Messi and MLS

[Sean Miller Fan]

You're not a Miami fan, lol

Unless of course you'll still bleed pink and black AFTER Messi leaves the team?

What are the chances of that? You're just sort of a band wagon jumper, just chasing the next popular thing

Correct. Definite band wagon jumper but Pittsburgh doesn't have an MLS team so I'm allowed to adopt a team.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Correct. Definite band wagon jumper but Pittsburgh doesn't have an MLS team so I'm allowed to adopt a team.

Nothing wrong with that. And for Miami, it’s good business.

DC United tried it with Wayne Rooney but that didn’t move the needle. Funny that Rooney was quoted as saying the MLS was a rough adjustment and that Messi will find things difficult.—
Yeah ok.

 

[mike412]

Today, on two different plazas near our apartment (there are 4 large plazas within two blocks of our apartment), there were street vendors selling Messi #10 pink and black Miami jerseys on the sidewalk. I am sure they are knock-offs, but it’s frankly hard to tell. They were selling well.

Of course, every knock-off takes money out of Messi’s pocket, but I think he will manage to get by.

What was interesting to me was that the guys who were selling these are usually the guys trying to sell giant beach towels/blankets either on Barcelonetta beach or in Ciutedella Park. They almost never go an hour without the police chasing them off the beach or out of the park and sometimes arrest them. There is a police station maybe 150 meters from where they were selling in the Plaza in front of my house and there were two policemen by the Metro entrance which is in the other plaza. When they change shifts at the Metro, which they do hourly, they walk right through the other plaza. To my knowledge none tried to stop the sales.

My only explanation: it was Messi.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Today, on two different plazas near our apartment (there are 4 large plazas within two blocks of our apartment), there were street vendors selling Messi #10 pink and black Miami jerseys on the sidewalk. I am sure they are knock-offs, but it’s frankly hard to tell. They were selling well.

Of course, every knock-off takes money out of Messi’s pocket, but I think he will manage to get by.

What was interesting to me was that the guys who were selling these are usually the guys trying to sell giant beach towels/blankets either on Barcelonetta beach or in Ciutedella Park. They almost never go an hour without the police chasing them off the beach or out of the park and sometimes arrest them. There is a police station maybe 150 meters from where they were selling in the Plaza in front of my house and there were two policemen by the Metro entrance which is in the other plaza. When they change shifts at the Metro, which they do hourly, they walk right through the other plaza. To my knowledge none tried to stop the sales.

My only explanation: it was Messi.

Soccer.com said the best 9 selling jerseys on their website are Messi-related, though I cant figure out which 8

2 Miami
2 Argentina
PSG, Barcelona still?

Unless they are counting Busquets and Alba jerseys as Messi related.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Soccer.com said the best 9 selling jerseys on their website are Messi-related, though I cant figure out which 8

2 Miami
2 Argentina
PSG, Barcelona still?

Unless they are counting Busquets and Alba jerseys as Messi related.

I don’t get that at all. Doesn’t make sense. No way a PSG shirt is outselling a Pulisic Milan shirt. Isn’t Soccer.com primarily domestic sales?

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Soccer.com said the best 9 selling jerseys on their website are Messi-related, though I cant figure out which 8

2 Miami
2 Argentina
PSG, Barcelona still?

Unless they are counting Busquets and Alba jerseys as Messi related.

Thinking more about this, I’m guessing they are counting youth home and away, women’s cut home and away, men’s home and away and Argentina jerseys or some combination of such.

 

[brdst11]

Was just at the adidas store on Fifth Ave in New York and it's completely dominated by Messi Inter stuff.

For some reason, there's also a PSG store like a block away. Can't imagine they'll stay open much longer.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Thinking more about this, I’m guessing they are counting youth home and away, women’s cut home and away, men’s home and away and Argentina jerseys or some combination of such.

Yea, good call on the youth and women's. Not sure if they are counting Messi t-shirts but I think it said "jerseys." I read an article a couple weeks ago that said Messi jerseys were sold out until October but not sure if that was just on the Adidas site. Messi gets a cut of all these. Still not enough to get close to Saudi Arabia money but he chose the US/Miami lifestyle over living in a medieval desert kingdom.

Tata Martino said Messi will miss 3 games for his Argentina duty. I didnt realize MLS was playing through the international break. I'd assume he plays at home vs Nashville tomorrow, then misses at LAFC Sunday, plays vs Ecuador Thursday, misses SKC Saturday, plays vs Bolivia Tuesday, and misses the road turf game in Atlanta the following Saturday.

