2005 French Open Tv Schedule

AFTER SURVIVING LAST YEAR'S contraction, MLS looks hopefully toward the future. However, there are still many challenges facing the league, which continues to tighten its belt.

Gone are the days of acquiring high-profile international stars. Instead, lesser-known or younger foreign players are being wooed. As a result, more Americans are being signed to contracts at or near the league's $270,000 maximum. The worst financial news is that no new owners still have been brought aboard, which is quite alarming. Plus, the sluggish economy certainly won't help a league that claims it lost more than $250 million during the good years of the 1990s.

Here are some of the other issues MLS fans should keep an eye on this year:

The schedule: MLS's eighth year starts on April 5 with an international twist. The opening match pits the MLS Cup champions Los Angeles Galaxy against U.S. Open Cup champs Columbus Crew, neatly mirroring the European practice of kicking off a season with a match between the previous year's Cup winners. The regular season increases from 28 to 30 games--and has been stretched to October 26 (last year's MLS Cup was held October 20). As a result, 89% of MLS games will be played on weekends or holidays. The playoffs won't begin until November, climaxing with the MLS Cup in Los Angeles on November 23, just days before Thanksgiving.

The playoffs: The postseason will also have a European flavor. The two conference champions qualify, along with the six teams with the next highest point totals. The first round will be a home-and home series with an aggregate goal winner. If the teams are tied, a 30-minute, Golden Goal overtime will be played. If there is still no score, penalty kicks will decide the issue. The semifinals will be a one-shot deal, with the team with the highest regular-season point total hosting the match.

L.A.'s new stadium: This year's jewel will be the soccer-specific Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., home of the Los Angeles Galaxy. This state-of-the-art stadium seats 27,000 and will host the All-Star Game and MLS Cup.

The growing empire: By becoming the investor/operator of the San Jose Earthquakes, Phillip Anschutz owns 60% of the league--that's not a healthy situation. The Anschutz Entertainment Group now controls the Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, D.C. United, MetroStars, Galaxy, and Earthquakes.

TV: Twenty-nine games will be televised--26 on ESPN2. ABC will show three matches: the opener, the All-Star Game, and the MLS Cup.

Expansion: The league is expected to announce the addition of two teams for 2005. The shortlist includes Cleveland, Houston, Seattle, Philadelphia, Tulsa, the Oklahoma City suburb of Edmond, and somewhere in Minnesota (no city has been specified). Rochester, N.Y., is a dark horse but its proposed stadium capacity of 12,000-13,000 falls short of the MLS minimum standards (18,000).

Shifting back to the present, here's a look at what to expect from each of the 10 teams:

1. Los Angeles Galaxy

The outlook: The Galaxy have a decent shot of becoming the second team in league history to win back-to-back titles (D.C. United, 1996 and 1997).

On the field: Coached by Sigi Schmid, the Galaxy have a solid or experienced player at virtually every position. The team--not plagued with the salary cap problems that undermined other MLS Cup winners--actually improved in the offseason.

The team's biggest acquisition is South Korea defender Hong Myung Bo, a four-time World Cup veteran who is expected to attract local Korean fans to home games.

If the Galaxy had a weakness last year it was that one man--league MVP Carlos Ruiz--scored more goals (24) than the rest of the team combined (20). That's why the Galaxy acquired Honduran Alex Pineda Chacon, the 2001 MLS scoring champ and MVE, from the New England Revolution for goalkeeper Matt Reis and a second-round draft choice.

Dealing Reis finally solves the club's goalkeeping controversy. Solid No. 1 Kevin Hartman has a veteran group in front of him: Alexi Lalas, Ezra Hendrickson, Danny Califf, and Tyrone Marshall.

The same can be said for the midfield, which boasts veteran playmaker Mauricio Cienfuegos, New Zealand international Simon Elliott (10 assists), Cobi Jones (13 assists), and young Americans Sasha Victorine and Peter Vagenas.

Off the field: The new stadium should attract capacity or near-capacity crowds. If the Galaxy can survive their opening eight-game road trip, the team will be quite dangerous down the stretch.

Bottom line: A hometown victory lap in November is not out of the question.

2. Columbus Crew

The outlook: The Crew have a lot of weapons at their disposal, and after their U.S. Open Cup success are finally the top Eastern Conference contenders.

On the field: Every coach should have Greg Andrulis' problem: a log jam at midfield and forward. Up front, Andrulis can call on Jeff Cunningham (16 goals), World Cup hero Brian McBride (five goals)--who impressed in his wintertime loan to Everton--Edson Buddle (nine goals), and speedy Brian West (eight assists). Veteran Dante Washington (six goals) could be the odd man out.

