NASL Division 2 Supporters Groups Plead Their Case to US Soccer
A group of soccer supporters representing the Miami Ultras, FC Tampa Bay Ralph’s Mob, NSC Minnesota Stars Dark Clouds, Puerto Rico Islanders Foreign Legion, Carolina RailHawks JailHawks, Atlanta Silverbacks Westside 109 and the Montréal Impact Ultras Montréal Supporters sent a letter to US Soccer today. Their plea? They want a division 2 soccer season this year and are asking USSF President Sunil Gulati to do whatever possible to sanction the North American Soccer League for the 2011 season.
The letter states:
“The loss of our league will also have an inevitable ripple effect that will hurt not only the US National Team program and supporter’s base, but also development of soccer throughout the CONCACAF region. The NASL serves as a competitive league where many nations throughout the region have players developing their talent. Having better players throughout our region will no doubt be beneficial to the development of US Soccer, providing stronger competition to challenge and grow the US Nation Team.”
The letter seems to call the federation out and hold them accountable for rescinding the provisional sanctioning of the league.
“Displacing fans and hurting the development of soccer in the United States should not be what the USSF is all about. Your role as a governing body is to promote the sport and grow the game,” proclaims the group of supporter leaders.
The letter also has several barbs pointed directly at the United Soccer Leagues.
“This is the foundation for creating a stable second division in this country, as opposed to a league that benefits from the constant expansion and contraction of teams.”
And again:
“When our teams played in USL, we were never able to keep track of our opponents or the composition of the league.”
The letter ends with the supporters asking US Soccer to reverse their decision and approve the NASL for the 2011 season.
“We hope you recognize the vital role second division soccer plays across North American and Puerto Rico. We ask that you reverse this shortsighted and damaging decision. Displacing fans and hurting the development of soccer in the United States should not be what the USSF is all about. Your role as a governing body is to promote the sport and grow the game. Working with the NASL to establish a long needed, stable second division is the type of positive development this sport sorely needs.”
For the full transcript of the letter click
Dear President Gulati,
We would like to voice our concern regarding the recent decision by your Federation to rescind the provisional Division 2 status of the NASL. We are personally appalled by the decision of the Federation to deny second division sanctioning to the NASL. Many fans were positively encouraged by the interest the USSF paid to second division soccer this season, and were pleased by the new standards put in place to ensure stability and continuity at the second division level. We thank the USSF for the interest and leadership you have provided during 2010 to stabilize and maintain second division.
Should our community be deprived of high level, but affordable entertainment in the form of NASL soccer for 2011, fans will be starved of access to the beautiful game. Without professional soccer in our community, many fans may simply move on to other sports and an opportunity to continue the upward trajectory of interest in soccer here at home will be lost.
For our youth soccer community, it is imperative that the NASL play at the second division level this season. The USSF is striving to improve soccer in the United States and improve our national team. But if we deny young fans in five key American soccer markets local heroes to emulate and a club to support, we potentially lose a generation of kids who can help make the United States the best we can be in World Soccer. The partner federations and communities in Canada and Puerto Rico would also be severely affected.
The loss of our league will also have an inevitable ripple effect that will hurt not only the US National Team program and supporter’s base, but also development of soccer throughout the CONCACAF region. The NASL serves as a competitive league where many nations throughout the region have players developing their talent. Having better players throughout our region will no doubt be beneficial to the development of US Soccer, providing stronger competition to challenge and grow the US Nation Team.
When our teams played in USL, we were never able to keep track of our opponents or the composition of the league. The NASL has been forthright and aggressive in its local marketing while pledging a needed stability at the second division level. The NASL’s ability to attract the type of investors the USSF wants involved in the sport based on the new second division standards also has local fans excited about the future of both our teams and the league we compete in. We feel ownership and a connection to our league, the NASL that we never felt for USL.
