Official DM Menace 2008 Thread - [R]

Discussion in 'United Soccer Leagues' started by IASocFan, Jan 3, 2008.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. IASocFan

    IASocFan Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 13, 2000
    IOWA
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Great Des Moines Summary! I wouldn't play punch mullet with GOOOOAL!! He's not very big, but has a definite mean streak!

    Best place to watch soccer in DM is my basement! FSC, ESPN2HD, and cheap beer! I'd get GolTV, too, but my wife complains I watch too much soccer already.
     
  2. ragan

    ragan New Member

    Jun 23, 2008
    get setanta too :p

    that channel is worth 15 dollars a month. i wish they had more of them available :D
     
  3. Mitch the Butcher

    May 12, 2008
    Des Moines, IA
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thanks, guys. I'll have to check out Limey's. Where is that? I'm not the biggest ManU fan but hey, at least it's people to talk soccer with.

    I'll definitely check out the Menace next year, too. I do remember seeing that they were something like fifth in attendance accross all the USL divisions, which is pretty cool. Also, I'd like to check out the team that Andy "The Hebrew Hammer" Greunebaum and Ezra Hendrickson played for.
     
  4. ragan

    ragan New Member

    Jun 23, 2008
    google is your friend ;)

    1970 Grand Ave Ste 29 in west des moines.

    never been. never heard of. but if they are man u fans...should check it out. the battle at stamford bridge is sunday morning :D might have to make a trip this weekend if i can wake up
     
  5. *buz*

    *buz* New Member

    May 3, 2008
    Des Moines
    Club:
    Des Moines Menace
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    its pretty hard to find actually, its almost behind the hyvee on EP true and grand. if you see a blockbuster video, hang left of that.

    me and a few buds might be there to watch the match on sunday. they normally dont open til 9 but i used to work there for a few years so i think i could convince em to open an hour early. yeah, i know people, no big deal. and dont bad mouth villa while your there unless you want trouble from the owner. hes a bitter englishman (good guy though).

    pm me if anyone is interested and ill let you know for sure.

    and ragan, if i got up at 6 last saturday to watch my reds beat man u, you can get up at 8. :p
     
  6. ragan

    ragan New Member

    Jun 23, 2008
    ill be hungover from a wedding saturday.

    probably wont get to bed until 2 or 3. i'll want to sleep :p
     
  7. adoptedsooner

    adoptedsooner Member

    Dec 5, 2007
    Norman
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm sure this question has been asked before, but has there been any recent word on the Menace making the jump to USL-1?

    I think they'd fit well with the attendance and support. Although the nearest rivals would be Minnesota and Austin, I've heard that at least one group has looked into putting a USL-1 team in Omaha at Morrison Stadium which would be closer.
     
  8. *buz*

    *buz* New Member

    May 3, 2008
    Des Moines
    Club:
    Des Moines Menace
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    ah sonofabitch. nothings changed. theres a small group of supporters that might start to get organized to bring awareness to DSM, the menace, and the USL that we want a team but in the end, $$$ talks. thought about online petitions of supporters from across the country that would like to see the USL1 expanded, and a bunch of other ideas but unless one of us red army guys strikes it rich with powerball, probably isn't going to happen for at least a while. all we can do really is create a buzz in the USL soccer world and hope an investor sees the potential. definately open to new ideas so don't be shy with em.
     
  9. IASocFan

    IASocFan Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 13, 2000
    IOWA
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Going USL would greatly increase the travel and personnel costs without an associated gain in financial benefit. I always want to see a better soccer game, but I think the bean counters will suggest remaining PDL!
     
  10. GOOOOAL!!

    GOOOOAL!! New Member

    Feb 21, 2005
    Des Moines, IA
    The only hope is if Krause need a tax deduction because he is getting filthy rich off Kum & Go.

    It is very unlikely that any soccer team in the Midwest would make money in the USL1. Very expensive travel and operating costs.
     
  11. *buz*

    *buz* New Member

    May 3, 2008
    Des Moines
    Club:
    Des Moines Menace
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i agree. it is unlikely that a midwest USL1 team could turn a profit at first but it could at least survive a while until the market is developed. KK probably could get some kind of a tax deduction as maybe a write off under Kum and Go's wing because its pretty much like buying a big, expensive, traveling billboard. im no tax expert though. i do know that if he (or someone else with the funds and connections) really wanted to do it, he could. although i heard kum and go was in a little hot water for price gouging down south.
    i do have some really great ideas on how we could for sure get a professional team here in DSM, but unfortunately the lottery is involved with every one.
     
  12. adoptedsooner

    adoptedsooner Member

    Dec 5, 2007
    Norman
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well I suggested a big USL expansion thing in the Expansion/Future League Design thread. Something like a soccer social network using websites as a base in each city and using sites like facebook and myspace to get the word out. I know the league is looking at Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Omaha and San Antonio on some level. Now if you add teams like El Paso (who has looked at returning to USL) and you guys in Des Moines, that might make things look better.

    I just think it's a matter of mobilizing the people and then sending a clear message to the folks with power in business, government and media.
     
  13. ragan

    ragan New Member

    Jun 23, 2008
    and when that doesn't work, kicking the ass of someone rich to make it work :p
     
  14. *buz*

    *buz* New Member

    May 3, 2008
    Des Moines
    Club:
    Des Moines Menace
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    2009 USL is expanding I think to austin, 2010 brings back the rowdies of tampa bay, and it would not surprise me if 2011 went to omaha (they do have a killer SSS thanks to creighton). Omaha could either help or hurt dsm's chances, depending on if the USL would see us as a competing market or as an opportunity for a good rivalry. I tend to think the latter.
    It would also not surprise me if another successful USL club went to the MLS, ie montreal, which might help. USL is a small league in terms of number of teams but are quickly expanding so I think its critical we get in the league before it runs out of headroom. This means our business leaders need to take off their skirts and roll up their sleeves.
     
