A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The USSF D2 Pro League Playoffs
Commentary
If you’ve been following the news releases from D2 teams recently you know that many teams have been bolstering their rosters before the August 31 deadline. As is often done at this time of year, clubs add players they feel could help them make a playoff run. While that in itself is not earth shattering, there is something very curious going on. Something that seems a bit unjust. Two teams in USSF D2 Pro League that seem to have been financially irresponsible during this current season suddenly are stocking up on players for the playoffs. That’s right, both Crystal Palace Baltimore and AC St. Louis have somehow magically been able to add players to their team.
Not so long ago Jeff Cooper had such financial adversity with his organization that he had to fold his WPS team Athletica and the USSF had to dip into the security bond just to make payroll and keep the team afloat. Fortunes of the USSF D2 Pro League team may have turned more recently after dumping Athletica and ridding themselves of their expensive coach and foreign owners who had not paid into the team since last winter. But no matter their adversity or the trouble they caused for US Soccer, Cooper and his AC St. Louis suddenly have money to add players to their roster in the month of August.
On the 16th, AC St. Louis announced the signing of up and coming 16-year old Luis Gil in a loan agreement from Real Salt Lake for the remainder of the 2010 season. Just one day later the team announced the midfielder Michael Videira formerly of the New England Revolution had signed with the team. Finally, on August 27th, AC St. Louis inked a contract with former Real Maryland midfielder Nicki Paterson.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace Baltimore also seem to be busy stocking up on players. In fact, on August 31st their headline read “Baltimore add fresh blood in playoff push.” The team announced the signing of 3 players: forward, Alan Sanchez, 22, (signed from the Real Maryland Monarchs), Romanian-born Adrian Bumbut, 26 and Mark Murphy, 26, as a back-up goalkeeper. While CP Baltimore did release 3 other players to make the move, it’s curious to me that the team was allowed any player transactions after this past season.
Palace have had more than a few financial problems this season. In fact, it started early in the season and went south from there. According to several sources, CP Baltimore actually went through all of their bond money and a special meeting was called between USSF and the NASL . After a very close vote the federation and NASL ponied up money to save the team until the end of the season. In fact, when Palace coach Jim Cherneski commented on why top scorer Randi Patterson was sold when the team was struggling he commented: “We’re broke.” Oh, and this is the same team that has played at 5 different stadiums this season.
Let’s look at one more team. A team that seems to be the polar opposite of the two aforementioned teams. This team has tried to be financially responsible all season by keeping costs down and not overspending. Because the NSC Minnesota Stars have been self disciplined and fiscally responsible, they turned down numerous offers from teams to purchase or take players on loan to aid in a playoff run. For the Stars, it’s what you see is what you get. Despite having the lowest player payroll in the league, the Stars, led by coach Manny Lagos, are still clinging onto a playoff spot. However, if either AC St. Louis or CP Baltimore make the playoffs there will certainly be an injustice.
Recently, the USSF has set a rigorous new set of standards for teams and their owners. But I have one more standard US Soccer forgot to add and should have during this past season. A penalty for financial irresponsibility which should have been handed out to both AC St. Louis and CP Baltimore for the grief they’ve caused the league and its teams. This could have been accomplished several ways. Perhaps if a team has to dip into the bonding money points get deducted from the team’s standings. In the case of Palace where they have used all their bond money and still had to be rescued, there is no logical reason whatsoever why they should be allowed to participate in the playoffs. None!
Hopefully, these problems will get sorted out on their own. But if either team makes the playoffs this season I think we should all be asking lot of questions.
Comments are closed.
I had similar thoughts as I have been reading the postings by the above-mentioned teams on Twitter and Facebook. It makes me angry, but then again, AC St. Louis and Crystal Palace might not be around next year. (Honestly, it might be two late for both St. Louis and Crystal Palace.) Well, I sure hope the Stars are around whether or not we make the play-offs.
There is probably some rationale in their thinking that it would be harder for USSF or whatever D2 entity is around to not accept them for 2011 if they are a playoff team.
I like the idea of deducting points for the irresponsiblity. Similar things are done around the world.
Point about Luis Gil’s loan, I thought I read that RSL was still paying his wages?
Boo hoo. Teams do what the have to do to win inside of the set of rules they have in front of them. Don’t take your rant out on the teams. If you don’t like it, blame the league. And who says signing new players means those players are any good anyway? If the management of those teams’ finances is poor, it’s likely their player decisions are too. St. Louis shed a $200,000/month lead weight in dumping the WPS team, and how much more dumping the coach and Ralston? I doubt all three new players are costing more than $50,000 total for the rest of the 2010. You can put that on a credit card and make it back hosting one playoff game. Palace you said yourself they traded out three players to take on three more, and seriously – you think it cost them anything go pick up a backup GK and some USL-2 guys? They’re probably playing for free. Competitive teams do what they can to try and win. Maybe if your MN team were more competitively capitalistic, they’d be safely in the playoffs already. Socialism doesn’t work in sports. Not everyone can be above average.