The teams of the NASL have already invested much time and resources to establish this second division league. This is the foundation for creating a stable second division in this country, as opposed to a league that benefits from the constant expansion and contraction of teams. We believe that it is time for the USSF to work for what is best for the future and stability of U.S. Soccer. The mission should be to further the game’s roots in our communities by supporting soccer at all levels.
We hope you recognize the vital role second division soccer plays across North American and Puerto Rico. We ask that you reverse this shortsighted and damaging decision. Displacing fans and hurting the development of soccer in the United States should not be what the USSF is all about. Your role as a governing body is to promote the sport and grow the game. Working with the NASL to establish a long needed, stable second division is the type of positive development this sport sorely needs.
Sincerely,
Pieter Brown
President, Miami Ultras
Miami FC / Strikers Supporters
Steve Holler
President, Ralph’s Mob
FC Tampa Bay Supporters
Tim Hayes
On behalf of The Dark Clouds
NSC Minnesota Supporters
Kristian Vázquez-Díaz
President, Islanders Foreign Legion
Puerto Rico Islanders Supporters
Daniel Stroud
Member, Jailhawks
Carolina Railhawks Supporters
Chris Martz
Westside 109
Atlanta Silverbacks Supporters
Steven Beauregard
Member, Ultras Montréal
Montréal Impact Supporters
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The NASL is so desperate they are writing letters for their supporter’s groups. That was clearly written for them. Sad
@cantine: This is definitely not this case. I can send you the insanely long email thread that was used for drafting this letter if you don’t believe me
As someone whose name is at the bottom of the letter, and who participated in the week worth of e-mails to put this letter together, I assure you it wasn’t written by the NASL.
Why does the last half of the letter compare USL and NASL? Petty, what does the USL have to do with the NASL getting sanctioning? Nothing
Great letter. Thanks to all of those who were involved in its writing.
Are any of the supporter groups urging their individual members to send their own personal letters? I tend to think that more mail (especially the paper kind) lends more legitimacy to the cause, but there’s also the possibility that people could say some crazy stuff.
I would dispute that claim. I know a number of the signees of the letter and they are far smarter than you would give them credit for.
@Cantine – USL’s failures in the last 15 years are why we’re in this position. To ignore it entirely would be foolish.
@Trevor – I’m not asking my members to do it because I’m sure the ones that would have already done so without my prompting. This was a way to put a single voice to the jumble of opinions that we’ve had going on the Ralph’s Mob site the last few weeks.
These groups should also send a letter to Davidson and the NASL asking them to reconsider playing at D3 for a year. I mean if it is all about not hurting the markets and having soccer, right? That would only be fair. Isn’t all about growing the game? So why only D2?
The letter also avoids an issue. The USSF put in high standards for D2 to avoid much of the nonsense we have seen in the NASL with the Wellmans bailing and Traffic propping up much of the league. If NASL can’t meet those standards than these fan groups shouldn’t pester the USSF. They should be asking hard questions of the NASL. They are the ones who are failing. These fans should not have to do the NASL’s dirty work.
I am also sure the USSF is going to love these groups calling their decision “shortsighted” even though the NASL didn’t meet the standards anymore. Again, none of these groups are asking questions about the NASL. It’s all the USSF’s fault that NASL is a mess. Right.
I agree with Cantine. Why did they have to go there with USL? USL had nothing to do with Carolina’s money problems or the second creation of Atlanta who have no money of their own. USL had nothing to do with the sanctioning issues plaguing the NASL.
In what position Steve? The USL’s “failures” over the last 15 years are the reason NASL isn’t getting sanctioned which is the point of your letter? Thats a good one—lame
*yawn*
good letter.
i likey.
Dave, it is somewhat the USSF’s fault we are in this position right now. Is it their fault that Wellman bailed in Carolina, or that investors could not be secured in Minnesota? No. But to insist that the NASL meet every standard down to the letter in such a short timeframe is what I take issue with when it comes to the USSF’s recent decision. The fact is NASL at least welcomes the new standards and WANTS to work towards meeting them. USL dodged the new standards and consolidated their pro operations to D3.
