North American Pro Soccer 2022

[FiddySicks]

13 hours ago, Digby said:

Supporters group people are generally severely cringe and you do not want to get stuck sitting next to one in a bar, totally agree, but most also do a better job of being involved in the community despite having a fraction of the resources of the teams themselves. So I think "annoying" is not as bad as "actively evil" which about 3/4 of the powers that be in American soccer seem to be. 

I worked for a USL team for five years and one of my duties was to help with compliance coordination (basically, making sure they were following park rules like every other fan does) for the SG on game days. Looking back on it, it was by far the most miserable aspect of that job. Most of them were pretty cool and I made a few pretty strong friendships, but the handful of bad ones were the worst group of fans I’ve ever encountered. It was basically five seasons of babysitting a small group of petulant, rude, entitled, pot bellied man children (there were at least two terrible women, but most were dudes. Shocker). And we were known as having one of the best SGs in the entire league. 
 

The whole SG thing seemed rad to me at first. But after awhile the whole thing got incredibly tiresome. And seeing some of the “passion” some of those people had for, as @Sportsaid, a MINOR LEAGUE SOCCER TEAM was so goddamn cringey.

 

Honestly, I legitimately miss that entire experience less and less the further away from it I get. I find minor league soccer as a whole to be immensely frustrating. 

[Sport]

11 hours ago, FiddySicks said:

The whole SG thing seemed rad to me at first. But after awhile the whole thing got incredibly tiresome. And seeing some of the “passion” some of those people had for, as @Sportsaid, a MINOR LEAGUE SOCCER TEAM was so goddamn cringey.

 

 

I should clarify that I didn't mean that as a dig at the minor leagues vs "major" league soccer. I meant like it's just a sports team and not even a big one, why are these weirdos being so militant about it?

 

The last year I lived in Columbus full-time (2011) I was briefly part of a Blue Jackets supporter's group that was attempting to create an ultras style group, but for hockey. The founder(s) turned out to be more interested in being the story, being in charge than actually being part of a group designed to support our hockey team. Things got off to a bad start when they decided to call the group the "Arch City Army".  I lived in Columbus for 20 years and never once heard it referred to as the Arch City. When people pushed back on it like "uhh that's a really dumb name, nobody calls our city that, and literally St. Louis is in our division" The leaders got defensive, combative, drew a line right there and were like "if you're against the name then you're not with us". The dumb name, but mostly their attitude, was a huge turnoff to a lot of people, myself included. I went to one meeting and went "yeah these neckbeards are not for me". It fizzled out and they only lasted a couple years, but it soured me on being part of something like that. 

 

I tell that story to say that I suspect the Detroit City SG is probably led by a small handful of loud bozos who're making poor decisions on behalf of everyone. It's likely they found a fun thing to do a few years ago in a league where, due to size, things were a little unregulated and they could be wild and crazy kids to their overworked hearts' contents, but now that things are more legitimate they're still trying to do whatever they want and can't and they're being big silly babies about it. 

[FiddySicks]

9 hours ago, Sport said:

 

I should clarify that I didn't mean that as a dig at the minor leagues vs "major" league soccer. I meant like it's just a sports team and not even a big one, why are these weirdos being so militant about it?

Bullseye. This is exactly it. Like, there are VERY few things in life that I’m that weirdly passionate about, and sports as a whole usually aren’t involved that often. 
 

The only thing I could compare it to is the student section at college football games. But in that case you’re usually in your late teens/early twenties, are giving that particular institution tens of thousands of your dollars to educate you, and it’s sort of the tradition to go that hard for it as it adds to the experience somewhat. When you remove all of those elements, it goes from being mildly weird to outsiders, to downright embarrassing. 
 

And again, I’m not knocking the idea of a SG. Just the idiots who ruin the experience for everyone else. 

[gosioux76]

This Detroit City nonsense aside, supporters groups are one of the most unique aspects of professional soccer at all levels that set the gameday experience apart from other pro sports. Without them, pro soccer games would just be another Pavolovian Jumbotron call-and-response light show played to the tune of Top 40 hits, like you see at NHL or NBA games. The sounds of the game are those orchestrated by the SG. I'm the opposite of many of you. When I lived in Portland and frequented Timbers games, I wanted to be as close to the Timbers Army as possible. Here in St. Louis, where I live now, the St. Louligans are a group of really great humans trying their damndest to do it right. 

 

Certainly, not all SGs are the same, and I'm sure there's plenty of bad examples. But for my money, they're the defining factor that make pro soccer far more accessible to the average fan than other pro sports. 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

That's totally fair.

 

Again, I appreciate the atmosphere the Sounders SG creates...but from a distance. The whole thing is too much for me, but I'm glad it exists for others. And in contrast to the Detroit thing, the Emerald City Supporters aren't total :censored:s to everyone and actually have an effective relationship with the club.

 

Stuff like this is cool to see:

 

(Also, reminder that last week the Sounders won Concacaf Champions League! Can't win :censored: otherwise, but that was pretty good!)

 

 

[Sport]

I don't think anybody's putting down supporters groups as an idea, just that some people can take it too far and if the wrong leadership takes hold then an SG can become toxic and gain notoriety for the wrong reasons. 

 

I get a kick out of watching The Bailey because it looks like they're having a lot of fun. I stood in The Bailey for a game once and it was fun, but not my thing. Also I like having a chair with which to sit my bottom. 

