By Ben Knight

 

Ah, there’s nothing like getting ripped by the schoolyard bully.  I used to dread moments like that – back in Grade 4 – but now I find it quite exhilarating.

Bill Archer – of course – today on BigSoccer.com.

Bill’s never forgiven me for a piece I wrote way back at the beginning of my Globe & Mail days.  It chattily floated the hypothetical idea of a two-tier MLS structure, where ambitious teams could opt out of the salary cap, and take their chances on the free market.  It was mostly a conversation starter – which is most of what I try to do up here.

Sure, it’s impractical – which is exactly why >>>I’ve never mentioned it since.<<<

Nobody told the Great Man in Ohio, though.  So here’s what I’m actually saying:

The idea came last December, in a brilliant column by Richard Snowden on Soccer365.com.  Snowden dared to suggest the MLS salary cap could actually stay right around where it is – and the ownership groups of the individual teams could be allowed to spend a few million of their own dollars on better players, so long as they didn’t exceed the MLS roster limit.

This would ease the league’s relentless parity problems, and wouldn’t cost MLS a cent.  Yes, there would now be “rich” teams and “poor” teams, but the spread (maybe $5 million, tops) would never be enough to keep the poorer teams from winning – particularly in the pinball free-for-all that is the MLS playoffs.  (New York in the final?)

This is completely different from the old Globe piece.  Mine was a naïve, tentative thought.  Snowden’s idea is brilliant.

I’ve written about it a few times now, fully crediting and linking it each time.  Maybe Archer, who boasted this week he’s installed a “crybaby” program on his computer to mock my one of my colleagues, should put on another one to tell him I’ve moved on and he missed it.

Nah.  Never happen.

In the meantime, I’m always delighted to win an Archer Award.

Bill, do you really believe Don Garber’s cosy little financial straitjacket is the best American soccer can ever do?  Yeah, we get it.  It saved the league.  I’ve acknowledged that many times, in many different forums.

But it’s not good enough for down the road.

This may surprise you, but Toronto FC might not join the free-spenders, even if they got the chance.  TFC got into the league for a paltry $10-million, and didn’t have to pay for a stadium.  I’ve been told from deep within that ownership loves MLS financial restrictions.

Oh, and Bill?  This isn’t a Canada thing.  It’s a soccer thing.

I don’t want to recklessly blow the whole of MLS up.  Read Snowden.  That ain’t demolition.  But I certainly don’t want years and years of my soccer future lashed to Garber’s iron lung so poor widdle FC Dallas doesn’t go bouncy-castle up.

If that infuriates you and yours, hallelujah and pass the clams! 

Everyone else – once again – go check out Richard Snowden.

Onward!