Why haven't you guys joined the NASL yet??? Seriously, you guys are a great franchise. You shouldn't be playing D3 ever.
Re: Usl? Now that PR has joined the NASL the only team left in USL-1 is Austin. Should be pretty easy to win the USL-1 championship in 2011!!!!
Re: Usl? Seriously, is it that hard to include a link so that we can see the source of your quote? *sigh* As to why we haven't joined the NASL, I expect that it's because Phil is getting everything properly organized. Or more likely, looking at the two options and weighing them. If you had included a link, I could've read the article and given a better response, but now I'm going to have to hunt the article down and learn whether Puerto Rico has solved their $20 million primary owner issue. Until they do that, they can join the NASL, but they may still not be allowed in the league next year because of the new USSF D2 standards.
Re: Usl? Well D-2 soccer is a mess, and that's an understatement. As a fan, it is very frustrating that I can't find any official press releases from the USSF or NASL. If anyone has one, please post it. I read the article that VC linked last night. The NASL doesn't have enough teams that meet the new standards of the USSF to get sanctioning. So is the USSF gonna lay down these new requirements and then throw them out almost immediately? Therefore, I don't think it is a done deal that the NASL will get sanctioning just b/c they are applying. Sure, clubs that don't meet these standards can apply for waivers. In reality the NASL only have 5 clubs that qualify b/c the Saputos will be leaving soon for the MLS. Five clubs is not a model for stability, which is what the USSF seems to be saying they want. Again no press release from USSF. As to why the Aztex haven't joined the NASL I can only speculate. IMO there is not any ill will towards the nasl. The Aztex joined the USL and are committed to it at least for now. Mostly, I hope that our FO doesn't get frustrated with the process and just decide it isn't worth it. So what's a fan to do?
Re: Usl? Going D3. Though that was solidly debunked a couple weeks ago. Djorn responded with "This club has no intention of playing D3 soccer." Still, if the NASL doesn't get sanctioned, where else can Austin play? There's the alternative of the USSF run the D2 again. But they've said pretty firmly that they don't plan on doing that. So if the NASL doesn't get sanctioned, D3 is the only option. We'll just have to wait and see. I'll admit that it makes me a little nervous, seeing that blog post out of Carolina, but I just need to calm myself down. My mind knows that Phil and Djorn are on top of things, and will do what's best for the Aztex. But my heart (which has seen one Austin team die, and seen way too much of soccer instability) is, in the mean time, being a little bit scaredy-cat childish.
Re: Usl? I am someone who has not been following the recent developments of D2 (or lower division) soccer in this country. Can someone very briefly summarize the recent problems/history and the near future problems alluded to in the earlier posts? Thanks a lot.
Re: Usl? This is starting to sound a little Joseph Hellerian or Dr. Strangelovian. If NASL doesn't get sanctioned, there would be no D2, correct? Because no other entity is in a position to receive D2 sanctioning. So every team currently in D2 (with the exception of the MLS-bound teams) would have to either fold or play in D3, right? And D3 would be called D3 even though there would be no such thing as D2? I would also benefit from a recap of the sort that striker suggested. I've read some of it on Wikipedia but am not fully clear on it.
Re: Usl? It may be a bit before anyone gets up the emotional wherewithal to respond. I know I saw a nice summary around somewhere... but, of course, can't remember where. Past Inside Minnesota Soccer posts might be a good place to start.
Re: Usl? Emotional wherewithal, indeed. I have none to get up for this nonsense anymore. But this tag/search on my posts from last year gives some of the early history of where this whole cluster started (start at the bottom & read up): http://aztexan.net/labels/The League.html By the time you get to "The USL and the Restless, Part III", you'll see I threw in the towel. And I'm still towel-less to this day, and not that interested in rumoring or speculating or prognosticating. I still have a simple order: a beer and a full serving of live soccer, hold the drama.
