Not a lot of news to start the new year, but I thought we should get the news thread started for the new season ahead. BrickyardBatallion.com had the only newsworthy items to report as Peter Wilt continues his tour of Indy trying to help determine if 2014 will be the year Indianapolis joins the NASL. Here are the articles... http://brickyardbattalion.com/2012/12/northsiders-to-gather-at-the-isa-to-talk-pro-soccer-in-indy/ http://brickyardbattalion.com/2012/12/nuvo-pro-soccer-is-within-indys-grasp/ - In this interview the biggest point made was that Wilt is "“cautiously optimistic that come a month from now we’ll be able to say there’s going to be professional soccer in Indianapolis.” Expect a decision and formal announcement at the annual convention of the National Soccer Coaches of America, which will be held in Indy Jan. 16-20. A new article about the Railhawks former CB, no new info though... Gale Agbossoumonde on his way to Toronto after Carolina stint - CaryNews.com Gale Agbossoumonde has a new team for next season.... Some Islanders info... Whitts Weekly Well, it is now close to the end of 2012 and, on a personal note, a very successful one for me. My first full year as a Head Coach of the Puerto Rico Islanders and an absolute read more... Islanders to Kick Off 10th Anniversary in August 2013 In 2013, the Puerto Rico Islanders will be celebrating our 10th season. It was in 2004 that a group of visionaries, including the Mayor of Bayamon, Ramon Luis Rivera, Jr., read more... Railhawks post their top 10 moments of 2012 season... 2012 TOP TEN With the New Year just a couple days away, CarolinaRailHawks.com is taking a look back at some of the biggest and best RailHawks moments from 2012. With all of its excitement, 2012 showed read more...
Updated links... Whitts Weekly Islanders to Kick Off 10th Anniversary in August 2013 Railhawks post their top 10 moments of 2012 season... 2012 TOP TEN
Coach's comments eased my doubts about the Islanders actually playing the fall season this year. Wouldn't want to lose them as they are an interesting and good team for the NASL, hope there 10th Anniversary celebrations are successful and the team gets its attendance up after a season of not being able to use Juan Lubriel Stadium most of 2012.
You know if the renovations were done this year and not last year, this would have worked out perfectly with taking the first half season off. Oh well! (Then again the new government may have shut down the renovations if they were not finished last year).
NASL.com reporting that FC Edmonton's head coach is the interim manager for Canada... http://nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=3619 Edit: also being reported by Steve Sandor at www.the11.ca FCE coach Miller becomes interim boss of the national team
Wes Knight formerly of San Antonio Scorpions signed by FC Edmonton : http://the11.ca/2013/01/08/wes-knig...mbine-invitees-okai-and-mirabelli-get-trials/
Spring season schedule to be released tomorrow. Does anyone recall when the 2012 schedule was released?
January 16 at 3:00pm Peter Wilt and the investor group are group are going to be making an announcement on the future of pro soccer in Indianapolis at the Marriot, attended by the Brickyard Battalion. If I'm not mistaken, this also coincides with the NASL meeting, also in Indianapolis. Looks like we may have the third team in 2014, and 12 team overall
They'll get provisional sanctioning, but I do wonder who will be next in line after this? Going by time zone, its hard to tell. I do recall hearing rumblings about Eugene, OR and I believe Boise, ID, just can't remember where
the time zone requirement is the least important and likely easiest of the requirements to get a waiver for the foreseeable future. If Indianapolis is really announced tomorrow and as long as other expansion teams already announced do take the field as planned, the NASL should be fine in overcoming recent hiccups and any question of receiving wavers for unmet sanctioning requirements. For now.
Eugene and Boise? I can tell you where you have heard 'rumblings'. In your stomach. Time for a Snickers.
I do remember reading some rumors, but like most rumors they are not solid. Boise had that race track that people wanted to convert to a baseball stadium or a soccer stadium; I think that went no where. Eugene, I am not sure. But they would be somewhat close to Edmonton (not very). Realistically there are very few Mountain Time metro areas that meet the 750K population standard (in the USA) Denver (already a MLS team in Aurora) Salt Lake (already a MLS team in Sandy) Boise Albuquerque El Paso (Mountain Time?) To meet the 3 time zone requirement will most probably mean a west coast team (or Vegas/Arizona).
El Paso is on Mountain Time. It's the only part of the state not in the central time zone. Working in a call center has its benefits, like a map of time zones in the continental US. I would agree that the whole 'time zone' deal doesn't seem super important.
Catching Up With Atlanta Coach Brian Haynes - NASL.com Porter gets deadline from FCE: Sign deal or we move on without you – the11.ca Kyle Porter has been given a deadline by FC Edmonton coach Colin Miller. Either Porter signs the deal offered to him by the club, or the team will move on without him… Also, below is link to the article about the release of the spring schedule. Yes, it was released on 12/12/2011
1/10/2013 is the answer to the trivia question of "When did NASL announce their 2013 Spring season schedule" http://nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=3629 http://nasl.com/index.php?id=12
Steven Sandor at the11.ca opinioned that the reason that FCE got the bye in the final week of the spring season was that they would statistically (based on the 2012 season) have the least chance of winning the league in 2013. Read his story if that last sentence made no sense. Sandor put it more eloquently. It is also convenient that the all US-based team face each other on the 4th of July.
After 3 straight away games to start the season, Edm will have 3 straight home games (in 4 weeks) in May/June (May 12, May 26, June 2). Defending champs, TBR also get 3 straight at home (in 4 wks) from April 6-May 4 to begin the year. Minnesota plays all but one of their home games indoors at the HHH Metrodome. They will go North to Blaine on for the final game of the spring sched on July 4 vs. Atl. It would appear that the schedule makers used Florida teams as a starting point for building the schedule: TB plays homes games in what is nearly alphabetical/chronological order Atl (20/4), Car (6/4), Edm (2/5), Minn (25/5), SanAntonio (15/6). The exception to the pattern is the 4th of July derby match-up vs Ft.L.S. The Strikers also had a weird quirk in their schedule as all aways games were nearly alphabetical/chronological order Atl (13/4), Car (20/4), Edm (26/5), Minn (8/6), SAS (18/5), TB (4/7).