Matt Williams's MLS Soccer fan blog

As the trial regarding the Seattle Sonics continues I am again infuriated at the whole situation.  Most of my frustration is not with Clay Bennett though.  Although he is most likely taking our Sonics away he is a business man with interests of his own.  I am more frustrated with David Stern and the NBA.

The NBA is on the verge of losing a franchise in a top 15 media market to one just outside the top 45.  There is a reason there is not an NBA team in Oklahoma City.  Nobody outside of Oklahoma City cares about Oklahoma City.  It's smaller, more isolated than Seattle and would be the third smallest market in the NBA (New Orleans and Memphis are smaller).  You cannot honestly tell me the NBA is better off in Oklahoma City than it is in Seattle.

Continue reading "The Future is now Sonics"

The situation that should be David Stern’s worst nightmare continues.  I say should because Stern continues to brush aside “rogue” former NBA official Tim Donaghy.  In the past couple of days Donaghy has claimed that NBA officials have influenced the outcome of NBA playoff games, including, perhaps most notably, game six of the 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers.

This situation is extremely similar to another sports story of the last couple of years.  When Jose Canseco released Juiced, his tell all steroids book, the public dismissed him as simply trying to attract attention and make himself relevant again (apparently VH1’s The Surreal Life wasn’t enough).  Donaghy doesn't have a book for his secrets, but his statements are just as important.

Continue reading "The NBA and Tim Donaghy"

So you want to sell soccer to the world?  I've come up with a plan that may just work.  Show them the Dutch.  After the Netherlands decisive 3-0 win over current world champion Italy, all you need to do is show the non-fan the Dutch.  In that game the Dutch could make anyone a fan.  Toward the end of their dismantlement of the Italians I thought to myself this is what Americans need to see.

One the whole they were spirited, offensive oriented and full of finesse.  Individually there was just enough arrogance emitted from the players that the average fan wouldn't call him cocky, but would call him tremendously confident.  They had a swagger I have not seen in international soccer before.  Not even from the Brazilians who do have a substantial amount of skills individually, but to me have never seemed as smooth.

Continue reading "If it ain't Dutch, it ain't much"