Great post Roughneck...I was a ten year old who dreaded Striker road trips to Skelly, where we always seemed to struggle.... As a soccer fan twice fallen in love, and twice dumped (Strikers, Fusion), I can say that the highs I experienced at Lockhart, whether it was 1979 or 2001, were equally dramatic. We played with a flair last year that the league sorely misses this year....take your greatest success story and blow it up, unbelievable. Yet there is nothing like your first time. Nene Cubillas, Ray Hudson, Jan Van Beveran, Best, David Irving, Branko Segota...ahhhhh!!! And it was before the days of the jaded, disillusioned sports fan...as successful as we were last year, we knew we were one good Qwest investigation or cash call away from extinction. The glory days of the NASL had, and it sounds corny, a real innocence, however short lived...and that can never be replicated. Will I ever root for a home side at Lockhart again? Who the hell knows. I sincerely hope Tulsa gets a committed I/O that can get things rolling for you in OK. Keep the logo and nickname!
The Tornado did play at Ownby for a while, but I remember them best at Texas Stadium. I doubt very seriously that 10% of all BS members ever saw an NASL game. And the answer to anyone in any city who asks, "Why not us" is a very simple one: No one has stepped forward saying they want a team, come up with sufficient money, and a good enough place to play, have they? The NASL didn't make you go through all that. If you wanted in, all you had to do was say, "We're going to play in this NFL/CFL stadium, and lots of kids play soccer in our area" and you were in. Of course, you were usually out not long after that. As for magic, I saw it firsthand at Tampa Stadium.
Name one NASL team that didn't struggle at Skelly. The Roughnecks used that small, narrow field to it's full potential. Tulsa quickly became the one opponent the Cosmos didn't want to see in the post season.
I know it was only 24 teams...Lord knows what I was thinking when I typed 28. Goddamn Phil Woosnam and his fascination with the NFL...all he ever wanted was to be as big as pro pointyball. Even had an "American Soccer Conference" and "National Socer Conference." *shudder* I do think the NASL had the same teams in the same cities in 1979 and 1980--no folds, no expansion, no moves. For what it's worth, I went to quite a few Fury games as a kid, from 1978 to 1980. I never saw an Atoms game live, though; caught them on radio and TV. Going to games was never that much fun; the game was OK, but rattling around in cavernous Veterans Stadium was depressing. So was the Astroturf, with the big green covers where baseball infield was.
You are correct, sir! 1979-1980 ---------- NATIONAL CONFERENCE East New York Cosmos Washington Diplomats Toronto Blizzard Rochester Lancers Central Minnesota Kicks Dallas Tornado Tulsa Roughnecks Atlanta Chiefs West Vancouver Whitecaps Los Angeles Aztecs Seattle Sounders Portland Timbers AMERICAN CONFERENCE East Tampa Bay Rowdies Ft.Lauderdale Strikers Philadelphia Fury New England Tea Men Central Houston Hurricane Chicago Sting Detroit Express Memphis Rogues West San Diego Sockers California Surf Edmonton Drillers San Jose Earthquakes Ah, those were the days.
Sure NASL did many things wrong, but like it or not the NASL directly or indirectly affected how US Soccer turned out in the 1990's. The magical aquisition of Pele for 3 years opened up many roads for soccer in the US. That seed which was planted for immediate returns ended up benefitting soccer in the future even more. If we had an alternate universe in which the NASL never brought over Pele I would bet anything that US soccer would still be at 1970's or 1980's level without even an attempt to improve it much. Boy those were the dark ages.
      Sadly, though, according to the recent A&E Biography special on Pele, it seems that the only reason Pele agreed to play for the New York Cosmos was because he was in a huge financial pickle after most of his money went bye-bye following the bankruptcy of the rubber plantation he heavily invested in (the Cosmos signed him for around $6 million in 1970's money, so it would probably translate to a lot more money in today's money). -G
Well... NASL - was a great entity of soccer in a nation that didin't know anything about soccer MLS - Is a pathetic entity of soccer in a nation that doesn't even care about soccer. NASL - Spent "S"hit loads of money to put together great teams. MLS - Shells out pithy amounts of money for psuedo-great and past their prime type talent. NASL - Didnt care where they played, or what they played on, When they played games, and first to use orange soccer ball. MLS - begrugingly enough care about where they play, what they play on" except Chicago", when they play games, and have changed the ball a few times. NASL - Hardly had any TV coverage, It was strictly a fan involved base sport. you either went to the game, or you didnt hear anything about it. MLS - panders like a cheap whore to any T.V. coverage it can get... Letting ESPN pimp it around like the " worlds strongest man competition " lead in. NASL - Caputred great attendance's in Philly, Rochester, and the Northwest. tried and failed in Los Angeles twice.... but that was before the great Mexican emmigration. MLS - luckily has L.A. , NY & D.C -- other cities in MLS would have been contracted or moved in NASL era. NASL - called it moving or sale of the team and subsequently teams were eliminated from the league in 14 of it's 17 years as a league. MLS - to it's credit has only contracted once. But if things dont improve could find itself emulating the NASL very soon. just some of the comparisons - our soccer history is very entertaining if not very historic or memoriable.
pithy - adjective (of speech or writing) short and clever; expressing an idea cleverly in a few words I agree. Compared to the NASL, MLS's spending has been short and clever.
