The following are quotes from the Sept. 21 MLS media teleconference, which featured MLS Executive Vice President Ivan Gazidis, Chicago Fire Defender Chris Armas, and Columbus Crew Forward Brian McBride. Ivan Gazidis’ Opening Comments “I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate the Rochester Rhinos on their victory last week in the U.S. Open Cup … It is the beauty of cup competition that this kind of thing can happen but I certainly can’t attribute their success to luck … They had one of the most difficult routes to the final and difficult opposition in the final … They beat us all along the way so I give them a hats off … I am proud that MLS participates in this competition … I think it is important for soccer in the United States that we do but I don’t like losing so I hope that we get a different result next year.” “I would also like to congratulate our Project-40s on their performance this year … They have been eliminated now from the A-League playoffs … They had reached the second round [Western Conference Semifinals] after going through the regular season with a record of 17-11 … This represents an upgrade in their performance from last year … While we always hope that they can do better, this represents a significant level of performance for a team of young players.” “We do have two very significant announcements to make today … We are proud to be able to say that Chris Armas and Brian McBride have pledged their long-term future to Major League Soccer and playing in the United States … Both players are players that we believe will form the backbone of U.S. National Team going into the 2002 World Cup … Both are four-year veterans of Major League Soccer … Both have proven themselves in MLS, not overseas, and have received their national team opportunities through their performances in MLS … Both have made a significant commitment, a long-term commitment by signing contracts with the league through the 2002 year and through the World Cup with options extending beyond that … We are delighted that both have chosen to do so … At the same time we have recognized that we need to step up to plate as they have … I believe we have done that by coming up with significant contracts for both players to make sure that they are around … Not only because they are going to be contributors to the national team that we have signed them, also the level of consistent performance with their club teams they have had over the years and their importance to those teams … They are vital elements with their MLS teams and that is as important to us as national team participation … Both extremely personable people … Thank you Chris and Brian for making that possible.” Chris Armas’ Opening Comments “I am excited to have signed this contact with league … There were a couple of things to decide on, whether to go overseas now or stay in this country … It was nice to see a good offer from the league … This is where I want to be … Being in the United States is enough for me … I’ve been part of the league since the beginning and I want to be part of it as it grows … I have a little peace of mind knowing I can concentrate on the rest of this year and future years … I hope to stay healthy, be part of the U.S. National Team and go to the World Cup (2002).” “I’m slowly coming along from my knee injury … Every game now is important … One, trying to get a good position for the playoffs … It’s our last home game for the regular season … My mom is in town … We are just trying to get three points here … We have a lot to play for and a lot of exciting games coming up.” Brian McBride’s Opening Comments “First I’m very happy and excited to be part of the Columbus Crew and MLS for a good deal of time … It is something that has been going on for three months … I am relieved that it is over and I can focus on the playoffs.” “The game against Chicago is a big game in the sense that we want to start playing the best soccer possible with the playoffs looming over our heads … It is important to get some rest for our players … Its is important that we go into the playoffs refreshed and ready … I’m excited to go because my family is going to be there and because of the quality of the players in Chicago.” Gazidis on European Interest in Armas and McBride “We haven’t had any formal approaches that I would call negotiations … Both players have attracted attention through their national team performances and their club performances … We have had a number overseas teams pay more attention to us, sending scouts out on a more regular basis … And players like Chris and Brian will have more opportunities … When Chris [Armas] was weighing up MLS’ offer, he had to weigh up the potential offers that would be in the international marketplace … We are glad he made the choice that he did.” Armas on improvement of MLS and his new contract “Over last four years, I have been playing from the beginning with great players, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Cobi Jones in L.A., Peter Nowak, Lubos Kubik over here (in Chicago) … The opportunity with the national team has helped me out … The exposure, the best players from our country, the best players from other countries … With the World Cup coming up, whether I’m on the team or not, I think it is important for me to be in this country, playing in this league, easily ready for friendlies and qualifiers [World Cup].” Armas on playing overseas as compared to in MLS “I gave it a lot of thought … I’m not 21 yeas old … I’m 27 and it can be a time of now or never … I did consider it … I’ve been exposed internationally with big opponents in last half-year … Some people said give it a shot now, but it felt right to stay in the country and play … I followed my heart.” Gazidis on domestic versus international players “It has always been important to keep as many important U.S. players as we can … I don’t know if one is more important than the other … I wouldn’t like to make a comparison but I would like to say that keeping the U.S. players is a priority for us … At the same time, getting international players is very important … Players like Marco Etcheverry contribute to our league in 100 different ways and one of them is the development of players like Chris Armas, Brian McBride, or in D.C., Richie Williams … The two go hand-in-hand.” Gazidis on signing american players “We’d like them [American players in MLS] all to sign … We recognize in any league there is movement of players to and fro, ot overseas and from overseas … It may be unrealistic to think that we can always be competitive in every situation … You will see some players going over seas and see some players come back to the united States … My wish list is to keep all U.S. players that we possibly can here and some of the ones overseas back.” Gazidis on Commissioner Garber’s role in contract negotiations “Don has been instrumental in providing an environment in which these types of deals can be done … At the same time it would be unfair of me to suggest that Doug Logan didn’t provide that same type of environment … The timing of these three deals just happens to be what it is … It doesn’t have anything to do with the transition of the commissioners … They both would have been equally supportive of the deals … Don should take