tomorrows match has me remembering- well, TRYING to remember- a match (maybe two) somewhere around late 90s/early 00s. there was a work stoppage either in mls or with us soccer and no mls (or players abroad if im remembering correctly) players were involved, the roster was entirely nasl, maybe college players, a league maybe (cant recall the "minor leagues" at the time at all)? i know there was a central/d mid who went on to sign with dc united- anyone remember his name? hell, any stories about that tiny chapter in our history is welcome. its just been on my mind, relating to the currect roster, as an almost complete turnover (in this case including a manager who may be leading us in his sole appearance as the head man). there was a sense of disconnect from everything else before and after im feeling again. while i certainly expect a lot of these players to continue, of course this team just seems very set apart from what weve seen for years. so, any help you can give clearing up my almost-no memories of that team of replacement players would be appreciated. and that one guys name in particular, thats driving me a little nuts....
Hmm. Along with the 2005 Hex almost using backups, the players basically went on strike right before the Copa America in 1995. They refused to practice but MGT and Labor came to an agreement. USSF almost had to bring in the Olympic team but they reached an agreement and we made the semis. http://www.espnfc.com/team/united-s...s-copa-america-team-tells-its-remarkable-tale
Thank you for reminding me of a much more desperate time. Here’s the New York Times on the camp and subsequent squad Simms was apart of (he played 182 times for DC United after that...Landon was giving it a second go with Leverkusen, if anybody remembers that abortive adventure. https://mobile.nytimes.com/2005/01/25/sports/soccer/labor-feud-set-aside-for-now.html Somewhere in my memory banks is anecdotal Landon basically fixing the work stoppage by reaching out to the other side for compromise. I feel like it was on an airplane ride somewhere or something and he sat next to a suit and spoke (a little ahead of turn for his age) for the players. I remember feeling a way worse sense of desperation then. CP’s words today were those of the leader Landon would have wanted himself to be if he could have brought himself such to such a place of steadiness...