As a member of one of these supporter’s groups I’m proud that we’re all speaking with one voice to the USSF. We all welcome the new standards and want our teams to play in a stable league with stable clubs. But Rome wasn’t built in a day. If Traffic has to step in and take a financial stake in some teams, then so be it, but the long term vision is there. MLS went through the same growing pains. We’ve finally got some rules and guidelines for D2, and we have an organization striving to meet those goals. Killing off D2 and taking a step backwards is not the way to go.
I want to see a strong D2 develop. I want to see soccer continue to grow in North America. I hope the USSF gets what they are looking for from NASL and allows that growth to continue.
Kudos to those within the various groups who put this letter together(even Ralph’s Mob).
So, Cantine, any other completely unsubstantiated claims to relate? Any other totally unresearched falsehoods? Does it bother you at all that you are just making things up in public and claiming them to be factual? Or do you feel okay about misinforming the public just because it fits the narrative you’ve constructed in your head?
Strict legalities aside, I refer to the noted author and journalist Harlan Ellison who has said many times, “Everybody is NOT entitled to their own opinion! Everyone IS entitled to their INFORMED opinion.”
To just say anything you feel like saying, regardless of the facts involved and making no effort whatsoever to ascertain those facts, is morally and ethically bankrupt. It, figuratively speaking, spits on the underlying principles that the concept of freedom of speech is built upon.
Barring some kind of mental incompetency issue you might be suffering from, you ought to be embarrassed.
@cantine: USL was full of rapid turnover with its clubs while running D2 and D3 these past 15 years. Their business model thrived on it. While it’s unfortunate that Traffic will have to own multiple teams for this year and a few down the road, it’s efforts to reverse constant turnover, to have markets where teams are a permanent fixture in their communities, to create a stable second division, are laudable.
@cantine: wait a second, are you Jeff DiVeronica in disguise?
@Cantine & silly – USL’s Failures are why D2 has to have such high standards, to avoid repeating the screw-ups. The people who wrote this letter at no point ask USSF to break the standards put in place. No one here knows what standard wasn’t met in the original NASL application. Any of you who do are either guessing or lying. We can speculate it had something to do with Traffic taking over Carolina. Whether or not that’s true (and again, none of us know if it is or isn’t), the application has been supplemented by the NASL to meet the standard.
@Dave – The questions are being asked of the USSF because the NASL has bent over backwards to meet the standards put forth in an extraordinarily short period of time. The sponsors for the teams have been sold on a D-2 league because of the provisional sanctioning. Putting everything in public limbo is needless. This could have all been done by the USSF telling the NASL “You need to fix X, Y, and Z in your application before we’ll give you final approval.” Furthermore, it’s not that the NASL didn’t meet the standards “anymore.” No one has ever met those standards for a D-2 League in America. They’re brand new. However, if you can point to some press release that states that USSF denied the sanctioning because it didn’t like Traffic owning multiple teams, please let me know. I’m sure we’d all love to read it.
Of course, you could all go back to supporting your own clubs and resist the urge to call the ones fighting for our own “Lame,” “Silly,” or “Petty,” or insinuate we’re league puppets. But then, where would you get the satisfaction of a false sense of superiority?
@ Garrett
While I generally applaud a good mob riot (as we are seeing in Cairo right now) to overthrow the government and install a new regime, let me ask the question:
How in the world did this group of 7 or 8 come together to become inspired to collectively write a letter without any collaboration from NASL OR any other the team’s staff or Davidson himself?
Answer: God gave each group a vision and Saint Mary herself came into a dream with each of you, telling you that God requires you to collectively write a letter… or could it have been demonic possession? I never get these 2 right….
However, and more importantly, your letter slams USL over their 15 year period in D2 soccer, largely for turnover.
Let’s look at a couple of facts relating to this group you affectionately are calling NASL…..