In the midfield, the Crew boast MLS rookie of the year Kyle Martino, gritty Brian Maisonneuve, New Zealand international Duncan Oughton, and Colombian John Wilmar Perez. Buddle might also play here, as could U.S. international Frankie Hejduk.

The Crew don't have nearly as much depth in defense as they do elsewhere. Hejduk will likely start at right back and the team also acquired Nelson Akwari, a former U-17 international. Akwari will vie for a job with Brian Dunseth, Chad McCarty, Mike Clark, and Eric Denton.

A-League veteran Jon Busch (8-3-2, 1.09 goals-against average) proved he was an MLS keeper down the stretch.

Off the field: The Crew are slowly earning revenue thanks to their soccer-specific stadium.

Bottom line: If Andrulis can sort out his attacking options, the Crew could go far.

3. Colorado Rapids

The outlook: Coach Tim Hankinson has a history of turning mediocre teams into competitive ones. But can he turn them into champions?

On the field: This year's task became more difficult when the league didn't sign 41-year-old Carlos Valderrama (16 assists last year). Finding a playmaking replacement will be difficult, if not impossible.

In an MLS rarity, the Rapids had a pair of 32-year-old midfielders--Mark Chung and Chris Henderson--finish in double figures in goals. They collected 11 apiece, tying them for the club lead with forward Chris Carrieri, who is just coming into his own. The odds of them duplicating that are not great, so Scottish midfielder-forward John Spencer must rediscover his scoring touch after dropping from 14 to five goals last year.

After his marvelous World Cup performance, defensive midfielder Pablo Mastroeni will be partnered with former Arsenal man Gines Grimandi, the first French player in MLS history.

Hankinson must get more out of a back line--the Rapids allowed 48 goals (second most in the league)--that includes Robin Fraser, Rick Titus, and Richie Kotschau.

When healthy, Scott Garlick (1.57 GAA) is one of MLS's most consistent keepers.

Off the field: While not among the league's largest markets, the Denver-based Rapids led Mil in average attendance last year (20,690).

Bottom line: The Rapids are a decent middle-of-the-table team, but must find a way to get over that final hump.

4. MetroStars

The outlook: The reputation of coach Bob Bradley is on the line. He helped Bruce Arena build D.C. United into an early MLS powerhouse and the Chicago Fire into one of its most respected franchises. Now he must do the same with the Metros.

On the field: Bradley cleaned house, getting rid of dead wood and dealing for some new blood. At most, eight players return from last season's sorry team.

Leading the Metros are a couple of forwards coming off of disappointing years: Jaime Moreno (three goals with D.C.) and Clint Mathis (four goals).

The MetroStars have an interesting combination at defensive midfielder in veteran Richie Williams (33) and rookie Ricardo Clark (20). But after trading Brad Davis, the rest of the midfield is woefully thin. The final piece of the puzzle could be a strong central midfielder in the mold of Peter Nowak or Marco Etcheverry. The MetroStars' target is Spain's Mario Alberto Rosas, 23, a Barcelona product.

Defense has always been the backbone of Bradley's teams. The addition of United's Eddie Pope--arguably the best American defender--will stabilize the back and help give goalie Tim Howard, called on too many times to stop point-blank shots, some much deserved rest.

Off the field: The MetroStars still call spacious Giants Stadium home (even a crowd of 25,000 looks lost there) as they look for private or public funding for a proposed stadium in Harrison, NJ.

Bottom line: If Bradley can't turn around the MetroStars, who can?

5. Dallas Burn

The outlook: One of the league's best teams for most of the season, the Burn crashed and burned during a nightmarish five-day span in September, losing two league games and a U.S. Open Cup match. The likelihood of that happening again is remote.

On the field: Coach Mike Jeffries relies on a small core of players--nine players played more than 2,000 minutes for the Burn last season.

On attack, Jeffries relied on Jason Kreis (13 goals, four assists), who fizzled after a great start. Kreis has a history of going from good to mediocre seasons, so Jeffries hopes Ronald Cerritos returns from knee surgery or U.S. U-20 striker Edward Johnson blossoms.

The midfield has tons of depth. Bolivian Joselito Vaca (nine assists), 20, runs the show and will get better. He'll be teamed with a combination of Antonio Martinez (10 assists), Chad Deering, Oscar Pareja, Jorge Rodriguez, Ronnie O'Brien, and the promising Brad Davis.