some credit because he didn’t come in here and say stop everything and that takes guts.” McBride on interest in overseas clubs “I wanted to see what was before me … I didn’t have any particular location as to where I wanted to go … There was one particular interest that was serious and that was a German club and beyond that was what it was, interest … Ivan and MLS made it quite easy for me to decide.” Armas on interest in overseas clubs “A German club contacted us but most of the interest that came up was speculation, nothing concrete … My main priority was to get a deal here… I’m here and this is where I am focused.” Armas on Chicago Fire in Champions Cup “MLS is what we are most focused on because MLS games are now … When time comes for Vegas it will be real exciting for the guys … Maybe playing against the best in the world … Some talk around locker room … When we get there we’ll be playing it as if it’s the last two games we’ll ever play.” McBride on his new contract “It was a long process that started at the beginning of this year … I had to decide what was important for me and when I finally came to the decision that I wanted to stay in MLS if it was at all possible, then I had to make some decisions as to what would be the right contract – Not all of them monetary … I think that the option to go to Europe was a large one, but I have been fortunate to be part of club and city that are very supportive of me and those positive things led me to stay.” McBride on Bruce Arena’s roles in the decision “I talked to Bruce Arena about the situation and he was very emphatic about me playing over there … If I went and didn’t play he would not be very happy about it … From the beginning he [Bruce Arena] was very receptive of it if it were a situation were I would be bettering myself and playing soccer games … As time went along we talked about specific situations and he thought it was a great thing for me to stay here … He thought that I could become a better player still and be available to the National Team and that is something that we can do here in MLS … Any time we get called in to the national team we are free to go and that is a big draw.” McBride on the national team under Bruce Arena “It is a very positive atmosphere … It always begins with a lot of smiles… Bruce has a lot of respect for every player that is there … I think that he showed that at the Confederations Cup … Every player on the team had a large impact and going into camp and going into games we know that … It takes us over a few humps that we were having before … Bruce as a coach has a very positive way of playing … He doesn’t want us sitting back on our heels and have the game come to us … We go and get the game … It has helped us as players and as a team in getting the results we want.” Armas on staying in U.S. and national team availability “I also spoke with Bruce about the situation and if you look at going to Europe, it may be more established and the teams might be a little bit better but playing in MLS, mixed in with internationals, some friendlies … Qualifying [World Cup 2002] starts at the end of next year and I think that it is going to be a busy schedule so I think that it is more than enough soccer … MLS is fast-paced and not an easy game to play … Living in the United States, I don’t have anything to compare it to, but there is nothing like living here … The most important thing is being close to my family and to my fiancTe.” Armas on Lothar Osiander “I have a lot of respect for Lothar … I still think that he should still be given some of the credit for putting together the team that first year and the success that they had with the core group of players … That first year, the final could have gone either way … We were up 2-0 … I think we should have been champions … The second year I think we just ran out of steam, but still had a good year … With him, the team started doing poorly, but I don’t think it was his fault … For the fans and the organization you make a change and get rid of coach instead of players … I couldn’t be happier for Lothar … He is the most deserving guy to get the job in San Jose.” Gazidis on Joe-Max Moore’s negotiations “I have spoken to Joe-Max a couple of times over the course of this year … New England GM Brian O’Donovan has spoken to him … What Joe-Max has told us is that he would prefer to concentrate on the season here in MLS and talk about and think about contracts at the end of the season … That is a wish that we are respecting … We certainly intend to try to get him to commit to us once the season is over.” Armas on Chicago Fire competing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup “We know that our first game is Joe Public and if we don’t win that one it is all over … It is tough to find out much about these teams … We are going to put everything we have into that game … We might rest some of the guys up in San Jose that Sunday before the Tuesday match so that hopefully we will be fresh and advance to next game … We want to be playing for it all the following Sunday … We are concentrating on MLS but when we get there we are going to be looking to go as far as we can go.” Gazidis on MLS Teams Playing in CONCACAF Champions Cup “It’s a huge competition for us … It is our biggest international club competition … It is a way for us to grab respect and attention on the world stage … D.C. United did that last year and we need to trumpet that … We need to be realistic about our prospects because it certainly is not going to be easy … But I look at the field and I think that we have as good a chance as any one else to be in Brazil next year … Excellent opportunity to show the world what we can do.” McBride on the improvement of the Level of Play in MLS “The biggest change has been speed of play … The first couple of years we have has players that are very talented but on whole the speed of play was a bit slower than it needed to be it has definitely picked up … Also, instead of a lot of role players that you had the first couple of years, you are seeing players make an impact where you didn’t see them before … That raises the level of play.” Armas on Confidence on Longevity of MLS “I have confidence that this league is growing and is going to be bigger and bigger … Years ago, growing up for me there was no pro league for kids to country… Kids are excited … Soccer is an exciting thing … The people in charge are making the right decisions … Good investors, good support behind it … It is going to be here for a long time.” McBride on Confidence on Longevity of MLS “I never gave it much thought … When an owner/investor like we have in Columbus builds a soccer-specific stadium and other smart individuals are owner/investors and are involved in the league, you assume that they would make right decisions.” Gazidis on determining new contracts for players “We have talked to a lot of people … We have independent thoughts on it … In Chris and Brian’s case, for example with respect to Bruce Arena, with their respective club coaches and general managers … We also have a strategic aim as a league in keeping our best young American players here … All of those things form parts in our discussion, but in the end it’s our decision but we certainly seek input from all the important sources.”