I grew up in Alabama... playing soccer. I had rec league in the fall, school league in Feb-Apr, camps all summer, and travel league year-round. Rec league soccer in the fall was played on weeknights so that we could yell "Roll Tide!" on Saturday without interference.
AUFC - Champions of the inaugural eMLS Cup. Victories over CFG:NY and SKC do the job. Franco Escobar and Paulo Neto do the job, and if I recall correctly they didn't lose a match throughout. Another trophy, even if purely electronic.
Back at the office today. We're phasing in for a few weeks by essentially alternating days from home and at office. This feels weird.
We’ve stayed at the office but we’ve definitely accelerated telehealth for psychotherapy into the new age. I’m sort of surprised it’s done so well - although there were some hiccups at the start. That said, the office has made sure to increase “quality” by increasing the demand on paperwork and less time spent with the client ... figures.
So in the rush to provide filler I noticed a network showing pro soccer from Costa Rica. I've also seen some of that stuff from Belarus that was available via online platforms. If seeing that stuff doesn't make someone appreciate the venues we have in MLS I don't know what will. Yes, the US is a much larger nation and economy compared to either of those but we all know how much of a short-shrift soccer gets in this country. The key thing is that as the venues and training facilities continue to reach top levels in the US that will continue to entice more talent from other nations and ensure we as fans have better experiences at the games. This is light years from when some of us use to see the Chiefs @ Fulton County Stadium. MLS has enabled the physical infrastructure to come along that will ensure soccer grows and lasts, and I, for one, am forever grateful.
Not joking. The Dixie Cup was the de facto state tournament back when there were so few schools fielding teams that the AHSAA didn't sanction the sport. The 1990-91 school year was the first year of AHSAA ball. I'd been out of HS for a decade by then. You'd remember if your team was trying to q for a state title instead of the Dixie Cup. I don't think our ages are close enough (2-3 years) that our experiences can be compared. That's aside from us probably living in different parts of the state.
Yeah, I didn't hit high school until '94, but I was playing rec league in '86 in Mobile, and travel soccer in the late '80s through high school. I remember when I brought the flyer home from school and said I wanted to try it, and my parents looked at me like I had lost my mind. My one season of coach-pitch baseball had not exactly showered me with athletic glory. We practiced across the street from my school, and I loved it. I talked my parents into signing me up for every team, camp, and clinic they had time and money to drive me to. I am "Exhibit A" for the pay-to-play culture in America. The University of South Alabama had a varsity men's team back then, so there was something to aspire to (and then I went to a 2A high school and the dream of being the next Pele died on the vine, but we did have a team).
Getting back to the original thread topic: I'm assuming the tournament-cum-season in the Happiest Place on Earth (where I once spent a week in legit quarantine with meningitis, so f that place) will not include fans. Any word on season ticket refunds or credits towards next year? Also, since all we do is win in Orlando, I will happily take all the points home for our Supporters' Shield run this year.
I don't see us winning anything without Josef. I just hope the AUFC FBers clamoring for reopening MLS are satisfied when they see someone else lift whatever trophy is going to be up for grabs (The Corona Cup? lol). I hope they're happy to see yet another club add a star to their shirt, yet another season where we can't make up distance between us and those clubs that are living on their pre-23-team league laurels. Another year where a Seattle or TFC can capitalize on something we didn't do. I did everything except drive to Atlanta and shout out of a megaphone, "What part of 'Josef is still healing and until he's back, we are not going to be contenders, much less favorites!' do y'all not understand?" So pissed off right now at a fanbase that lacks the patience to wait on the best scorer in our club. We are the last fanbase that should have been screaming for anything involving a trophy to happen this year. You can bet your next check that the rest of this league was salivating at the chance to win something with JM7 hurt, like TFC did last season, so they were all for it. Every time I think about going short-handed (footed) into a competition that I'm still not sure it's safe to play even with empty stadia, that missed PK v. Toronto last season and the foul on Giovinco in the final 2017 reg season game v. TFC (which led to his game-tying FK and forced us into a one-off v. Columbus) just get bigger and uglier. This is not a normal situation where somebody pulls something and we have to do what we can to get thru it- this is about to take place in the midst of a pandemic. Damn impatient hipster plastic children.
We can't play soccer because you are afraid we can't win because one player got hurt. I don't think your plastic ass understands how sports work.
Mod Note: Folks, let's keep this civil. AUFC is blessed with a large fanbase. Join in expecting different perspectives within. Differing with someone is fine. Personal attacks are not. We all know the lack of action sucks and 2020 has been a year to forget. (Notice how everything in the world went to pot after Josef got hurt!) But if we endure this then eventually we'll all be back at the Benz, united and conquering. Hold on to that dream!
It is not the lack of action that is so frustrating, it is the fact someone doesn't even want to play again. So what happens to those of us that actually buy tickets and want to go to games?
It is the amusing commenting from the sort of "supporter" who openly stated with absolutely no sarcastic intent that he https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/2...going to watch another game if Gressel is out and then buries it behind a bunch of other contradictory nonsense to hide his true nature. When I read that on 1/10, I was so disappointed that any Atlanta fan would conduct himself like a Kenny Loggins groupie and then lie about having bought tix, but I held my tongue because that's how I was reared. Bottom line- they don't need to be playing at all, and nobody with any sense would wish for a facade of a proper season when their top scorer was out. This whole setup reeks of desperation, and us being anything but thumbs down on it is folly.
I apologize to you for the profanity. Yes, the dream is to play again- in the Benz. Healthy. But I don't dream of anything makeshift that doesn't include 32 more games and the standard playoff. Let's just stay safe and return at 100%. I know we're beyond that point now, tho.
Actually the Gressel trade turned out to be a win-win for all involved. At the time people were suggesting he'd walk and AU would get nothing.
I'll be ecstatic to watch soccer in front of empty stands on my computer monitor. It won't be "real," but it'll be better than no soccer at all. And I'll struggle through a no-Josef stint without complaint (...OK, maybe with complaint). Injuries are an unfortunate fact of sports. As far as J.Martinez's injury is concerned, I'm happy we're delaying the remainder of the season, because that means that the games he plays will be more important (and there will probably be more of them). Josef's injury just makes it clear how under-utilized Tito was. Our depth at forward is... laughable. Here's hoping Jahn makes an impact.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/mls-is-back-tournament/tournament-structure What happens after the tournament? Upon completion of the MLS is Back Tournament, MLS plans to continue its regular season with a revised schedule in home markets, followed by the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs and the 25th MLS Cup. The schedule will be developed at a later date. Okay, I was under the impression that this tournament was intended to replace the reg season. Now it makes even less sense. This just sounds like trying to keep interest when the interest isn't going away. We're supporters. We'll still be here when it's safe to return to matches with people in the stands. Anybody here know what MLS stands to earn by playing without a gate? Whatever. I'll scream and chant in front of my TV or computer or at a bar somewhere, but this is some bullcrap.
Beat me to it. The league announced today that the MLS is Back tournament in Orlando is a go, with matches beginning July 8. Atlanta is one of the seeded teams and will play 3 group stage games. (Draw for groups to be done later.) Those 3 matches WILL count toward the regular season standings. Once group play is done it becomes a World Cup-style knock out tourney with 16 teams. What I don't like about the proposal: - Some games will be played at 9 AM! I have no idea why. West coast teams won't be keen for this, it doesn't appeal to anyone's viewing schedule, and it leaves a large gap between that and the 8 PM kick-off. - Would prefer a shorter knock-out round. As it is some teams will only get 3 games while others will play 6 or 7. Will the added games help or hurt?