The Fab Four (Five?) : WPS season 4

Well, the twitterverse today confirmed that WPS 2012 will have just five teams. IMO that makes it an exhibition season basically. So, just how ridiculous will the regular season / playoffs be this year? On a scale of "one" to "BWAHAHA OMG that's sad but so funny"?

Pretty stupid. It makes the Borislow mess look even stupider personally. 5 teams... I hope they will at least consider limiting playoffs a bit more.

Most importantly, can we please, please have no more of this 'We're the best league in the world!' bullroar?

But we like to roar! X-D

Seriously, though, I would agree, if only for 2012. "AIM to be the best league?" Fine. "ARE the best league?" Not for 2012, it looks like. But if WPS gets back up to seven or more teams for 2013 (and is paying all players well) then I'll definitely rejoin the chorus. I mean, it's still some of the best on-field product out there.

In term of quality concentration, it is not such a bad thing, you would think there will be only 5x20=100 players around so only the best of the best will make the squad hence quality all over the squads. That's what they did in England by reducing the number of team from 12 to 8 and there are still 3 rubbish team there so probably 6 teams worth. And my view is the WPS was very right to get rid of Borislow. We have seen with Sion in men's football how bad and wrong things can go when teams do not want to abide by the rules

The 'league' doesn't want him. Is the league so sure that USSF and players share their view? Because with the recent announcement, it's looking like the WPS officials didn't really communicate with USSF to find their thoughts on teams.

Reminds me of my favorite A. Whitney Brown bit, which I've trotted out here before: "There's no sense in beating a dead horse... except, of course for the sheer joy of it..."
(but of course I agree with you completely; why not roar? it's fun!)

'We want to be the best league', yes, of course that's a fine ambition, and I also hope that there will one day be a successful, professional league in the US. But I'll take a bet with you right now, if you'd like, about whether the 'We are the best league in the world!'–rhetoric is toned down for the 2012 season, even by a little bit. Even if announcers and players and anyone else official admits that the 2012 season is a bit of a pinch, I bet they will still say, in the very next breath, something to the effect of 'WPS is the world's best league.'

I am sure I read an interview from Alyssa Naeher saying the best competition around for the clubs is the champions league.

Probably true, but that's maybe apples and oranges in this conversation. I'd be more curious to compare WPS with domestic leagues (Damallsvenskan, Frauenbundesliga, Eredivisie Vrouwen , etc. )

But that leads me to ask a probably unnecessary question: Is there a Concacaf WCL? Things seem too disorganized in this part of the world. People complain too much about how the men's CCL is done already.

Frauenbundesliga is the best national leauge in Europe, as for 2011 I think WPS may have been a bit better. But the 2012 WPS seem to be weaker than 2011 and I am pretty sure Frauenbundesliga will not be any weaker in 2012 than 2011.

So, I've been out of the loop. But now that I'm looking through some of the legal docs Beau Dure posted at his site, wow.

Of course, I'd laugh more if this lunacy didn't have such a major impact on the life & death of the entire league. smh.

Here's a cryptic question:

Has anyone else noticed that some people are being fairly open about certain, er, connections on twitter? Am I the only one that thinks said people may soon be publicly stating certain facts already known by anyone paying attention but never publicly stated?

(now that I'm back in the online world, I've been catching up on tweets & posts )

Good to see you back!

... if only to bait and taunt us...

Yes, of course, because it means also that...

... you'll have to stick around and clarify your hints and allegations for us poor dumb furriners. Arrrhhh, matey, ye got some explainin' to do.

Frankfurt coach Kahlert says that the rumours of Marta coming to Frankfurt were just a marketing gag.

But according to your article, or at least the GoogleTranslate version of it, "Foreign players can risk their national team points by playing in an unapproved league".

What does that mean?

Thanks. Glad to be back.

I'm sure you die hards can figure it out w/o hints. It is so obvious and known by everyone paying the least bit of attention that my cryptic-ness probably unnecessary and only adds confusion. It is about the worst kept "secret" in WPS/US soccer. But if the people in question haven't publicly said "yes, your math is correct" I don't want to be the one to do it.

In other news, Joanna Lohman & Lianne Sanders have an interview up on afterEllen.

There has been some talk (by Emma Hayes for one) that WPS owners/coaches would be willing to go forward and have a league/season even if the USSF does not sanction them. That's a problem, of course, b/c FIFA doesn't like it when players (or groups) try to play and could potentially ban players playing in an unsanctioned league. Of course, when WUSA folded, the USSF told all USWNT players that they were not allowed to play in the US lower leagues (WLeague nor the WPSL). It is believed similar restrictions would be put in place were WPS to not be sanctioned.

So what could they do?
(Apart from going to Frankfurt. )

Well, that was the year you saw Markgraf & Lilly in Sweden. Oh, wait, you mean what could they do now? Well, residency this year and and yes after Olys Europe.

Note that it's not just USWNT players. US players who are hoping to make the national team in the future will also shy away from a rogue league as they won't want to put their Olympic and WWC dreams in jeopardy. Internationals - either those who hope to make it onto their NT or are already on it - will not sign as well.

Yes I've noticed and yes it's becoming obvious.

Glad I'm not the only one. It isn't like most everyone that wanted to figure it out didn't already know but still...

maybe they'll be different and not do the whole "hey media, guess what!!!" thing but just be increasingly open. not feeling the "need" to make a Public Statement is one form of progress.

Krieger ?

No. At least, that's not who I'm talking about.

If you're on twitter, @ussoccer_wnt is hosting a Q&A w/ Rampone at 4pm eastern. No idea why they don't use Rampone's own twitter account. Apparently you're supposed to use #AskChristie

I don't follow those players, hence I didn't guess it right