The A-League, Points System, Shootouts - Bones of Contention
The A-League The A-League, classified as Division II professional soccer by the US Soccer Federation, is the top level league in the United Soccer Leagues system. The A-League is the last stop in the USL system before a player is ready to compete in Major League Soccer, which maintains a working agreement with the A-League in terms of player movement. More than one million fans attended A-League professional games in 1998.
Of course, the leagues are arranged geographically to ease travel costs and travelling times - as well as aiming to build rivalries and keep fans' interest in the season longer. But, I ask you! Seattle play Vancouver SIX times a season!! There is NO promotion/relegation between the divisions. Seattle were A-League Champions in 1995 and 1996, yet remained in the A-League. However, there is a form of economic relegation, in that teams that do poorly tend to lose money and move to the less expensive D3 league. Oh-ah! There are playoffs at the end of each season (coming up soon; starting 11th September) in which the two conferences each send their top 8 teams. It's been described as like a league cup tournament, open only to those who finish in the top half of the table. Each conference produces a conference champion and those two meet in the league championship match. Seattle and Vancouver currently (4th September) tie in 3rd spot, with a game to play today (Seattle v Vancouver) and a game to play on Monday (Vancouver v Seattle). (See also: unitedsoccerleagues.com and a-league.com)
It goes like this!
A win after a shootout is worth 2 points. A loss after a shootout is worth 1 point. A loss in regulation or overtime is worth zero points. A bonus point is awarded if a team scores at least three goals.
So, a team may earn anything from zero to 5 points in a match. If a match is 2-2 at the end of 90 minutes, both sides are looking at 1 point, and one side would get another point for winning the shootout. But with the 15-minute sudden death overtime period, a golden goal would change the points picture to 5 for the winner and zero for the loser!!! WHAT do the powers that be really have against DRAWS??? They are under the impression that Americans don't like draws and that this point system is more exciting and will bring in more crowds. It seems to be aimed at attracting the mythical "Joe Six Pack", who knows nothing about the sport. But, at the same time, these efforts have put off the real soccer fans. SEASON 2000 As the shootouts are scrapped, the points system changes to the more simple 4-1-0+1. This is 4 points for a win, 1 for a draw, nil for a win and a bonus point for scoring over three goals (win, lose or draw).
Drawn games have 15 minutes "Golden Goal" extra-time before shootouts are necessary. Some of the supporters refer to these shootouts as the CrapShootout (the pun referring to the random way of deciding a "winner", and to the obvious). As with the taking of regular penalty kicks, each side selects five shooters, then if necessary, subsequent rounds consist of one shooter per side. The shooter starts 35 yards from goal with ball at feet. The goalkeeper starts with a foot on the goal line. The shooter has 5 seconds to shoot, and can take just the one shot. If the shot is launched inside 5 seconds the goal counts. The shooter and the keeper usually run at each other and meet near the 18-yard line, sometimes colliding and being injured. If the goalkeeper handles the ball outside the penalty area, he is sent off and the shooter takes a penalty kick against the new keeper. Got it?? AT LEAST, THIS IS WHAT USED TO HAPPEN!!!
23 OCTOBER Sung to the tune of the song in The Wizard of Oz after Dorothy's house lands on the wicked witch:
Ding-dong, the shootout's dead! Details from the recent meeting of the A-League Executive Committee (which includes Sounders co-owner Neil Farnsworth) are reported in a Michael Lewis column. In addition to unanimously voting out the CrapShootout, the committee decided: 2-match playoff series! If the teams split the two matches, most total goals wins. If tied in goals, the higher seed advances. Seattle Pitch is very pleased! Six teams from each of the two conferences will qualify for the playoffs, down from eight this season. The standard 3-1-0 point system will still not be used (Seattle Pitch recommends the 3-1-0). No mention was made of the fate of the Bogus Point for three goals (we hope it goes away, as it unnecessarily complicates the tables). If tied after 90 minutes, a pair of 10-minute extra-time periods will be played, with the golden-goal rule in effect. The column has a great quote from A-League Commissioner Francisco Marcos: "It's pure soccer, no gimmicks. We'll see if the purists are right. If they are, great. If not, we'll go back to American gimmicks." Kudos to the A-League for banning the CrapShootout before MLS did!
These, apparently, are not going to go away. Seattle has two nice grass surfaces, but both have no lights and inadequate seating. The bus-trip to Vancouver was actually advertised as "Come and see the Sounders play on GRASS". It looks though that there might be a move to a new "grassed" stadium in 2003 (see "Stadium and Fans"). Well, if any Europeans didn't really understand why Americans are so darned against supporting the beautiful game in their own country, perhaps they will after reading that little lot! My heart goes out to you all. I think you're being cheated and I hope that things change for the better SOON! The general concensus is to have the rules and regulations as they are "everywhere else". Mark Coker has the following appearing after each of his emails:-
I hope you one day have your desires fullfilled, Mark!! And THANKS, once again for all this information that you, Ron and Roberto have been so kind to provide. (These people continue to be so, to this day {which is 4th August 2000})
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