NASL thread

Discussion in 'MLS: Expansion' started by detroitexpress, Jul 30, 2002.

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  1. gilmoreaz

    gilmoreaz Member

    Aug 19, 2003
    Peoria, Arizona
    Let's read your post one more time below:

    What part of my "Reading comprehension" is lacking? How are you not comparing fans of the NASL to fans of the WUSA when chiming in on an NASL debate? You clearly compared the two leagues which is a complete joke man!

    To be expected from you the almighty battler on Big Soccer!;)
     
  2. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    That's not a comparison of the WUSA to the NASL. None at all. I'm drawing a parallel between situations with regards to fans of teams. I just as easily could've said Brooklyn Dodgers and New York (baseball) Giants. Or Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny.

    There's nothing in my post that compares or equates the NASL with the WUSA. As far as you know, I may consider the WUSA to be vastly superior to the NASL. Then again, I may not. In fact I may not even have an opinion on that matter at all. There's no way to tell from my earlier post.

    Like I said, your reading comprehension needs work.
     
  3. gilmoreaz

    gilmoreaz Member

    Aug 19, 2003
    Peoria, Arizona
    This is an NASL forum and yes, you could have compared regional MLB teams but chose not to. You chose WUSA teams 3,500 miles apart. To be expected from you...

    We all know how you feel which is obvious. You are the know it all who knows nothing.

    Why don't you find your way into the "I am a photographer because I am such an ass no one would hire me in the real world" thread.;)
     
  4. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    If it's so obvious, tell me how I feel.

    Holy crap. That's a mighty big chip on your shoulder. And you obviously know nothing about my current or historical state of employment.

    Dude, you got called on an a stupid post, now you're acting all defensive and pissy. Just accept that I made no such comparison. Is it really that difficult. Don't blame the messenger.
     
  5. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    In the Once In a Lifetime show on ESPN on Spetember 20th, someone talked about how the NASL never belonged in towns like Hawaii, San Antonio, Edmonton etc etc. They never mentioned the San Jose Earthquakes at all in the show. In those years, its safe to say that the Quakes litterally sucked from 78-81/82 when the Cosmos had their incredible run. I'll never forget how Trevor Francis scored 5 goals when the Detroit Express beat the Quakes 10-0 in 78.

    Either the league and the other teams got better or the Quakes just kept a low budget, with a high (for the NASL anyway) attendance average and signed a bunch of mediocre players. (I.E. Bernie Gersdorff in pic below) I guess that was why the Quakes survived all those losing years while everyone else came and went.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  6. USRufnex

    USRufnex Red Card

    Tulsa Athletic / Sheffield United
    United States
    Jul 15, 2000
    Tulsa, OK
    Club:
    --other--
    I swear, reading the ramblings of NASL fans (and based on watching most everybody who appeared in the Once in a Lifetime movie) reminds me of that Three Blind Men & the Elephant fable.

    "Bloody Tulsa?" Are you an Englishman?... or just another NASL euro-wannabe...???

    Obviously, any list of "top franchises" is going to be highly subjective. But if the circa-NASL Sounders' fans are anything like me, they probably saw a few of those old Sting games on TV from Wrigley... or Comiskey... or Soldier Field... no fans. And few of those games had much that resembled atmosphere until maybe 1980, definitely better by 1981... a big factor had to be the June 1981 baseball strike that lasted a couple of months-- during that time, WGN started showing Chicago Sting games... Chicago hadn't a winner in any pro sport in years and years... and during the '81 playoffs, lots of Chicagoans desperate for a winner joined the Sting bandwagon... then proceeded to draw about the same indoors as outdoors... in fact, the most butts-in-seats per game the Sting ever got was not for outdoor soccer... it was for INDOOR soccer.

    So yes, the Chicago Sting was a "top franchise" in indoor soccer... as were the San Diego Sockers...

    I'd like to produce a documentary called: "How Lee Stern and the Chicago Sting destroyed the outdoor NASL from within." Seems just as plausible a scenario as the conventional wisdom that overexpansion killed the NASL.

    This from Once in a Lifetime...

    "We (the NASL) had no business being in San Antonio, TX; Jacksonville, FL; Memphis, TN; Las Vegas, Hawaii, Calgary, Edmonton... all became stops on the Cosmos' traveling circus..." (while a snippet of highlights that included a scene from Tulsa's Skelly Stadium was shown).

