2020 Challenge Cup

Discussion in 'NWSL' started by SiberianThunderT, May 27, 2020.

  1. FanOfFutbol

    FanOfFutbol Member+

    The Mickey Mouse Club or The breakfast Club
    May 4, 2002
    Limbo
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    There is almost always problems with testing for a virus as new as this one is. The science is good but it is not that good. However false positives are much better than false negatives.
     
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  2. lil_one

    lil_one Member+

    Nov 26, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    blissett repped this.
  3. lil_one

    lil_one Member+

    Nov 26, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The curse is real:



    I feel like I should start making my predictions based on who Orlando is choosing to stan.
     
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  4. FawcettFan14

    FawcettFan14 Member+

    Mar 19, 2004
    Colorado
    Damn, nobody can score. Average goals per game is now just 1.47 (much of this skewed by the 3-3 outlier). :coffee: The odd 0-0 nailbiter draw can be fun here and there, but not game after game of zero goals or just a single goal.

    Agree that the number of games is not an unreasonable workload for these professionals, who had months to get their fitness up to par. I do think the turf field, and the hot midday conditions are playing a role. If any future Challenge Cup-type events take place later this year, it should be on a grass field complex with better scheduling.
     
  5. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    With a roof. Deals with heat and camera glares too.
     
  6. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
  7. lil_one

    lil_one Member+

    Nov 26, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    For those still wanting to hear more about Orlando, the Crack podcast had Sydney Leroux Dwyer on as a guest and she talks about it a bit (the talk about Orlando players testing positive is from 33:00-38:00 in the podcast):



    She doesn't give a lot of new info or detail, but she says that some players went out to "many places" (it wasn't just one club or place or just one time) and it was without really thinking about the possible consequences. She says that week was the hardest week of her career as Dom Dwyer had to be quarantined in a hotel away from them as she might be positive. So, she was alone with the kids (and she's also currently alone with the kids as Dwyer is in the quarantine hotel with MLS). She said the team hasn't been back together for training or anything. She also basically confirms that she doesn't see any way possible for a mini-season or second tournament after this one.

    Also I don't know anything about this podcast as I don't listen to it, so I can't recommend it. I just noticed Leroux was a guest.

    Finally, from the Orlando Sentinel journalist who covers Orlando City and Pride (Julia Poe): she said the whole team has been off duty from media availability since withdrawing from the tournament, which is one reason why we haven't heard anything or any updates.
     
  8. lil_one

    lil_one Member+

    Nov 26, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    There's an Equalizer article about the NWSL bubble being "COVID-19 free." (Hopefully, we're not counting our chickens before they're hatched.) It contains some nuggets:

    -The testing protocol has included over 2000 COVID-19 tests with players and staff being tested every few days.
    -There was a false positive of a facility worker last week; the facility worker hasn't worked any more in the facilities and was confirmed negative after multiple follow-up tests. (While waiting on the follow-up testing, teams had to forego using some indoor facilities like the cafeteria and gym.)
    -While there were several false positives, at least one Orlando Pride player did contract the virus (no info on how she is doing).
     
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  9. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    Just because I'm a *horrible* procrastinator... here is Orlando's record at picking winners through the first 20 games of the tournament, with bold being correct and italic being incorrect (incl. draws):

    NC-POR
    CHI
    -WAS
    HOU-UTA
    RGN
    -NJ

    POR-CHI
    WAS-NC
    UTA-NJ
    HOU-RGN

    NC-CHI
    POR
    -WAS
    UTA-RGN
    NJ-HOU

    WAS-HOU
    CHI-UTA
    RGN-POR
    NJ-NC

    NC-POR
    HOU-UTA
    WAS
    -NJ
    RGN-CHI

    ...so that's 5-for-20 (much like ORL's on-field record OOOHHH)
     
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  10. lil_one

    lil_one Member+

    Nov 26, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sounds about right for an Orlando season. :devilish::ninja:
     
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  11. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Just out of curiosity: have they made picks for the upcoming semifinals?

    Edit: nevermind: I just read on the semifinals thread that they picked Utah and Chicago. This should help me with my predictions, if they keep their losing strike alive! :)
     
  12. FanOfFutbol

    FanOfFutbol Member+

    The Mickey Mouse Club or The breakfast Club
    May 4, 2002
    Limbo
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Well I hope this is worth the wait. I do not mean the wait between matches, rather I mean the wait for really good soccer. I think the real grass will make the difference and the fact the these pros are really good players and they are, probably, as upset by the play so far as many fans are.
     
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  13. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    So let's join the semifinals thread! It's going to start. :)
     
  14. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    NWSL website has the final scheduled for 12:30 local time: is it correct? It could even be a better time for me in Europe than 10:30.
     
  15. FanOfFutbol

    FanOfFutbol Member+

    The Mickey Mouse Club or The breakfast Club
    May 4, 2002
    Limbo
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    I believe that is correct as it is also what the TV schedule says.
     
  16. lil_one

    lil_one Member+

    Nov 26, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sorry to disappoint, but the schedule (both TV and website) says 12:30 ET. Local time is MT, which is 2 hours behind ET, so same 10:30 am MT. They have to get it in before its too hot! :cool:
     
  17. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Well, the only important thing is that you tell me if I have to watch the game at the same time as the other days or not! :laugh:
     
  18. lil_one

    lil_one Member+

    Nov 26, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Same time as the others. It hasn't changed.
     
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  19. Smallchief

    Smallchief Member+

    Oct 27, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    So why not give the players three weeks off, bring them back in mid to late August and play another tournament in September?

    Covid permitting of course.
     
  20. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Well, I am just shooting in the dark, don't know anything positively about this, but couldn't the financial cost be a issue?

    I am aware that the league received the support of important sponsors, but in a season without any attendance's revenues for the clubs, couldn't it be that a second "Challenge Cup" isn't really affordable for them? :cautious:
     
  21. Smallchief

    Smallchief Member+

    Oct 27, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    Probably. The NWSL said it is going to pay the players whether or not they play, so the big costs of a new round would be lodging, food, and stadium rental. How much of that would TV and sponsor revenue make up? I don't know.
     
  22. CoachJon

    CoachJon Member+

    Feb 1, 2006
    Rochester, NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I want to share this great piece by Tori Huster:
    https://washingtonspirit.com/2020/07/23/at-every-turn/
    Question: Are you happy to be home?
    Short answer: No.
    More complex answer: No.

    ..........
    and sorta related; please skip to about 19:48 in this youtube video. Aubrey Bledsoe texted a question to ask rookies Kaiya McCullough and Ashley Sanchez.
    Aubrey: Which new Spirit teammate has been most intimidating?
    Immediate response, in unison: Tori.
     
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  23. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    What I like about this type of tournament is giving the losing teams a chance.
     
  24. lil_one

    lil_one Member+

    Nov 26, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Klingo3034 repped this.
  25. lil_one

    lil_one Member+

    Nov 26, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

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