  15. *buz*

    *buz* New Member

    May 3, 2008
    Des Moines
    Club:
    Des Moines Menace
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Also on a side note, a group of us are heading down to the fire game in KC this sunday and we got room for about two more if anyone is interested in joining. S8 tix run about $16 and obviously that's where we'd be standing. There's four of us in right now and we plan on departing around 9am and get back between 7-8pm (2pm kickoff). PM me if anyone wants to come. Wiz fans need not apply (unless u want 3 hrs there and 3 hrs back of verbal abuse :) ).
     
  16. ragan

    ragan New Member

    Jun 23, 2008
    lame. THIS sunday? uber lame. ohwellz.
     
  17. adoptedsooner

    adoptedsooner Member

    Dec 5, 2007
    Norman
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Don't know if anyone has seen this yet: http://www.mlsphoenixrising.com/

    Guess the chance to go USL-1 came and they look to be taking it. There's something about it on the MLS Candidate Cities: Phoenix forum.
     
  18. *buz*

    *buz* New Member

    May 3, 2008
    Des Moines
    Club:
    Des Moines Menace
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    yeah i saw a little bit about that. it does seem that the best way to go about it is to be a farm team for a bigger club. it would at least split some of the cost. austin got pretty lucky with stoke city going to the EPL. a mexican team affiliation would be amazing as long as we kept with our menace tradition; soccer families from the west would still come but it would also attract the growing hispanic populous.
    thought about doing an online petition but i think it would be futile cuz in the end, money talks. i've been gathering some more information about it and i by stand what i said before; with all the big(ger) companies in DSM, it could be done, it just takes someone to step up to the plate. it will happen, even if it means i have to get rich and do it myself. :cool:
     
  19. adoptedsooner

    adoptedsooner Member

    Dec 5, 2007
    Norman
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Someone would be wise to invest in the amount of support you guys have for it now on the PDL level. I mean seriously, that's a successful USL-1 franchise waiting to happen. But the getting rich part sounds good too.
     
  20. *buz*

    *buz* New Member

    May 3, 2008
    Des Moines
    Club:
    Des Moines Menace
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    wish more people thought like you man.
     
  21. aetraxx7

    aetraxx7 Member+

    Jun 25, 2005
    Des Moines, IA
    Club:
    Des Moines Menace
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I feel the same way. A USL-1 team, a SSS, and we are good to go. I was thinking that brining lacrosse to Des Moines (yeah I know we have none now, but look at the soccer growth sicne the Menace began) would give the stadium another tenant and would create cross-promotional opportunities. A women's team would work too. If I were a rich man...
    Too bad someone in NM rather than DM won the $200 mil jackpot...
     
  22. ragan

    ragan New Member

    Jun 23, 2008
    what's interesting about lacrosse, is that it would work. totally. build a field in WDM apart of a complex with two sheets of ice, and two box lacrosse/indoor soccer fields. add a lacrosse field outside and you got it made. the bad part about it is me and my friend don't have a million dollars, and unless we can find someone to invest into the project, it wont happen.

    still trying to get warren buffet's dough on it.

    ...maybe we should try to talk to him? see if he sees that potential to make $$$. he'll do anything really if he'd make money on it.
     
  23. adoptedsooner

    adoptedsooner Member

    Dec 5, 2007
    Norman
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well we don't have an SSS just a NCAA D2 football stadium that is wide enough for soccer.

    But thanks for the compliment.
     
  24. *buz*

    *buz* New Member

    May 3, 2008
    Des Moines
    Club:
    Des Moines Menace
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    are you guys getting a USL1 in OKC? i had heard you were on the short list but didn't know if anything got solidified.

    i actually dont think a SSS would be wise right off the bat.

    the best venue imo is drake university stadium. its an all brick building and actually looks like a (english) football stadium. its fake grass but newly redone, its apart of des moines history, holds 11k+, and is good enough to hold the drake relays (which i guess is a HUGE deal around the world in track and field). i drive by it everyday and picture the red army singing behind the south goal.
     
  25. aetraxx7

    aetraxx7 Member+

    Jun 25, 2005
    Des Moines, IA
    Club:
    Des Moines Menace
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I totally see the Menace playing USL1 soccer at Drake. As an almnus, I have been in that stadium many times and think that it would be a better soccer venue than Valley any day. The way sounds echo in there would make the crowd seem infinitely larger and the horseshoe shape would create a tight atmosphere. There are plenty of places that cameras could be set up for a FSC game of the week. Build a strong USL1 following there and then construct a new SSS later on. It would be a surefire plan and the crowd would come to the centralized location from all around the metro. For the pro level, even minor league, a college stadium is just a better option than a high school stadium.
    Back to the lacrosse deal, does anyone around here play? I think it would be great to convince one of the soccer associations (Soccer South, WDM, etc) to utilize their fields for Lax in the summer, early (pre-soccer) spring or late (post-soccer) fall.
    In a perfect world, I would love to see a SSS for a USL1 team and a MLL team. I would love to see more high schools develop soccer programs and bring in Lax. The two sports compliment each other well and are a few of the fast paced action games that allow programs for both men and women.
     

Share This Page