MLS Show Gives Fans a Little Extra

Each Sunday afternoon, Rob Stone, Jeff Bradley and Roy Wegerle find themselves in a television studio in Tulsa, Okla., going over hour upon hour of Major League Soccer game and interview footage.

It’s a tedious and time-consuming task, but the end result is a one-hour program, “MLS ExtraTime,” that airs each Monday evening on ESPN2.

Three weeks into the program’s 13-week run, the reviews are in: “ExtraTime” is a hit with fans even though it is nowhere close to a polished product.

“The point of the show is to treat this league and this sport in a credible manner and show the people that ESPN and MLS care about it,” Stone said.

“If you look at the NFL Tonights and the NBA Tonights and the NHL Tonights, the normal, casual viewer sees that and says, ‘Well, this sport is worthy of a half-hour show, why isn’t soccer?’

“Now, soccer’s worthy of an hour show.”

“MLS ExtraTime” features a mix, including a condensed game of the week, with analysis by Wegerle, a former U.S. national team player; highlights from all the previous seven days’ matches; interviews with players and coaches; and a “soccer insider” segment in which ESPN the Magazine columnist Bradley, the brother of Chicago Fire Coach Bob Bradley, offers insights into the league and national team.

The most intriguing segments, however, are those when the ExtraTime cameras and microphones go inside the locker rooms before games, during halftime and after games.

Already, these segments have shown the contrasting coaching and motivational styles of Thomas Rongen, Sigi Schmid, Fernando Clavijo, Octavio Zambrano and Tom Fitzgerald. They capture the mood and intensity of a game in a unique way.

There are other novelties, such as virtual replays, in which computer-generated images are used to re-create key incidents in a game.

“ExtraTime” has not shied away from controversy, either, and has looked into such issues as the Luis Hernandez spitting incident in Kansas City and the feud between Tampa Bay Mutiny teammates Carlos Valderrama and Mamadou Diallo.

The show has even caused some controversy, as when Bradley reported that U.S. Olympic team Coach Clive Charles had named Chris Armas, Frankie Hejduk and Jeff Agoos as his three “overage” players for the Sydney 2000 Games.

Charles issued a strong denial the next day, but Stone said the show sticks by its report.

“I love it,” he said. “It’s not often that people get stirred up about soccer commentary. Jeff Bradley has good sources. I’m pretty confident that these are the three guys they’re going to have [on the team].”

“ExtraTime” is being smoothed and polished each week but already is gaining a loyal audience.

“The format is definitely evolving,” Stone said. “We’re learning things about these condensed games, that maybe they’re going on a little too long. There are some weeks when there are 11 games and we want to get every goal in and show everything. Sometimes, you have to cut on analysis.

“You have to find that [point] where you give everybody everything that they want.

“The behind-the-scenes locker-room stuff is definitely going to be expanded. That’s one of the things that we got really a lot of positive energy [feedback] about. That and Jeff Bradley’s insider segment.

“You don’t get access to that [the locker rooms] in the other big leagues because the NFL and the NBA . . . they’re too big for that [and have the attitude that] ‘we’re too big for these little gimmicks.’

“This isn’t a gimmick. It’s actually showing the people what’s going on, and it’s passionate, and it gets you into the game. We’ve had some great comments about that.”

MLS coaches might have been skeptical about the idea but have gone along with it.

“My feelings about the coaches in this league is that they understand that they need to do something to sell the sport and if they have to open up their locker rooms to do that, they’re willing to do so,” Stone said.

He makes a good host, his easygoing style and knowledge of the game giving “ExtraTime” a relaxed feel.

Unfortunately, Wegerle is a television novice, and it shows.

One of the more cruel, albeit accurate, reviews of his blessedly brief on-air appearances suggested that it is difficult to have a lively show “when the co-host at the wake is the corpse.”

It’s not that bad, but Wegerle certainly is stiff. Stone, however, reminds critics that the job is not easy.

“It’s extremely difficult,” he said. “I’ve had conversations with [former player and NBC Olympic soccer commentator] Alexi Lalas this year and he says, ‘Rob, every player should have a chance to do this, to realize how difficult it is.’

“Obviously, Roy is new to this, and he has no television experience, and that’s a big task to put on him. He knows the game. He is engaging, he’s entertaining. We need to bring that on camera.

“He and I talk during segments, we talk in the days before, we’re coming up with ideas, and we’re laughing, it’s loose. But once that little red light comes on the camera, whatever encouragement you can give to somebody, they have to do it themselves.

“The first show he was stiff and I think he will admit that. But each week he has improved and you’re going to continue to see that.”

Just like “ExtraTime” itself.