USSF threatens "replacement players" for Feb. qualifier

What are the sponsors' take on all this? I'm sure Nike heads are not too happy at the prospect of fielding replacements for the T&T game.

DO you think they will put pressure on USSF to get this sorted out quickly?

 

I was addressing Mister Maverick. I guess I deleted his portion of the thread. Take a deep breath.

 

Look at your quote of my post, you have me addressing J which is completely wrong.

ONCE AGAIN: EDIT IT OR DELETE IT.

 

Um. Are you serious? First off, you do realize we've played them a few times in the intervening years, right? Also, unless they've done some pretty amazing things with their stadium, I'm pretty sure it holds around 5-7500 people. I don't care how "hostile" they try to be, that just doesn't come close to ANY of the other teams in the Hex.

Hey, I'm all about being anxious about sending down a bunch of D2/3 players to Port of Spain. But TnT ain't dy-no-mite.

 

I already explained that I was replying to:
Quote:
Originally Posted by maverick
Oh, so they're not striking now, but they should later in WCQ? If the players have the right to strike at any time, why doesn't the USSF have the right to initiate a lock-out at any time? Your argument is inherently contradictory - and hence stupid. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
What more do you want. I was addressing Mister Maverick. I accidentally deleted his quote. I am human. Pardon.

 

You know, that would be an awesome thing for FIFA to do. Too bad it'll never happen.

 

Like I said before, take them as lightly as you like. It is your perogative and I wish you and the scabs good luck. I also look forward to the postgame on February 9th on BS. I am sure all the player haters will be here to exhalt the scab triumph.

 

You need to chill out and step back from the keyboard for a few days. I've pretty consistently excoriated both sides in this. I'm calling you out for being hysterical (and not in the "gee, you're funny kind of way"). As I stated, I'm not sanguine regarding sending a team of lower division Americans to Port of Spain. But your post is ridiculous.

And with that, I'll stop this, as the thread is devolving into a bunch of nonsense and noise. Free shot for you.

 

May I recommend you get your premium BS service in advance of that, because there's no way you're getting in without it. Oh, wait, maybe that big server upgrade will fix the problem.

 

[off topic crazy rant]What do I want? How about fixing your post, how about responding to my PM, how about saying you're sorry, how about taking responsibility for your actions. How about anything but acting like an ass and that your mistake is my problem.

You are just the tip of the iceberg on this and I'm just flat out sick of people (coworkers, store employees, insurance co. ...) blaming their own stupidity on other people. People make mistakes but please take some f'ing responsibility for them. The USSF v PA isn't even an issue to me compared to this.[/off topic crazy rant]

 

On your last point we agree. The title of the thread is passe. There is no more threat. The players have been replaced. I am only acknowledging the obvious. The Nat's will be at home, and the scabs, love them or hate them, will take the pitch on February 9th. This is the Fed's decision and I am looking forward to the defense of the indefensible, later that evening. I especially love the "T&T is not all that" crowd. Our first team would have their hands full in Port of Spain, let alone the bad news bunch working out just down the 10 from me. Thanks for leaving the new wide open.

 

1. Bingo

2. Bingo

 

ColomboZelaschi:
"I am sure all the player haters will be here to exhalt the scab triumph."

It is the USMNT playing TT on the 9th. The guys who are going down there are the USMNT, not the 'scabs'. They are going to do the best that they can and you owe them your respect.

If they had called me, I'd have gone. If they had called you, you would have gone too. Enough with the name calling. Get behind them or ignore them but don't make their incredible dream shot harder than it has to be. And don't root agianst your country, cause you are rooting against yourself when you do.

 

I don't see the purpose of this, other than to harass and pester the guys willing to go to T&T to try to salvage what could be a crucial point, and avoid a DQ from Germany and possibly even South Africa.

Not bad at all, which is why Sweden and S.Korea are so happily playing this weekend. (83 degrees today!)

I'm getting very unhappy about this. T&T is eminently beatable. As if to underscore my points last week after they lost to Antigua and Barbuda, they went out again and lost to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a loss that could have knocked them out of the Gold Cup. The point is, Panama and Guatemala are likely to get maximum points from them, and Costa Rica and Mexico are virtually certain to get 6 each. Ditto our First XI. So the PA and SF would be taking a huge gamble in wasting the first game, especially since our second game is in Mexico and we might well lose there even with our best. 3-4 days later comes our first home match against Guatemala, and if the squad haven't practiced together (and they will be busy in March with MLS preseason and regular Euro season), they're certainly not a lock to win the third game either. As Tony Sanneh noted in the YA article linked earlier, its not just the T&T match, its the time to train together:

Sanneh notes that even a quick resolution pushes the envelope of preparedness for the team, which never scheduled proposed January friendlies with South Korea and Sweden due to the dispute. "It's not just the games we're worried about - the preparation is just as important, especially for the U.S. based players to get to a proper level of fitness and training."

"If we don't meet in time - if they come to an agreement Feb. 1, basically, the team is going to have to be all European-based players. There's no way for the American player to get ready to play at that level that quickly." ​

What nobody is mentioning is that I don't know when the team would train between Feb. 9 and March 26, in a manner sufficient to be ready for Mexico and Guatemala.

Although I've been closer to the SF's position than the PA's, I have to admit that the noises the players made in that article are far closer to expressing a desire to win a match for the USA than what we've heard from SF.

The SF has to be training replacements right now to give them a prayer of getting a result in T&T. I honestly don't follow the A-league to know whether an A-league All-Star team is better than the Antigua team and the SKN team that have recently beaten T&T.

 

ColomboZelasch:
"Who cares? They have replaced the "real" National team with their "scab" team... Good Luck."

-I care, god help me.
-There is no "real" national team, the coach calls in who he wants each time. No one has a right to play, and if you are not on form, in shape, and fit into the system, you don't get called in. This player or that can't make it for whatever reason, the team goes on. Claudio is hurt, as per usual, we go on. McBride works better with Johnson, Ching stays home and we go on. Regis brings something BA sees that I don't, I shake my head and we go on. A team of guys who I can't pick out of a police line-up gets called in, we go on.
-Thanks for the good luck wishes, we are going to need it.

 

This would be great!

 

According to the article, they are meeting in Chicago with a mediator tomorrow. Cross your fingers...

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/national/2005-01-19-us-labor-dispute_x.htm

 

Yes - the same story in on the SI site (also from AP).

What the heck is the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service? If it's a governmental agency, any reason they would get involved?

 

We asked them, and by 'we' I mean the Fed and the PA. http://www.fmcs.gov/internet/

 

Fingers are crossed-- as are my toes!

Hopefully I can celebrate an accord after my moving-of-house experience is done... good luck to all involved in Chicago.

 

because one of the players is a secret agent whose mission requires that he be in Germany in 2006???

 

Hot damn. That's almost enough to make me want to light some incense, burn some candles and pull out the old hookah. Where's my guru when I need him?

 

That's mediator, not meditator.

 

And I just finished my first page of my senior comprehensive exercise. Good news comes in pairs. Does this mean if I write more tonight, we'll have even more good news? I'd better get to it.

 

But, if I meditate and send serious positive vibes out, that might help the mediation.


I'm really just looking for an excuse to pull out the hookah.