[quote=“jfickett, post:75, topic:27433”]Here in Jacksonville, the Armada FC is starting to create some decent buzz. Jax is actually a very soccer-friendly city; we had one of the highest turnouts ever for a USMNT friendly against Scotland in Everbank Field just a couple years back. The NASL expansion is trying to capitalize on that by bringing a new team here. Dario Sala, former FC Dallas GK, has been brought on as the GM. Local entrepreneur has put up a lot of capital to get it started and seems very dedicated. For the time being, they will play at UNF’s Hodges Stadium, but if interest warrants, they are looking at building a dedicated facility downtown near the already-existing sports complex.
Love the logo/branding. Hopefully they can get some decent talent for the NASL level and win some games![/quote]
Their crest and name are awesome. Forgive my ignorance but Jacksonville has a big Navy base right? So that flows with the name if that is the case. The fact that 3rd and 2nd tier football is still growing in the US is a great sign.
We all know how folks feel about soccer in the Pacific Northwest though. Atlanta barely supports the major league franchises it has now. For a city that size it really is embarrassing.
As for the relegation aspect, Don Garber seems to be furthering himself from that more in more. In a recent interview when he was asked about it he basically said “heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell no” in so many words.
I see MLS as a league of 30 teams (similar to all the other major sports) in 20-25 years with conferences & divisions etc. My one wish for MLS is to switch to a single table format but I don’t see that happening as the league continues to grow. They could still keep the playoff feel if they ever invested any serious coin into the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.[/quote]
They lost the possibility of promotion relegation when they started selling off all the franchises to various investors. Only the original core group of investors probably would have gone for and expanded 2 division single entity. Now it’s too late.
It’s too bad because I am convinced that promotion/relegation is the only thing that could putt soccer over the top in the US in foreseeable future. Going to take a couple more generations of growth without it.
Greensboro will now have its own NPSL squad: Gate City FC. http://gatecityfc.com/ They are playing in Grimsley’s Stadium, so not exactly big time soccer.
They did sign Jennings Rex though, so I may have to go watch. Have no idea how high or low NPSL is on the scale.
[quote=“ninermike, post:79, topic:27433”][quote=“J Felt, post:78, topic:27433”][quote=“casstommy, post:76, topic:27433”]I’m hoping they prove me wrong, but the Atlanta franchise “feels” like a disaster waiting to happen. a non soccer specific 30k capacity stadium, on turf, in a bad sports town. Its just seems like a nod to Arthur Blank since he has thrown a ton of money at MLS and the USNT.[/quote]Yea.
Also, he’s willing to pay the fee.
I wonder if there will ever be a true tiered system in this country with relegation. MLS 2 or something like that. Prospects are doubtful though.[/quote]
Relegation would be nice to have but the franchise fee paid by MLS is the deal killer.[/quote] This is what makes me wonder if a relegation system will have to be grown in competition with MLS. Right now the country can’t support so many leagues because the soccer fan base isn’t there (yet). But eventually I bet a competing league to MLS with a relegation system may force the MLS to change how they’re doing things. Maybe the NASL could set that up somehow, though I have no idea if they’re at all interested in it either.
MLS in its current form just doesn’t have enough talent to excite me as a soccer fan that isn’t living near a current franchise because I can watch games from anywhere in the world right now. But add in relegation battles and a chance of a local team rising up (which would be really cool if you’re invested in it already), and I might get more interested in watching it and maybe even look harder for a nearby team to follow.
I’m not sure you’d have to sacrifice the playoffs to do it, but you might scale the playoffs back and make them a “Final Four” or something like that among the top 4 teams. I don’t know, just brainstorming here.
[quote=“9erken, post:84, topic:27433”]MLS in its current form just doesn’t have enough talent to excite me as a soccer fan that isn’t living near a current franchise because I can watch games from anywhere in the world right now. But add in relegation battles and a chance of a local team rising up (which would be really cool if you’re invested in it already), and I might get more interested in watching it and maybe even look harder for a nearby team to follow.[/quote]Maybe if you spend your time only watching top teams in Champions League play wold you look at MLS as not having enough talent.
As a Norwich City fan, I’ve seen a lot of ho-hum football being played in the Premier League. The talent gap isn’t as big as people make it out to be. Plus, MLS is starting to get some great players in the fold.
[quote=“J Felt, post:86, topic:27433”][quote=“9erken, post:84, topic:27433”]MLS in its current form just doesn’t have enough talent to excite me as a soccer fan that isn’t living near a current franchise because I can watch games from anywhere in the world right now. But add in relegation battles and a chance of a local team rising up (which would be really cool if you’re invested in it already), and I might get more interested in watching it and maybe even look harder for a nearby team to follow.[/quote]Maybe if you spend your time only watching top teams in Champions League play wold you look at MLS as not having enough talent.
As a Norwich City fan, I’ve seen a lot of ho-hum football being played in the Premier League. The talent gap isn’t as big as people make it out to be. Plus, MLS is starting to get some great players in the fold.[/quote]
I actually agree with this but it’s the talent gap between the top MLS teams and the top European teams that matters.
