franchise. The MLS flew into town for the fanfare at Target Field. It was supposed to be a celebrations and it was for a short time.
Then during a presser, MLS Commissioner Don Garber, responding to a question about the future of Minneapolis being awarded an expansion franchise, raised eyebrows by saying that financing for a new soccer stadium had to be secured by July or the MLS could award the expansion to another city.
This move by the MLS is amateur hour. I thought that the normal process of awarding an expansion franchise was to have secured financing for a stadium or having an existing venue to play games. Most leagues award expansions to cities that have been vetted. The ownership should be vetted as well. The whole bid should be vetted.
I was excited about the prospect of having an MLS team in the Twin Cities, where I reside. This is a soccer hotbed but soccer still comes in 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th or even 50th in popularity. It is still a fifth tier league behind the NFL, NHL, MLB and the NBA.
Three stadiums have been awarded using public funds in less than 10 years. I don’t believe the community has the stomach for more public funding for another stadium. The fact that the MLS would award an expansion franchise when all the ownership group’ ducks were not in a row is baffling and troubling to me, especially when a competing bid by the Wilfs have a stadium (in construction) in place.
Enough of my ranting and displeasure with MLS. Now let’s get to this past week’s sports recap.
In a Word – On the Edge of Our Seats
MLS – Bumbling
MLS – Amateurs
MLS – Clowns
Minneapolis – Expansion?
Kentucky Wildcats – Barely
Notre Dame Fighting Irish – Almost
Wisconsin Badgers – Destined?
Michigan Spartans – WOW!
Kevin Durant – Again
Alabama Crimson Tide – Enablers
Enes Kanter – Buffoon
Brian Dixon – Busted