[Dilbert]

US Open Cup Round of 16 is set

 

Houston at Kansas City

Omaha (final D3 club) at Minnesota

Charlotte  at NYRB

New England at NYCFC

Miami at Orlando

Nashville at Louisville (battle of former USL rivals)

LAFC at LA Galaxy (USOC El Traffico)

San Jose at Sacramento

 

Canadian Championship quarterfinals are also set

 

Vancouver Whitecaps at Cavalry FC

York United at Pacific FC

Toronto FC at HFX Wanderers

Forge FC at CF Montreal

[DG_ThenNowForever]

 

Congrats FC Cincinnati fans!

[DG_ThenNowForever]

 

No VAR on this and it totally looked like a goal to me. A minute after this no call, FC Dallas went down and scored a second. Bummer.

 

EDIT: Two minutes later, make the 3-0 Dallas. Yikes.

[Dilbert]

Looked like a goal to me. Just barely passed the line.

 

 

FC Cincinnati picked up their 4th league win in a row. (Yeah, we're not gonna talk about the Open Cup game on Wednesday. Brought PTSD from the Gerrard Nijkamp years) FCC now has a winning record in MLS for the first time ever and has tied the most wins in an MLS season for the club at 6. They look like they may be a legit playoff club. Now 1 point out of first in the east behind Montreal, Orlando and Philadelphia (all tied for first). After three long seasons its time to pass the wooden spoon to someone else.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

As expected:

 

 

The next domino is Ronaldo to LAFC and then (hopefully?) Suarez to Seattle, though not quite sure that's necessary anymore.

[MJWalker45]

37 minutes ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

As expected:

 

 

The next domino is Ronaldo to LAFC and then (hopefully?) Suarez to Seattle, though not quite sure that's necessary anymore.

Ronaldo is probably still at least 2 years away, and that's if his legal issues are fixed. I don't think Suarez would move the needle too much, but I think him at NY Red Bulls or Chicago would be a great pickup for either of them. NYCFC could be in, but I don't know if older European players will want to deal with the shenanigans that come with Yankee Stadium. 

[GDAWG]

1 hour ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

As expected:

 

 

The next domino is Ronaldo to LAFC and then (hopefully?) Suarez to Seattle, though not quite sure that's necessary anymore.

 

That's not surprising.   The location isn't surprising either.  I wonder if this takes Miami out of Neymar and Ronaldo?

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Ronaldo has been rumored for LAFC for years. I can't see him anywhere else.

[Digby]

A full year of "retirement league" debates with fires stoked anew is going to be colossally annoying.

[GDAWG]

4 hours ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

Ronaldo has been rumored for LAFC for years. I can't see him anywhere else.

 

That could be interesting for him to play for a team owned by 200 people.

 

Also....Neymar to New York FC or New York Red Bulls?

[MilSox]

An 8000 seat soccer venue is being built in Downtown Milwaukee.

 

For whatever reason, the site isn't letting me post links, but it'll be on 6th & Michigan. It'll host men's and women's soccer for Marquette and claims the pro team will represent "the highest caliber of professional soccer played in Wisconsin."

 

Right now, that would be Forward Madison in USL One. Which would imply that the Milwaukee club will be in the USL Championship. Although a rivalry between Milwaukee and Madison at the USL One level is intriguing to me. 

 

 

 

[Dilbert]

4 hours ago, NicDB said:

An 8000 seat soccer venue is being built in Downtown Milwaukee.

 

For whatever reason, the site isn't letting me post links, but it'll be on 6th & Michigan. It'll host men's and women's soccer for Marquette and claims the pro team will represent "the highest caliber of professional soccer played in Wisconsin."

 

Right now, that would be Forward Madison in USL One. Which would imply that the Milwaukee club will be in the USL Championship. Although a rivalry between Milwaukee and Madison at the USL One level is intriguing to me. 

 

 

 

If I remember reading right are the owners of Forward Madison involved in this? I think they are also involved in a new venue/theaters on the Bradley Center site. I think Milwaukee would be a good fit for USL Championship. Louisville, Indy and a future team in the works in Des Moines will be great rivals.

[MilSox]

1 hour ago, Dilbert said:

If I remember reading right are the owners of Forward Madison involved in this? I think they are also involved in a new venue/theaters on the Bradley Center site. I think Milwaukee would be a good fit for USL Championship. Louisville, Indy and a future team in the works in Des Moines will be great rivals.

 

So... as far as I know, the Bradley Center site is gonna be a totally different venue owned by live nation (:barf:). The soccer stadium is going to have its own venue attached. 

 

Either I haven't heard or overlooked Forward Madison's involvement, but good if that's correct because they have a great track record and I doubt they'd want a Milwaukee team competing directly with them. I know they at least have a good relationship with the USL2 GB Voyageurs, if they're not part of the ownership there.

 

It'll be interesting to see if a rivalry between Milwaukee and any of those cities does take off because Milwaukee's traditional rivals are Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis, and occasionally Detroit. 

[Dilbert]

Another great round of the US Open Cup. The lone remaining Division 3 club Union Omaha upset an MLS club for the second time this tournament defeating Minnesota United. They now go to Kansas City. NYCFC and Red Bulls both advance to set up a Hudson River Derby in the quarterfinals. Sacramento Republic become the final Division 2 club upsetting the San Jose Earthquakes. They now have a date with the LA Galaxy who beat LAFC in El Trafico. And Orlando City move on to face Nashville SC.

 

Meanwhile up North in the Canadian Championship Toronto FC took care of HFX Wanderers and set up a date with CF Montreal who defeated Forge FC. Vancouver Whitecaps advance on penalties against Cavalry FC. They face the final CPL club York United who advanced on penalties over Pacific FC.