I have had the privilege of being season ticket holders for both the NASL (via my parents) and MLS (Charter Members) versions of the Quakes. Our family started attending games the first full season of the Quakes (1974) and purchased seasons tickets the next year. We had season tickets until the last year before the league folded. Some of the highlights of the NASL: 1. Seeing Some of the Best Players in the World Although past their prime, I got to see the following play in person: Pele (NY), Eusebio (Toronto?), Beckenbauer (NY), Cruyff (LA), Muller (FL), Best (LA and SJ), Hurst (Seattle), Alberto(NY), Banks (VC), Bogicevic (NY), Chinaglia(NY)... 2. Family Atmosphere Large crowds at small stadium, great half time entertainment, and Crazy George... 3. Good Soccer Although my only compasion was German soccer (Soccer Made in Germany with Toby Charles on PBS), the game was played with passion until the early 80s... 4. Professional League Allowed me to dream of playing professional soccer in the US. 5. Soccer Bowl 1975 Attended the Tampa Bay vs Portland. Huge crowd for Spartan Stadium. People were standing at the top of the stands. Some of the lowlights of the NASL: 1. Level Play Never really improved year after year. Just stayed the same... 2. Old Players Too many old players taking a summer vacation... 3. No US Player Development Had to set limits on the number of US players who HAD to be on the field. 4. Management Even as a teenager, I could tell when things were starting to go south in the early 80's for the league. Some of the highlights of the MLS: 1. Level of Play Every year the level of play gets better. After only six years, its comparable to second tier leagues in the soccer nations (England, Germany, Italy, etc.) 2. US Player Development Rather than only having a token three US players on the field, the team is mostly US players with a foreign limit. 2002 WC is a direct reflection of having a professional league consisting of mainly US players. 3. Family Atmosphere Now I bring my family to games. Inexpensive, nice duration (two hours), and good people... 4. Decent Management Conservative approach with a view to the long term vs short term gains will work. Just need to be patient for a couple of more years. 5. Attended the First MLS Game 6. No Crazy George Don't need him any more. Fans know when to cheer... Some of the lowlights of the MLS: 1. Team Depth Not enough money to have quality players on the bench. Effects competion in tournments against forieign teams. 2. Marketing League still has figured out the best way to market the product. 3. Foreign players Learned from the NASL mistake of bringing too many over-the-hill players, but the league could use a few names players who still have a little soccer in them to validate the league outside of the US. 4. Stadiums Still need soccer specific stadiums for the long run. 5. Watching the Clash Inept soccer at its finest. It took me a long time to recover from the NASL folding, but I can through the clouds to a great future for the MLS.
Unfortunately, I don't think so. I was only 11 years old, and at that time, I collected only baseball, football, and "wacky package" cards. However, I should check with my parents. My mom may have some stuff. She is kind of a pack rat.
Gotta love NASL threads. I imagine it's been over 25 years since I ever thought about Ringo Cantillo. He was one of my favorite players -- only because of his name.....
somewhere in the house here I still have a tampa bay rowdies t-shirt my dad bought me when I was five. last time I saw it, it looked tiny, but I think I still have it. I remember getting home from the old tampa stadium and setting up goals on either end of the living room floor and blasting this little rubber Rowdies ball all over the house. I still miss how innocent that seemed, whereas now the survival of MLS seems like a function of tv contracts and labor disputes of older established sports leagues. And yet, we keep the faith because it's only about the game and nothing else.
Salad Days While doing some research, I came across this letter from Bob Antoniuk of Hoboken, NJ in the July 1979 issue of Soccer Digest: Twenty-three years ago, there was a 180 degree difference from the current perspective. Imagine: the NASL's cavernous baseball and football stadiums, mostly AstroTurf and with the markings of their "usual" tenants (i.e., gridiron lines and basepaths), were tolerated enough for the league to be considered "well housed." Meanwhile, New England's playing in a 15,000 stadium--a bit small by today's standards, but otherwise an ideal SSS model--was considered slumming. Some other changes--Chicago is well-supported now, while San Jose "must be moved now," to quote any one of a number of posters in the weekly attendance threads.
Excellent stuff, USRufnex, and I agree 100% with your opinion! Also worth pointing out: in the NASL, the Whitecaps lasted 11 years, the Sounders 10, and the Timbers 8; that's longer than MLS has been in existence. The year Team America existed, the Sounders, which had been to the Soccer Bowl the previous year, changed ownership. Not only did the new owners break up a team that had reached the Soccer Bowl the previous year, it redid itself by emphasizing American talent (the old coach and several players were fired basically for being British) -- and in the process, killed the franchise. The owners actively tried to dissuade its Americans from joining Team America, referring to Washington DC's comparatively high heat and humidity. So that might be why Mark Peterson didn't immediately join Team America (though I don't even recall his being with the Sounders that year).
Perhaps Colin Jose has written some sort of volumous work on the subject... I'm about 90% (or so) sure about that... In any event, there could very well be something (by him, and/or someone else) in the BigSoccer Store... Cheers, William
Books? Sorry I don't know of any. However a incredible website contains the history not only of the NASL but America's other professional leagues as well is http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/ Some amazing info. Well worth a couple of hours to browse through it. On an related note. Nice article about the A-league and how it compares to the NASL is at www.a-league.com/features/2002/fea,2002,0019.shtml
I've been to the sover site, and it's very good. It has very good info. I'm looking for something more into detail (politics, business figures, etc). I did some research on the NASL back in '99, and it was pretty much limted to articles from the Chicago Sun-Times about the Sting, and very few articles in magazines.