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In a move to advance the quality of players on MLS teams, the board of director and Commissioner have approved a measure to increase the number of foreign players on a team too eight.
In the past the number has stood at seven, with the stipulation of four players being "senior," and three players being "youth." With the adjustment to eight players there will no required "split" in the number of players from each age group.
As the MLS continues to grow, there is the realization that the availability of domestic players may not be able to keep up with the demand. When San Jose joins the league this year, there will be 14 teams, with two additional teams joining in 2009, and another 2 by 2010 - leading up to an 18 team league.
While there is speculation that the lack of domestic talent will bring doubt as to whether the MLS can contend with the rapid growth, as well as maintain it. The Commissioner and Board or Directors, in looking at the possibilities of losing the momentum, made the decision to increase the numbers of foreign players to increase the playing field during this time.
While the focus with this decision may be on the availability of foreign players, maintaining the number at eight, leaves the teams with a roster of 20 domestic players - leaving the focus on U.S. talent.
In order to advance the domestic player pool, as it is referred too - youth programs, as well as high school and college programs need to be looked at more closely and players looked at for advancement. There is a lot of talent there, but without the right training and advancement opportunities the players may not be available.
For now, foreign players, such as David Beckham, will bring the fans and skeptics to the game, it will take more than a big name to keep it going.
How many times do we hear the comments, the ridicule, insensitive remarks? How often do we let that cloud our judgment and how we see ourselves?
The people who make these comments, I think may be more uncomfortable with themselves than they are with us, more afraid of catching what those with mental illness have. This of course would have to come from some warped perception of the illnesses themselves.
What is most important is to remember that mental illness is an honest medical condition, do not play into the comments and thoughts of those who do not understand - they will merely undo any progress that has been made.
The best course of action? The best way to find your own strength and positive side of a mental illness? Be available for others, those who do know or understand are the ones who need to be educated. Who better to educate them, then someone who lives it everyday. In turn, self-esteem increases as you see people’s lives being turned around.
There is hope beyond mental illness, using your illness to do good is the best way I have found to do that. Through giving of yourself, you give hope to others and help them find the hope and light for their lives that they have been looking for.
We, as a society, tend to put our sports players on a pedestal, and all too often these players become part of our family, in turn experiencing pain and sadness as if we know them personally.
Recently Scottish soccer faced the death of a prominent player and captain of the Scottish Premier League. The 35 year old Midfielder, Phil O’Donnell collapsed as he exited the field, no immediate reasons were released. While O’Donnell’s death is tragic he is not the first to die on the field and/or during a game.
In 2003, a Cameroon midfielder, Marc-Vivien Foe, collapsed and died during the Confederations Cup in France. Sevilla midfielder, Antonio Puerta, died after he collapsed during a Spanish league game. Also within the last year two other players have died, one of heart failure and a 16 year old English player collapsed during training.
Each of these incidents has prompted soccer’s administration to require general physical and cardio-vascular test on all players prior to the World Cup in Germany.
It is an assumption of many that those we are in ideal shape do not have the same concerns as those who may not be at our best, as we have seen it is not the case, as these sudden deaths have occurred in others sports as well.
The best course of action is to monitor you health, no matter how you feel.
Soccer teams have struggled to maintain a solid following, enticing families to spend their evenings and weekends watch their favorite team. What has been found is that fans that are following teams are those they didn’t count on.
If you look at statistics and followings of sports like NASCAR, a similar pattern is seen. While there may be a greater following now, it began as soccer is in more urban areas from main cities and development. MLS had done well to introduce soccer to kids, but far too often soccer practices are used as baby sitters and weekend games are a place to network and are seen. This is reality in the suburban world
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Soccer teams have struggled to maintain a solid following, enticing families to spend their evenings and weekends watch their favorite team. What has been found is that fans that are following teams are those they didn’t count on.
If you look at statistics and followings of sports like NASCAR, a similar pattern is seen. While there may be a greater following now, it began as soccer is in more urban areas from main cities and development. MLS had done well to introduce soccer to kids, but far too often soccer practices are used as baby sitters and weekend games are a place to network and are seen. This is reality in the suburban world
[ Click here to read more ]
I was doing some research today on the stigma of mental illness, both for personal reasons and for the book I am writing (more on that later) and came across a website called Shadow Voicesť Finding Hope in Mental Illness. I found it interesting because the stories on the site are from people who share their own story and not the usual technical/medical stuff that all too often is given, when what we truly want is the truth, the reality and to know that we are not alone – that someone else feels the same.
Here is the link - http://shadowvoices.com
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Thoughts from a cluttered mind………..I thought it was time to begin sharing a work in progress, and is being considered for publication. The title – “Thoughts From a Cluttered Mind,” and is a personal journey through childhood abuse and bipolar disorder, the good, the bad and the ugly. I am going to share the intro here, while I am working on the finishing touches.
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Do a search for ways to clear the mind, recover lost energy or combat depression and there are millions of options. The sheer number alone is enough to make your head spin. One option, I recently read about is something called EFT – what some call “acupuncture for emotions, without the needles.” The theory is that when the body itself is on a stable energy level, this will in turn correct the emotional level, since negative emotions are thought to be caused by the disruption of the body’s natural energy system.
It is believed that in less than 30 minutes, using this technique is able to eliminate a long list of addictions, phobias, fear, depression and similar disruptions in ones life. All this is done by tapping the fingertips on specific meridians on the head and chest to unblock the energy flow in the body. During this period, specific problems are brought to mind then state a corrective or affirmative thought is put in its place
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When David Beckham made the journey to the U.S., there was hope a renewed interest, or even more interest in soccer would soon follow. It seems that could be the case. Recently MLS teams on the west and east coast have begun preparations for next year. In Seattle, WA MLS has granted an expansion team to begin play in 2009; the season runs from April to November.
In addition, for the 2008 season a team is being brought back to San Jose, Ca – this would create 2 conferences with a total of seven teams in each. In Pennsylvania, like in California, a team is being revived. The Pennsylvania Stoners will once again take to the field after a more than 10 year absence
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Are there too few “homegrown” soccer players?
The question begins with the idea that England has yet or reach a European Championship, because of too many foreign players and not enough Englishmen. Scheduled to be brought in front of the FIFA congress in Sydney, Australia next year, the plan includes a requirement of six national players to be on a teams starting line-up. This would require limits on foreign players in national leagues, which itself may be challenged
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