What a terrible Garber interview by Grant Wahl

How is this guy one of the best regarded soccer writers in America? He's sure as hell not a good interviewer:

SI.com: Without being too self-conscious about it, I wanted to ask you what you thought of my book, The Beckham Experiment?

I mean, honestly. And check out the picture Wahl posted on twitter:



Does Wahl not look creepy as fuck, and does Don Garber not look as though he's contemplating calling the police? Good Lord. I'd like to think this photo was snapped right after that last question. That sad promotional banner in the background for the photo op doesn't make things any better, either.

Anyway, this question was also pretty awesome:

The Hunts and the Krafts have been with this league from the beginning. Do they have more influence than the newer owners, and is their conservative stance holding back this league from what it could be?

To Garber's credit, he tells Wahl (and all the BigSoccer trolls who tweeted him that question to ask in the inteview) exactly what the situation is in MLS:

I want everybody to know that some of the positive things that have gone on in the last 12 months aren't necessarily an indication of what our future will look like. It's an indication that we've had a good 12 months in a handful of markets.

We need to have that sustained for five years and 10 years and have that in all markets. Because we have a handful of teams that are really struggling. This can't be a league where three or four teams play against each other. We need 16 and 18 and potentially 20 teams that are all successful and viable in their markets, and we are simply not at that point now. In addition to that, it's taken hundreds of millions of dollars to even get to where we are now, and at some point, we need to ensure that this is a viable business that can turn a profit and have owners that aren't investing money because they think something might happen a decade or a generation from now. Then we'll be in a situation like other leagues have been in when someone raises their hand and says, "I can't do it anymore."

Fantastic answer. It's not the Krafts and Hunts pulling MLS into the abyss as they cackle with glee, it's a couple things known as reality and a business plan. I'm certain the response from some quarters here will be "Abandon the struggling markets!" but I'd like some more information as to which markets are the problems and why. I mean, we can all guess, but throw us a bone, Don.

Then there was this question:

For the next CBA, the salary cap has to go up significantly, doesn't it?

Motherfucker, if you'd been reading Fake Sigi the last two months, you'd know the answer was no. Anyway, if you must know the answer, Garber says that the only way they'll raise the cap is if the players sign their lives away before the first of the year. Which we already knew.

Don't get wrong - despite the Narwahl sounding like a 13 year old on meth who made up his questions on the side while finishing up a game of Modern Warefare 2 as he looked at pictures of Megan Fox before surfing on over to post in BigSoccer USMNT News and Analysis, Garber actually says some interesting stuff. Like this on why Seattle was such a success:

There were so many factors that played into why the Sounders were such a success: the Sonics leaving and the pent-up demand over the last 14 years in a market that really cares about the game. We effectively seeded the market with MLS and international exhibition games, and we have a perfect ownership partnership.

Huh, I thought it was just because they marketed to urban youth. And this on the shelf life of the conferences:

I will assure you that when I'm bounced out as commissioner, which will happen inevitably at some point, the new commissioner will come in and get rid of the conferences just like I got rid of the shootout and other things. This is clearly "a Don thing."

Not sure what the reading on Narwahl's sarcasm meter was at that point.

Anyway, go read it, give Grizant some love, laugh at the shameful javascript that jams Sports Illustrated promotional messages into your clipboard when you copy some text. Just please, someone step up and not embarrass themselves when they put a tape recorder in front of the league commissioner.

-FS