Saturday, September 8 • Kickoff: 7:30 PM • Lockhart Stadium Last home game of the regular season, and it's another big one. After the stinker against TB they need to win this one against our second biggest rivals. And not only would a win clinch a playoff spot and move us up to at least 4th place(we jump PR, possibly CAR if they lose or draw vs. SAS), but it would be doubly good as there will be another large crowd on hand, very likely the biggest of the season. The TV and radio ads seem to be working, Strikers PR guy Ken reported sales are ahead of where they were last week before the Rowdies game. And with $5 tickets why shouldn't they be? Ken also reported that Strikers alumni will be honored at haltfime as part of Legacy Night, including Arnie Mausser, Branko Segota, and the man himself Mr. Ray Hudson. Should be a great time at Lockhart!
Love the original Strikers logo DR! The team should look into some retro merch, it would really go over big with a lot of Strikers 1.0 fans like me! HUGE game. HUGE 3 points on the line. We have got to have this to have any shot of finishing in the top four. And we've got to finish in the top four to have any chance of hoisting the Soccer Bowl trophy this year. Islanders have really been struggling lately, so it looks like we're catching them at just the right time too. Last week's scoreline of 0 - 3 looks much worse than it was. The bogus call to put us down a man instead of both teams at the 19 minute mark last week doomed that game. Even in the second half the ref had a chance to set things right when Stahl took the flying forearm to the face, but still he was clueless. Anyway, I really like our chances here in this spot. I don't know the yellow card situations. I hope Stahl isn't out this week for accumulation. Assuming he's in, I'm looking for this lineup: Glaeser Blake - Gordon - Stahl - Laing Pecka - Shanosky - Anderson - Motagalvan Herron - Hassan I know Aly hasn't been playing lately, but his best games have come against PR this year it seems. I wouldn't be surprised to see King up front instead of him either though. I think the combo of Pecka, Shanosky, and Motagalvan is a little to defensive in the MF, so I wouldn't be surprised to see one of them out for perhaps Lorenz instead either. I think we also will see Laing and Blake make a bigger effort to push forward this week too after having to stay back most of the game last week being down a man. I really like our chances here to jump over both PR and CAR and into third this week. We HAVE to win this game!!! GO STRIKERS!!!!!
According to the WC site: 20% chance of rain at game time, 0% after. May not make it. Celebrating wife's birthday this evening.
1-1 draw in front of 4,704 gives Strikers a place in the playoffs and currently in 4th place in the standings. They can finish no worse that 6th. They actually needed the win to help secure a better finish, but at least they are playoff bound. Their last 2 regular season games are on the road. They've not done well on the road. Here's hoping for a change of luck for them......
Pics from last nights Puerto Rico game: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...106527287.393733793976612&type=1&l=4eca0608bc
Could have been worse...should have been better... definitely felt like a lot more than 4.7k...but I guess that makes up for the inflation times. Unfortunately between all the injuries and our play on the road, it looks like that was the last home game of the season.
Should have done better, heard from a few people with better views that the header goal they called back was onside. But what are ya gonna do. The crowd of 4,704 brings the regular season average to 3,611/game, which is only slightly down from last season's 3,900 average. If we had had the level of promotion we saw these last few weeks all year, who knows where we could have been. Hopefully by next April Traffic can unload one or two of the other teams and we'll see a bigger focus on the Strikers money wise.
No sponsor(s), as rumored? I'd prefer that traffic sell the Strikers and sell them to someone that can afford to own them and is willing to spend the loot on all areas of the team (players, stadium improvement or new SSS, marketing, promotion - however you interpret that word) to make them a permanent fixture on the South Florida sports scene. The TIFO pictured tells part of what is needed. A dedicated ownership is another part. Hopefully there is someone out there that can, and will, do it. We'll see.