Alabama Soccer Thread

Discussion in 'nicodemus Guestbook' started by nicodemus, Feb 23, 2003.

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  1. CG

    CG Member

    Jul 25, 2001
    MLSnet.com will have them as will each individual team page. Also, check the team forums here on BS. Those games tend to be later in the season once the EPL/English leagues are over.
     
  2. MD20/20

    MD20/20 New Member

    Mar 31, 2002
    Hampton Inn, mostly
    It was crap. They didn't do the league any favors in the fanbase with that game. (And I really wanted it to be good, too.) The little kids games at halftime were more entertaining. I know, they can't all be gems, but it was a terrifically weak spectacle for the price I paid.
     
  3. MD20/20

    MD20/20 New Member

    Mar 31, 2002
    Hampton Inn, mostly
    Solomon's kid plays for Vestavia, he is knowledgable of the game and usually pretty good in stories where he gets the truth from his sources. I think what happened here is that he was trying to reach the casual Birmingham fan who might not know that MLS even exists, and he was trying to frame it in a context that they might be familiar with (with respect to the US matches that have been held in the city over the last 5 years).

    Remember that you're dealing with a readership which follows sports for which there is either no national team (American football) or where the national team competitions are totally secondary to the professional competition (basketball, baseball). No other sport popular with mainstream America puts as much emphasis on its national team as soccer does, and it's not hard to imagine that there are people who don't realize that we have multiple professional leagues.

    I kind of look at it as a positive - he's getting a message out that hey, people actually make money as professional soccer players. (Not A-Rod money, but not "want fries with that" money either.)
     
  4. msfurnas

    msfurnas New Member

    Jun 6, 2004
    Birmingham
    Yea, guess I'm just trying to be positive.
     
  5. nicodemus

    nicodemus Member+

    Sep 3, 2001
    Cidade Mágica
    Club:
    PAOK Saloniki
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That's the way it goes though. At least you didn't travel 600 miles to see it. I've been to two regular season MLS games, one 0-0 tie between the Crew & the Burn and one 1-1 tie (Fire v Revolution.)

    It's a great league and anybody that doesn't realize games can be boring isn't using their grey matter. I've seen boring football, basketball, etc.
     
  6. nicodemus

    nicodemus Member+

    Sep 3, 2001
    Cidade Mágica
    Club:
    PAOK Saloniki
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That wasn't directed at you MD20/20 (just so you know.) It was directed at your general comment about the game not doing the league any favors.
     
  7. MD20/20

    MD20/20 New Member

    Mar 31, 2002
    Hampton Inn, mostly
    I understand, and I agree with your statement. The problem as I see it is that football, baseball, and basketball have had a lot longer time to do expectation management for the quality of play in their games, and even casual fans are familiar with the euphemisms that categorize "boring" games. (One man's pitcher's duel is another man's 1-0 yawner. Ravens vs. Bears? Hope you like defense.) (If you haven't read "Offside: Soccer and American Exceptionalism" it provides an interesting explanation of how that came to be, even if it's a little dated and occasionally Eurocentric.) Those fans also know there are games at the other end of the spectrum to balance those "boring" games out, and they can criticize the instance of the "boring" game without criticizing the sport because they know it can and will be different.

    You know how it is. It's not that the teams weren't playing hard or trying to do it, and individually the players showed they are athletic and skillful. They just had an off night, couldn't get it together long enough to build
    any excitement, and as a result chewed up a lot of midfield action without generating any sustained pressure at either end. You've seen those games, and your reaction would be "wow, are they struggling in the center! they don't have anyone who can hold the ball or make the pass." It just wasn't that fun to watch. I can see that problem every weekend when my kids play. Casual fans have higher expectations of "professionals."

    I have seen plenty of high-quality, high-action, low- or non-scoring games involving MLS teams, including a real gem of a US Open Cup game between Metrostars and DC United. Unfortunately IMHO Saturday night just wasn't one of them. The fan from a soccer culture would shrug and say "that's football" knowing that it can and will be much better as the season progresses, or direct their criticism at the manager or the team's front office for not getting the right players or playing them in the right positions or something. The casual fan will say "that's boring" and change channels when Rob Stone comes on the air on Saturday afternoon.
     
  8. Deuteriumoxide

    May 27, 2003
    Rockville, MD
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    okay now to completely just dive bomb into this in depth debate...


    so i got my tickets the other day....

    behind the goal, section D about 12 rows back.


    I am going to be smmmmmmmmmashed.
     
  9. CG

    CG Member

    Jul 25, 2001
    never seen that before.
     
  10. nicodemus

    nicodemus Member+

    Sep 3, 2001
    Cidade Mágica
    Club:
    PAOK Saloniki
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    me either, i found it on wikipedia. i knew most cities had a flag, i just didn't know that was Birminghams. go to the flag store and see if they can get one!
     
