Oh, I know what it says my friend, inside out. I just want to know from YOU the smart aleck how anything I've posted here is in derogation of said guidelines.
No. I'm not saying that Galaxy played without heart on Tuesday. They were, however, playing their first game without their goalie. A kid who is every bit as good as the Lemont goalie and one of the strategic and inspirational leaders of the team. It took some time to make some adjustments, to play without his direction, and to adjust to the Raiders' style. Like you say, Lemont is not like most other teams that Galaxy plays. To look at that one game and say that Galaxy could never beat them under good conditions is grossly arrogant. Anyone who only saw the State Cup game might have concluded the exact opposite. In spite of your claims otherwise, the Raider goalie kept them in Sunday's final. With an average goalie, the margin on Sunday would have matched the Tuesday game (only this one would have been in Galaxy's favor).
You raise some valid points, and I HAVE seen Galaxy's regular keeper play (VERY good), but my assesment of these teams is based on what I saw Tuesday and what I know of the respective rosters of both teams having reffed most (if not all) of these players in the past. As for Sunday, I can only go by what I heard from neutral, disinterested third parties.
No, I didn't say that. I said Galaxy couldn't beat Lemonts by a "comfortable" margin under ideal conditions, and I'll stick with that.
10. I will not make statements about any games except to clarily an interpretation of the Laws of the Game. I would think most everything you have written in this forum would qualify as a statement and not a clarification of an interpetation of the Laws of the Game. Not trying to be a smart aleck...just a little concerned if you really are a ref about your bias towards them...(I know it will leave some questions in my mind the next time I watch a game the Raiders U17's are in and there is a questionable call going their way). There is no shame to admitting to being a "pumper" for the Lemont Raiders. Happens all the time in the financial community with people being paid to pump stocks. No doubt they are a great team and you should be happy to be assocaited with them.
You clearly don't understand the paragraph. If you're concerned next time you see a Lemont game then that's YOUR problem and your problem alone. Really much ado over nothing...its a boys U17 match/team. They're BOYS. And as I said earlier, I have NO affiliation whatsoever with Lemont...OR Galaxy. Two disinterested people on this very thread who I don't know but apparently know me have told you as much. One of the two has also told you in no uncertain terms I'm a ref...and even passed judgment on my ability. If you feel slighted as a supporter of and/or Galaxy parent/player by any of my comments, I'm sorry. My comments were only meant to highlight and applaud an exceptional collection of players, not to denigrate anyone else. If you feel my comments are innapropriate per USSF you can take them to my SRA. In the meantime, I wish you and the Galaxy all the best in the future.
Uh - Oh! Looks like Galaxy beat Raiders. Also took u18. Are these boys the last of the Galaxy players from long ago or does the club have more in their back pocket for the girls and boys end. Seems like Ajax is flat-lining while Galaxy and NSA are thriving. Now toss in Sockers and the area has changed quite a bit.
Just to clarify how weak the U18 state cup was Galaxy played their own "B" team in the semis and Ajax played Hawthorne woods ( who???) in their semi. 8 teams total involved. Galaxy are a good team that have been good for a long time but the state cup was pretty sad when it comes to competition. With Galaxy,Sockers,FC United,Fire,Magic,Rockford & Ajax all in the NISL this season it was a much deeper group.
You mean it wasn't as deep? State cup is more of a show boat for clubs like Magic to stuff everyone else. It's going the way of BOM with this silly League crap.
Looks like they won their three group stage games by scores of 4-1, 3-0 and 3-0.....then posted a 3-2 win in the semis and a 2-0 win in the final. 5 wins, o draws, 0 losses. 15 GF, 3 GA. I would imagine that's basically having your way with the best Region II has to offer at the U17 level, no?
aek is still not getting the argument that talent pool at U-17 is watered down by having three academy teams in state who are tying up a lot of very good U-17s. Not knocking Lemont, a great side, in any way. Its just that the academy program has changed the picture. You just cant get that excited about U16, 17 and anything after that anymore as the talent pool is diluted because academy has a lot of good kids not playing these teams. They play at a U-16 and U-18 level only and play each other. Lemont is not part of this group. I am not touting academy system (I have grown to dislike it for many reasons). I am just saying it exists and changes things and so State Cup is no longer State Cup, etc.
aek is still not getting the argument that talent pool at U-17 is watered down by having three academy teams in state who are tying up a lot of very good U-17s. Not knocking Lemont, a great side, in any way. Its just that the academy program has changed the picture. You just cant get that excited about U16, 17 and anything after that anymore as the talent pool is diluted because academy has a lot of good kids not playing these teams. They play at a U-16 and U-18 level only and play each other. Lemont is not part of this group. I am not touting academy system (I have grown to dislike it for many reasons). I am just saying it exists and changes things and so State Cup is no longer State Cup, etc.
I'm not sure what part people don't understand. There is NO academy level u17. Hence, this IS the top u17 level, teamwise, irrespective of the fact many of the top players in the age group are playing academy soccer. I didn't compare Lemont to any academy teams...simply stated that its the best u17 team I've seen. Now if somebody can show me a u17 academy team, have at it. Maybe I'll change my mind about the first sentence of THIS paragraph. Not sure why this is so hard to comprehend.
Yes, the best U17 teams in Region II. Do you know of any others that may have fallen through the cracks?
OK fair enough. Stated this way, I see your point and I also agree with you. I know many of these kids and they are a fine side. The starters are all academy level players in my opinion. My point is that they do not have the best competition to truly prove themselves but thats not their fault.
Agreed. I never said otherwise. Nonetheless, haing reffed many of the top youth sides in the country, I too concur that all of their starters are academy level players.
Well maybe, whcih means you're basically saying that every single youth team in Illinois sucks outside of the Fire, Magic and Academy sides. Is that what you're saying? There are only six good boys youth sides in the entire state of Illinois?
Yes they are a good team but you did play the best of the worse in Region 2. Ok you can best the Fire, Sockers and Magic. But then you going to have to beat Vardar, Wolves, Gallagher and the Thunder. Take the win move on you won, But the entire National draw from U-16 thru U-19 is watered down that is the truth. We wish you good look and I like the kids on the team but it is like playing AAA in baseball it is not the bigs
I have no idea what you're saying, but nonetheless I'll give it one more shot. Utilizing Illinois as a point of comparison, I don't think its accurate to claim Raiders are best of the WORST when there are only three academy clubs in a state with hundreds of clubs. Rather, I believe its much more accurate to say Fire, Magic and Sockers are best of the best. To lump ALL the remaining clubs in the entire state into a WORST category I think is disingenious at best. That's a whole lot of clubs that you're throwing into the used laundry pile, the overwhelming majority of clubs in the state. And the same holds true for the rest of Region II. The number of academy teams in Region II is MINUTE compared to the total number of clubs. Furthermore, I'll still stand by claim.....this is the best U17 team I've seen. Not necessarily the best compilation of u17 talent that CAN possibly be assembled on one side, but rather the best compilation of U17 talent that actually HAS been assembled on one team.