I have never visited the city of Houston so can't speak to the actual city itself. However, it is obvious, given the location and size of the metro (~7mil) that it could be a whole hell of a lot better. Sure, there are the Rockets, Astros, and Texans to compete with on entertainment dollars, but that metro can handle it. Further, the stadium is in downtown - this was a big deal when they moved from the college setup they had before. From everything I've read, it is the most under utilized club in the league with all the potential that is lying in wait. As for ALK - those high aspirations were achieved with Burnley, no? Hard to imagine them aiming higher than an EPL club unless they think they can get one of the more notable London/Manchester based clubs.
No, not sure they have intentions of another soccer club, but their stated goal is to invest in major sports teams, entertainment, and media companies. Since at least two of their key members have had involvement with NFL and NBA, they could look in that direction. Most entertainment and sports companies have taken huge hits during covid, so now is a good time to be active in acquisitions in that space. Not sure, but some of the Burnley fans have speculated that their asset base is well over $1BN, and could be in the multiple billions. Looking at their list of executives, it's hard to imagine where that kind of coin came from, but they could have significant silent partners as many of them are well connected, including Uncle Dave.
Guaranteed labor peace through 2027 has to be a better mark in favor of joining the league as an owner than the uncertainty we faced. The 2026 World Cup and expected boost for soccer in general also helps I would think.
Hate to be a Debbie Downer, but I believe the guys at The Athletic are saying that the owners can invoke force majeure as soon as 2023. But I'm excited to watch RSL this year. Hopefully they play road games that I can make it to (KC, CIN, CHI, NSH).
That probably won't scare off potential owners since it is in their purview to invoke rather than the players.
I really did not expect the CBA to be cleared up this early. I thought it would delay the start of preseason and we'd have a season start date closer to, if not in May. So now all signs point to an actual April 3rd start date and you have to wonder if this club will have any progress in the ownership department. The longer this drags out without any news (essentially nothing since the league took over) the less and less comforting it is. It seems we are set to be how we are for awhile and live with the uneasy feeling that brings. It begs the question of how long the league will give the club. How long do they want to be "owners"? Also, who is paying Rusnak and Jeizon's DP portion of their salaries? Who is paying the academy people? How do the Monarchs operate without an owner?
I'm pretty sure the league just took over the sale. As a result, DLH is still on the hook for the whole organization until it is actually sold. Thus, no new DPs, no discretionary TAM. I'm not even sure if they have to spend up to the salary budget. It's hard to be competitive on the field when you don't spend as much as your peers (not even counting DPs).
Well there is a catch 22 for you. On the one hand, we desperately need a new owner to come in and give us a cash infusion. On the other hand, DLH losing money (what he seems to care most about) on something like this isn't going to make me feel all that bad for him. Given that, lets make some bold far too early predictions. If RSL doesn't have a new ownership team before the summer window, how bad will the 2021 team be? Hard to see us not finishing in the bottom 2 or 3 of the league and getting under a point per game. Anybody want to venture a different bet?
************** No! Even if we had a new owner right now, I still wouldn't take you up on it. Seriously, let's start talking 2022. I've already written 2021 off and submitted to the IRS. The motto this year: DON'T GET INJURED!!!
You know, the good thing about being a fan of a bad team in 2021 is that a brown paper bag makes a really good secondary mask
If I can convince the wife to let me go to a few games this year, I will don the brown paper bag before I get get between 200W and State, and 90th & 94th, and won't take it off until I leave that boundary. Who's with us? EDIT: I'll have my daughters glue a bunch of straws on it for hair
“When someone asks me 10 months from now, what were some things that you thought were a turning point? Well, the guys that were coming to the locker room and training every day, lifting weights, and running,” Juarez said. “I haven’t seen that in the last five years, six years, that many guys. Have there always been gym rats and guys coming and doing fitness stuff? Yeah. But not as many as there are now.” https://kslsports.com/452680/without-onuoha-beckerman-how-does-real-salt-lake-resolve-their-unrest/ I think continuity, an actual forward (or 2!) up top and (hopefully) fewer distractions will keep this team out of the league cellar. I would love to see them challenging for a playoff spot (low bar, I know), but I don't if if that's possible without fixing the goal differential (mainly lack of a CB) problem. On one hand, is this team much different from the one in 2019? On the other, there's clearly a talent deficit. That's hard to overcome. 2021 may be another throw away year, but I still want to enjoy some competitive soccer.
