Utah Royals 2020 - And * Poof * They're Gone

Soapbox reporting Becky Sauerbrunn to Portland Thorns is a done deal, for cash and probably a player. I am on the gutted side of things.

 

I'm sorry to hear that. I really liked her play.

 

Yeah, me too. I know the team needs a serious infusion of youth, but it's tough to see probably the best defender in the league go to the hated Thorns.

 

Is trading Becky a move to get the most in return for a player that could be at her peak and before mother time catches up with her?

 

did DLH have someone else he wanted to protect on the expansion draft list or... wait, is this a twilight zone episode?!

 

I *think* this is a move to let her live full time with her fiance, who works at the Adidias HQ in the Portland area. In that case, it's more akin to Sava to Brazil or Burrito home or other moves of this type.

 

was it Borchers or Will Johnson that the club essentially said "we can't sign you again, but where do you want to play" and moved them to Portland? This feels like that, in a way. Sava and Burrito moved out of the league, so it wasn't like the team was going to have to play against them. This combines those two scenarios

 

I'm pretty sure RSL did that for both players.

 

https://www.goal.com/en/news/diallo...loan-at-utah-royals/e8kwtmhjftmc1g0cukmqrjj1w

I've seen this floating around Twitter and it seems official, but it's not on the Royals site. Seems like the hangup is securing a visa, which might be why it's not officially announced. Seems like it would be a good loan if it can go through.

 

Something random here: last week I had a Zoom-based appointment with an incoming student into my program who I learned had played in the Royals Academy. I wore my Utah Royals t-shirt to the (virtual) meeting and it was the perfect ice breaker.

 

creeper!

 

The rumored signings are jaw-droppingly good. Next level stuff if they pan out.

 

Would you care to elaborate? Names? Sources? Details??

 

Secretaries, groundskeepers, box office associates, etc... ?

 

My guess would be @Ismitje is referencing this:
Sarah Bouhaddi & Dzenifer Marozsan

 

NWSL announced a tentative start date for the season as June 27.

 

yeah ok

 

I'm guessing it would be empty stadiums at the very best?

 

Surely even if the NWSL opens up on June 27 with fans in attendance social distancing will not be a problem.

Ba da bum

 

Bring back neg rep.

 

Too soon? I'm sorry.

 

He's not wrong

 

You know the NWSL and how it has that big ol TV contract to survive on

 

BREAKING: US women's soccer team players' claims of unequal pay dismissed by judge; claim of unequal travel, medical staff can go to trial.

Story upcoming.

— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) May 1, 2020

 

We may host an all-NWSL tournament in July:
https://www.rslsoapbox.com/2020/5/19/21263286/nwsl-summer-tournament-in-salt-lake-city