I had the road games at LAFC and Atlanta as losses anyway but that would mean they need to go 6-0-2 the rest of the way. If it were me, I'd rest him at home vs Nashville and have him play in LA on Sunday.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Was just at the adidas store on Fifth Ave in New York and it's completely dominated by Messi Inter stuff.

For some reason, there's also a PSG store like a block away. Can't imagine they'll stay open much longer.

Maybe it will turn into a Saudi league store. Al-Ittihad was on FS1 yesterday. Turned it on for a few minutes and didn't recognize anyone so wasn't sure if that was one of the 4 teams the king owns. The stadium was empty though. Looked like Covid. Maybe too hot??? (Though it was a night game)

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Yea, good call on the youth and women's. Not sure if they are counting Messi t-shirts but I think it said "jerseys." I read an article a couple weeks ago that said Messi jerseys were sold out until October but not sure if that was just on the Adidas site. Messi gets a cut of all these. Still not enough to get close to Saudi Arabia money but he chose the US/Miami lifestyle over living in a medieval desert kingdom.

Tata Martino said Messi will miss 3 games for his Argentina duty. I didnt realize MLS was playing through the international break. I'd assume he plays at home vs Nashville tomorrow, then misses at LAFC Sunday, plays vs Ecuador Thursday, misses SKC Saturday, plays vs Bolivia Tuesday, and misses the road turf game in Atlanta the following Saturday.

I had the road games at LAFC and Atlanta as losses anyway but that would mean they need to go 6-0-2 the rest of the way. If it were me, I'd rest him at home vs Nashville and have him play in LA on Sunday.

That sucks. I guess MLs plays through international break because such a large % of the league aren’t good enough to play international duty? Lol.

I checked Argentina’s schedule and they are already playing World Cup qualifiers in this window. I just don’t know if they need Messi vs Ecuador and Bolivia.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Maybe it will turn into a Saudi league store. Al-Ittihad was on FS1 yesterday. Turned it on for a few minutes and didn't recognize anyone so wasn't sure if that was one of the 4 teams the king owns. The stadium was empty though. Looked like Covid. Maybe too hot??? (Though it was a night game)

The Saudi league closes their international transfer window next month, while Europe closes their window this week. That could be problematic. Something to keep an eye on.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Yea, good call on the youth and women's. Not sure if they are counting Messi t-shirts but I think it said "jerseys." I read an article a couple weeks ago that said Messi jerseys were sold out until October but not sure if that was just on the Adidas site. Messi gets a cut of all these. Still not enough to get close to Saudi Arabia money but he chose the US/Miami lifestyle over living in a medieval desert kingdom.

Tata Martino said Messi will miss 3 games for his Argentina duty. I didnt realize MLS was playing through the international break. I'd assume he plays at home vs Nashville tomorrow, then misses at LAFC Sunday, plays vs Ecuador Thursday, misses SKC Saturday, plays vs Bolivia Tuesday, and misses the road turf game in Atlanta the following Saturday.

I had the road games at LAFC and Atlanta as losses anyway but that would mean they need to go 6-0-2 the rest of the way. If it were me, I'd rest him at home vs Nashville and have him play in LA on Sunday.

I wish the top jersey sellers lists were more readily available. I did a quick twitter search and a quick google search and didn’t find much. I was curious to see a list because I saw a report that like 75% of the jerseys sold through AC Milan’s mega store were Pulisic jerseys. Messi to Miami aside as there probably was never a deal in history that was better business…but was there a better deal this off-season than the one Milan made to bring in CP10? They’ve seen a return on the investment already.

 

[brdst11]

That sucks. I guess MLs plays through international break because such a large % of the league aren’t good enough to play international duty? Lol.

I checked Argentina’s schedule and they are already playing World Cup qualifiers in this window. I just don’t know if they need Messi vs Ecuador and Bolivia.

The game at Bolivia is always a tricky one because it's played at altitude.

 

[Pitt79]

Correct. Definite band wagon jumper but Pittsburgh doesn't have an MLS team so I'm allowed to adopt a team.

Kudos for admitting it, as you only adopt the team until Messi leaves

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Kudos for admitting it, as you only adopt the team until Messi leaves

Yea but I may keep them if they try to become a super-club and bring in other older big names. Right now, they are the perfect mix of older UEFA players and Americans.

 

[Pitt79]

Nothing wrong with that. And for Miami, it’s good business.

