Tulsa Roughnecks (1993–2000) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_Roughnecks_(USISL) Nobody wants a repeat of this: a semi-pro team playing at high school football stadiums in front of hundreds of fans. Three of those years (1997-1999) were spent in USL D-3. Where did I get the idea to call them a "cover band?" http://www.tulsaworld.com/archives/...cle_17807318-5ae2-5448-ba62-32a7973ee873.html Honestly, if a fan vote turned up "Roughnecks FC" as the winner, I wouldn't be overly offended myself. And if anyone should have an affection and appreciation for the Roughnecks name from back in the 90s, it should be Sonny Dalesandro. But he's in the camp of those who would rather just turn the page...
You know one thing no one has mentioned yet that I can think, of, is that, in their haste to try and run to the head of the line in OKC and Tulsa, we've now got two D3 teams in the same league with ownership commonality. Traffic got killed by many USL apologists at the formation of the NASL for owning multiple teams. It was even the main issue with them temporarily getting their sanctioning pulled two years ago. Are those same people, including the USSF, going to scrutinize Funk in the same manner?
So did you hear the joke about the new Tulsa USL Pro team saying they were in talks with the Athletics? What does that mean?
You got me. I'd ask Rufnex about Tulsa if I were you. All I know is, unless the Athletics get some new financial backing, they'll be hard-pressed to compete with two higher level pro teams for fans in the long run. My opinion would be that they try to partner up with the group looking at Tulsa for the NASL. Since the Athletics are already established, if the NASL interested folks joined them and elevated them to the NASL with solid financial backing, I'd think they'd have a very good chance at "winning out" in the market. But I have no idea if that could happen.
Well to be honest in at least Sacramento's case NASL wasn't going to go anywhere. Not putting the team out in the middle of nowhere like they planned to. The USL group has a far better vision. And OKC will probably be just fine with USL once the NASL team folds their efforts. Tampa and Phoenix on the other hand have been unmitigated disasters.
Well, USL keeps getting into these markets because of lower overhead cost, what appear to be lower operating standards, and they are fueled by much butt hurt. Sadly, the USL overlords look like they will happily give a team to anyone with cash anywhere right now, knowing that with the MLS link they won't be allowed to fail now. It's really sad, it's going to lead to a fair bunch of failed markets, and lots of burned bridges that will set the game back years in some areas. It's time for the USL to grow up and get over the TOA split. If USL wants to be the MLS little brother, awesome, but stopping sabotaging slower moving NASL groups in bigger cities with straw men ownership. Stick to smaller cities like the Dayton's and Rochester's of the world, and leave the bigger ones alone. I swear we'll look back on this garbage in 10 years with nothing but sadness over the damage they'll cause
You lost me at "USL overlords." Not that I particularly like them. Hmmm. Wonder what Warren Ross is doing today?
( a ) The "let me feel your pulse and see your check and you're in" thing has been the perception since even when I was working in the league(s) back in the late 90s. I think it's slightly less real than it once was, though I can't discount entirely the notion that they need to better vet their owners. ( b ) If teams "aren't allowed to fail," you will have to explain to me how Tampa Bay and Antigua did just that, and Phoenix nearly did (and still might).
The USL Pro announcement in Tulsa reminded me more of USL A-league situations in Rochester and Syracuse than the unstable late 90s-era D-3 league that included the Tulsa Roughnecks and Indianapolis Blast... ironic that the Tulsa World editorial supporting soccer failed to reference the D-3 Roughnecks but did mention the one-year-and-done indoor NPSL Tulsa Ambush (the print version of article below mistakenly stated that the Ambush were a MISL team). http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/e...cle_c7754fb6-dc38-5cb7-9b70-1b2176b03827.html No Tulsa soccer fans want the 90s version of D-3 to be back in town... Nobody wants a team playing at the home of the old USISL and D-3 era Roughnecks... Metro Christian Stadium... And nobody wants the bad old USISL sizzlin six or whatever to come back, even if there's a rivalry with OKC... http://newsok.com/tulsa-continues-mastery-of-slickers-3-2/article/2435813 ...complete with road games at Taft Stadium... http://newsok.com/slickers-take-on-tulsa-roughnecks/article/2471800 So, we're skeptical. And with good reason.