I love to read that the guys are taking the fitness side of things seriously. I thought we lacked in that area a lot last year. I'll take the glass half full of that story and say we should come in with a fit squad. There are some big differences in this roster from the 2019 version. Jefferson Savarino. With how Freddy wants to play, a player like Jefferson is a must. He asks the wingers to be the attacking focal point and to break down the other defense. Sava had a lot of flaws, but he was damn good at running at guys. We simply don't have that on the 2021 roster. I don't think even the biggest of Justin Meram or Maikel Chang fans will tell you they're at the same level of Jefferson. Albert Rusnak. Rusnak came into 2019 after having a very promising 2018 season. Rusnak comes into 2021 after the opposite in 2020. Maybe he finds his place in Freddy's setup and rediscovers his form (it would be great for RSL if he did this early so he could be sold in the Summer) but I just don't see it. 2020 looked a very big setback Corey Baird. Speaking of setbacks, Baird in 2019 was also coming off a good season. A really good one, in fact. He wasn't bad in 2019, but he was on a downward slide so this maybe isn't as big. Still, he accounted for 5 goals in 2019. RSL has to find someone to pick those up in 2021 and I just don't know who it is. Rimando. I want Ochoa to be as good as the hype, but he still won't be Rimando. Lennon. Brooks wasn't a game changer in 2019, but he did start 16 games and was in 29 overall. Looking at who RSL brought in to take that role (Brody and Halsey) hard to say that isn't a step backwards. Even with how much I'd like to punch Brooks in the face Onuoha. He wasn't to his best form with us in 2019, but he was good. We are in big trouble in 2021 without him unless Silva, Glad, and Holt find new strides. Bofo. This one is like the Lennon situation where you say "well he wasn't a big contributor in 2019" and you'd be right. But if Bofo was on the 2021 roster he'd jump to one of the starting spots or first off the bench. That's telling. That the roster didn't have much turnover, overall, should be very concerning given that roster was 2 years old. If we had a really good 2020 then, sure, keep it. But we had one of the worst seasons in club history, in a lot of ways. And we kept them all together? Um.... what?!
No owner. Um..... what can you expect? Who can you recruit to throw away a year of playing? Bobby Wood Ricky Rubin Sounds about right.
Is there something stronger than EMBRATSU? Super EMBRATSU? Ultimate EMBRATSU? EMBRATSU, THE EXTRAVAGANZA OF THE FREDDY? What ever it is, get ready. It's rolling our way.
Are all hopes lost on Ryan Smith at this point? He basically said he was in if the purchase was as easy as buying the jazz. He had to wait on DLH. Now its late February and nothing has happened and the league is predicting late 2021 or beyond. None of that says "as easy as the Jazz sale" to me. I would agree that our roster has taken several steps back. However, I am a big believer in hungry teams. This team has had enough people saying they suck that there will be individuals who come ready to prove themselves. Ruiz was a nobody 12 months ago and now we all think he is pretty special. Freddy also is in a sink or swim position. He is not a genius but he is a blue collar guy who will work what his mamma gave him off trying. I think the team at least flirts with the last playoff spot. If the whole roster under performs then expect a discount purchase of the team.
The very nature of the NBA vs MLS (single entity) means the sale wouldn't be as easy. There are a lot more hoops to jump through with single entity that I'm sure Ryan Smith has found bothersome, should he even still be interested in the club. I also wonder just how much of a mess DLH has created by integrating so many of his other interests (Broadway Media, Lifevantage, multiple sponsors, the housing for Academy, etc.) that, once Ryan Smith got a closer look, just found far too exhausting to deal with.
I hereby question @SenordrummeR2 's use of adjectives in the thread title. It hasn't been all that great so far.
That's because "The downward spiral into despondency and depression followed by an impending sense of inevitable disappointment" was too long.
The "great" decline in emotions is pretty funny to look back on in this thread. First few pages are very optimistic and almost joyful. Next few start to slip into the "uh, guys...", follow that with the Smith buying Jazz and Royals leaving the club situations and you see the mood shifting down. The longer this goes, the more and more concerning it becomes. 2021 looks pretty much a certain garbage year for us, in so many ways, and I'd hate for it to be our last one as a club...