DC United tried it with Wayne Rooney but that didn’t move the needle. Funny that Rooney was quoted as saying the MLS was a rough adjustment and that Messi will find things difficult.—
Yeah ok.

And the truth is, I watched a lot of Rooney's games with DC, and he was top notch and played like a star at 35 years old, was definitely the best player on the team by far

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

That sucks. I guess MLs plays through international break because such a large % of the league aren’t good enough to play international duty? Lol.

I checked Argentina’s schedule and they are already playing World Cup qualifiers in this window. I just don’t know if they need Messi vs Ecuador and Bolivia.

MLS always played through international breaks until a few years ago. I mean they do have a fair number of internationals playing for CONCACAF teams, USMNT, lower level Euro/South American. But maybe they are playing through again due to Leagues Cup.

 

[mike412]

Soccer.com said the best 9 selling jerseys on their website are Messi-related, though I cant figure out which 8

2 Miami
2 Argentina
PSG, Barcelona still?

Unless they are counting Busquets and Alba jerseys as Messi related.

Barcelona has 3 kits: Home, Away and a third one which they occasionally use for either home or away. So with two PSG kits, that would be 9.

Barca has played 3 matches this season and have worn a different kit in each. I suspect that was to help marketing. Last year, the third kit was pink; this year it is yellow. The yellow one was the away kit last year, but the new away kit is the best looking soccer kit I have seen since Barca’s centennial home kit, which had the old-style collars that I love. The Jersey is white with blue and garnet trim; the shorts are blue, with white and garnet trim, and the socks have blue and garnet wide horizontal stripes.

I just bought the jersey for myself. If I were younger and still playing, I would have bought the whole kit. I did buy one complete one for my one-year-old grand niece, along with a matching sun hat which is not part of the kit but is cool for a young child. When I visit in October, I plan to get pictures and video of her wearing the entire outfit and kicking a child’s soccer ball. She might live in Atlanta, but she is going to be a Barca fan. Or player.

By the way, I was lucky I bought the new ones before they wore them in a match. They wore them Sunday against Villareal and the store (which is maybe 50 meters from our apartment) already is sold out of almost all sizes of the shirt. The manager told me they had people waiting in line to buy them when he opened on Monday morning. (They don’t sell the Messi Miami jerseys there but they refer people to an “unofficial” Barca store across the street which does.)

I assume Argentina has an away kit, but I have never seen them play in anything other than the white and blue vertical stripes.

 

[brdst11]

I assume Argentina has an away kit, but I have never seen them play in anything other than the white and blue vertical stripes.

Last year's was purple, they wore it in the World Cup against Poland

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Barcelona has 3 kits: Home, Away and a third one which they occasionally use for either home or away. So with two PSG kits, that would be 9.

Barca has played 3 matches this season and have worn a different kit in each. I suspect that was to help marketing. Last year, the third kit was pink; this year it is yellow. The yellow one was the away kit last year, but the new away kit is the best looking soccer kit I have seen since Barca’s centennial home kit, which had the old-style collars that I love. The Jersey is white with blue and garnet trim; the shorts are blue, with white and garnet trim, and the socks have blue and garnet wide horizontal stripes.

I just bought the jersey for myself. If I were younger and still playing, I would have bought the whole kit. I did buy one complete one for my one-year-old grand niece, along with a matching sun hat which is not part of the kit but is cool for a young child. When I visit in October, I plan to get pictures and video of her wearing the entire outfit and kicking a child’s soccer ball. She might live in Atlanta, but she is going to be a Barca fan. Or player.

By the way, I was lucky I bought the new ones before they wore them in a match. They wore them Sunday against Villareal and the store (which is maybe 50 meters from our apartment) already is sold out of almost all sizes of the shirt. The manager told me they had people waiting in line to buy them when he opened on Monday morning. (They don’t sell the Messi Miami jerseys there but they refer people to an “unofficial” Barca store across the street which does.)

I assume Argentina has an away kit, but I have never seen them play in anything other than the white and blue vertical stripes.

Full kit wanker Alert!! Here you go Mike. Lol.