In goal, the Burn think U.S. U-23 keeper DJ. Countess is ready to play with the big boys. In front of Countess, Northern Ireland native Steve Morrow will help solidify a back line that includes Ryan Suarez and Tenywa Bonseu.

Off the field: The Burn will play the next two seasons at Dragon Stadium, a high school sports facility in Southlake (near Fort Worth). The stadium seats about 8,000, although the Burn plan to expand its capacity to 12,000. Even if each game is a sellout, the Burn will be hard pressed to match last year's average attendance (13,122).

Bottom line: The key is Kreis, who needs another big season if the Burn are serious about going a long way.

6. New England Revolution

The outlook: Was the Revs' late-season surge for real or was the team just helped by playing in the weakest conference in league history?

On the field: The Revs went all the way to the MLS Cup finals last season and had enough room under the salary cap to add former U.S. international Joe-Max Moore (Everton).

Steve Nicol, the only foreign coach in the league, guided the team through its Cinderella run after replacing Fernando Clavijo early in the year. He was named Coach of the Year and re-signed just days after the MLS Cup. Whether Moore, who turned 32 this year, will thrive in Nicol's system remains to be seen.

Taylor Twellman certainly thrived last season, connecting for 23 goals and six assists. The addition of Moore may not necessarily increase Twellman's total, but the 23-year-old certainly can learn a trick or two from the threolime World Cup vet. Wolde Harris and Diego Serna provide depth.

In the midfield, Steve Ralston has demonstrated that nice guys (he hardly fouls or gets yellow cards) can finish first--in assists (19). Daniel Hernandez is one of the league's top defensive midfielders. Jay Heaps and Brian Kamler can play in either midfield or defense.

Nicol's top priority is cleaning up the mess on defense: The Revs scored a league-best 49 goals, but they allowed a league-worst 49 as well. With U.S. international Carlos Llamosa opting to sign with Atletico Nacional (Colombia) after a contract dispute with MLS, the Revs' central defenders--Shalrie Joseph, Daouda Kante, Rusty Pierce--have started 22 regular-season games at the position.

Their supporting cast is solid. Adin Brown (1.23 GAA) is the No. 1 keeper and Reis is a capable backup. Outside backs Joe Franchino and Leo Cullen are not spectacular, but they get the job done.

Off the field: The Revs play at Gillette Stadium, an attractive new stadium, which is still too big for regular-season games. But you won't see football lines here--the Kraft family owns both the New England Patriots and the Revs.

Bottom line: The Revs will make a run for the top or drop to the bottom depending on how they quickly they can cure their defensive woes.

7. San Jose Earthquakes

The outlook: A once relatively stable team, the Earthquakes will now be forced to rebuild after losing their goalie, top defender, and leading goalscorer.

On the field: It wasn't a good January for the Quakes' defense: Goalkeeper Joe Cannon, who didn't like that he was offered less than the $100,000 he sought, signed a six-month contract with Lens (France), All-Star left back Wade Barrett inked a two-year deal with AGF Aarhus (Denmark), and Jimmy Conrad was traded to the Kansas City Wizards. Plus, Jeff Agoos could be on his last legs.

As if a leaky defense wasn't enough of a headache for coach Frank Yallop, forward Ariel Graziani (14 goals) was loaned to Barcelona (Ecuador). That leaves Canadian Barcelona (Ecuador). That leaves Canadian international Dwayne DeRosario (eight assists) to team with everyone's superstar, Landon Donovan (seven goals).

The midfield is the team's strength with Ronnie Ekelund (six goals, eight assists), Richard Mulrooney, Ian Russell, and Manny Lagos.

Off the field: Once one of MLS's top draws, the Earthquakes plummeted to a league-worst attendance (11,150).

Bottom line: If the defensive holes aren't plugged, the Quakes' season could go down the drain in a hurry.

8. Kansas City Wizards

The outlook: Coach Bob Gansler seems to get the most out of his team, but the Wizards haven't been contenders since winning it all in 2000.

On the field: You don't need to be a rocket scientist to realize what Kansas City needs: a consistent scorer. The Wizards' goal production (37) was second poorest in the league behind United (31). That's why the Wizards traded the fourth overall pick in the 2003 draft to the Fire for U.S. international Josh Wolff, who is coming off a foot injury. Either Argentine Dario Fabbro (six goals) or Russian Igor Simutenkov (four goals) will pair with Wolff, but each must increase his production.