The NASL, only 12 months ago, was comprised of 9 members:
Baltimore, Rochester, St. Louis, Carolina, Minnesota, Vancouver, Montreal, Tampa, and Miami.
Mind you, these folks are not just part of the group, they were part of the NASL entity.
Out of the original 9 member, and in only 12 months, 5 of these teams, or 55% of last years members, are gone or Traffic has taken over control. I did not include Montreal or Vancouver in this equation.
How is this any better than USL while they were in D2? NASL is on track to beat USL in turnover as it stands, so USSF is absolutely correct in questioning their application. Granted, NASL may ultimately submit enough documentation to satisfy USSF and get sanctioned, but that in no way means they are superior in any way to USL. NASL has started off on the same failed path.
If NASL passes the D2 threshold requirements, God bless them, but if they have not, all they need to do is file for D3 sanctioning and they can continue their quest to be the fastest money losing group below MLS.
This attack against the USL makes no sense.
“When our teams played in USL, we were never able to keep track of our opponents or the composition of the league. The NASL has been forthright and aggressive in its local marketing while pledging a needed stability at the second division level.”
I will use a quote from Dave in an earlier article on this site:
“Just something to also throw in the fire. The Miami whatevers FC have a friendly scheduled for Feb 26th against Red Bull New York. That should be a huge deal for Miami, but you can’t find a peep about it on their horrible website, nor were there any press releases. South Florida fans found out about it on NY’s MLS website, not through their own club. No season tickets holders were called. Embarrassing. And they still don’t even have an official name! These are the type of things that scare fans about Traffic running things.”
Now the reply from Strikers Return:
“@Dave – Your points about the MLS friendlies at Lockhart are the same thing I have been expressing concern over to other Strikers fans. Not only do the Strikers have a match booked against the Red Bulls, but the Fire will be in town as well, playing the Red Bulls at Lockhart, and with a couple more TBD matches, presumably one against the Strikers as well. I’m hearing now that the name and kit rebranding might not be complete until the end of the month, which probably means the Strikers will take the field in these friendlies as Miami FC, and wearing the Miami FC kits. Talk about confusing fans……..”
Is this the forthright and aggressive local marketing you are referring to?
@Garrett
good one!
Forgive my ignorance, but why is it “imperative” that NASL receive division2 sanctioning?
@Bart – I’m stepping back from the inevitable mudslinging this will become as everyone repeats their stance ad nauseum, but in answer to your first question as to how this all came about, it’s a very simple answer: Twitter. We were putting together a meeting of the supporters groups sometime over the summer for a Gold Cup game, and the conversation turned to a letter. It’s not some grand conspiracy. Just soccer nerds being soccer nerds.
This just in…. Nobody gives a crap about NASL, USL or any of it. Minor League soccer is a redundant term in the US.
@Bart: we had already started emailing about a D2 supporters summit in the South when the de-sanctioning news broke, and we decided to turn our attention to that issue.
You point to the numbers of teams folding and whatnot, but you don’t realize that the NASL has yet to exist as a league for a full season. None of the teams are going to invest considerably when they have no guaranteed league to play in. Once Fed 12 rolls around and we hopefully get our sanctioning, we can start running our own league and properly investing in our markets (our supporters group is waiting on this to pull the trigger on our marketing expenditures as well).
Spit your stats back out at me after the NASL has been around for a few years.
“They should be asking hard questions of the NASL.”
Oh, if only they would actually do that.
It’s absolutely true that we’re at this point because of all the mistakes that have been made to this point. But more mistakes shouldn’t be made in the name of insisting that 560 people in South Florida just HAVE to have D2 soccer in 2011.
If the NASL can prove it can do what it says it can do, tremendous. We’ve been looking for a way forward for years. Sanction them provisionally for 2011 and give them clear goals to meet by Feb. 1, 2012 to be off double-secret probation.
Overall its nice and good to see the supporters groups working together, not sure I agree with everything in the letter but still nice to see them raising their concerns. I do agree with Dave though and hope a letter will be sent to NASL with a request that if D2 sanction doesn’t happen that the league will go forward as D3.
