From another thread: Brian Bilello is going to be doing an AMA ("Ask Me Anything") at 11AM this Friday. Here's the thread announcing it: http://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/1039ye/upcoming_ama_brian_bilello_president_of_the_new/ For those unfamiliar, if you want to submit a question, post a question you have for him (after making a reddit account) in the thread that he starts at 11 the day-of and he'll answer them at his discretion. Should be good... This is a great opportunity to ask questions and have them answered(hopefully) same day. Users up-vote and down-vote questions so the best ones that users want to see answered should get the most attention...
Stadium response: "On the stadium project, I can't really go on record until certain public official's are on record. Who that is can vary by city (sorry for being evasive here). That being said we are in active discussions with multiple cities and I think Revere is a great city where a soccer stadium would very beneficial for all parties (us and the city)."
[–]RevGunner 4 points 30 minutes ago It is reasonable for us to expect real progress on a stadium within the next 12 to 24 months if not sooner? And then there's this ... ? Or this ... Impressive to be a Revs fan since '94. And attracting new talent, and using a draft pick isn't exactly the right equation.
Also, to see all of Bilello's answers without sifting through every comment: http://www.reddit.com/user/RevsPrez
Those questions were clearly asked by a Revs intern, most likely JDEsq. Revs fan since 94... lololol.
Even if he had meant Revs fan since 1994, that wouldn't be completely ridiculous. I'm not one to dismiss offhand that the question in question came from a Revs intern. But, although the team didn't have a brand yet, it was 1994 when my family put our season ticket deposit down. IIRC, the league was originally supposed to start in 1995, and I remember my senior year in high school (1994) picking up a brochure at what is now Soccer ETC in Beverly soliciting season ticket deposits. If I remember the brochure correctly, there were a whole bunch of cities on it, and it said season ticket deposits would have an impact on the cities that were chosen. So while the team has only been playing since 1996, the groundwork for the league was being laid back in '94.
Mods feel free to edit this to original post: Complete Recap: On the search for a SSS: On the size of SSS: On SSS timetable: On fan involement in SSS proceedings: On who makes personnel decisions: On why you should support the Revs: On the last 3 years: On having turf versus grassL On national TV exposure: On youth program: On midweek games: On possible rebranding with move to Boston: On whether Gillette, turf, or atmosphere has cost them a signing: On why Jay Heaps was hired: On the supporter-club relationship: On Sene's arrest and foreign player acclimation help: On recent signings: On Hispanic night nachos: On his stated desire to perform in Open Cup, but B-lineup: On Designated Players: On complimentary tickets: On whether new teams have a branding advantage: On unsuccessful signings post-Twellman: Bilello said he would try to answer more posted questions this weekend. http://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/10910y/iam_brian_bilello_president_of_the_new_england/
I understand that. I was just amused at "congratulations on your success and good work." I'm sure it came from a fan, as a fan that has seen the actual "success" BB has had in his position, I just found the line funny. See, I'd probably not have as much of a problem with the question, except that using Rowe as an example of how the Revs "attract" players, makes no sense. Yes, they've "nurtured" him ... but there's a huge question as to how well, especially at this point.
There's some stuff to question in BB's comments, but overall somewhat more candor than we're used to.
This seemed like a nice, chatty way to say fuggetaboudit as far as a stadium is concerned in the forseeable future. Just throwing out "2015, 2016" has no meaning when you look at how many years ahead of time projects in San Jose and Houston were publicly in the works. By the time it's actually constructed, the Epicenter in SJ will have been 6 years from the time the site was announced and it first passed a city council mtg. Quick, someone tell Jonathan Kraft there aren't shovels going in the ground this December! I guess the other thread can officially close now...
Thanks to burud111 for posting the Bilello's responses. I thought they were well done and a bit informative.
Bilello can go shit in a hat. What an idiot. Come to think of it, he is the perfect guy for the job with this organization. Complete and utter joke.
I thought there was a level of candor in his responses that was refreshing. He didn't try to snow us about the organization's missteps. That's something at least.
"We've looked at a few big named players but haven't been able to bring them in. We'd rather spend a ton of money on a really big name than a lot of money on a mediocre name. I think finding younger DPs that can perform at a high level helps more on the field than aging players. That being said if you have the chance to get a true superstar 9and I think there are very few of these players) you have to try and make it happen." Of all the comments he made, this is the one that troubled me the most. It seems that they are still having their thinking polluted by marketing considerations rather than thinking of the long term success of the team. It also contradicts his statement that the coach is making the player hiring decisions. We need players who want to spend years winning championships in NE, not people who want to dictate where, how, and how much they play.