I'm having a rough day in a couple of different ways today, so I'm going to ramble a bit with no real regard for form or structure.

Apparently news is not my thing, so I'm going to be leaving to the professionals from now on.

Instead, I'm going to return to my roots here, and knock around a few issues that remain stuck on my mind.

1. What would Beckham and Donovan staying in Europe mean for the league?

Beckham-mania brought mainstream pub and put fannies in the seats, but never seemed to give soccer the push that some hoped for; I get the feeling that members of the soccer Illuminati view the whole experiment with a jaded eye, and wouldn't shed any tears if David and Posh stayed in Milan. Although attention waned and he may not be able to put 60k in the seats anymore, the postives far outweigh the negatives for a Beckham return (at least for the league; the Galaxy themselves are another story).

Donovan's loan and potential transfer is another beast altogeher. Landon is certainly taken for granted (or hated) in MLS, so the effect his departure may have could be negligible. Donovan certainly rasied the profile of the leage as the best American player, but I don't think it's necessary for him to play in MLS for the league to benefit. A strong showing in Germany can raise the profile of the league abroad much more than another 20 goal season in a Galaxy uniform can.

Beckham should stay, Donovan should go; the league will lose more if Beckham stays in Milan than if Donovan remains in Munich.

2. Will ESPN push USA-Mexico?

I have yet to see any ads pushing the game, and ESPN will do nothing until after the Super Bowl. It seems they are too busy pushing a ridiculous time-filling concept called "The Mount Rushmore of Sports". We've heard that the game will be shown on ESPN2 in HD, and while that's a step up from the usual ESPN Classic treatment, the lack of buzz from the network itself for the game is making me angry. I realize that the king of American sports is closing in on its biggest game, but ESPN has been known to show ads for events a month in advance, and we're well within that window for February 11th.

3. Are American soccer fans obligated to support WPS?

I don't think it makes me a bad person that I don't care at all about WPS. I'm guessing I'm not alone, but it seems that a lot of people out there are giving the new league attention. Maybe it's the lull between the MLS draft and the first preseason action; maybe it's a sense of obligation because the women's national team has had so much success. Either way, I can't drum up fake enthusiasm, and I might even "yech" a little every time an ad for the league appears on FSC.

4. What does the players' union plan for the upcoming CBA negotiations?

I don't know why, but my gut wants the players to make a firm stand and squeeze a little out of the league. I'm not sure how much money there will be to go around, but things can't stay the way they are if MLS wants to be taken seriously. I may to do some research, but I'm curious if the contract ownership situation will stay the same for the foreseeable future (I'm sure the league would fight tooth and nail to keep contract control).


Speaking of USA-Mexico, I would love to hear some Nats chirp back at those Mexican players who have recently taken shots at the U.S.

No more, as I've tapped myself out after a shameful oversight this morning.