[quote=“SteauA, post:87, topic:27433”][quote=“J Felt, post:86, topic:27433”][quote=“9erken, post:84, topic:27433”]MLS in its current form just doesn’t have enough talent to excite me as a soccer fan that isn’t living near a current franchise because I can watch games from anywhere in the world right now. But add in relegation battles and a chance of a local team rising up (which would be really cool if you’re invested in it already), and I might get more interested in watching it and maybe even look harder for a nearby team to follow.[/quote]Maybe if you spend your time only watching top teams in Champions League play wold you look at MLS as not having enough talent.
As a Norwich City fan, I’ve seen a lot of ho-hum football being played in the Premier League. The talent gap isn’t as big as people make it out to be. Plus, MLS is starting to get some great players in the fold.[/quote]
I actually agree with this but it’s the talent gap between the top MLS teams and the top European teams that matters.[/quote]I guess. But I doubt any MLS team will be as good as AC Milan, Barcelona, Man U, etc.
MLS just needs to stay the course, it’s starting to get a good thing going after a very rocky period.
[quote=“J Felt, post:88, topic:27433”][quote=“SteauA, post:87, topic:27433”][quote=“J Felt, post:86, topic:27433”][quote=“9erken, post:84, topic:27433”]MLS in its current form just doesn’t have enough talent to excite me as a soccer fan that isn’t living near a current franchise because I can watch games from anywhere in the world right now. But add in relegation battles and a chance of a local team rising up (which would be really cool if you’re invested in it already), and I might get more interested in watching it and maybe even look harder for a nearby team to follow.[/quote]Maybe if you spend your time only watching top teams in Champions League play wold you look at MLS as not having enough talent.
As a Norwich City fan, I’ve seen a lot of ho-hum football being played in the Premier League. The talent gap isn’t as big as people make it out to be. Plus, MLS is starting to get some great players in the fold.[/quote]
I actually agree with this but it’s the talent gap between the top MLS teams and the top European teams that matters.[/quote]I guess. But I doubt any MLS team will be as good as AC Milan, Barcelona, Man U, etc.
MLS just needs to stay the course, it’s starting to get a good thing going after a very rocky period.[/quote]
I guess you haven’t checked the Serie A or EPL standings recently ;D ;D
[quote=“SteauA, post:89, topic:27433”][quote=“J Felt, post:88, topic:27433”][quote=“SteauA, post:87, topic:27433”][quote=“J Felt, post:86, topic:27433”][quote=“9erken, post:84, topic:27433”]MLS in its current form just doesn’t have enough talent to excite me as a soccer fan that isn’t living near a current franchise because I can watch games from anywhere in the world right now. But add in relegation battles and a chance of a local team rising up (which would be really cool if you’re invested in it already), and I might get more interested in watching it and maybe even look harder for a nearby team to follow.[/quote]Maybe if you spend your time only watching top teams in Champions League play wold you look at MLS as not having enough talent.
As a Norwich City fan, I’ve seen a lot of ho-hum football being played in the Premier League. The talent gap isn’t as big as people make it out to be. Plus, MLS is starting to get some great players in the fold.[/quote]
I actually agree with this but it’s the talent gap between the top MLS teams and the top European teams that matters.[/quote]I guess. But I doubt any MLS team will be as good as AC Milan, Barcelona, Man U, etc.
MLS just needs to stay the course, it’s starting to get a good thing going after a very rocky period.[/quote]
I guess you haven’t checked the Serie A or EPL standings recently ;D ;D[/quote]You get my point. And yes I check the EPL standings quite frequently, though lately I’ve just looked at the bottom. ???
On its face, I dont have a problem with Landon being left off. He’s seemed disinterested and out of shape for a long long time to me. And he basically quit so he doesnt have a leg to stand on imo.
But with that said, its hard for me to believe that a guy like Beckerman, Davis, or Julian Green (who i think WILL be good) are a better selection.
I guess I have to resign myself to the thought that Beckerman is Klinnsman’s John Fox/Hurney guy. Doesn’t matter what he does or doesn’t do for us, they just want him on the squad.
Beckerman shouldn’t see much of the field as long as Bradley and Jones stay healthy. Bradley is the most talented guy on the field, IMO, and Jones is more of Klinsmann’s guy than Beckerman is.
I think Green got his call up as a promise for pledging his allegiance to the USMNT. Hopefully it pays off.
The move to not bring Donovan is shocking, but Klinsmann has been hinting at it, and I don’t think the two of them were ever on the same page. I wouldn’t be surprised if some on the team don’t view him very favorably after the sabbatical, letting them go to Mexico without him.
That said, there is a lot of talent in the US right now, no international-level superstars, but a lot of great players.
I hope Diskerud has a great Cup. Our back line is pretty awful. Someone’s gotta score for us. We need creative players like Mix to make opportunities for us. This will be a huge stage for him - probably too big. Would be a welcome surprise if he settles in and makes things happen when he gets on the field.
[quote=“NinerAdvocate, post:96, topic:27433”]I was suprised that Wondo made the cut.[/quote]He’s got 5 goals in 9 games so far this season for the Quakes, 15 total shots on goal. Also scored in recent USMNT games too. Might be peaking at just the right time.
Plus, he’s the type of guy you love to cheer for. Down to earth, but tons of energy and living the dream.
When: Tuesday, May 27 at 10 p.m. EDT Where: Candlestick Park; San Francisco, California TV: ESPN2 Live Stream: WatchESPN[/quote]Hopefully it doesn’t happen, but if it does… is Donovan now first in line if someone gets injured before June 2nd?