The teams are certainly responsible for creating the situation but I am blaming the league for not creating some sort of sanctions. As Mikey pointed out it’s done everywhere else in the world. As someone else pointed out to me, “Only in American soccer can you screw people over, have somebody else pay your bills and make the playoffs!”
BTW, MN was an example. My beef is if they make the playoffs over ANY of the other teams in the league than something is wrong. Not disagreeing with some of your other points. Financial improprieties need to be dealt with at the league level.
Like Mikey said, I thought the Luis Gil loan is being financed by Real Salt Lake? But punishing teams for financial problems is standard in other leagues, isn’t it? I’m not totally sure what “administration” means in the UK—I’m assuming it is the equivalent of for bankruptcy or something similar—but doesn’t that usually come with a points deduction?
“There is probably some rationale in their thinking that it would be harder for USSF or whatever D2 entity is around to not accept them for 2011 if they are a playoff team.”
Really? Was “making the playoffs” on the list of USSF D2 standards and I missed it?
Devil’s Advocate, though: Much like you might invest in sprucing up a house to maximize the amount you could get for it at sale, it’s possible (at least in St. Louis’ case, I can’t for the life of me figure out who would buy Baltimore) that Cooper is trying to stage the house to make it more attractive to a potential buyer.
I know we don’t see a whole lot of teams being bought and sold, historically, so that may be crazy, but it’s certainly no crazier than the idea that making the playoffs in 2010 is going to have any bearing on who meets the standards for 2011. St. Louis and Baltimore could both make the playoffs and they’d still be rudderless organizations with no money and little chance of being legitimate D2 teams.
At this level making the playoffs isn’t relaly a financially wise move. Seems historically, making the play-offs and a deep run in the play-offs is worse financially for the club. So really ACSTL & CP boosting their roster for a play-off run is right in line with all their other decisions they’ve made this year.
Sam is correct regarding cost of the players. Being lower division or minor-league free agents, they are absolutely cheaper than the players cut (Baltimore), although those players contracts ‘should’ be guarenteed. Three new additions at this point in the season would likely cost, at the most, between 1,000-1,500 total, maybe a little more if they actually do make the playoffs. At this point, its a drop in the bucket of adding to debt that, unfortunately, will never be paid if the clubs fold.
As for the penalties… while the rest of the world may hand out point deductions and the like for entering administration, those clubs have something to rally for off the field to come back financially. Had US Soccer disbursed those kinds of penalties, it would have ensured teams would not have made the postseason and increased the possibility that they would have folded up shop midseason because they had nothing to play for, which would have cost all of the clubs throughout the league greatly.
Tougher sanction is bad because???? It could have come at a better time next year owner you are going to have to pay to play no more broke owner. I been saying been saying the D2 may be play at a higher level but it is run like a D3. The NASL was supposed to be this great saver of lower league soccer it’s become a dud and a liability. I think the new sanction rule were not only to make D2 stronger ,but to get rid of the NASL serving as a double edge sword, and what is all the grumbling for soccer the USSF is trying destroying D2 in the U.S. The NASL did that it self. Who care it if your team move down D3 your still watch it and go to the matches
BQ, I got mad love for you, Kid but I completely disagree with you on the Baltimore situation. Not (just because) I’m a homer.
While I will be the first to admit that I am not privy to the salary numbers (and I have not asked any Baltimore FO folks and personally do not feel that it would be appropriate fot me to do so) but as was pointed out previously in the comments, there is a really good chance that this move actually will lower the Baltimore salary: Perez, Lucio and Basso signed when the club was in a better financial situation. I’ll bet you a pack of Minnesota Twins Baseball Trading Cards that the Medds signed the new guys for less money than what the guys who left were making. It might not be considerably less, but I am sure that it came at a savings.
Secondly, for those who state “poits should be deducted alike everywhere else in the world!”_ I got news for you:
A) This ain’t the rest of the world.
B)It doesn’t happend “everyplace” else in the world because while models might be similar they are still “different”. There are a lot of places where points are not deducted and their financial siutations are a lot worse than Baltimore’s.
If Baltimore can somehow limp into the playoffs then where is the great “injustice”.
Let’s just say that Minnesota Thunder had made it into the playoffs or one of the many other teams that this division has shed over the years managed to do it (say, may Syracuse if they managed to for example) then why should a team that has managed to get enough results to qualify (key word) be excluded from the playoffs.
or would some of the critics have been happier if both clubs just “gave up the ghost’ several months ago? The all of the other more responsible clubs could have just gotten the forfeit points. Maybe that would have seemed like less of an “injustice”???
