this is an easy one. What Mathis probably fails to understand is that the world isn't against him. Whether you're a fan, a member of the media or even an employee of an opposing team's organization, it's hard to find anyone who wouldn't enjoy a glimpse of the old Clint Mathis. People in MLS still have a thirst for him even after a bad finish to his career with the MetroStars, his bad decisions to mock his manager while in Germany and the waste of a season he had in Real Salt Lake. When ON, he's good for the game in this country. Baggage and all.
A little less cheering from the home team announcers. There are certain teams' local broadcasts that I simply cannot watch with the sound on anymore. It worked for former Boston Celtics play-by-play announcer Johnny Most, but hardly for anyone else. Talk about the local team for 95 percent of the broadcast. I think that's understandable and something we can all live with. But when you start whining about the calls made by the officials or openly yell at opposing players for diving or faking an injury, it's crossing a line.
Continued coverage of college soccer on Fox Soccer Channel. The best part of the weekly games FSC put on during the fall was how they were shown repeatedly during the week. Even if you missed it on the Friday night or during the weekend, you could always find a time to tune in before the following week's match. (I have TiVo, but I'm thinking of those without any sort of DVR). With that type of coverage, there's no reason that MLS fans shouldn't already know about someone like Maryland's Jason Garey or some of the other top players coming out in this year's SuperDraft.
What Clint Dempsey has cooking up this year. The Revolution midfielder's goal celebrations were a pleasant surprise in '05, weren't they? From the "home run" he hit out of RFK to the stop, drop and roll against the Fire in the playoffs, he added a little color without being too over the top or showy. From a piece I did on him for Boston Magazine last summer, he gave me two or three other ideas that he was mulling over for the future. They're good ones, too. I'm not about to ruin the surprise, though.
A new Eddie Gaven. Throw out last year's performance by the MetroStars' midfielder. Remember, he's still just a 19-year-old kid trying to figure out what he's going to do with his hair.
Post-World Cup returns. Perhaps we'll see Kasey Keller, Eddie Lewis, Claudio Reyna and Gregg Berhalter back in the States come August. Also, what about John O'Brien in a Galaxy uniform?
Post-World Cup departures. If Wizards striker Josh Wolff is ever going to play abroad, it might have to come this summer after performing for the U.S. Same goes for Rapids defender Pablo Mastroeni. And if FC Dallas striker Eddie Johnson is healthy and plays the way he did in the latter portions of '04 and early '05, I'm guessing his transfer fee will be something that MLS simply cannot pass up.
A former MLS player on "Survivor". Hey, if former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Gary Hogeboom can do it, why not Preki? (If Marcelo Balboa was not tied up with the Rapids and his announcing duties, he'd win the thing. Seriously.)
And finally ...
Fulfilled potential by Freddy Adu. Is this the year he explodes? Personally, I think the best thing for him is to NOT make the World Cup team. He needs another full year of professional soccer. Last year, he missed out by playing abroad with the U-20s and having a late-season fallout with the team.
Marc Connolly is a freelance writer covering soccer for several publications and regularly writes for MLSnet.com. Marc can be reached at marc@oakwoodsoccer.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs
