2008 PDL Championship Leadup & Game

[mgrayscale]

As we get ready for the PDL Championship match (played August 9th with KO @ 6:30 p.m. CDT), the field is getting nailed down.

The Thunder Bay Chill beat the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency 2-1 this evening, putting the Thunder Bay Chill in the Championship match on the 9th.

Laredo Heat is playing the Reading Rage in Laredo this evening. The result should be in fairly soon, as they KO @ 8:15 p.m. CDT in Laredo.

Just a note, that there is a group of us who will be meeting at Mother Egan's on the night of the Championship game, which will be aired on Fox Soccer Channel.

[mgrayscale]

It appears that the Laredo Heat have beaten the Reading Rage 2-0 to move into the PDL Championship match on August 9th. The score was found in one corner of the USL Soccer site, so I'll keep an eye open and let everyone know if it's for sure.

Boy, Flash2008 is gonna be pissed.

[Alejo]

Laredo vs. Chill

Fire Versus Ice.

And so Chantico visited me, in a vision, that we should support our fire born, albight thrice shunned, bretheren. And tell them, from our hearts and from the heart of the goddes, that if they fail to scorch the chill and once again place the laurals of victory upon their collective head, then we shall surelly scorch them a season hence and place the laurals on our own collective brow.
-So says Alejo Loco, Soldier Warrior in Chanticos army and hardcore Aztec till the very end.

[mgrayscale]

...I'll keep an eye open and let everyone know if it's for sure.

It's official, along with some initial stats (http://www.uslsoccer.com/stats/2008/849724.html)out of the match.

From the initial stats, the match seems to have been a bit closer than the score would indicate (equal number of shots @ 6, equal number of saves @ 4, with Reading leading the corners stats). It'll be interesting to read the reports out of the match in the morning.

[Madmartigen]

I want to read about the Thunder Bay game, myself. The goal scorer for Vancouver in the 89th is the ejection in the 90th which might have led to a penalty for Thunder Bay...

[VioletCrown]

Laredo vs. Chill

Fire Versus Ice.

How poetic! And the two teams at opposite ends of I-35, and both nearly on the US border, one with Canada and one with Mexico.

[VioletCrown]

Just a note, that there is a group of us who will be meeting at Mother Egan's on the night of the Championship game, which will be aired on Fox Soccer Channel.

Not that I want to reduce the amount of people at Mother Egan's, but it's not that far down to Laredo, where the Championship will be played (http://pdl.uslsoccer.com/home/266867.html) once again this year.

The soccer lights at TAMIU are going to be shining bright come next Saturday as the Heat host the Thunder Bay Chill, who defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 on Saturday.

[Scooter Pete]

That should be US hosting that game. Shoot.

[Native Aztexan]

Not that I want to reduce the amount of people at Mother Egan's, but it's not that far down to Laredo, where the Championship will be played (http://pdl.uslsoccer.com/home/266867.html) once again this year.
Just to let you know that it's the 3rd straight time that Laredo has hosted the PDL Final. The first one was a lost to Michigan Bucks and the second one where they beat the same team on PKs.

[VioletCrown]

Just to let you know that it's the 3rd straight time that Laredo has hosted the PDL Final. The first one was a lost to Michigan Bucks and the second one where they beat the same team on PKs.

Yep. And I'm sure that Canadian team will not enjoy it. This seems like a sure win for Laredo.

[mgrayscale]

I personally think that the Chill are going to get cooked. Both figuratively and literally. The KO temperature will most likely be around 105F, which I can guarantee will be a dramatic shock to the Chill, and status quo for Laredo. Ironically, it's also the reason that I'll watch at Mother Egan's.


A/C environment vs. 105
Guinness v. Bud Light
30 minute drive v. 4 hour
$4 in gas v. $150.
Something tells me that Felix Garcia is also going to step up his game another notch, which is impressive with where it is already. I'm looking forward to a good match. However, at the end of it, I think it's going to be 3-1 Heat for the repeat as PDL Champions.

[VioletCrown]

I personally think that the Chill are going to get cooked. Both figuratively and literally. The KO temperature will most likely be around 105F, which I can guarantee will be a dramatic shock to the Chill, and status quo for Laredo.

The current forcast (not that 6 days out is anywhere near accurate) calls for a comfy 100F (38C, for the English lurkers:)).

[Native Aztexan]

The current forcast (not that 6 days out is anywhere near accurate) calls for a comfy 100F (38C, for the English lurkers:)).
Nice place for the Chill to get melted. :D

As for Felix Garcia, he's only 17 which means some college or pro team will be on a lookout for this hot prospect.

Here's an interesting link of USL rising stars (including that certain Silverback player):

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=559409&sec=us&root=us&&cc=5901

[VioletCrown]

Nice place for the Chill to get melted. :D

As for Felix Garcia, he's only 17 which means some college or pro team will be on a lookout for this hot prospect.

Here's an interesting link of USL rising stars (including that certain Silverback player):

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=559409&sec=us&root=us&&cc=5901

No way Felix will go to college. Oh, and he's just turned 18, on Saturday.

[flash2008]

No way Felix will go to college. Oh, and he's just turned 18, on Saturday.
Kudos to the Laredo Heat for giving Garcia an opportunity and stage to develop and showcase his talent. He would never have had the same opportunity in Austin, and would have probably languished in obscurity . This begs the question, of course, how many other Garcias are out there...they certainly never made it on to the Aztex roster.

[Madmartigen]

Kudos to the Laredo Heat for giving Garcia an opportunity and stage to develop and showcase his talent. He would never have had the same opportunity in Austin, and would have probably languished in obscurity . This begs the question, of course, how many other Garcias are out there...they certainly never made it on to the Aztex roster.


Would never have had the same opportunity in Austin? I thought you had previously stated that the Lightning did a much better job than the Aztex with new talent... Doesn't that mean that Austin would be better off if the Lightning were still the team?

Since the Aztex have 1 entire season's track record at who they would start, that makes a strange statement. Does that mean that "old" players like Miguel Gallardo shouldn't get to play? After all, he'll be 24 this year! Not quite U-23 material I guess... So Andres Cuero isn't being helped and has no chance to show what an 18 year old can do, since he turns 19 in 3 days...

I don't think you speak with much authority. The Aztex are trying to start a new franchise in Austin that they want to survive. I think that giving a fair tryout to all players that came out was a good start to the season and paid off tremendously well. From here, I think their will be a good differentiation between the PDL team and the USL-1 team. As far as PDL rosters go, look at a lot of the teams that did well in the tournament. Most of them have a good mix of young and old players that each bring something to the team. How exactly can you develop players if you don't have senior players on the team that set a good example?

[Madmartigen]

Ironically, it's also the reason that I'll watch at Mother Egan's.


A/C environment vs. 105
Guinness v. Bud Light
30 minute drive v. 4 hour
$4 in gas v. $150.



There's no irony involved. There's no way I would see anyone but my team in conditions like those! Give me a dirty glass of Guinness over intentionally driving to Laredo any day! I'll root for the b@st@rds that beat us, but I'm not going to do it in Laredo....

[Native Aztexan]

Would never have had the same opportunity in Austin? I thought you had previously stated that the Lightning did a much better job than the Aztex with new talent... Doesn't that mean that Austin would be better off if the Lightning were still the team?

Austin Lightning (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Lightning) vs Austin Aztex U-23 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Aztex_U23).



Austin Lightning:

Year Division League Regular Season Playoffs Open Cup
2002 "4" USL PDL 3rd, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify
2003 "4" USL PDL 5th, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify
2004 "4" USL PDL 7th, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify
2005 "4" USL PDL 3rd, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify
2006 "4" USL PDL 5th, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify
2007 "4" USL PDL 7th, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify

Austin Aztex U-23:

Year Division League Regular Season Playoffs Open Cup
2008 4 USL PDL 1st, Mid South Conference Finals 1st Round

That pretty much sums up Madmartigen's arguement.

[FrogHammer]

I don't think the lightning did that much for developing young talent. The practices were just scrimmages without any coaching at all. The games had the same feel as the practices most of the time. Sometimes it was hard to get enough players to even go on the road for a game. Very few fans ever came to the games. Even people that wanted to come out and watch them couldn't be sure what fields and times the games would be played. There is really no comparison between the two organizations.

[Budaztex]

The Lightning vs the Aztex? I didn't realize the Lightning were around for 6 years. So, since they were superior in training the young local talent they must have sent several players into the MLS or other leagues?? I honestly don't know how many if any graduated from the Lightning to bigger things. We were involved with them for one season and it was almost a joke, they were lucky to have 100 people in the stands. The "practices" were sporadic and poorly attended and even the players had a hard time getting to some of the home games. I do credit Flash with the correct concept of the U23 team, it should be a team that features and promotes youth talent and I hope that the Aztex PDL team will do just that.