Yep... nothing quite like reliving memories of being part of the coveted 18-34 demographic. Ironic that I spent the spring of 1997 in Indy, wanted to go to a game or two, but was persuaded against it when I couldn't find anyone willing to go with me and was told that Kuntz Stadium wasn't in a very good part of town... however, I did go to Victory Field and the Indy 500 time trials that spring to watch sports I had very little interest in. Spent the summer of 1997 in Boston going to Harvard Square to root for the New England Revolution and their leading scorer, former Roughnecks balboy Joe-Max Moore... Any fan of IRONY should enjoy the current Tulsa story. Went Hubbard, father of the current majority owners of USL Pro Tulsa passed away in the fall of 2012... http://ballparkdigest.com/201209095522/minor-league-baseball/news/in-memoriam-went-hubbard The elder Hubbard, to my knowledge, had no interest in helping any efforts to secure pro soccer in Tulsa... in fact, based on his actions, if anything, the opposite seemed to be true...http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsext...cle_c34f2d7d-b7d6-52fd-bad4-bc0bd2699651.html Noel Lemon, former GM of the old NASL's Tulsa Roughnecks, who'd contacted the new NASL about placing a team in Tulsa as late as spring 2012, passed away in November of 2012... http://www.socceramerica.com/article/49333/obituary-noel-lemon-1944-2012.html So, it was ironic that the new OneOk Field was NOT designed with soccer in mind, yet will somehow lead to an obligatory MLS bid. http://publicradiotulsa.org/post/professional-soccer-coming-tulsa Meanwhile ... "the Tulsa Athletics open tryouts will take place March 1st and 2nd at the Union Soccer Complex".... "Each trialist will receive a tryout shirt and must bring appropriate soccer gear, water, and, if selected, must be prepared to travel with the team to San Antonio on March 15th and 16th for preseason matches against Corinthians FC SA and the San Antonio Scorpions of the NASL" https://www.tulsaathletics.com/tryout-registration/
Tulsa USL team announce their name.... Roughnecks. http://m.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra...868-d653-5fc7-bc2e-c1f9567273b1.html?mode=jqm
Why would a team in the MLS farm league want to resurrect a name from the original NASL? Only one reason....more bitter bs from Holt and his cronies. Just pathetic. And I don't want to hear any bs about a "fan contest" choosing it. They bought the rights to the name before they even announced the team. Obviously they intended it to "win" all along.
Less than half the voters chose "Roughnecks," despite the fact that the name has infinitely more recognition for all soccer fans who voted than the other three combined. My experience last summer with Athletics' fans educated me about how much honest and passionate resistance there is to using that name again, especially for a minor league D-3 team. The overwhelming majority of the Tulsa Ultras have been opposed to the general idea of using the name, especially at the USL Pro level...
Just curious as to what the level has to do with it. I understand the original Tulsa Roughnecks were in the NASL and all, but who cares what level it's in or what league it's used in. Teams have used the same name in different levels all over the country, just wanted educated on what makes the Roughneck name "to good" for D3.
We don't know how many facebook friends of Energy FC voted for Roughnecks. Frankly, it's a real DICK MOVE that's being spearheaded by the minority owners of Tulsa USL Pro....... OKC Energy and Prodigal... to thwart the ongoing NASL bid here in Tulsa.... Word Mark TULSA ROUGHNECKS FC Goods and Services IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Entertainment services, namely, organizing, providing and conducting professional soccer exhibitions and games Standard Characters Claimed Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK Serial Number 86069516 Filing Date September 19, 2013 Current Basis 1B Original Filing Basis 1B Published for Opposition March 4, 2014 Owner (APPLICANT) Prodigal Soccer LLC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OKLAHOMA 615 N. Hudson, Suite 100 Oklahoma City OKLAHOMA 73102 Attorney of Record Harvey L. Yusman