    Once again, the NASL story = Three Blind Men & the Elephant
     
  7. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Former Dallas Tornado defender Glenn Myernick has heart attack, is in a coma.
    http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2006-10-06-myernick_x.htm
    This is very sad! As a supporter of US Soccer/MLS and the NASL, I can't believe this has happened. He looked to be in great shape this summer as assistant coach to Bruce Arena. I felt real bad when they were all let go and especially bad for Mooch. I think we should all say a prayer for him! Anyone know what's going on right now with Mooch? Mike if you know something , can you please post it!
    Hang in there Mooch!

    https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9750666&posted=1#post9750666
     
  8. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Rest in Peace Mooch!


    [​IMG][​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  9. rms5555

    rms5555 Member

    Aug 2, 2006
    Eastpointe, MI
    Club:
    Reading FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  10. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
  11. Super Sting

    Super Sting Member

    Jan 27, 2006
    USRufnex,
    I don't believe the highest attended Sting game was indoors. I thought the old Chicago Stadium didn't hold more than 18 or 20K and I believe the Sting had some crowds in the 20s and 30s at Wrigley and Comiskey. I am going on memory, Perhaps when I go home I will check some of my old Soccer Digests and double check.

    Anyway, how come no one mentions the Ft. Lauterdale Strikers. They had good teams and some great attendances.
     
  12. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    I'm not sure which game it was, but I remember in 1981 in a playoff game in Chicago there were 50k+ in Soldier field looking on the Sting victory. I'm assuming it was the semifinal match but I'm not sure. I do remember a player being carried off on players shoulders. He was either African or Carribean. I think it was Franz Mathieu, but I can't remember.

    8/23/81 - Chicago, IL
    Chicago Sting 3; Seattle Sounders 2
    8/30/81 - Chicago, IL
    Chicago Sting 3; Seattle Sounders 2
    9/5/81 - Chicago, IL
    Chicago Sting 4; Montreal Manic 2
    9/10/81 - Chicago, IL
    Chicago Sting 4; Montreal Manic 2
    9/16/81 - Chicago, IL
    Chicago Sting 2; San Diego Sockers 1
    9/21/81 - Chicago, IL
    Chicago Sting 1; San Diego Sockers 0
    SOCCER BOWL-81:
    9/26/81 - Toronto, ON
    Chicago Sting 1; New York Cosmos 0 (SO)
     
  13. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It wasn't. It didn't. They did.

    No, they announced 39k+ that night, not 50k+. And it was Comiskey, not Soldier Field.

    Sort of. It was the end of the semifinal series with the Sockers.

    I think it was Mathieu.
     
  14. Fulham Fan

    Fulham Fan New Member

    Apr 26, 2004
    Bay Area
    Found this mention:

     
  15. sj_oldtimer

    sj_oldtimer Member

    Nov 18, 2005
    Clovis CA

    Any suggestion that professional sports around the world have not adopted American marketing is not correct. You can quibble regarding some of the game activities, but Americans have set the standard for the marketing of professional sports in almost every type of sport in the world. You mention rugby, but it has resisted the kind marketing of marketing seen in the EPL. Rugby has only become a "professional" sport within the last decade. There was not even a player's union until 1998.

    If one looks back at tapes of professional games in England in the 1970's, there was barely a game clock in the stadium...one sub on the bench....no player introductions....and virtually no women in the stands. I don't think I said American soccer influenced soccer worldwide, just that soccer has been influenced by Americans. If nothing else, we know how to sell stuff.
     
  16. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    I never saw cheerleaders or halftime shows while I was in Italy. However, if the Quakes do come back, I'd love to see the Shakers again!
     
  17. Super Sting

    Super Sting Member

    Jan 27, 2006
    Thanks for posting the recap of the Sting-Sockers game. I was there and remember the fans stormed the field at the end of the game. Unfortunately, there hasn't been a soccer moment in Chicago like that since then.



    Franz Mathieu was a Haitian sensation. They called him something like crazyglue or superglue because forwards couldn't shake him off.

