Storm Get your facts straight. Dave Grimaldi was up in Milwaukee on a few occasions and yes, did in fact lay some groundwork and played a small role in helping the Wave sale. That's a fact. Please don't spew your hatred like your buddy Nuisance when you are clueless
I have no anger toward the NISL or its teams. I just state the facts as I see them. When you said no NISL team has folded, I guess you forgot about the Orlando Sharks, who joined the NISL but folded before even playing a game. I hope the NISL does succeed, but it has yet to do so and is far from achieving that goal. I was a fan of the Storm but never hesitated to say when I thought they had screwed up, which was fairly often in the early years of the franchise. Ironically, Storm fans on this forum accused me of being anti-Storm back then. But the Twisters lose out in any comparsion to the Storm. In fact, the Twisters make the Storm look like Manchester United, on and off the field. One thing I will agree with is that the Rampage has excellent ownership and a very strong team on the field. What they are lacking is fans. I hope they get more of them. Thanks for the comment that the NISL saved the Wave. I got a good laugh out of it. I'm not sure the Wave even needed to be saved in the first place.
But hardly anyone does buy tickets to see the Twisters. By the way, I am overwhelmed with your brilliant comment that the Twisters can improve with better players. Is that the kind of in-depth analysis you provide on Blast broadcasts (assuming you are who many people think you are)? The problem is that the Twisters do not have the money to get better players. The NISL only provided sufficient bailout money to enable the Twisters to exist and not to actually compete. You're right that the Storm doesn't exist (another phenomenally brilliant observation on your part). But the Twisters farcical existence is currently a negative for the NISL and not a positive.
Aren't you the one who used to refer to Grimaldi as "Barney Fife"? I never showed such disrespect for Grimaldi yet I get accused of spewing hate. SHAME!
Failed miserably? Maybe they had the sense to get out before they lost more money, wich the NISL will continue to do, until it folds eventually. Face it. Indoor soccer is done. It might be in 1 year or 2, buit it's cooked. Sorry to be Debbie Downer, and I know I'm stating the obvious, but....
I have spoken to Paul M. on numerous occasions regarding this accusation of him being Soccer-Man. It is not him, and he has asked me to clear his name. Thank you.
Thank you Mr. K. We don't always see eye to eye, but I would like to publicly thank you for your efforts. In speaking with Paul, I hope that you have told him that I've on numerous occassions have told that masses that I am not him. I think that it is rude and very disrespectful for the posters here to slander someone just to make a point; that point, I have no clue. I also think that it is classless for anyone to drag someone's name through the mud with the level of insults that was issued to Paul Mittermeier by way of me. If Mr. Mittemeier is reading this post, all I can say, is that I have tried to set the record straight, but some here are hellbent on using your name in an inconsistant manner.
Speedbump discussing what is "classless" is kind of like Dick Cheney discussing firearms safety or Sarah Palin discussing...well....anything.... By jove, I think he's finally figured it out.
You've got to love it when Soccer-Man says it is slanderous to incorrectly accuse someone of being Soccer-Man!
Actually the NISL has one strong market, three mediocre ones and two poor ones. And the NISL did not beat the XSL. The two were not in competition.
Are you doing three things again (which apparently you often are, but not well)? You're not making sense.
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/soccer/52125717.html The latest on the Wave's new owner. I am a little worried that this guy comes in with no sports background, but on the other hand, most of the previous Wave owners didn't either. I am pretty confident, however, that if he relies on Keith Tozer and Larry Sayles (and to a lesser extent, CFO Mike Lafferty) that he's got a good support system in place.
Don't worry to much about a non-sports background. If he treats it like his real business and not a toy, he'll probably do well. I've seen too many owners over the years concentrate on putting a winning side on the floor or the field only to have the team go out of business after they win their trophy. It's one of the things that worries me about Rockford. Good on the field terrible in the stands.
I agree. I would generally rather have someone who is not a "soccer person" own the teams. There are soccer people that are great owners and vice versa, but when someone focuses 70% on fielding a team and 30% on the business of sales and promotion it's a bad mix.
I have known Jim Lindenberg for several years. The Wave, and the NISL, should consider themselves quite lucky. He doesn't need to be a soccer guy. He knows he's in there to provide the financial resources and use his connections to bolster support in the areas of sponsorship and marketing. It's a tough row for someone to be willing to hoe. Good luck, Jim.
Told you guys they'd be saved and playin' in the N this season. I'm no LSN but it's great to know that the longest running team in indoor will continue to be just that. The playing squad will be close to what it was last season and with everyone healthy, we should be holding that blue crystal vase in the First Mariner parking lot.