"May you live in exciting times" -- old Chinese curse Can't we finally have an offseason (for the first time since the 1999-2000 offseason) where all we Earthquakes fans have to worry about is what roster changes will be made, or whether or not the Quakes will defend a championship and whatnot? Without having to worry about who will own/run the team the following season, whether the team will be rebranded/moved/whatever, etc.? It's been so long since we've had that type of offseason that I've almost forgotten what it was like (though granted, our team was worse then, and there were still gripes about whether or not we'd get a real investor/operator). After all, even when we're finally watching the San Jose Earthquakes play in their new South Bay SSS in 2-3 years, reminiscing with each other about the "good ol' days" of our struggles with the Krafts and AEG and all that, will we really be wanting those "good ol' days" to return? So, will next offseason finally be the "unexciting" offseason that we've long missed? GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Whatsamatta, G? Don't you like living on the edge? As you say, those settled times were when the team was really crap. So, who's to say, whether this is good or bad. All things will eventually work out. And, BTW, I have heard that Chinese proverb interpreted both as a curse and as a blessing. So, take your pick.
After this past year, I would rather have an "exciting" offseason than NO offseason. Viva la resistance!
Hey Goodsport, remember the NASL days! I have a player registry created for all former NASL players. It totals 116 players! I am not a math wizzard under any stretch, but that equated to having an average 10 new players every freaking season! (Remember, the NASL Quakes played for only 10 seasons and the first three years (74-77) had very few player personnel moves!) The returning Quakes team for next year should have a lot of the same faces minus one we are all sad to see go if that happens. The NASL had almost retired players (Sometimes already retired) with big names and created great times as those guys played in San Jose while on holiday! However, if the 2005 nucleus can remain, it will be a major benefit to the MLS Quakes which the NASL version never had after Moore, Child, and Kemp moved on... Mike Hewitt was the only player who remained longer than four of the 10 NASL seasons! Keep the faith Quakes fans! Keep being vocal and kudo's to SSV!
I've heard that too, though I believe that the term was originally conceived as a curse in a time when the Chinese much preferred peace and security to the constant turmoil of warlords (ala the Krafts and AEG) and mercenaries (ala Club America). GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Hopefully we'll have many more offseasons worrying about whether or not the San Jose Earthquakes can defend a championship. GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
True, but too many more "exciting" offseasons may eventually lead to no offseason. Oui oui! GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Wow! I definitely remember the high turnover rate of the latter-years NASL Earthquakes, much like the high turnover rate throughout most of the Clash years (after the 1997 MLS season, then-GM Peter Bridgwater and then-coach Laurie Calloway literally unloaded almost half the team). Hopefully the MLS Earthquakes can keep that "minus one" player. Of course, the fact that I remember all of that further proves that I'm old. GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Of course, the fact that I remember all of that further proves that I'm old. -G[/QUOTE] Not old, just the distinguished historian of the longest running soccer name in American soccer!
Thanks gilmoreaz , though many of today's Earthquakes fans weren't even born yet (or were just being born) around the time the NASL disbanded, while I was already a few months shy of becoming a teenager. But I suppose not all is lost: what I now lack in youth, I've gained in great NASL Earthquakes memories. GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Hopefully this offseason's "excitement" is handled promptly so that, for the first time in years, our only worry wilol be how the San Jose Earthquakes will strengthen their roster for next season's run to the MLS Cup. GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
My idea of excitement is not awaiting news on whether the earthquakes have will be moved/contracted. That's anxiety, not excitement. Only after the new owners have been announced will I be switching to "excitement" mode.
The Chinese curse is actually "May you live in interesting times." Be that as it may... interesting, exciting... whatever. Let's just get this franchise's future sorted out once and for all. Hopefully in the Bay Area to stay, but if not then let's just get it over with quickly rather than go through this whole death-by-a-thousand-cuts business with AEG and MLS.
I just kinda stop paying attention to MLS and the Quakes in the offseason. I'm so tired of worrying about if they're going to be here or not and in the offseason that's all there really is to do. I've moved on the watch the 49ers fall apart and am waiting till January when I can make the switch to European soccer from Jan to April, when I can start worrying about the Quakes and Giants again- and the cycle starts all over. I still read news on the Quakes and check the boards, but just not 8 times a day like usual.
Don't forget the US-Japan nat teams in Spartan sometime in February...not to mention just heard today that the Mexican National team will be playing at SBC Park in January some time.
Goodsport I almost want the team to move or be contracted just to see what kind of stuff your going to come up with next. And laugh.
It seems like we're now near the point at which we'll soon finally have the long-awaited return of the "unexciting" offseason, worrying only about things that fanbases should worry about: how well the team will do in the upcoming season and such. The only extraordinary offseasons in the near-future will be the 2007-2008 offseason (where will the team's interim home be, who'll be in our coaching staff and who'll comprise our return roster?) and the 2009-2010 offseason (in anticipation for The [Corporate name] Epicenter at San José just around the corner)... unless, of course, a bigtime world soccer star is signed to the Earthquakes as well. GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G