I echo CoconutMonkey’s sentiment: why is it imperative for NASL to get Division 2 sanctioning ?
USSF is also at fault to set, IMHO, a set of unreasonably high standards – I believe these standards should be set on a certain timeline. However, NASL shouldn’t force themselves on playing Division 2. Show USSF first that the business model is sustainable and the teams can build a strong base in at least 3 seasons. Show USSF that the teams’ revenues are good enough to cover all the expenses (or at least their bottom line should show noticeable improvement).
Or is this a mentality of “build and they will come ?”
Taylor, while I agree with some of what you are saying, where does this come from?
“Show USSF first that the business model is sustainable and the teams can build a strong base in at least 3 seasons. ”
This is not one of the USSF requirements. Perhaps you think it should be and that’s fine. But USSF didn’t think that was necessary or they would have made that part of the standards.
“Or is this a mentality of “build and they will come ?”
Perhaps it is.
BTW, just a quick take on the letter. I think leaving USL out of the equation would have been a much wiser and more politicly savvy tactic with US Soccer. But that’s just me.
Also, USL is under new ownership. While it is still a franchise system which I would like to see change at the “Pro” level, I think in general the concepts of USL PRO are excellent and we need to give them a season or two and see how things go.
Yea right, NASL fans don’t have a right to fight for their teams/league… It hurts the feelings of USL types.
If anything the whole USL-NASL divorce thing has produced one good thing…
BETTER ORGANIZED D2 SOCCER FANS.
Someone very bright once said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBShN8qT4lk
@BQ
Actually, although indirectly, USSF did create a three year sustainability requirement by requiring additional teams to the league over that time period.
For those that think NASL helped write this letter I can tell you that is not true.
Garret, a FC Tampa fan and I were the main writers (Mostly him though). We usually don’t get along as I’m a Miami FC/Strikers fan but we want our rivalry to continue and it was our initiative that made this happen.
USL had their chance and they made tons of money at the expense of so many teams that have since disappeared. Why didn’t the USSF do anything to prevent all that turnaround? Why are they being so strict now?
The USSF needs to work with NASL to make this happen.
Overall great letter. I agree leaving USL out of it would have maintained a positive spirit, but I’m totally armchair quarterbacking (or whatever the soccer equivalent is). Great work to all the supporters who helped put the letter together.
@Brian: great point “USL is under new ownership” have they had a full year to get a handle on things? The new owners should realize soon that Marcos and Holt need to depart. Two new faces changes things. Also the USL owners are suppose to have a Board of Governors, aren’t they? That collective should be smart enought to prevent things like promoting and backrupting Cleveland and selling franchises to Anquilla and others. On second thought why did the Board allow franchises in far flung places?
BQ,
My comment regarding 3-year growth is not a USSF standard, but my personal stance that if NASL wants to show USSF that they truly deserve to be sanctioned, they should show that their business model is good and sustainable in the long-term and IMHO, 3 years would be minimal. And a lot of things could be done in 3 seasons: building fan base, determining the most feasible competition format, marketing, etc.
Regarding the mentality of “Build and They Will Come” – I have no problem at all if that’s NASL mentality. I just prefer to see soccer movements start from grassroot although it’s always “chicken or egg first” mentality. I might be dreaming if some soccer clubs can be fan-initiated and fan-owned like FC United of Manchester but again, it needs a league to play and currently I don’t think the type of club will meet NASL or USL requirements.
Don’t believe everything you read. The reason USSF does not want the NASL as D2 is that they would be too close for comfort. When the sub champion of the USF was graduated to the NSL, and the Puerto Rico Islanders kicked the crap out of the US premiere Pro team and held scoreless their best striker, the weaknesses of the USSF became clear, it was time for a league which could protect the D2 players and teams. Still, in Europe, there are countries where teams can move from second division to first and vice-versa, depending on their work during the season. Why can’t the USSF adopt something like this?
