News: Revs Announce Affiliation w/PDL's Real Boston Rams

This is a great step. Allows our development players to get a lot more competitive minutes under the watch/instruction of our staff.

 

For all the (deserved or not) shit the team gets for the senior side, they really are doing lots of things right when it comes to player development and the Academy.

 

Totally agree. Hopefully we start to see the benefits of these new relationships and affiliations in a couple of years. All of this additional PT for academy players, reserve players, etc. should really help in their development.

 

Good stuff. I don't know who's making the decisions on this stuff (Heaps? Burns? Bilello?) but they deserve a pat on the back. On the development side, the FO is definitely making smart decisions.

 

I believe stuff like would be Bilello, working in conjunction with Scales (and Apajee maybe).

 

It's almost certainly a Burns / Heaps initiative as it falls under player personnel / development. They probably brought it to Bilello's attention and Brian approved any budget and worked out the financial implications etc of an alliance.

But in terms of alliances that would add value to development / Academy related stuff, Burns and Heaps oversee that area of the organization. Scales and the technical staff implement based on decisions made above them.

 

I don't read it that way (although maybe I misinterpreted what you meant by "development players").

It sounds to me like it's for our academy players who have moved on to college to have a "summer" team to play on that doesn't jeopardize their eligibility.

I don't think this has anything to do with players on the MLS roster. At least that's how I read it.

It seems like this is something that needed to be done because the NCAA keeps jerking soccer players around and throwing up obstacles to them getting as many games as they want.

 

From the video it sounds like both academy players and homegrown college players may play for the team. I forget, do MLS teams still carry "developmental players" on their senior roster like they did 7-8 years ago?

Their home field is only a few miles East, despite the Boston moniker. Seems like a win/win.

 

Yeah developmental wasn't the right word to use. I read it the same as you, this will allow our academy players a work around the red tape that is NCAA athletics.

 

Agreed. It's too bad their margin for error is so small with long-time fans at this point. They can do everything right but they are still fighting an uphill battle.

 

At least with development, they seem to be moving uphill. It is one area that they can definitively point to as an area they have improved. It wasn't that long ago that this was another area that we hammered them for since they were late to the development table. Now they really seem to be taking youth development seriously. And, hopefully, this will help the Rams get off to a good start, too.

 

What ever happened to the Fake Boston Rams?

 

Which reminds me, is it Real, as in authentic, or Real, as in Madrid?

 

Good question. Whatever happened to American teams stopping their pretending to be elite European teams? Boston Rams, end of.

 

I believe that this is correct, my understanding is that players on the MLS roster would be loaned out to USLPro Rochester Rhinos and that this is to support matriculated DAP homegrowns who are prevented by NCAA from being contaminated (de-amateurized) by training with professionals. For example, Cole DeNormandie and Luke Finklestein would have their rights as former Revs Academy homegrowns protected. Don't know if it establishes a claim on any of the others (I.e. Segel and Ballenthin are on Rams roster and are former Bolts).

Rams played a friendly against Newtown Pride FC in a fundraiser in CT last weekend, did pretty well and tied nil/nil, first time they had played as a group. Proceeds went to Newtown Parents Connection, who will also benefit when Revs first team and a Cosmos team play in New Britain in a couple of weeks...

Rams did pretty well and seem to be working hard to build support, working social media and www pretty well, hopefully this relationship will help draw support from Revs fans. IMO, both Rams and Revs ought to be applauded for working to develop the lower divisions in this area, and for giving this support to Newtown parents.

Go Revs! Go Rams!

 

Found the flyer NPC passed out at the games Sunday - date is June 18 4pm at New Britain Memorial, featuring Cosmos, Revolution, and Rams and Pride - details to be posted 5/13 at NewtownParentConnection.org

And keep in mind, Rams' PDL opener will be at home this Saturday, 5/11 7:00 PM, at Muscato Stadium, Oliver Ames High School 100 Lothrop St North Easton, MA 02356

Go Rams! Go Revs! (And Rhinos I suppose!)

 

Account of Newtown-Rams match Sunday 5/5:

http://nesoccertoday.com/?p=19237&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

We went to last night's home opener. Despite dark clouds and intermittent showers, there was a fun crowd of 100 or so of all ages. The soccer was good. If I were to try an explain it, I would say it has the energy and urgency of high school soccer with no crappy players. It was very entertaining. The Rams lost 3-0, but that had less to do with poor play by the Rams than, I think, the guests had played together longer and had more cohesion up top.

As a soccer consumer, $5 for a ticket, parking a minute or two walk from the field, classic hot dog and popcorn fare (and prices....). The game 20 feet away. What is there not to like?

We'll go again and would encourage others to check it out.

 

Another game report, pretty much agrees:

Rams lost to CFC Azul 3-0 last night in light rain at Easton. Kind of a disappointing debut, but drew a pretty good crowd and put on a pretty good event with merch, music, halftime games, etc. Good number of kids from local youth soccer turned out.

Rams started a little slow but defended well enough to keep CFC out of their end, while neither team could get control of the midfield. Ten or 15 minutes in, Rams started to get their possession going and generated the better chances for the balance of the half - none hit the mark, and went to the half 0-0.

After the break, Rams again seemed a little flat and this time CFC's experience showed, they outworked the rookies and went up on a well-worked (but not extraordinary) goal. That only encouraged the visitors and a few minutes later they got a second on a spectacular strike from distance and they never looked back, adding another late in the match.

Not a horrible start for the locals as they were more than competitive when they were on their game, but of course they will need to sustain their good play more, and respond better if things turn against them - experience and more time together should help.

Venue was pretty good, although the field is lined for gridiron and lights a little weird. Game day operations will improve, they had a good number of interns working and will get smoother as they get experience with the site - timing of the music, sponsor announcements etc. (i have no report on the concession stand, didn't indulge. Heard they had some comms issues getting their ustream video feed up, but they did twitter play-by-play. Crowd might have been a couple of hundred, and seemed to have a good time despite the offandon rain, and seemed to have a good time - certainly good value at $5, kids free.

 

Next match is also at home, Saturday (7pm), Rams hosting Vermont Voltage. VV a really veteran side, have been playing PDL for about 15 years but have been a consistent midtable team. Started their last match (also PDL opener) with a lead but went to 4-4 with Portland, then allowed one in stoppage time for the loss; however they took a win and a shutout tie in their preseason.

Voltage are run by owner/player/coach Bojan "Bo" Vučković who starred for Franklin Pierce in the early 90s after playing in (what was then) Yugoslavia - got a game as an inaugural draftee for the Revs in '96, has bounced around minor league soccer ever since, including a season with Rhinos (indoor).

Should be another good test for the locals as they try to settle into stride for the season...

 

Looks like they have to wait a year.

http://thecup.us/meet-the-16-premier-development-league-teams-entering-the-2013-us-open-cup/