    I like the name Shakers, great name for cheerleaders. The Honeybees were kind of skanky but still better than nothing. I am all for bringing cheerleaders back. Watching NASL games as a kid, I couldn't appreciate them as much as I do now. Also, due to the fact that at Fire games most ladies are fat Goth chicks or manly looking soccer moms, my eyes need a diversion.
     
  18. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    You know watching the Once in a Lifetime film, you would think that the Cosmos invented all of those NASL novelties. That isn't true however, I remember in 1974 & 1975 the SJ Quakes had packed houses and they had Krazy George , the Shakers and the halftime shows. Pele came in the middle of June in 1975 and at that point the NASL was taking off. I wonder if Pele hadn't come what the league would have been like. I believe the sport would have grown just the same because of teams like Portland Seattle and San Jose. As Phil Woosnman said, by brining in all those foreign stars, helped and hurt the league. San Jose led the league in attendance in 74 & 75 but they never even played Pele. They ended up playing the Cosmos in an exhibition in August of 1975 at Spartan Stadium and it was a sell out I believe but it was way after the end of the season and don't believe it counted in the attendance avg.

    1974
    San Jose Earthquakes
    10 165,942 16,594
    Seattle Sounders
    10 134,342 13,434
    Philadelphia Atoms
    10 117,837 11,784
    Vancouver Whitecaps
    10 100,979 10,098

    1975
    San Jose Earthquakes
    11 197,194 17,927
    Seattle Sounders
    11 185,000 16,818
    Portland Timbers
    11 159,536 14,503
     
  19. Earthshaker

    Earthshaker BigSoccer Supporter

    Sep 12, 2005
    The hills above town
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Try looking toward the pitch to where all those guys are running around.;)
     
  20. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Might have kept growing.

    Wouldn't have grown in the same way. No way, no how.
     
  21. sounderfan

    sounderfan New Member

    Apr 6, 2003
  22. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Yeah maybe not as much but the youth soccer boom started clicking b4 Pele came. My first PAL game was in Fall 1974 at 8 years old. I read of many others also who started around that time, for example Paul Caligiuri. Maybe it wouldn't have hit a big boom or maybe not as much, then again we will never know.

    Like I said SJ was sold out before Pele ever stepped foot in Spartan Stadium so who knows? No one really famous played in San Jose until George Best (& of course Gus Hiddink altho he wasn't much)in 1980. Well you had Tony Simoes in 76 from Portugal but he was mostly big w/the Portuguese community in SJ.

    Then Steve Zungul & Stan Terlecki in 1983. They however, were by no means world class names. I mean they made it big here playing indoor soccer and maybe in their home nations but by no means World Cup or wold class superstars. They were exceptional NASL players , however. I remember a lot of my teamamtes never went to Quakes games or even saw NASL matches on TV, for that matter. They didn't even follow or know any of the NASL players. I mean no one ever really televised many NASL matches back then , unless you counted a few on TBS. I remember watching those games on a fuzzy snowy looking old set. The same thing happened in the post NASL and PRE MLS days. Those were the dark years of soccer.

    To tell you the truth, the sport grew even more when there was no outdoor professional soccer around. By 1996, there were so many players who may have witnessed a World Cup but never a league match. Freddy Adu can't even remember USA WC 94. There are a lot of those types around. You have Kenny Cooper Jr, Alecko Esky and Ian Etherington at Notre Dame who never saw their dads play professionally in the NASL or anywhere else, for thay matter (unless you count their backyards).
     
  23. Super Sting

    Super Sting Member

    Jan 27, 2006
    I agree that soccer was improving but Pele really defined and legitimized American soccer in the 70s. We need a current Pele into the MLS to once again legitimize our league. When you have the worlds best player in your league it helps so much.
     
  24. Joe Stoker

    Joe Stoker Member

    Mar 10, 2003
    Stokerland
    They got CBS back for the '74 title match, Jack Whitaker and all. I think it easily would've gained a niche w/o Pele & friends. They were establishing their brands, especially Tampa Bay the west coast contingent.

    Remember driving about 60 miles south of home and renting a motel room within range of the Steubenville OH CBS station for the afternoon just to watch it. Ah, those were the days.
     
  25. Super Sting

    Super Sting Member

    Jan 27, 2006
    Go Sounders,
    After watching the Fire's performance at the beginning of the season, my eyes needed a diversion from the field.
     

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