Since it appears that the Sounders will only play one more season (before MLS forces them to rename) ... I thought I'd post a bit of Nastagila: Once the league realized that there were not enough teams to play a full season, they arranged tournaments with visiting clubs. Funny how the MLS is rounding out their schedule with "exhibitions" ... This one included Sao Paulo (Brazil), Cosmos, Fiorentina (Italy) and Seattle.
I may be wrong, but wasn't Armando Betancourt (Haiti - Spain '82) the rare instance of a player appearing in a FIFA World Cup before he appeared for a professional club ?
I don't believe Haiti made the World Cup in 1982. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure that the two Concacaf representatives were Honduras and El Salvador. I remember because ES lost 10-1 to Hungary. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_FIFA_World_Cup
Armando was not Haitian. I believe he played for El Salvador. Have played against Robert Meschbach and Damian Kelly. Does anyone know what ever happened to Kamal Khilian? And are you sure its not spelled Khallilian?
Interesting history in wiki about Robert Meschbach. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Meschbach Armando Betancourt was born in Honduras so he did play in the WC 1982 but I'm not sure if this is the same guy that played in the NASL. It doesn't mention it in Spanish wiki. http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porfirio_Armando_Betancourt
The English Wiki does reveal: Porfiro Armando Betencourt Cortez "While Betancourt left Indiana University after his junior year in order to play for Honduras in the 1982 FIFA World Cup, he is still considered one of the greatest collegiate players ever. Soccer America Magazine named him the Player of the Decade (1980s) and placed him on its College Team of the Century." Betancourt returned to Honduras to play for Real CD Espana in 1981-82 season. Not only did Armando play in the 1982 World Cup but a narrative of the opening match against Spain credits him with assisting on the goal of a 1:1 draw. "From that Porfiro Betancourt ran upfield until challenged, and Hector Zelaya took over the ball without challenge, and promptly scored."
For those who care who the players were in the 79 Quakes picture: Front row, Trainer Mark Belmot, Ove Flindt,Easy Perez, Steve Ryan, Charlie Kadupski, Sam Bick Second Row Bernie Gersdorff, Detlef Webers, Carl Christensen Coach Peter Stubbe, Tom Armstrong , Ian Wood , Paul Child, Third Row,John Rowlands, Mike Hewitt, Chris Turner Ken McDonald, Dieter Versen Although, they went 8 & 22 their play on the field wasn't as bad as their record reflected. As a matter of fact, their GK's Mike Hewitt and Chris Turner were listed in Soccer Corner magazine as having the best performances of the league. After 28 years of following soccer (at least as opposed to back then)however, I'm sure their strong play had more to do with the lack of a quality defense rather than they being great GK's.
Small wonder Kenny Mac was in the ASL the next year.... Back then, NASL teams were less a story of their American players and more a story of the imports. American players had little responsibility and we set to the sides... Kenny was a GREAT player who could play any position, could hit a ball to knock you out with either foot and was the best header I've ever seen...
He played a little with the Quakes but not too much....Only 2 North americans played and I think he shared time with others. Sam Bick was a starter the whole year although I think he was out of the team in the midseason of 1980 when Mark Liveric , George Best & others came in..
I hear you.... Jim Stamatis, a Hermann Award winner and truly offensive in every way, was made a back at San Diego. What I mean is that he didn't have a defensive bone in his body.... He was a little offensive personally, as well... I've known him since 8th grade and we payed HS, college, Stoners and even O30's together, so I say it in a way that only brothers can speak of each other... Man, could he hit a ball... You MAY find this interesting: www.oldsoccerguys.com - it is my small contribution to a reunion we had fro our old Penn State Coach Walter Bahr in the spring of 2006.... Jim, Ken and others are in it...
I see your Penn Stoners will be resurrected after many dormant years. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=617218
Have I missed something? The USL owners own the Sounders name. MLS doesn't automatically get to take and use it just because they are a Division 1 league. Whether the Sounders even continue to exist because of MLS competition is the real question. I suspect you may find the owners selling the name to the MLS group before too long and then going their merry ways. BTW--if you're the USL, it's got to kill you that you can spend years cultivating a market, only to see MLS stomp in and take it for no compensation whatsoever.
Steve: Part of the current Sounders ownership is involved in the MLS thing. It's not like MLS is coming in and bigfooting the USL Sounders aside without so much as a how's-your-father. USL has announced that the Sounders will play in USL-1 next season and that “we have undertaken the process of exploring all possibilities with respect to landing a USL-1 franchise in another Pacific Northwest market, including working with several members of the current USL-1 franchise ownership group for the relocation of the Sounders franchise rights,” said USL President and Founder Francisco Marcos.