I know NASL will get sanctioned because USSF would actually kill support for soccer in this country. Also I believe in 10 years it will look like this:
MLS will draft Euro soccer stars who want to retire in MLS and NASL will draft MLS stars who want to retire in NASL.
I got a Facebook message and an email about flying down to the states about a week and a half ago, from someone who works with PMI. In fact I think a few of us in the Edmonton’s Supporters Group were blindsided with this Supporter’s meeting. I would have liked to go, but getting info from a club who has yet to prove that they can even advertise their own existence to a sports crazed city, so we can fight their battles for them?
You know, as the NASL stays quiet I am starting to turn on them. They are spending money to not advertise. They have a deal with PMI to do what exactly, quietly go the way of the buffalo?
@Daniel would have loved to include Edmonton but we couldn’t get in contact with anyone
“sports crazed city” ???
Attendance numbers speak for themselves.
Dolphins 16 of 32 teams.
Marlins 28 of 30
Panthers 25 of 30
Heat 15 of 30
For being the 7th largest metro area in the US they are not exactly breaking down the doors to get into sporting events. I would hardly call them a sports crazed city, Daniel.
I’m trying to stay neutral in this but facts are facts. The NASL at this point and time have to stay fairly quite in their approach to all this. They are not even provisionally sanctioned any more and they are being very strategic in what they say and when the say it. Don’t expect to hear a lot from them. There’s legal reasons and there are also political reasons.
One way or another, expect to hear a lot more once US Soccer has made a decision.
We’re in a holding pattern folks and it’s likely not to change until February 14th.
Gulati doesn’t care. If he cared, the USSF would be knees-deep in the situation, helping the NASL and trying to develop genuine, long-term professional soccer clubs. However, instead, he decided to come up with a report that told us to create a nationwide league you’d need to have it backed by multi-millionaires. Write a letter a day, storm the USSF headquarters, defecate on the Home Depot Center whilst the U-20s are training, set yourself on fire like that guy in Tunisia; it doesn’t matter a jot because Gulati doesn’t care.
For what it’s worth, even if they are sanctioned, the NASL won’t work. Nothing works, it’s all been tried. A top-down approach to lower-division professional soccer doesn’t work and only worked for MLS because a handful of large corporations with their own agendas ended up underwriting the whole thing. A nationwide second division is financial suicide. What is needed is a network of regional semi-professional leagues, based around steady soccer clubs who have a past, a future and could exist without professional soccer. Then the USSF helps them out. The worst part of the whole situation is that the USSF basically handed all the current professional clubs who fit that bill to the USL, a parasitic organisation who have drained the life out of lower division soccer.
Can I withdraw a comment I made. Namely, this comment from above. “The NASL at this point and time have to stay fairly quite in their approach to all this.”
In a sense that was true but now that the auction is over I guess Davidson can talk.
http://www.indyweek.com/triangleoffense/archives/2011/02/02/nasls-aaron-davidson-dishes-on-sale-of-carolina-railhawks-wellmans
I don’t know if you guys know or even care but I have a real full time job and then come home and spend another 4-8 hours on my site. I was really beat last night and decided to give it a rest and get a full nights sleep. And looky what happens when I walk away for an evening. I’m telling you, there is never a dull moment in lower league sports.
you’re right Brian, a lot of passion here which leads me to think…….how can I stir the pot more?
Instead of stirring the pot, tomASS, why don’t you put together a nice list of D1 and D2 signees from MN since it’s national letter of intent day and I slipped up by taking last night off instead of tracking all that information down. Just email it to me my friend.
@BQ – I think we all appreciate very much your efforts in reporting on our teams and leagues. A night off was certainly deserving! Despite the comments about Carolina yesterday, I think you’re right that things will stay quiet now until the sanctioning decision is made. It seems like most of the teams are operating on a business as usual schedule for the most part, except for one major thing – advertising/marketing. I think I’ve heard from a number of supporters around the country at this point that the ticket sales work is being done. But can anyone report that they’ve seen ANY results from the league’s hiring of PMI in the way of local marketing or advertising?
