Comments on: NASL Weekend Recap: Scorpions Win Regular Season Title, Playoff Matchups Set

By: Casual Soccer Fan

Casual Soccer Fan — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 15:05:32 +0000

I agree with earlier comments – if they’re crowning regular season champs, they need to make bigger trophies. This thing is a bookend.

By: yankiboy

yankiboy — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 03:21:33 +0000

I’d just like to say for the record that I really, really hate the “Soccer Bowl” name for the championship. I wasn’t fond of it as a 11 year old kid and I think that it sounds really corny. That’s another part of the “legacy” (insert anguished moan and sigh here) that wish that we hadn’t “embraced”.

I dig the trophy. I think that it crushes the old Soccer Bowl trophy.

By: Fotbalist

Fotbalist — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 01:15:21 +0000

@ Dave – Of course, I would be happy for Campos (or any other player) to take on every challenge, however, I don’t consider playing D2 is a bad thing that every player should try to get away from. Would it have been wise of David Beckham or Robbie Keane to stick around the Premiership or La Liga or Serie A at his age?! I think they get more playing time with lots more opportunities to shine in a new environment.

You are right that many people will have a difficult time accepting the Spring and Fall Champion concepts, but it could turn around if we – the die hards – give it a good chance of succeeding. Prior to this we all had respect for the Mexican Apertura & Clausura (the new NASL system is not identical but similar). Why aren’t we willing to give it a fair chance in the US for the NASL? I, for one, am looking forward to it.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 22:54:49 +0000

@Fotbalist – No player should want to hang around D2. Hopefully Campos uses his time in D2 to once again get a shot against better competition in MLS. At 29, he doesn’t have much time left. Otherwise you just rot away in the minors with little attention and respect.

And because of the Soccer Bowl, no one is going to care about being the Spring or Fall champ. It is very similar to minor league baseball with a split season. There is only one champ that matters. The Soccer Bowl winner. Just like the MLS Cup winner or USL-Pro Cup winner.

By: Fotbalist

Fotbalist — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 22:44:04 +0000

@ Strikers Return – you call it ‘half season’ and I call it ‘Spring Championship’….are you and I a classic example of the old “glass half full/half empty” saying. LOL! Here’s what I predict: In 2013 the Fort Lauderdale Strikers will be the Spring Champions thus securing the home field for the Soccer Bowl, at which point the faithful fan “Strikers Return” will be ecstatically overwhelmed with joy and he will extend an invitation to his IMS co-commenters to have a beer on him at the Soccer Bowl Championship game they will attend in his hometown. lol

By: Strikers Return

Strikers Return — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 19:32:13 +0000

@fotbalist – No one will ever have doubt my support of the Strikers, you are spot on there. But being crowned a “half season champ” for a sixteen game “half schedule” in soccer is absurdly pathetic. It’s half a season, nothing has been “won!” Oh my God, I gotta stop now before I get going again on this stupid ass schedule thing and my blood pressure goes through the roof …………

By: Fotbalist

Fotbalist — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 22:15:32 +0000

That record-matching Golden Boot from Campos is impressive. I’m sure he’ll get his due attention, it looks as if he’ll be around for a couple of years. And I, for one, hope he stays for a long time.

By: Fotbalist

Fotbalist — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 22:13:46 +0000

@ Strikers Return – I think you are a little harsh. I believe a team that is at the top of the table of 8 (or 9, or 10, ???) teams for a series of of home & away matches deserves respect. I believe we have to look at the Spring Championship & the Fall Championship as separate competitions.

Also, you are too devoted a fan, to not support and promote your team for every single accomplishment, no matter how (seemingly) insignificant.

By: Brian Quarstad

Brian Quarstad — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 18:59:45 +0000

Soccer Boy, don’t worry about me posting an article about the guy you called a bum most of last season and the beginning of this season while I tried to convince you differently. My article about Campos is just as big as the NASL’s article is about him winning the Golden Boot. Patience my man, patience. All in good time.

By: Soccer Boy

Soccer Boy — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 17:33:00 +0000

@bullsear, I agree with you 100% regarding the trophy. I think my trophy for taking third place in my Cub Scout pack’s Pinewood Derby is bigger.

San Antonio is a worthy recipient of the regular season championship. I think the only match they were really outplayed was their first match. In my opinion, Coach Hankinson deserves a lot of credit for the Scorpions success in the regular season. The MN Stars do deserve credit for holding Pablo Campos to one goal in four matches, and drawing three times–the one SA win being a very questionable result.

Kudos do go out to Campos for tying Etienne Barbara’s regular season scoring record with 20 goals. I thought IMS would have made a bigger deal out of this accomplishment, as 20 goals is impressive no matter how you slice it. (Actually, it could have been 21, but for the “takedown” in the box against Campos several matches back against the Stars.)

I guess we will have to wait and see if regular season success brings fame and fortune as the “second season” starts.