November 8th

Sorry for the extended hiatus, but fear no more for that hiatus is over! SDN will take a new view at things with specific columns on Saturdays, "Saturday Special". For the time being Sunday will recap the previous day's college action. Monday will review that game from the night before and Tuesday-Friday will be on the hot topics.

SDN will be back and better then ever with pics, videos, and more. This will be the first Saturday Special, thanks and enjoy!

Saturday Special

Major League Soccer vs. English Premier League

Living in the United States, I am in a country that embraces football as if it were a divine power. A country were futbol is still a young game. While futbol in the U.S. was created with similar elements of football such as team names. Traditional soccer teams have names with FC (futbol club) before or after depending on the country of the team it could be CSKA (Russia), VFB (Germany) amongst others. Now MLS teams have names with mascots, ex. Chicago Fire, San Jose Earthquakes. However, some teams do retain the essence of the game with names like D.C. United and Real Salt Lake. More to the point, it's called Major League Soccer, much like every other sport in the U.S. it is the "Major League" or "National League".

The English Premier League is one of, if not the best soccer league on the planet. Filled with stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), among others; the EPL has little competition from MLS. The one major star in MLS, David Beckham, is from England and played with Manchester United for many seasons while in his prime. Now any follower of MLS, or any soccer player who knows more then the average bear will realize that there are many other great players in the MLS and young stars such as Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA) and Chad Barrett (Toronto FC) who could turn out into great players. However the EPL has ridiculous scouts and youth academies who have just as many young stars in the league. Notable players would include Fernando Torres (Liverpool) and Wayne Rooney (Man. U.).

MLS currently consists of 14 teams with Seattle Sounders FC making 15 next season. On top of that, MLS plans to have 18 by 2011. Sadly to say, England trumps MLS once again with their 20 teams, and 3 leagues of 20 below them with the top and bottom 3 teams of each team being promoted and relegated, except for the EPL because it's the top. MLS does have lower divisions, but most consist of teams similar to those of minor league baseball teams, otherwise known as the team for young players or players who aren't good enough.

Another noticeable trend in the MLS is that when a player rises to the top of the leauge, he goes across the pond. Examples include former New York Metrostars (now New York Red Bulls) keeper Tim Howard who left to go to Everton FC, a very good English side who finished 5th in the Premiership last season. Brian McBride left Columbus Crew to go to Fulham FC, where he met up with MLS alumni and U.S.A. teammates: Clint Dempsey and Eddie Johnson. However, McBride returned earlier this year to the Chicago Fire. They endured moderate success in England, but other MLS players, who are stars in this league, leave to low level European teams where they are seldom heard from again. The "former phenomenon" Freddy Adu left MLS to go to the Portuguese side S.L. Benfica, a high level team in the Portuguese Liga, only to be loaned to the French Side, A.S. Monaco. Now Monaco is not a bad team at all, but ever since Adu left, I've heard more about Steve Nash in soccer then Adu.

Perhaps the focus will now shift to Jozy Altidore, "the next Freddy Adu", the 19 year old who left MLS (New York Red Bulls specifically) to go to the Spanish Club, Villareal, on a 4 million dollar contract. With 3 caps so far, Altidore has already scored a goal on his new club. However, will we hear much about the youngster again? Only time will tell.

Back on topic, MLS is a growing league with stars staying rather then going, but this is more than a David/Goliath argument. This is comparing a rock to a mountain, most likely Mount Everest. On a closing note, the EPL has the most well-known, best, and highest paid for that matter, players in the world. The MLS has a very, very bright future ahead of them, but for now they are still putting the pieces together. If I were to rewrite this article in another 10 years, MLS and EPL may just switch positions, but for the present, the Premiership towers above all, but Major League Soccer is a young league, swiftly growing.