This is what I've failed to understand ever since the days of the NASL. I mean it seems to be that everyone involved in soccer in the USA works apart rather than together. During the NASL years, you had both the ASL & the NASL working on two different levels entirely. After the NASL folded, the USSF kept saying they were not responsible for starting up a pro league and looked to the college NCAA or youth team players to fill their national teeam rosters. Since 1990, the USA has enjoyed 6 consecutive World Cups as well a successful womens program a USL with unlimited amount of teams and an MLS start up as well as the MLS reserves. you would think at some point the two entity's should work together rather than apart. This hasn't been the case however, and I think the MLS would rather want the USL to fold but that will not happen any time soon. When will the time have come for everyone involved in the game work together instead of apart? It makes no sense.
No, I don't think MLS wants USL to fold. I actually don't think they pay them a lot of mind, to be honest. I don't think they view them as a threat, and I know USL doesn't consider itself a minor or developmental league for MLS. Considering how few guys go up from USL-1 or USL-2 to MLS, that's probably a fair assessment. The two leagues had a cooperation agreement that expired several years ago and was never renewed because they couldn't come to terms that everyone could agree on. And yet, they've both been able to do what they do without the other, so I don't think there's any real animosity or ill will at this point. Things have settled. USL teams still pull the occasional USOC upset, but MLS teams still win most of the time. Your point that the US soccer environment is fractured is spot-on, though. Everybody thinks they're the ones who have it sorted out and they don't need anybody intruding on their turf or any help from anybody. So cooperation just doesn't happen. It's sad.
I've seen many PDL college players go to the MLS but I think that is mostly becuase they let the college players keep their amateur standing. I can name a few that were in theUSL like Clyde Simms, Pat Onstad, Brian Ching but you are righht I can't name too many players from the USL who went on to star in the MLS.
PDL players are (largely) American college players. American college players get drafted into MLS quite a bit. USL wanted credit for "developing" those guys, and compensation was an issue in the agreement. But by and large, many players still opt to take low-money MLS contracts over low-money (or sometimes higher money) USL contracts coming out of college and others are in the situation where if they're really good enough, they bypass USL entirely. Occasionally MLS finds somebody toiling away in USL, but not very often. At least, that's my read on the situation without doing an indepth study.
That's good to know. I've been so wrapped up in the Philadelphia thing, and the continuing machinations in Harrisburg (and, yes, Mr. Schoen, Pennsylvania's capital is Harrisburg, not Allentown as you said last night on American Soccer), that I wasn't aware of that. Hopefully this means Seattle MLS will use the Sounders name, which is one of the classiest in pro soccer, if not all of pro sports.
I agree. Hanauer, though, went through a bunch of sturm und drang in the last couple of years about how the Sounders name means "minor league" in the market and how he'd prefer they didn't keep it if they went to MLS. To me, it's the only natural name and it makes perfect sense in every single way. "Sounders" can't have a negative connotation to those who have no idea they exist, and, unfortunately, I think that's the majority of the Seattle market. Of course, the absolute right move is one MLS and its teams rarely make (Real Salt Lake? FC Dallas? He-lo?), so I'm not holding my breath. OMG, Phil said Allentown was the capital? Probably figured Billy Joel wouldn't write a song about Harrisburg.
Well the Seattle Sounders was originated in the NASL and I'd think they should keep it for traditional purposes. The MLS & Nike came up with the Clash for the Quakes in 1996 which in many peoples minds was kind of lame. I know they went back to the Earthquakes after we hounded the front office with calls trying to change it back to the Quakes and they did. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF6BhzMZOTE http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=4219
He didn't actually say "Allentown is the capital." The actual quote was something like "Philadelphia is working on getting their stadium funding package, and its getting kicked around in Allentown," or something like that. The inference was clear, though.
God knows we need some tradition in this league. Though I just watched the MLS Inaugural Game on DVD the other night. I want a Clash jersey. But I want a black one with the stripes. Righteous.
I would include the awarding of a franchise to Seattle--I have no problems with the city gettuing a team, but am troubled that Garber's "SSS only" rule seems to have been conveniently waived. Then again, it might be sour grapes. I'm just an angst-ridden Philadelphia-area guy, watching chances for a team slip away. Don't mind me...
Where are you getting all these DVDs, anyway? Didn't you mention watching an NASL match in another thread?