Sure, I may be sounding like a broken record, but let's look at a few stories that are out there right now, and then think about why MLS is not able to take advantage of the situation.

Landon Donovan is likely to loan out to Everton.  That's great news, but for many US players things are actually kind of ugly over there in Europe.  They just aren't playing.  If MLS and the MLSPU got their act together had some minor compromises and offered American talent as much as they do English, Swedish, Mexican and Argentine talent the league would suddenly get much better.

How much better? Take a look at who is available.

Freddy Adu I just talked about yesterday.  Was he a good MLS player? Yes. Was he overpaid? Yes. Would he be a starter in MLS? Yes.  He had 13 goals in his 98 matches between ages 15-18 in MLS. Yeah, he'd be good here, if he came back.

But let's not limit the dream to the former US MNT savior.

Eddie Johnson is available from Fulham. Sure he doesn't play much there, sure he's been loaned down while there. But if a CBA was around that offered him close to the same money, his 41 goals in 127 matches might be back. Maybe it isn't all about money, but he doesn't really play. And he can't make the World Cup roster until he does.

Portsmouth and Crystal Palace are both about to fall apart. Portsmouth is on their second rich Arab in 6 months and still can't pay their bills. CP hasn't paid their players in a few weeks.  Both of them have talent at an MLS level (or much better), but no CBA means that they won't be coming here.

DaMarcus Beasley looks to head away from the place he doesn't play as well.  Maybe he wouldn't come back to MLS, but you know what, no CBA means no damn chance.

Lee Nguyen is available on a Free, and looking for a club. But again, no agreement, no dice. He spent some time training with Dallas meaning the chances are good that he would be in MLS if he could, but there's that little CBA thing in the way.

The list of Americans that are just collecting paychecks and only training in Europe is fairly long. But they get paid for doing it. One could argue that they aren't players right now, just practicers. And the lack of a CBA is part of the reason why. Getting the fringe US MNT talents back is vital to our nation's future, and the future of MLS.

Why?

Go read the DMB link again.  Teams (or the league in MLS case) gets real cash money for players that participate in the World Cup. In Scotland's case it will mean that several teams will make payroll in a year where they were likely to not do so. In MLS case, it would mean that they could further afford to expand the Salary Cap and the quality of play in our home nation.

Heck, if MLS had a deal done they could even pick up Reserve depth from all the players getting cut due to the USL/NASL disaster.

Get the Damn CBA Done. Our Players need to Play.