MLSR Takes A Long Look Back

On one hand we are happy to report that someone (pssst. The Offside Rules) found it a good idea to put us on some sort of "Major League Blogging" credibility table.

On the other hand its kind of strange that "upon evaluating" our site to rank us alongside news sites and blogs run by paid newspaper journalists, they place us near the bottom. Based on what? And based upon what kind of time scale?

In other words, WTF?!

We always have said, we are NOT a news source, we are a rumors site. What are rumors? It seems some people need constant reminders that they are things which MAY or MAY NOT become true.

Often they are things rooted in fact, in other words not totally pulled out of thin air. But just as often they are not anything more than miscommunication or wishful thinking on the part of someone.


And unlike instant news stories, rumors 'credibility' are best measured over the long course of time.

Here is a great example of rumors floating around the league, almost 10 years ago. If someone had made a credibility table for them in 1999 or 2000, where do you think they'd have finished?

Rumor 1 - Claudio Reyna is heading back to MLS, probably to the MetroStars. (Check, but not until 2007)

Rumor 2 - Jovan Kirovski is headed home to MLS. (Check, but not until, 2004)

Rumor 3 - Brad Friedel is headed back to MLS. (Nope)

Rumor 4 - John Harkes is going to stay in England (Nope, he came back in 1999

Rumor 5 - The MetroStars are going to get (here insert the name of some major international star). (n/a When HASN'T that been a rumor?)

Rumor 6 - MLS will expand next season to Philadelphia and Houston. (Mixed, but only because they said, "next season meaning 2000. MLS did end up expanding to Houston, in 2006 and Philadelphia will begin play in 2010)

Looks like these were better left, not to be judged but rather read and enjoyed for what they were. Rumors, not news stories.

So keep that in mind when rumors of Henry playing for Seattle, Or Houston, or New York, or Shevchenko playing for DC or Figo playing for New England next season circulate. Sometimes it is not a matter of if, but when.


On that note, remember way back in January when we reported Marcelo Gallardo to DC United as a Done Deal with him earning a yearly salary of $1.5 Million?

Well take a look at these salary numbers from the MLS Players Union.

Moral of the story: Take the long look back when evaluating rumors.