  11. CG

    CG Member

    Jul 25, 2001
    I just emailed somebody from Tidmore Flags. They said that B'ham has contacted them about making flags but they don't actually have any yet. She said they DO have a design but she has not answered me as to whether it is the flag in the wikipedia link.
     
  12. CG

    CG Member

    Jul 25, 2001
    answer to my question concerning this flag:

     
  13. nicodemus

    nicodemus Member+

    Sep 3, 2001
    Cidade Mágica
    Club:
    PAOK Saloniki
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's a badass flag. Glad to see they'll have them soon. Unfortunately, probably not in time for the WCQ.
     
  14. BERTHOLD

    BERTHOLD Member

    Dec 6, 2000
    Re: who knew?

    I'm afraid I have not heard a response to date from nysoccer7.

    Does anybody else out there have any news or have knowledge of an interest in reviving PDL soccer in Birmingham?

    What would you think about starting a Women's Premier Team (W-League) in Birmingham?

    Thanks for your thoughts!
     
  15. nicodemus

    nicodemus Member+

    Sep 3, 2001
    Cidade Mágica
    Club:
    PAOK Saloniki
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: who knew?

    As someone who is trying to move back to Birmingham, here's my opinion:

    I'd love to see a PDL team.

    I couldn't care care less about a W-League team.
     
  16. CG

    CG Member

    Jul 25, 2001
    Re: who knew?

    ditto.
     
  17. BERTHOLD

    BERTHOLD Member

    Dec 6, 2000
    Re: who knew?

    Thanks for the response NIC & PVAN!

    Next ? ... Who are the TOP 10 MOST INFLUENTIAL & RESPECTED SOCCER PEOPLE (Past or Present) in THE Birmingham Metro area who have been, or, are currently involved in the Boy's/Men's game?
     
  18. CG

    CG Member

    Jul 25, 2001

    ex-BSC player signs on with NE Revolution
     
  19. nicodemus

    nicodemus Member+

    Sep 3, 2001
    Cidade Mágica
    Club:
    PAOK Saloniki
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You'd think he'd get a contract out of a performance like that. Is he an Alabamian?
     
  20. CG

    CG Member

    Jul 25, 2001
    He is from Florida.
     
  21. nysoccer7

    nysoccer7 New Member

    Dec 13, 2004
    Here is the dirt/truth about the MLS game...the promotor was supposed to have this game in New orleans, but lost his venue. 1 month prior to the game he did not have a venue, did not have a marketing strategy, and picked Bham because of the WCQ. He never consulted ASF and thus they did not give him any help finding a venue. He really thought he could play at Legion Field or the Hoover Met without help from anyone on the inside- he was obviously very naive.

    Getman from UAB tried to save the event 3 wks from kickoff by acquiring UAB for FREE for this promoter, but, the stadium can only seat 2k and the promotor needed that just to break even. It was decided the promotor would bring in portable seating at an additional cost to him, but, it would expand the seating to 5k and thus he could profit....but, the day he was supposed to sign the contract he stalled so he could find a better venue- so the UAB AD pulled the plug. Hoover SC came to his recue and supplied Hoover High School.

    Two weeks prior to the eventt he started marketing the game- the problem was that only limited places had tickets to sell, and the promotor was trying to make more money by forcing people to buy tickets through Ticket Web who (if you can believe this) actually charge more of a service charge than Ticketmaster!! A grassroots email was sent out, and directed inquiries and ticket requests to AYSA. The only catch was that AYSA was not provided with tickets to sell to the event, or any additional information besides what was on the poster! They referred customers back to Ticket Web or local soccer clubs and couldn't provide additional info.

    When the promotor was asked about the game being poorly attended, and the field being too narrow, and the tickets being over priced- he basically replied that he would never be back to do an event in Birmingham again anyway, and didn't care- he just wanted to make his money.

    Well the circus has left town, and the two MLS team left without knowing about all the quality facilities, and quality fans Bham has to offer. This promotor (Kenny ____) should be seen for what he is- someone looking to make money and not someone who cared about bringing soccer to the area.
     
  22. nicodemus

    nicodemus Member+

    Sep 3, 2001
    Cidade Mágica
    Club:
    PAOK Saloniki
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well, the Fire know, they've been to Birmingham before and played at UAB (and I think at BSC.) Mastroeni and any other national team player on the Rapids know. This game was an aberration I think.
     
  23. CG

    CG Member

    Jul 25, 2001
    from TDS:

    Dworsky is a Huntsville,AL native that plays with the Texans.
     
  24. CG

    CG Member

    Jul 25, 2001
  25. chilistrider

    chilistrider Together We Rise

    May 9, 2002
    Thornton, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    A bit of an exaggeration. The plans for B'ham were firmed up more than one month in advance---as of Jan. 26.
     

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