Three years back, in the lead up to the 2006 World Cup, Julio Grondona -- that's Don Julio, the man who runs Argentine soccer -- had some scornful things to say about some of his own players. It had been pointed out that the Argentine roster might well include a quartet of highly skilled attacking players -- Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, Javier Saviola and Sergio Aguero -- all of whom were decidedly on the short side, with an average height of around 5-foot-6.

Goalkeepers. Once again getting special treatment. This time it's Brad Friedel. An American keeper who has had -- continues to have -- a wonderful career in the English premier league. Unquestionably one of the top goalkeepers in the league, widely respected as the consummate professional.

As you'd expect, the seven games of the opening weekend of MLS had a bit of everything -- the good, the bad, the remarkable, the absurd and whatever else you can think of.

Just ten days ago I was taking a decidedly jaundiced look at the Blackburn Rovers' coach Sam Allardyce and what I called his "rather snide criticism" of referees. Big Sam had been implying, without actually saying it, that referees did not really understand the game -- their main fault being that they never played at the pro level.

I was recently asked -- by a foreign newspaper -- a number of questions about MLS. Pretty straightforward stuff about players and coaches to which I supplied brief, mostly accurate, answers. I romped along, without too much hesitation, until I came to the final question. That, too, was actually pretty straightforward, the simplest of questions: who will win the 2009 MLS Cup?

In its 16 years of existence, the English Premier League has been won by only four different clubs. You could really make that three -- for Blackburn's win in 1995 was something of an aberration. Otherwise, it's been Arsenal (3 wins), Chelsea (2) and Manchester United (10) all the way.

A week or so ago Blackburn Rovers coach Sam Allardyce, sounding as genial and reasonable as ever, had a few things to say about his team's upcoming game against Everton.

This is an unfortunate moment for MLS. With David Beckham quietly trashing the league, either directly or implicitly, every time he opens his mouth, with Landon Donovan letting it be known that he'd prefer to play in Germany, with FC Barcelona withdrawing its bid for a Miami franchise, the league's image (at least in the eyes of foreign observers) has been suffering.

They had a little bash out at Franklin Square on Friday. Franklin Square, that's just outside New York City, the beginnings of Nassau County. An area I don't visit too often.