Perhaps they’re continuing to wait on this because of the sanctioning decision. Perhaps they’re waiting for the season to be closer at hand before doing this kind of work. I don’t know. But I do know that there are opportunities that are being missed, like the Strikers friendlies with the Red Bulls and Fire at Lockhart. Best I can get from the organization on that is that Coach Shore is somehow the one who will determine if those games are played? What??? Really? The head coach decides if the team will play friendlies against MLS opponents? That sounds a bit strange to me.
One other thing BQ. You responded to Daniel’s post with some South Florida attendance figures. However, I’m pretty sure Daniel is from Canadian. Daniel, please correct me if I’m wrong. I think he was speaking about Edmonton. That said, you were not at all off with your figures and point about Miami. But I think that is the key, and it’s a point I sometimes argue with my fellow soccer fans down in neighboring Dade County. The Panthers are the only team on that list that don’t actually play in Dade County, although they once did, and honestly hockey just has never really developed a strong following down here outside of people wanting to see THEIR team when they come in to play the Panthers (ie. – me and my reigning Stanley Cup Champion Hawks!). I think Ft. Lauderdale will do a much better job of supporting the Strikers as long as the team is properly names and marketed.
I don’t agree several points in the letter but I appreciate the efforts of those who invertesd their time and energy to creat it.
I find the accusations of it being orchestrated byt the NASL as laughable as the accusatins of some pro NASL supporters who want to blam the USL for the NASL’s failings or the dire straights of the second division.
The comedic stylings are side splittingly funny and they say that laughter is the best medicne to cure what ails you…
@BQ OUCH!
“We hope you recognize the vital role second division soccer plays across North American and Puerto Rico.”
Well stated. I think USSF is clueless on this point. Come on you Stars!
It is absolutely USL’s fault. The NASL has been setting a new Standard for Stability and Financial Responsibility since 2010.
@BQ
Yeah dude, I live in Edmonton not Florida. And yes it is a sports crazed city.
@USL’s Fault: Please, keep the comedy coming.
“It is absolutely USL’s fault. The NASL has been setting a new Standard for Stability and Financial Responsibility since 2010″
You are going to make my spleen burst from all of the laughter. if my boss writes me up for looking like I am having too good of a time because I am rolling around on the floor when I should be working–it’s gonna be all YOUR fault when I can’t pay my mortgage.
Daniel, I understood that you are from Edmonton, but I thought you were referring to Miami in that sentence and then you made the comment about a sports crazed town. Sorry for the confusion.
Ah I see. My sentence was pretty poor. I meant our club in Edmonton didn’t do much to let us know what is going on (with anything). We have a guy from PMI that just moved up here. Young guy, maybe a bit older than I am. We were supposed to meet him at a pub a few weeks ago then silence. But he was the one that sent this email:
Fwd: FW: [General Information] NASL Supporters Summit
(name withheld) Add to contacts
To Daniel Blodgett
From: (name withheld) (namewithheldt@fcedmonton.com)
Sent: Mon 1/24/11 8:52 PM
To: Daniel Blodgett (timesofseperation@hotmail.com)
Just an FYI, maybe you guys want to get involved with this guy and the summit, can’t hurt for info.
—–Original Message—–
From: info@fcedmonton.com [mailto:info@fcedmonton.com] On Behalf Of
Steve
Sent: January-23-11 6:05 PM
To: tanya@m31.ca; amorse@fcedmonton.com
Subject: [General Information] NASL Supporters Summit
Steve Holler sent a message using the contact form
at http://fcedmonton.com/contact.
The supporters groups for the various teams in the NASL are organizing a
Supporters Summit. I’m not overly sure if FCE has an official organized
supporters group yet, but if so, could you please direct me to the right
person to talk to?