 

[Pitt79]

Maybe it will turn into a Saudi league store. Al-Ittihad was on FS1 yesterday. Turned it on for a few minutes and didn't recognize anyone so wasn't sure if that was one of the 4 teams the king owns. The stadium was empty though. Looked like Covid. Maybe too hot??? (Though it was a night game)st

Today I saw a bit of a Saudi game on FS2, the place was pretty full, mostly men with beards wearing white sheets. but just as I turned it on, Renaldo scores on a header off a corner, but then it was overturned by VAR saying he pushed off to create space. Most of the players looked foreign blonde Euros, Hispanic guys, a black dude with blonde dreds and a Japanese goalkeeper.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Maybe it will turn into a Saudi league store. Al-Ittihad was on FS1 yesterday. Turned it on for a few minutes and didn't recognize anyone so wasn't sure if that was one of the 4 teams the king owns. The stadium was empty though. Looked like Covid. Maybe too hot??? (Though it was a night game)

The Athletic had a story about what the game atmosphere was like there. The reporter went to I think three games in three different stadiums/cities over three days. This was a couple weeks ago. All the games started at like 9:00 or 10:00 at night because of the heat. The game that he saw that involved one of the "PIF4" was reasonably well attended but not nearly a sellout. One game had a few thousand. And the third game he went to was a team that had been promoted from the second division this season and is not expected to be any good and there were a couple hundred people there.

 

[brdst11]

Report I saw in an Argentinian paper said if Inter wins against Nashville, he's not playing against LA. Didn't cite any sources though

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Report I saw in an Argentinian paper said if Inter wins against Nashville, he's not playing against LA. Didn't cite any sources though

I forgot about the October international break which MLS is playing through. He's going to miss the rescheduled game vs Charlotte. He may only have 6 MLS games left.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Crushing home draw with Nashville. Nashville fielded mostly a B squad with their tight schedule, basically conceding the game. Miami now has to go 7-2-1 to make the playoffs and faces a few games without Messi. Doesnt look good.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Crushing home draw with Nashville. Nashville fielded mostly a B squad with their tight schedule, basically conceding the game. Miami now has to go 7-2-1 to make the playoffs and faces a few games without Messi. Doesnt look good.

They have a couple game in hand so that’s a good thing.

In general, I don’t like the games in hand factoid for teams fighting relegation, or in this case fighting for the playoffs. Because all the games in hand mean for these types of teams are two games left to be played that they are going to lose. But in Miami’s case, you’d like to think it’s 6pts. So picking up a few more on Chicago doesn’t seem difficult.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

They have a couple game in hand so that’s a good thing.

In general, I don’t like the games in hand factoid for teams fighting relegation, or in this case fighting for the playoffs. Because all the games in hand mean for these types of teams are two games left to be played that they are going to lose. But in Miami’s case, you’d like to think it’s 6pts. So picking up a few more on Chicago doesn’t seem difficult.

I'm not even looking at games in hand. They need to go 7-2-1 or very close to it. Not even looking at what others are doing.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

I'm not even looking at games in hand. They need to go 7-2-1 or very close to it. Not even looking at what others are doing.

3 games in hand now, and 10 points behind Chicago.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

3 games in hand now, and 10 points behind Chicago.

Massive win but now have to play KC without Messi and Cremaschi and whoever else is on international duty. Luckily, Canada isnt playing so Kamal Miller will be available. Need to go 6-2-1. Not looking at anyone else. Maybe the last 2 or 3 games I will.

I'm having fun with this. Reminds me of Pitt basketball bubble watch. In my head, I figure what games they need to win and which they can drop. The home draw vs the Nashville B team was bad but 2-0-1 in the 1st 3 is ahead of schedule. I had 2-1.

Also, they are 8 points out of the last playoff spot which is DC right now, with 2 games in hand.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Massive win but now have to play KC without Messi and Cremaschi and whoever else is on international duty. Luckily, Canada isnt playing so Kamal Miller will be available. Need to go 6-2-1. Not looking at anyone else. Maybe the last 2 or 3 games I will.

I'm having fun with this. Reminds me of Pitt basketball bubble watch. In my head, I figure what games they need to win and which they can drop. The home draw vs the Nashville B team was bad but 2-0-1 in the 1st 3 is ahead of schedule. I had 2-1.

Did you see where chellini said that Miami is the best team in MLS by far? Pretty amazing. But I guess adding the best player in the world will do that.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Did you see where chellini said that Miami is the best team in MLS by far? Pretty amazing. But I guess adding the best player in the world will do that.

I mean its pretty obvious that they are. Besides Messi, they added Busquets and Alba, who were starters at a decent Euro club (tongue in cheek). And the rest of the roster is solid. Yedlin, Cremaschi, Miller, the Ukrainian, Campana, Martinez, the 3 South American U22s. Its probably the best MLS team of all time.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

4pts back. Game in hand.

