A few of the many MLS stories to follow.

MLS “first kick” (why do I dislike that name?) is happening today and once again, the Don has given us more to be excited about this year than last. There can be no doubt that the positive direction of MLS continues to bear a tasty fruit. First, expansion over the past three years has been outstanding. With Montreal joining this year, probably the last Canadian team we will ever see, we’ll know if MLS rode this wave too far, or just far enough. All signs point to Le Impact being another success, I just hope they have shed the trappings of their D2 lifestyle.

Second, the infusion of youth, from the development systems, from South America, from college or from Bradenton is a great sign for the fans! MLS has been able to pair some young talent with more established veterans to create a very interesting and sustainable mix of strengths. For those who keep an eye on Bradenton (home of US Soccer’s residency program) the addition of Charles Renken to the Portland Timber’s squad has to be an exciting development. Renken, originally with Vancouver’s development program, spent some time at Hoffenheim before joining the Timbers. The electric atmosphere at home, combined with Portland’s lack of an established strike force could make room for Renken and Portland’s young Colombian, Jose Valencia.

NBC and ESPN are both behind MLS now, and that’s a good thing, but if you are like me and don’t have cable, then MLS is not as accessible as you would like. So where to watch? First off, www.concacaf.com offers free Concacaf Champions League streaming. Seattle showed this week, that those games are just as entertaining as a normal league matchup. Most other streaming sites such as www.foxsoccer.tv and www.mlslive.com are pay-to-play sites. My pick right now would be Fox Soccer because you’ll get access to plenty of EPL and La Liga action as well.

I know, you are saying to yourself, “what about all the other storylines in MLS!!?” I’ll be watching Eddie Johnson’s return to Seattle, DC United’s rebuild, if Henry can bring some fans (and goals) to RBNJ, and try to cut through all the propaganda and rumors surrounding the New York Cosmos as Kickin Dixie continues. Soccer. Asheville. Worldwide.

Free Beer City?

While the 'Free Beer Movement' ( http://www.thefreebeermovement.com/ ) isn't exactly taking America by storm the way pogs, pumps or pound puppies did, the idea is gaining steam among folks too nice to consider fist-fighting Jim Rome. What I like about the Free Beer Movement (FBM) is that unlike many of the for-profit soccer businesses in the States, it is not targeted at soccer moms or the contents of their mini-van, but at the lovable drunk in all of us. The premise is simple: at a soccer game or event, advertise (an this is classic): "Free Beer for new fans", the new guys show up, they say "I'm here for the Free Beer" and the old guys buy 'em one. Simple but elegant.

So why should you (or I, or your Mamma's Big Fat Booty Band) care at all about the FBM? Well if you're smarter than your average Junior Assistant Referee, or if you read the title to the post, you've put it together by now. Asheville is not some podunk town where beer is just a drink (Portland I'm not looking at you) this is Beer City USA! We have beer shampoo, beer chocolate, beer mustard; beer beer beer beer beer. After three years of being Beer City, we've taken the title and ran with it. Oh yea, and there's the Beer City Cup.

The Beer City Cup, now in its third year is gaining steam as a regional adult tournament, but it was also envisioned as a spectator event and perhaps FBM could help. Tough to know what some kind of partnership would look like, but for now its good to know that someone out there is thinking like us.

Welcome to the New and Improved (again) Adult League

2012 embraces a reoccurring theme in Asheville's adult soccer league: change. The double-roster rule last year was abused, to say the least and as a result double rostering has been eliminated in order to protect our new promotion/relegation structure (among other reasons). So is this change significant? Positive? Meddlesome?

First, we have to look at the fact that although some teams did have more than the 2 double-rostered players that the "spirit" of the rule allowed, the overall league play was pretty even. Perhaps some folks did not get the chance to put Watershed to the sword as they had always dreamed or perform a Magua-esque heart surgery on Wizards (Last of the Mohcians?) but that probably wasn't in the cards either way.

The two major issues at play are the amount of soccer that junkies (I'm looking at you) are able to play (and the subsequent $ generated for the league) and weather or not double rostering will negatively impact the ability for teams to promote if they win the league.

My thoughts? Is promotion/relegation that important? Perhaps, but it always seems that the promoted teams don't wanna go. In the EPL teams get millions of dollars when promoted, in Asheville? Look forward to having the Wizards go unmerciful on you a mad down. If we want to keep promotion (do we?) perhaps a registration discount should accompany promotion.

Really, this is all mute until all the open leagues can play on the same day and that won't happen until we are saying words like "JBL 5" or "Buncombe County Turf", but I'll get to that next time.