So...we know that after the boys turn Grenada into little Caribbean pound cakes (probably) that the dates for the semi-final round are set... We know (I think) that the first home match will be at the Razor and that the last home match is at Crew Stadium... How 'bout that one in the middle? Has ANYBODY gotten definite word on where that one will be? Mrs. Bluecat and I will be attending and it'd be nice to make the travel plans...
First home match at the Boro is most likely El Salvador, and the CCS game is Jamaica-Haiti winner right? That means the middle game would be against Panama, which means it could be pretty much anywhere...LA would be my guess, but Philly, DC, Houston, and Chicago are also possibilities.
Don't listen to this idiot. Philly and DC are the only real possibilities - But let's face it, the Eagles are not gonna want anyone tearing up the Link during the fall. The Team will likely be retuning from El Salvador a few days earlier. There is a huge Salvadoran (dorian?) community in DC. Dulles has direct flights to San Salvador. The Team will feature many Europe-based players and they will want to keep travel to a minimum. It is going to be in DC unless the DCSEA focks it up.
I can't see playing in a NFL stadium in the middle of October. My guess is RFK, but I wouldn't rule out HDC.
Yeah, I'm an idiot because I'm not psychic like you and can't see into the future where the USSF will place the game. The game is against Panama, so the fact that DC has a large Salvadoran population doesn't mean anything (and seeing as how it is a WCQ, if the game was against El Salvador that's why it WOULDN'T be in DC). Everyone knows LA will get at least one qualifier, and there's a good chance the USSF will give them the Panama game because there's a good chance 4 of our 5 Hex opponents will be Latin American teams who we most certainly DON'T want to play in LA (Mexico; 2 out of Costa Rica, Honduras, or Guatemala unless Canada beats one of them out--altho CR would probably be safe at the HDC--and El Salvador has a decent chance to qualify out of our group; only one of the spots, out of Mexico's group, is guaranteed to be filled by a team, most likely Trinidad, that doesn't have a huge immigrant population in LA). And if Trinidad is the only team we face in the Hex that doesn't have a huge immigrant population in LA, what if we're scheduled to play them at home in a cold month? We'd be throwing away the chance to play them in sub-freezing temperatures (preferably at altitude as well), and the guaranteed 3 points and massive goal differential that would ensue. Thus, I think the Panama game will be at the Home Depot Center. Sure, Philly and DC are possibilities, as are Houston and Chicago (altho you're right that travel is an issue, and Houston is a friggin hike from El Salvador compared to Philly ), but only an "idiot" would say they're the only possibilities. And I don't think the NFL stadium issue is that big a deal as long as the Eagles (or Texans or Bears) aren't playing at home that weekend.
you misinterpreted my mention of the large Salvadoran population in DC. I only mentioned it to say why there is a direct flight between El Salvador and Dulles. Wherever the game is we can be sure of one thing - you won't be there
There are large Salvadoran populations in at least a half-dozen US cities, and I'm sure there are direct flights from San Salvador to LA and Houston.