I love what the PDL does. It has very little to do with USL1 & USL2. Comparing pro leagues with summertime amateur leagues for youth players is apples and oranges.

MLS teams have little depth. Some teams like Colorado and historically Chicago and Dallas go into the 20s with quality players. Others have next to nothing on their developmental rosters, like Chivas.

USL1 has gotten a bit better in the last year or two. But I'll stand by my claim that the standard USL team (Montreal is a bit of an exception) has a payroll of what I'd generously guess is 500-700k. USL teams usually have somewhere between 0-2 players that would be regular players in MLS. The typical 6th best player on a USL1 team wouldn't get a top 16 contract on a MLS team. Actually most of the time that player had tried and washed out of MLS. That doesn't mean the gap is huge or that USL1 teams can't compete. They can. But many of the statements about USL pro teams the last few weeks have been near ridiculous. Most seem to come from people who don't watch MLS or USL but have a foreign league as their focus. Or occasionally from some immature youngsters who like their local USL team. I'll stand by my claims in good times and bad (for MLS international results).

Chivas-Tauro: 1st leg had Chivas starting Thornton, Paladini, Chiles. Were missing Galindo, Razov, Marsch, Zotinca. 2nd leg had Chivas starting Kennedy (who's ok), Braun, Ebert. Again missing those listed for the 1st leg. Missing your two strikers and midfield leader will cripple any team. And noone at Chivas had a plan to replace Guzan. Wicky has been injured and might be a bust. Guys like Chiles & Ebert will probably never be regular starters in USL. I'd guess I'd guess Mendoza, Nagamura, Thomas, Bornstein, Eskandarian, Galindo, Kljestan, Marsch, Razov, Talley, Vaughn, Zotinca, and Flores are clearly better than typical USL starters. Suarez too a year ago though with injuries and aging who knows (same for the now heftier Thornton). So I count 13 players on Chivas USA who when healthy are USL standouts. Good USL players would rank around 14th on Chivas this year. I'd put I'd put Harris, Curtin, Kennedy, Burling, and Nurse as likely regular starters if in USL. The rest of Chivas USA is probably garbage and I'm not a fan of Preki's drafting. Chivas wasn't able to field a team of players 1-17, they're backup attack was impotent, the team had little cohesiveness (or motivation), and a few scrubs that had to play were liabilities.

Over time you guys will see. But many here are just hyping a few results to downgrade MLS and care little for USL. My posts over USL's forum site will show you that I do actually care about that league. I have some issues with USL allowing a trail of unpaid bills (Rochester, Virginia Beach) and overnight teams (San Francisco), I do wish it the best. I don't think a bidding war rivalry betwen 2 pro leagues helps soccer develop in the USA right now.

So undrafted, are you devastated Tauro FC who eliminated mighty MLS side Tauro FC got beat by lowly USL side Puerto Rico?

Honestly if your claim is true that the best player in USL would be the 17th best player on an MLS team then MLS is a complete sham of a professional league and ought to be shut down if players 17-28 on a team achieve better results than players 1-17. Seriously, then MLS teams playing their reserves should still almost always beat USL sides in the Open cup, and USL sides should be slaughtered in the champions league.

The clear lesson is that undrafted roots against USL, wants soccer to fail in the 40 plus markets USL/PDL represent so MLS can swoop in and expand there and also will defend MLS to no end. Good job, I hope they are paying you well.

Count the 11 highest on each team. Most all are near or >80k. The 6th highest (the average starter) is almost always >100k. Guys #15-18 are often at 30k and are hired with a view to future performance and might get their spot at the expense of a slightly better player (who sometimes goes to USL, sometimes looks for other work).

Where are those USL salary numbers?

I'm all for USL doing things right and striving. But I don't see how either way it'll have much impact on MLS.

Let’s cheer for teams from both leagues and laud the accomplishments of both leagues going forward. This is what needs to be done.

Regarding undrafted's last point he is wrong. I know of several USL players that would have fit in a higher than 17th or 18th spot in MLS and got released either to bring in another foreign player or just to balance the cap. The 100k average salary is a joke. That includes the skewed DP numbers.

undrafted is extreme in his defense of MLS, but the USL types here saying MLS sucks need to heed my advice from above. Both leagues get ridiculed enough by the eurosnobs. No need to piss from within.

USL + MLS = strong American club game

USL vs MLS = self destruction

Here is the bottom line:

Beyond DPs and maybe 2-3 players per team, almost no difference exists between MLS and USL players.

Secondly because of the salary cap and roster limits, USL has a much more stable setup and the teams generally play with one another for longer. For example, Vancouver, Charleston, and Montreal have had the same core of players for years while MLS team are constantly in flux.

Thirdly, USL clubs are used to fixture congestion and traveling cheap and being forced to play in less than ideal conditions. That fits this continental championship perfectly.

When they try to set up shop anywhere near “MLS markets” (SF near SJ, Virginia Beach near DC) the teams can't last. Rochester nearly went under this offseason. USL will end up with some sort of pro league based upon Rochester, Charleston, and maybe markets like Austin, Cary (Raleigh-Durham) but all the big markets will belong to MLS. I'm not sure how that's going to draw the media's attention? I don't see how USL stands a chance competing against what MLS is building. That's why an established club with 10k+ fans and a new stadium like Montreal is still going to have to pay a heft expansion fee. A bit unfortunate but that's reality.