Re: Usl? Considering the fact that USSF is too busy kissing FIFA's old corrupted asses on winning the 2018 or 2022 World Cup bids, it will make zero sense at all if they allow running the US soccer pyramid with only D1 & D3 levels. So USSF has no choice to either run D2 or allow to sanction NASL. My problem with sanctioning NASL at this moment is the way NASL is trying to sugar coated to USSF on their league's financial status. But everyone knows all too well they they still haven't resolve their issues with Puerto Rico & Minnesota not having one major owner for their clubs and AC St. Louis & Crystal Palace Baltimore shaky future with their team (despite Cooper's claim that he found money during this season). In my opinion, I think Phil Rawlins is commented to USSF & the Austin Aztex but not NASL because USSF holds the cards to run D2 (not NASL). Considering how Rawlins conducts his business relations with USSF & media and holding his cards to his chest is a blessing to us Austin soccer fans. Just look on how Joey Saputo, Selby Wellman and Rob Clark have managed to look like fools to the media with their comments on attacking USSF's standards, acting too much like NASL cheerleaders and focusing too much on the league's image instead of focusing on running their clubs effectively.
Re: Usl? Austin Aztex Will Not Be Part of NASL Bid The Austin Aztex will be the lone holdout, team President Phil Rawlins confirmed today, as team owners submit a proposal to reorganize Division 2 pro soccer for next season. Phil said the Aztex "will not be participating" in the North American Soccer League proposal, and added that "the bid fails to meet several of the [USSF's mandatory] criteria.” See the Chronicle Sports Blog, The Score, for a bit more.
Re: Usl? Out of curiosity, what was that team and when did it exist and why did it die? Regarding the D2 drama, I gather I am not out of line in assuming that soccer will be played, that the USSF will ensure that it is played in a structural context befitting the high level of skill and professionalism that exists in D2, and that Phil Rawlins is a pragmatic owner who is committed to protecting the interests of his team. I'll be following the developments with interests, but as long as these assumptions remain sound I'll be free from undue stress and worry.
Re: Usl? Yeah, I've been pretty confident of that all along as well. Djorn Buchholz sounded quite confident that "we're going to be playing second division soccer next year," under whatever banner it exists. To me, it seems clear that at this point in time, these are the 10 or 12 teams that need to be playing each other. Now, if indeed there's a revived and revitalized MLS reserve league, does that throw a wrench in the works? Could USSF just decide that's a D-2, are y'all fend for yourselves? They'd have to be pretty fed up to go there, because as big a pain as the NASL owners may be, they have some pretty important franchises that are worth supporting.
Re: Usl? So, I wanted to toss my two cents in on this as well. From a Division 2 perspective, there will be a league next year. There's no way that USSF will allow Division 2 not to play while continuing to win either the 2018 or 2022 bid. Although the season starts after the announcement by FIFA of the winners for 2018 and 2022, USSF does not want this sort of noise. I believe the league requirements outlined in the Standards are simply too tight for NASL or USL to live up to. If I were a conspiracy nut, I'd say that USSF set the standards for the league so that only USSF could manage the league. I have had a number of conversations that lead me to think that USSF is doing this so as to manage the league for an additional year, which is the time that MLS and USSF will require to get MLS2 in order. Several articles that I've read indicate that the newly negotiated Adidas contract is one of the early steps in this. Phil is working very closely with USSF and it's leadership, including Sunil Gulati. I'd be surprised to hell if the Aztex don't play in Division 2 next year. Even if NASL is given the league rights, I think they're desperate for the leadership that Rawlins can provide, considering what they have had and what they have now. The off season is going to be "interesting".
Re: Usl? Here's my opinion on why the Lonestars died. AISD. The Lonestars had worked their way, as a D3 Pro team, up to 1000-attendance games. They were playing at House Park (and had been for seven years). Then the AISD decided they wouldn't rent House to the Lone Stars anymore. The only place they could find to play was Del Valle. 12 years ago, Del Valle wasn't the thriving suburb it is now (would a be appropriate here?) Attendance quickly dropped into the low hundreds, and within two years, that was that. Thank you, AISD. It's one of the many things that I appreciate about Phil and, now Djorn. That they've been able to get House, and keep House, is a major coup.
Re: Usl? Wha-huh? This is the first I've heard of this. Are they really trying to bring back the reserve league?
Re: Usl? Yes However, that is unlikely to be MLS2. As far as I know, MLS2 is the fantasy of BigSoccer geeks. I don't remember anything anywhere by anyone with any reputation suggesting that it was a possibility. But my memory's crap, so I could be wrong. I (and others) have thought that melding the reserve league and D2 would be a good way to get around the problems of both (travel being the main one). But nothing in the pieces written by real reporters suggests that that's even on the minds of MLS at all. MLS did look at buying the USL when it was for sale, but passed.