Gold Cup 09

Thanks for posting. In the group stage if I had to use many sites I would give each group a region and play in different venues in that region. For example using sites that have MLS teams and/or have hosted or will soon host a WCQ:

New England, Meadowlands, and RFK
Columbus, Chicago, and Nashville
Dick's Sporting Goods, Rio Tinto, and Carson/Los Angeles

 

I just wish they'd announce the damn thing already. The whole tournament seems thrown together on short notice every year.

 

Hmmm . . . winner gets . . . nothing except the extr chance to injure key players playing against crappy competition. I hope we send a college All-Star squad.

 

I realize that is just an example but you are completely ignoring Anything South of Nashville. I'd be surprised if there was not a site in Florida and/or Texas.

Although I understand the idea to support MLS and I agree with it to an extent I think it ignores the massive number of futbol fans in the South Florida area as well as Orlando and Tampa. Having 3 sites in the northeast, 3 in the west, 2 in the midwest and one in Nashville really leaves out a significant portion of the country. Notably it is almost 3 times as far from Miami to Nashville as it is from Columbus to Nashville! I understand the desire to protect the US for their matches but do we really need to have, for example, an El Salvador v. Honduras group match in Salt Lake City? I'm kinda thinking it would be better for everyone if that match were played in Miami. jmo . . .

 

Lets host it at Soldier Field. Im allready pollishing my brass knuckles.

 

Maybe they should schedule Mexico to play its games at Columbus Crew Stadium. Talk about nightmares and bad memories.

 

The Florida Marlins are home at Dolphin Stadium July 3-5. The Orange Bowl is no longer an option since it was demolished. So Miami is out as a Gold Cup venue.

 

Actually, it seems thrown together on short notice every two years.

Or better still, the BS All-Stars. I'll be happy to serve as non-playing captain.

 

I'm not sure whether Dolphin Stadium is an option or not but I assume the entire Gold Cup will not take place over those 3 days. It should be noted that the Marlins are on the road from July 6th through the 16th.

 

I can't remember Dolphin Stadium ever hosting a soccer game. Maybe someone can enlighten me if they have. You would have to deal with getting rid of the diamond as well.

 

It was never an issue as the matches were always played at the Orange Bowl. I attended the spectacular Gold Cup match a number of years ago between the US and Brazil (Gold Cup Semis) at the OB where Boca game us an early advantage with a greater header. But Kaka scored at the death and then scored a Golden Goal after FT. It was amazing atmosphere -- not sold out but a pretty impressive crowd (mostly Brazilian fans, obviously).

Frankly, I kinda doubt you'll see any matches at Dolphin Stadium but I also doubt the Gold Cup organizers would completely rule out Florida and Texas for matches. Raymond James (Tampa) hosted the CONCACAF Olympic qualifiers as well as the US v. Equador match a couple years ago and the field looked pretty good for that. There is also obviously the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

 

I remember reading on here that Dolphins Stadium was built with soccer games in mind but I don't know how much water that holds as I also don't recall any soccer games being played there.

I was at the USA-Brazil Gold Cup match in 2003 and it was a blast. You could host some games (Honduras, Cuba, Haiti) here and get pretty good crowds.

 

hahahahahaha. That would be hilarious.

 

hmm, I guess I hadn't realized that CONCACAF uses SUM for promotion of the Gold Cup. (which probably explains why it never leaves US soil anymore). On one hand, it's interesting because pretty much all promotion is done on spanish language outlets. On the other hand, it's hard to argue doing so when they manage to sell out multiple venues every year assuming Mexico/Honduras manage to avoid choking early.

 

anyone else feel like we still have a damn good chance to pull something in this thing even with the big boys in the Conded Cup?

 

Dolphin Stadium hosts about 2 international friendlies a year...usually teams like Nicaragua..El Salvador etc. Lockhart Stadium is no Orange Bowl but it would suit the needs as a Gold Cup group stage host perfectly. FIU Stadium would as well...but it has carpet

 

I expect the US team to take full advantage of the three weeks it can pull players away for and get a core group of 7 to 8 of the better players altitude trained and ready to do the running in Azteca at the beginning of August.

 

I'd expect mostly a team of fringe European players supplemented by a few guys from MLS, a bit like Copa '07, but our depth is better than that now.

Adu and Altidore should go to both the Confed Cup and this. Others I'm thinking of: Szetela, Spector, Simek, Zizzo, Edu (he may not be considered fringe, but he should be fresh).

If the idea is to keep players with their clubs as much as possible, it'll be difficult to call in guys from Scandinavia: Davies, Parkhurst, Feilhaber, etc...

I'm interested to see how Bob handles this summer.

 

Maybe use CONCACAF's corruption to our advantage and get some Gold Cup matches scheduled for ourselves in Denver or SLC??

 

There's no way Reliant Stadium does not host games for this.

 

Re: Gold Cup 09

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolphins_Stadium

http://www.dolphinstadium.com/content/pressrelease.aspx?id=103

There are some links about Dolphins Stadium being built very wide for soccer and the other is about a friendly played there last year. I think timing would be bad with the Marlins playing even with a road trip. I expect Tampa to get some games. They have been hosting some games the last couple of years. Honduras Gautemala and El Salvador usually have games at Lockhart and the crowds are really big. Traffic is backed up on I 95; its pretty ridiculous.

 

I think the Gold Cup should have the bench players who wouldnt get first team action in the Confed Cup so:

- - - - -Cooper - - - - Twellman/Casey/EJ/etc.
Adu
Rogers/Torres - - - - - - - - - - - Rolfe/Szetela/Holden
Edu/Carroll
Bornstein - - Parkhurst - - Goodson - - Wynne
Guzan​

 

When are they going to have the Draw?

 

As soon as Warner has received his suitcases full of small unmarked bills from each of the federation