The "Thoughts That Don't Require Their Own Thread" Thread

I was about to start a thread called:

SEASON TICKETS RENEWED: NOW I WATCH LIKE A HAWK

I think enough are in my boat that it might've been an OK thread, but instead I'll move it here.

By "watch like a hawk", I mean I'm going to be paying careful attention to each and every move the club makes between now and the first game in March.

No more of this "we'll fix it in July" bullsh*t.

I want serious personnel changes and upgrades by March, and at least two new attacking options.

Since I've committed the money, the Revs are now like an underperfoming investment in my portfolio. They bear intense scrutiny to see if pulling out at exactly this time next year is going to be inevitable.

They have one more chance, one more year, to convince me.

They don't have to win MLS Cup. They don't have to bring in a DP.

They DO have to bring in talented, productive, exciting attacking players. And they have to bring them in BEFORE the season starts.

They DO have to show progress in the next 12 months toward a stadium of their own. Not shovels in the ground--just some sort of announcement.

I won't even require them to make the playoffs.

But they'll have to show me that they're doing everything in their power to improve their squad the way other teams are, and to get themselves in an SSS, the way almost every other team is or will be.

A repeat of the way this season played out--even if we limp into the playoffs again--will mean I'm through with season tickets and merchandise. I may go to a game or two occasionally, but any major financial or emotional commitment to the team will be done.

One positive: the Heaps retirement, if it transpires.

I'm waiting for more. Next season has already begun.

 

So you want them to bring in "talented exciting attacking players" but don't mind if they don't make the playoffs? Go support D.C.U. Personally, I'd rather see a team of Reis-Igwe-Barnes-Osei-Alston-Nyassi-Red-Dread-Ralston-Jank-Twellman make the playoffs than bring in new players that aren't as good as that squad, but hey maybe that's just me.

Also nothing is going to happen in terms of an SSS this season.

 

Actually, I'll go support Dallas.

They didn't make the playoffs, but they're headed in the right direction.

We're not. We have a bunch of guys who are too old or too young. How many starters do we have 25-29?

At least DC realized their error. As did Chicago. We're status quo.

 

I agree with Autogolazo actually,
I want to at least see an effort to win games and be a competitive club. It may not pay off, thats fine, but I want to see the effort at least. Last year's offseason was a joke, and the superdraft does not consistently provide the immediate talent needed to win.

 

Exactly. I agree with you and Autogolazo - the Revs can't stand pat this season. Last season established a baseline for the offseason, Osei was a good signing but a guy like EJ should have been signed before the season started. If the Revs don't get any cover for Twellman (in spite of what he says and Nicols says re: his progress) due to the obvious need in this area, even the eternal optimists ought to question their judgment.

 

Please do, their roster is perfect for you.

 

EJ was signed with money they set aside in case something went wrong in the middle of the season. Which is what happened; the team realized Twellman was out for the whole season. The team leaves cap space available for mid season in anticipation that things might not go perfectly; if they spend it all in the offseason on players that don't work out, they're screwed. I'm not saying I want them to do nothing this off-season, but I don't think they should spend just for the hell of it. If there's nothing that will help right now, save the money in case something goes wrong next year. Don't spend a ton of money and miss the playoffs because of it (see: New York).

 

Who gives a ******** about making the playoffs? They aren't winning the cup, so who gives a shit? Half the god damned teams in the league make the friggin playoffs. The only difference between us and DC is that our season ended two weeks after theirs did....trophyless.

 

Real Salt Lake gives a ******** about making the playoffs, for one. When the #8 can win the Cup, all that the regular season matters for is making the playoffs. Spend money so you can play all the "fun and exciting attacking soccer" you want, but if you don't make the playoffs its f*cking useless. Not saying I like how MLS is (I hate it), but it is what it is. All the regular season matters for is making the playoffs.

 

Before I get blasted for that last line, thats not what I meant to say. I meant that the main objective of the regular season is making the playoffs. The Supporter's Shield, home field in the playoffs, etc. are all important too, but the number 1 priority is to get into the playoffs.

 

RSL? Are you kidding me? They won the ********ing cup. We haven't...ever. I don't give a shit about just making the playoffs.

Also, it is laughable that you use RSL as your rebuttal in this discussion. You originally tried to mock Autogolazo for wanting attractive looking soccer, by citing DC as a failure. Did you watch RSL play this year? They played some of the most attractive soccer in MLS. So, it's obviously not mutually exclusive.

As far as not making the playoffs being ********ing useless. Sure, but so is making the playoffs and losing...every ********ing year.

 

no, you were right. the regular season is ********ing pointless in the current MLS setup

 

Doesn't all this make you a fair-weather fan? You can demand more and be diasappointed and frustrated by what happens. You can also go to the games less often or not all because you're mad and bored by the style of soccer. But if you ask me, you can't bail out, or end your "emotional commitment" to the club and just support a team from half way across the country, without being a fair-weather fan.

 

I think it's perfectly reasonable to be less loyal to a team that's less loyal to you. If you have a team like, say, the LA Clippers with a slimeball owner, low-rent philosophy and no particular commitment toward winning, well...why should their fans stay loyal to a team like that?

Loyalty, in other words, is a two way street. That goes for the Revs, and every other organization.

 

I'd love to hear what you mean by this.

I always love to mix it up with pro-Kraft lackeys.

 

Can anyone sum up what the heck is going on in the lower divisions of US soccer? Is USL imploding? What happened?

 

I started a new thread to answer this question:
https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1256021

There is a lot going on, and I thought a thread to keep up with the news would be helpful.

 

lawl

 

So does that mean this is the dead horse pen?

 

I wish the Revs would save some money to spend mid season in case something went right.

https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=12653180&postcount=44

If they had done that in the past they might have won an MLS Cup or two. Instead, they made the finals riding the same 13 - 14 players and were too injured/exhausted to get the victory. I know that there were probably a long list of other things that contributed to the Cup finals losses, but having open roster spots while riding a telented, but not deep team into the ground definitely could have been avoided.

I also wish they would spend money before the season starts to address POSSIBLE issues like the star striker is injured or the most offensively talented midfielder is injured. If they spent this money, pre season, to acquire players that were suitable replacements and then the injured players actually do return and perform to their previous abilities what is the worst thing that has happened? You're team gets deeper, practices get competitive since playing time is on the line, and you can manage your roster/minutes throughout the season because the difference between your starter and the backup is not incredibly big.

 

Getting that statue removed is one of my fondest wishes.

 

I guess that depends on whether you're loyalty lies with the "club" or the organization. Are Liverpool fans quitting on them because they're disallusioned by the ownership and the way things are being run? No, because they're attached to the club, not just the owners and current organization. Maybe these bonds aren't as strong in this case since the Revs are still such a young club.