I don't know who it's owned by. The crowd is a mix of Americans and Europeans, many of whom go there for the food and don't care at all about the soccer. It is a mostly Eurosnob hangout-- and I would say that your two questions are not at all mutually exclusive-- but I gather that during the World Cup in 2002 there were a lot of U.S. fans there.
I actually watched the Honduras - US World Cup Qualifier at the Dark Horse when it was only available via closed circuit. Of course, it was still called the Dickens Inn then (I think it was during the 2000 WC too, but I could be mistaken) and owned by another guy. When my then finance, now wife lived at 9th and Lombard, we'd go there a lot. I've only been a few time under the new owner, but never for soccer. I think the owner is a British ex-pat from Liverpool. Most of the people that go there for Saturday and Sunday mornings are ex-pats. To be honest, I wouldn't expect those people to hop on the MLS bandwangon. That's just a different soccer market all together. I don't really hate them for their ignorance really. I guess it would be like a fan of British Ice Hockey trying to get me to support the local Super League team when I can get Flyers games via satellite. I might humor the guy, but it really wouldn't be a substitute for the "real" thing in my mind. I think soccer can make it in this country with out the fat chain smoking dentally challenged UK ex-pat set. There aren't that many of them really. If you ever go down there, you'd see the same 50-60 people every week. As a evening hangout though, the Dark Horse is one of my favorites. I decided to marry my wife there!
The Dark Horse was awesome for the 2002 World Cup (several hundred people there for the Germany game), but it's mostly a Eurosnob hangout now. When it used to be called the Dickens Inn it was owned by an Irish guy who was willing to show US soccer if enough people showed up to watch it, I think the name changed with the ownership.
OK all, I think the search for the name of the new team, if we ever get one, is over. I just read it on the Philly MLS website, and I wish I had thought of it, but I cannot claim credit for it. Here it is, are you ready...? The Philadelphia Phalanx. Definition: 1. A compact, close-knit body of people. 2. (this is the key one): a formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears, used in classical Greece. Can you imagine how cool the logo would be; a division of soldiers lined up with overlapping spears and shields? Plus it alliterative, which is a catchy for marketing, yet intelligent-sounding. Do you think anyone on WIP could pronounce it, though? (Hey Macnow! It's FAY-lanks, not fuh-LANX!) Man, I wish I had thought of this.
BTW, here is the link to the Philly MLS website: http://philadelphia_mls.tripod.com/ Be warned, though; it is mostly a commercial for President Bush. Regardless of your political views (I am an independent, leaning toward Libertarian), this is highly inappropriate. It's one thing if they just run a banner, quite another if you click on just about anything on the site and it links you to a Bush website. But there is some stuff of interest there, including a guestbook where you can list your suggestions for team names, which is where I picked up the Phalanx. Also some good Philly soccer history.
Good point about the Dark Horse Crowd not really being a target market for MLS, but the dental comment was rude.
Just curious...why "Atomic" but not "Atoms"? Personally, I cannot stand singular nicknames. Have hated them ever since "Philadelphia Bell" graced our presence in 1974. Although that cool logo made "Fury" bearable. I think "Philadelphia Fury" belongs to a professional women's field hockey team now. "Phalanx," if memory serves, was the brainchild of blue lightning--I thought it might have been mattie g, but then I remembered "Legion" was his contribution to the Great Debate of *sigh* four years ago.
Not pleased to see my "Why Philly?" article replaced with the Bush website. How were you able to find any history? All of the good links have been hijacked?
Because I think most good plural nicknames have already been taken and MLS needs to distinguish itself anyway it can. I am not in favor of naming the teams after NASL teams (SJ had to do it though Clash was horrible). There are already too many dumb and campy plural nicknames out there. We don't need more in MLS. Phalanx? Horrible. Also just because a name has some connection to the city doesn't mean it is good.
Now that's good argument. Just what Socrates envisioned. What's next? Nah nah nah nah nah? Phalanx, while original, is bad for a few reasons. 1) Too esoteric; 2) Singular; 3) Too easily contorted into "Phallics," and the last thing we need in Philly soccer are dick jokes (can you imagine the Philadelphia "Phallics"/ Kansas City "Wiz" derby? The Urine Cup? Prostate Bowl? *shudder*) "Legion" is not a bad alternative...gives you a lot of the same imagery without the baggage. Personally, I still prefer Atoms, though, for lots of reasons which I mentioned too many times to repeat here.
Steve: Personally, I like the sound of 'Philadelphia Phalanx', but that's just me. I don't think it's too esoteric, and if it is, it really shouldn't be. But then again, I played too much 'Civilization' growing up. It is singular, yes, but the singular is of a unit comprised of multiple members, which, to me, makes it better than names like Burn, Clash, and Wiz. Your third point does have a lot of merit, though. It's a very abusable nickname. I like Legion, too, although I don't see why it'd be used. Phalanx at least has the alliteration going on. What's the tie-in to Philly with Legion? I'd still vote for Legion over Phalanx though, because as it has just come to my attention, the CBA (Continental Baseball Association, a league I didn't even know existed until just now) actually has a team called the Philadelphia Phalanx, and you can't have two teams in one town with the same name. Even if one of them is top-tier soccer and the other lower-tier baseball.
1. Alliteration 2. Singular, but sounds plural; ends in X, like White Sox, Red Sox, Kixx 3. Intelligent; esoteric maybe, but then so is soccer in the United States 4. connection with ancient Greek: Philadelphia is ancient Greek for "City of Brotherly Love". There was an ancient Greek (Asia Minor) city of the same name. Greece was the cradle of ancient civilization and democracy; Philadelphia is the cradle of modern democracy. 5.Warlike; impeneterable defense 6. Potential for cool graphics 7. potential for booster club to dress in togas!!! what more do you want?
pha·lanx ( P ) Pronunciation Key (flngks, flngks) n. pl. pha·lanx·es or pha·lan·ges (f-lnjz, f-) A compact or close-knit body of people: “formed a solid phalanx in defense of the Constitution and Protestant religion” (G.M. Trevelyan). A formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears, developed by Philip II of Macedon and used by Alexander the Great. pl. phalanges Anatomy. A bone of a finger or toe. Also called phalange. See phalanstery.
And I wonder which finger Philly fans will adopt as the icon of this team? Just another reason to love the name!
Link? Seriously...I wonder if you stumbled into one of those on-line fantasy/management leagues. I've seen World Football League and World Hockey Association variants, for instance. Actually, I just checked. You did. Check it out: http://rgoldberg0.tripod.com/comp02.htm I see Jim Thome was traded to the New York Sharks... So I guess the name is still in play.
I had landed onto the main site. Wow. I knew something was fishy, but I didn't much care to actually investigate further. That's a freaking scary amount of detail to pour into something that doesn't actually exist.
Wow I go away for three weeks, and Phalanx is the team name we come up with...sounds good to me. Colors?