@Sounder74: So I’m going to just guess based on your comment that you were one of the hardcore USL1/A League Sounders fans who was down before the Sounders got an MLS pass, huh You definitely can’t be one of those bandwagon, Xbox, Marching band-loving losers who arrived late to the party and who might as well be jocking grunge circa 1993?
You not be one of those typesmust be. Otherwise the “who cares if your team drops down–just go and see them” comment would leave you with very little credibility.
As far as your take on the new sanction rules–ABout the only thing that they are going to do is make the current d3 the new defacto, D2. That won’t be the end of the world but you are seriously a lot more optomistic than I am if you think that there are going to be enough clubs that can meet those standards next year unless some exemptions are handed out.
Will it eventually make the D2 stronger? Maybe but I am not so sure. SOme franchises will be shed. others may manage to drop down. But then when FIFA asks why is there no D2 but you have a first, third and fourth division, chances are that things are just going to be reclassified and “wah-lah”, PDL is going to be the D3. D3 is going to be the D2…
You aren’t alone in stating that it will be a “good” thing. I just think that some of you guys actually think that the market is capable of sustaining itself without some sort of “smoke and mirrors”.
I just don’t think so. Some compromise will be needed…
Usually I’m on your side, BQ. But this article is pretty biased to your NSCM Stars. I say good for AC St Louis & CP Baltimore if they make the playoffs; hopefully they (and the USSF/NASL) can reoup some the losses from earlier this year.
if either Minn or CP Baltimore and possible STL make the playoffs, it is going to put them deeper in debt. Travel cost will out weigh any ticket sales those clubs could recoup, StL might break even.
If financial irresponsibility was a requirement for pro soccer in the world, we would have to say goodbye to teams like Real Madrid, Barca, Liverpool and ManU.
Seriously, why even talk about this?
@yankiboy you can doubt my world but never doubt my loyalty to my team I am Green and blue through and through don’t insult me like a common fan I use the name Sounder74 for a reason look it up. Like I said it’s a double edge sword you really think they are going to leave the space open. You are right a bout the U.S need a D2 but in will not come form were you think it is. I think if MLS is smart I think they will tie in their reserve league that may come in 2011 and their academy together filling the hole for player growth in the U.S. Not say saying they will get rid of lower level soccer but it will be what it always been just entertainment. Euro team has some sort of system like this in place form what I can’t gather. Here a example our Midfielder Steve Zakuani was in the Arsenal Academy ever since he was I believe 16 year old. The new system will allow a team to groom a player for an early age and take the best and brightest.
Stanley, are you seriously comparing Real Madrid, Barca, Liverpool and ManU spending to AC St. Louis and CP Baltimore who their own federation had to bail them out to help them survive and operational costs about 1/1,000,000 of the big clubs. Come on man. You’ve got to come up with something better than that to convince me. Beside, in recent history when have any of those clubs nearly gone bankrupt and almost folded midseason?
@Sounder74: I didn’t doubt you, Bro or your loyalty to your team. If you re-read the post, I assumed that you were NOT one of the rave green come lately clowns who now have an expert opinion on evrything related to soccer in tthe US.
Can’t stand those guys. You get mad props because you have been down and are down.
What I was trying to say is that I actually care about what you have to say because you have cred in my book.
I don’t question your loyalty to your club. I admire it.
I still don’t think that there is a snowball’s chance in Phoenix in July that MLS Reserves will form the second division. I like the theory. I just think that my scenario is a lot more likely.
Maximum Respect.
Dude! I can’t tell you how much I like the commentors at IMS. You guys rock. Good thoughtful comments and willing to hear each other out. Great stuff everyone and as always, I so appreciate you reading IMS. You folks are the best.
@yankiboy Thanks you . You might be right the reserve league might not come in 2011 but, then again the USSF has been know to stall on decision making give the MSL enough time to put one in place.
No need to worry on Baltimore’s account. CP won’t be making the playoffs.
Bit unfair to criticize the club for continually trying — even if haplessly — to make the best out of a terrible situation. The story of the three signings is not that they brought Sanchez, Bumbut, and Murphy in, but that Basso, Perez, and Lucio were cut. A headline of “Three Disappointing Players Finally Released and Replaced With Significantly Cheaper Stand-ins” is not going to swell the pride of the scores of CP Baltimore faithful.
This has been a tough year (no one wants to follow their team around to five different stadiums for home games), but with three weeks of matches at Paul Angelo Russo it would be nice to see the squad show something that makes it worth fighting for the survival of the club.
Ultimately, none of this is about Cooper or Medd, it is about the supporters who continue to flush money down the drain to follow the sport. Until the lights are turned out of their team, the ability to qualify for the playoffs (even if a ridiculous phantasm) is something that should not be stripped away.