Additionally, 4 of Miami’s last 5 games are against Chicago, NYCFC and Charlotte, which are the teams they are fighting for that final spot. Talk about a run in.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

4pts back. Game in hand.

Additionally, 4 of Miami’s last 5 games are against Chicago, NYCFC and Charlotte, which are the teams they are fighting for that final spot. Talk about a run in.

Down 9 guys on international duty though the only real key guys besides Messi were Cremaschi, Martinez, and Taylor and of those, they are all replaceable. Didnt realize Honduras called up American David Ruiz but he didnt play vs Jamaica in their Nations League game. Not sure if he can still play for USA.

The crowd showed just how bad a sports town Miami is. All the tickets were sold.....at expensive prices and yet the place had to be 1/3 empty. If Messi isnt there, people cant even be bothered to use the tickets they already bought despite 2 legends in Busquets and Alba in the starting 11. Miami had 1 MLS team fold. When Messi leaves, there will be no one in attendance like the Marlins, Panthers, Hurricanes, and post-Lebron Heat

 

[Pitt79]

I was looking at the TV listings, ahead a couple weeks, Steelers play Raiders on MNF, at the same time Inter Miami vs. Orlando on FS1. What are you watching? Just curious, I'm watching the Steelers, I'd rather watch them suck than see Messi the Goat

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Down 9 guys on international duty though the only real key guys besides Messi were Cremaschi, Martinez, and Taylor and of those, they are all replaceable. Didnt realize Honduras called up American David Ruiz but he didnt play vs Jamaica in their Nations League game. Not sure if he can still play for USA.

The crowd showed just how bad a sports town Miami is. All the tickets were sold.....at expensive prices and yet the place had to be 1/3 empty. If Messi isnt there, people cant even be bothered to use the tickets they already bought despite 2 legends in Busquets and Alba in the starting 11. Miami had 1 MLS team fold. When Messi leaves, there will be no one in attendance like the Marlins, Panthers, Hurricanes, and post-Lebron Heat

Reminds me of what Mark Madden always said about many good Penguins. I think he even said this about greats like Kris Letang. Players like that never sold one extra ticket. No one buys tickets to watch Letang play. @mike412 has better perspective of course, but nobody is buying tix for Alba and Busquets, as legendary as they might be at Barcelona.

 

[Pitt79]

Reminds me of what Mark Madden always said about many good Penguins. I think he even said this about greats like Kris Letang. Players like that never sold one extra ticket. No one buys tickets to watch Letang play. @mike412 has better perspective of course, but nobody is buying tix for Alba and Busquets, as legendary as they might be at Barcelona.

You can't compare them to Messi, Messi is like Pele in the 70s, even Americans knew who he was, and they had way way way less interest in soccer than we do now. same with Letang, nobody knows him outside of real hockey fans or Pittsburgh fans, but even non-hockey fans know Crosby.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

You can't compare them to Messi, Messi is like Pele in the 70s, even Americans knew who he was, and they had way way way less interest in soccer than we do now. same with Letang, nobody knows him outside of real hockey fans or Pittsburgh fans, but even non-hockey fans know Crosby.

Right.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I was looking at the TV listings, ahead a couple weeks, Steelers play Raiders on MNF, at the same time Inter Miami vs. Orlando on FS1. What are you watching? Just curious, I'm watching the Steelers, I'd rather watch them suck than see Messi the Goat

Inter Miami. I have become a fan, probably because I need a soccer team to adopt. I am not a Steeler fan though I am a Pickett fan so I hope they win but that Joey Toast Porter gives up 5 TDs.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Reminds me of what Mark Madden always said about many good Penguins. I think he even said this about greats like Kris Letang. Players like that never sold one extra ticket. No one buys tickets to watch Letang play. @mike412 has better perspective of course, but nobody is buying tix for Alba and Busquets, as legendary as they might be at Barcelona.

In Miami, no. But I think in Columbus, KC, Nashville, etc, people buy tickets to see Alba and Busquets, not necessarily because of their play but just because of their names.

 

[Pitt79]

Inter Miami. I have become a fan, probably because I need a soccer team to adopt. I am not a Steeler fan though I am a Pickett fan so I hope they win but that Joey Toast Porter gives up 5 TDs.

That's cool, so what is your NFL team? I can't do this thing where I root for players instead of teams, but to each his own.

I hope Joey Porter Jr. MAKES THE HALL OF FAME, I don't care if he took showers with Jerry's kids at Happy Valley Boys Club, he's a Steeler now, so like Friermuth, I'm all in for their big time success.