Thanks in advance,
Steve Holler
President
Ralph’s Mob
FC Tampa Bay Supporters Group
(name withheld)
Account Executive
namewithheld@fcedmonton.com
http://www.fcedmonton.com
I’m curious how the Dark Clouds – an “organization” that doesn’t exist in any meaningful way, with no officers, members, platform, or organizational structure of any kind can really be a signatory to anything like this letter?
Leper-
I offered my name as a ‘member’ it was mistakenly written on the final draft as ‘on behalf of’. In addition, last year we had some organizational meetings at the Kelly Inn that resulted in a loose structure. While at these meetings we discussed the future of the ‘dark clouds-esque’ group and it has been moving forward.
As the letter was organized by a group of supporters, of whom I am familiar, I offered my name in support as an NSC Minnesota Stars supporter.
I hope this answers your question.
Frankly, the letter is embarrassing. I definitely wouldn’t want my name associated with it. It’s got the scattershot, designed by committee feel where it throws a bunch of crap at the wall (think of the children!) in the desperate hope that something sticks.
In the end it comes across as a disingenuous selfish (I want -my- team) missive couched as an altruistic/greater-good “open letter”.
I would’ve kept the letter “closed”.
I must say, that regardless of what people think of the letter and how it is written, received and viewed, it has accomplished two things.
a) Showed that supporters of NASL teams want the league to be sanctioned at Division II,
b) Has gotten people to discuss the future of lower-division soccer in America
So, regardless if people think the letter is scattershot or over-reaching, it does show that many of us are willing to put our differences aside in order to unite around our team’s collective future.
I am proud to have signed on to the letter, and quite frankly, anything that was discussed between various team supporters. Unity is strength, regardless of what Bernie Slavin blogs about.
As a long time supporter of the local soccer team, whatever it’s name or league may be, I want the following:
1) A team to watch and cheer for, playing at as high a level as possible
That’s it. That’s the list. I don’t particularly care what acronym/league that team plays under, or, to be honest, what level of sanctioning in some kind of mythical pyramid that acronym has been bestowed with. The whole thing in the letter about “We feel ownership and a connection to our league, the NASL that we never felt for USL” is frankly ridiculous to me. The whole TOA vs USL vs NASL vs MLS vs MASL is just silly. I can’t see any reason why I as a supporter should care.
So yeah, everyone is certainly entitled to his opinion. But as a supporter, this letter in no way reflects mine.
This is all USSF’s fault.
If they had given NASL sanctioning instead of hanging “provisional sanctioning” over their heads like a carrot on a string it wouldn’t have emboldened USL to go after their markets so much. Pulling back like they did makes me think USL’s “drop to D3″ plan was ok’d by some suits in the Federation behind closed doors.
“We’re in a holding pattern folks and it’s likely not to change until February 14th”
Uh oh. I hope there was an “at the latest” to go along with that, BQ. If that’s the case, I might actually have to do something useful on my computer!
Well, provided MLS doesn’t release their new playoff format before then. That announcement will be like judgment day for soccer trolls.
Finally, Sunil responds to the letter
http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?p=3850
Wow! (eyes rolling!)
That link, Bart, was to the lamest thing Ive ever read! Really? A fake response to NASL supporters from Gulati? If that isnt the soccer nerdiest thing Ive ever wasted 5 minutes on…
Funny thing is, I saw the link to http://www.kenn.com…and thought what a waste of time, but it wasnt until I actually followed the link (against my better judgement!) that I saw how ridiculous and hopelessly hate filled he is against NASL. Kenn, try meditiation or breathing techniques, anything that will help you sleep at night and forget about this horrible, horrible world that we live in that NASL might get Second Division sanctioning.
In the meantime, can someone post a link to a fake letter from God to Kenn urging him to stop talking about soccer?
Just idiotic. I will follow that with a link of my own.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_Kh7nLplWo
I would not have signed my name to that letter.
Like the leper wrote, I don’t care what league it is, just get on the field and give it everything you have.