2011 US Open Cup

That appears to be true. Can't give an exact source because it mostly is in Twitter comments from those listening to the press conference, and I have no clue what's the best way to source Twitter comments. In which case, that throws things wide open as to the format. But I'm going to say that it would be pretty easy and obvious to replace those teams with MLS teams and reduce the amount of playoffs on the MLS side.

...Ah. Kenn's got it covered.

 

Thanks for the link.

"Gulati: No, because it’s simply too late to include them. The timing doesn’t work. There is no place in the structure, they’re not going to be included."

That is total bs. BigSoccer posters could come up with 20 formats in the next ten minutes of how it could work and how the teams could be fit in. No place in the structure? Then change the freaking structure. USSF was planning for a 2nd and 3rd division already weren't they? The tourney doesn't even freaking start for four months, at least the rounds that they would be included in.

 

Agreed. It seems almost deliberately punitive.

 

I just had an amusing thought. He should've said "The NASL never entered the Open Cup back in the '70's/'80's. No reason for it to start now."

 

Our club, Regals FC, from the northside of Houston, is very excited to be able to one of two teams representing South Texas at the May qualifier in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The lads train 3 nights a week and play as many as 3 matches a week to prepare for this year's USOC. Last year we were able to get a friendly scrimmage with Mexico's Puebla FC of the Premera Division, a friendly at FC Dallas, and two friendies with the New Orleans Jesters.

With over 100 matches in the last 13 months, the 2011 USOC is the target all of our players are focused on.

A few years ago, ROMA FC from Dallas made a magical run to the 4th round, and we have used that result to motivate our guys.

Please feel welcome to jump on the bandwagon, we are going in with focus, fitness, and grand ambition.

http://regalsfc.com

 

Do you think it's possible that the NASL teams asked to be excluded from the Open Cup for this year for financial reasons? That would be admitting a weakness when discussing sanctioning but I suppose it's a possibility. Most likely if they had to travel to face PDL/amateur sides, etc they would have not drawn large crowds and lost money.

Also, can we sticky this thread and unsticky the 2010 one?

 

That would be a question for mutinywxgirl, bigredfutbol. Probably best to message them directly, as this forum is kinda quiet, and I have no idea how much they check in. In fact, I wonder if mutinywxgirl even reads the boards much.

 

http://thecup.us/2011-us-open-cup-t...sl-gets-automatic-berths-pdl-gets-extra-team/

Team allocations and dates.

 

Wow, 10 MLS teams for 2 slots. This is a joke. The teams at the bottom (Portland and DC?) are probably going to have to play 4 play-in games to qualify for a Cup competition that only last 4 rounds when they enter. How does that make sense to anyone? Are you really going to blame them when they roll out the reserves for round 1 of a 4 round qualification process just to make it into a competition where they have another 4 games to win anything?

MLS and the USSF need to tear apart the setup for 2012 and create a competition that makes sense and allows all 16 MLS teams to play in it.

 

You're assuming that all 16 MLS teams want to play in it.

 

3 qualifying rounds should suffice, although your point still stands.

e.g.
1) Qualifying game A (Philly vs DC)
Qualifying game B (Chivas vs Portland)

2) Semis (8 teams) - Chicago, Colorado Rapids, Houston, NE, San Jose, Kansas City, A winner, B winner

3) Finals: (4 teams) - 2 winners qualify for 3rd round proper

 

Every American team participated last year.

 

Well seeing that those teams who don't directly qualify are generally going to be non-playoff teams from the previous year and/or teams that don't have later games in the CL, this is a competition they can focus on. Sure, Colorado is the exception as they won MLS Cup as the 7th seed last year (as was RSL last year by winning as an 8th seed), but those are the breaks. I have no problem with it.

I think that Jason means by directly entering the competition and not having to play in against other MLS competition first.

 

Convicted felons participate in going to prison. That doesn't mean that they want to.

 

So they gave the 8 spots usually allotted to the D2 league to the lower divisions. Darn. 3 to USL-PRO, 1 to PDL, 4 to NPSL. If NASL comes back next season they could have as many as 7 US based teams (Carolina, Atlanta, Tampa, Miami, San Antonio, Baltimore, and Minnesota). Perhaps they'll expand it to include all 16 MLS US based teams as Jason desires.

 

I agree. Possibility for three games at most. Another way to look at the possible bracket using last year's standings:


Berth 1
1. Colorado v. winner of 8. Chivas v. 9. DCU
v. winner of
4. Chicago v. 5. Houston

Berth 2
2. San Jose v. winner of 7. Philadelphia v. 10. Portland
v. winner of
3. Kansas City v. 6. New England

 

This is beyond stupid.

I love the Open Cup, but if the MLS teams that have to play THREE qualification games when other teams have to play zero told the USSF to go do something vulgar, I'd understand.

I would love to have a MLS or USSF executive explain this.

 

With the way some MLS teams seem to treat the Cup with their roster decisions I don't believe so. It's obvious that some management groups simply don't want to be there.

 

Here's to the hope that some MLS team does not take our lads seriously. Especially if that team wears orange.

 

You might want to get out of Region III before you talk about MLS teams.