The Wizards' leading goalscorers come from the midfield: the irrepressible Preki (10 assists), who turns 40 in June, and Chris Klein. They finished with seven goals apiece, but how long will it be before Preki's legs catch up to him?

Gansler must revamp his defense after the retirements of former U.S. internationals Mike Burns and Peter Vermes. Nick Garcia will now lead the back line. Jimmy Conrad and Carey Talley are likely starters. Even at 34, Tony Meola can still do the job in goal.

The midfield will be the Wizards' strongest unit, with South African Stephen Armstrong, Chris Brown, Diego Gutierrez, and defensive-minded Kerry Zavagnin.

Off the field: The Wizards steadily increased attendance over the past several years, but still have a long way to go.

Bottom line: No offense could mean no playoffs this time around.

9. Chicago Fire

The outlook: Having undergone a massive facelift, the Chicago Fire lost their coach and saw several stars depart due to salary cap problems.

On the field: New coach Dave Sarachan has his work cut out for him after the Fire lost midfield general Peter Nowak to retirement and traded Josh Wolff (to Kansas City), Dema Kovalenko, and Hristo Stoitchkov (D.C.).

The Fire will be led by Americans: Defender of the Year Carlos Bocanegra, Chris Armas--who returns from a knee injury that kept him out of the World Cup--speedy DaMarcus Beasley, and forward Ante Razov (14 goals).

Rodrigo Faria (12 goals), compensation for Bradley's move, is a never-say-die forward with qualities similar to those of Razov. It will be interesting to see if they complement each other.

Zach Thornton (1.23 GAA, 10-134) is expected to be his intimidating self.

Off the field: The Fire played on artificial turf at Cardinal Stadium last year and are eagerly waiting the re-opening of Soldier Field in the fall.

Bottom line: It could be a long year, something Fire fans aren't used to.

10. D.C. United

The outlook: United's mission is simple: Stop their league-record streak of missing the playoffs (three years).

On the field: After winning their third MLS Cup crown in 1999, United have been perpetually rebuilding.

While many teams have gotten younger, United have gotten older. Coach Ray Hudson added U.S. World Cup hero Earnie Stewart (34), Hristo Stoitchkov (37), and Bulgarian defender Galin Ivanov (28). Dema Kovalenko (26 in Angust) and defender Mike Petke (27)--obtained from the MetroStars--are the "babies" among D.C.'s new veterans.

Stoitchkov can be among the league's most dangerous players--when he's healthy. He has scored 17 goals and 15 assists, but has played only 2,596 minutes--the equivalent of one full season--over the past three years, due to groin and hamstring problems.

Etcheverry (three goals, eight assists) is the only player remaining from the club's glory years, although he no longer plays close to his best. Bobby Convey (five goals) should take more of a creative role. Ben Olsen hopes he has overcome his ankle woes.

There will be some youth up front: Alecko Eskandarian, the first pick in the 2003 draft, and Santino Quaranta.

Off the field: Despite underachieving off the field, United still manage to attract decent crowds at RFK Stadium (16,519 last season). One must wonder when the fans' patience will run out.

Bottom line: Sooner or later the odds have to favor United. It looks like it will be later rather than sooner.

Ten Things to Watch for in 2003

1. There's no place like Home Depot: Will the Los Angeles Galaxy's new stadium, The Home Depot Stadium, inspire similar efforts in other markets?

2. Safety first: Three stadiums will have FieldTurf this season (the homes of the MetroStars, Chicago Fire, and Dallas Burn). FIFA thinks the fake grass is safe, but the players aren't so sure.

3. Stars and gripes: Can Clint Mathis bounce back from his disappointing post-Cup year?

4. Shaky ground: The Earthquakes will likely struggle this year--how will Landon Donovan cope with potential frustration?

5. One more time: At 40, does Preki have enough left in his tank to lead the Kansas City Wizards midfield?

6. Young Americans: Can emerging strikers Taylor Twellman, Edson Buddle, and Edward Johnson establish themselves as potential internationals?

7. Young internationals: Diamonds in the rough not proven vets are in vogue, but who will find the next Carlos Ruiz?

8. Oklahoma, soon: Even if it doesn't head for the Sooner State, MLS's big fish/small pond philosophy seems to be an effective tactic.

9. D.C. internships: Can Earnie Stewart and Hristo Stoitchkov help turn Santino Quaranta and Alecko Eskandarian into stars?

10. World peace: The Galaxy will represent MLS against some of the world's top clubs at the eight-team World Peace Cup in June.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Century Publishing
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group

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