UAH Season Opener, USA v Costa Rica Viewing Party, TV Updates

UAH Kicks Season Off Thursday

UAH hosts Talladega in their season opener at 2PM on Thursday.  Coach Mike Mitchell is looking forward to playing the NAIA school to guage his teams progress from a disappointing season last year.

American Outlaws host USA vs Costa Rica Viewing Party Friday at the Brickhouse

The local American Outlaws chapter will be hosting a viewing party for the USA v Costa Rica match this Friday at the Brickhouse.  Game time is at 10PM and as always there will be food and drink specials.



Soccer On TV Just Got Sexier

Soccer on TV in the USA has reached a few milestones recently.  MLS has announced a major deal with NBC Sports where 45 MLS and USMNT matches will be shown on NBC and the NBC Sports Network (currently called Versus).  Originally, I was lukewarm about the deal, but in the days since,  NBC has announced a major effort to challenge ESPN's dominance and will feature live sporting events like MLS and NHL.  

Another sign that soccer is coming to the mainstream sports consciousness is FOX's announcement that they will broadcast 4 EPL games this season.

USA v Mexico Watch Party; HASL Season Kicks Off; UAH Preseason Predictions

AOs to Host USA v Mexico Viewing Party at Brickhouse

The American Outlaws-Huntsville will be hosting a Viewing Party for the USA v Mexico friendly with food and drink specials at the Brickhouse Sports Cafe, next Wednesday, August 10.  Several AOH members will be making the trip up to Philadelphia to support the team in person, but for those of us with "real jobs", the local soccer bar is the place to be.  I hope to have more on the trip up to Philly by the local boys next week.


HASL Season Kicks Off On Sunday

The Huntsville Adult Soccer League kicks off its Fall 2011 season on Sunday.  The league will once again consist of five divisions of six teams who will play ten matches to determine division champions.  Also, for the second season, there will be a small sided Women's division.  For more information, check out the HASL website.


UAH Preseason Predictions

The University of Alabama-Huntsville Men's Soccer team has been picked to finish third in the Gulf South Conference in 2011.  The preseason predictions come just a few weeks before the season begins on September 1.  Returning for the Chargers will be pre-season all-conference player Jarrod Muggleton.  There are also a pair of incoming local freshmen, who are expected to make an impact on the team.  Midfielder Kyle Simmons from Bob Jones and Forward Mitch Wilson from Grissom will look to help UAH drive the Charger's attack. 

WWC Watch Party, RCU Finale Saturday, NPSL Tournament Taking Shape, RCI Coming Together

American Outlaws to Host Women's World Cup Final Watch Party at the Brickhouse

The new American Outlaws-Huntsville chapter will host a Women's World Cup Final watch party at the Brickhouse Sports Cafe on Sunday at 1PM.  After the US Women took care of business in Wednesday's 3:1 semi-final win over France, they'll look to bring home their first World Cup trophy since 1999's memorable triumph at the Rose Bowl.  Let's get out there and support our ladies!  HAIL, COLUMBIA!


Rocket City United Look to Pick Up First Home Win in Finale

The ad says, "We must protect this house!"  Rocket City United must not have seen that one.  The team is strangely more successful on the road then they are in the confines of the Madison City Schools Stadium.  Coach Gerry Cleary is at a loss to explain the losses in which RCU seems to be the better side, "Again we’re saying Rocket City should have won a game when we didn’t win, but maybe we’re just not that good."  RCU has its final opportunity to win at home of the 2011 regular season Saturday night against expansion side and surprise of the NPSL Southeast Georgia Revolution. 




NPSL Championships Taking Shape

RCU's match against the GA Revs will have postseason implications.  GAR sits in second in the Southeast region and can take the top spot with a win and loss or a tie by Chattanooga FC in their match against the Knoxville Force.    Only one of the other NPSL regional titles have been claimed as the Milwuakee Bavarians have won the Midwest.   The NPSL Championships will be hosted by RCU for the second consecutive year on July 28-30.

Rocket City Invitational

The 2011 Rocket City Invitational is coming together nicely, and Jacob and Co. over at Southern Soccer are looking at another smashing success of a tournament.  Photos of the tournament T-shirts were just released as have details of the tournament party at Amendment XXI.  Looks like it's going to be classic!

Gold Cup Final: USA v Mexico Watch Party at Brickhouse on Saturday

Gold Cup Final Watch Party at Brickhouse

 The Gold Cup Semifinal watch party last Wednesday night was a huge success.  The place was standing room only; songs were sung; the ubiquitous U-S-A, U-S-A chant rang out; and most importantly the US won. 

Gold Cup Semis USA 1 0 Panama AO-Huntsville at the Brickhouse 

 

USA vs Mexico is the final everyone wanted and that's what we got.  So now, join the American Outlaws - Huntsville for the Gold Cup Final watch party at the Brickhouse Sports Cafe on Saturday night at 8PM.  It's bound to be a classic.

Another RCU Loss to CFC, USA v Jamaica Watch Party at the Brickhouse on Sunday

RCU Loses to CFC Again

They say "the third time's a charm", but that wasn't the case for Rocket City United as they fell to Chattanooga FC by the same 2:0 scoreline for the third time in 4 weeks.  Goals from CFC's Mark Sharrod and Chris Ochieng sealed the three points for the Blues while torpedoing RCU's chance to play in the NPSL Championship in Madison at the end of July.



Gold Cup Quarterfinal: USA v Jamaica Watch Party at Brickhouse

The US Men's National Team's form hasn't been very good, but that is not for lack of support from the American Outlaws, and the local would-be Huntsville chapter has been stellar in that regard.  They have had terrific crowds for each of the three first round matches, and are hosting another watch party for the Gold Cup Quarterfinal match between the USMNT and Jamaica at the Brickhouse Sports Cafe on Sunday at 1:30PM.  Come out and join us and bring your father, too!

RCU v CFC, Greg Petersen Update, AOHA US v Panama Watch Party, Book Review

RCU Host CFC Saturday Night

Rocket City United will be hosting defending NPSL Southeast Region champions Chattanooga FC on Saturday night.  The teams are familiar with each other after CFC beat RCU 2:0 in the US Open Cup qualifying tournament 2 weeks ago.  Coming off the heart breaking, soul sucking, gut wrenching loss to Atlanta last week, this match is huge for RCU.  The team is 0-2 at home and needs to get a win in the Madison City Schools Stadium Saturday to have any chance of winning the region and the spot in the NPSL championships which is also being held at in Madison.  Expect a fairly large amount of traveling fans from Chattanooga to provide some atmosphere that has been somewhat lacking at the MCSS this season. 


Former RCU Coach Finds Home in Plant City FC

Former Rocket City United coach Greg Petersen has been hired as Technical Director by Plant City FC outside of Tampa, FL.   Petersen who has been a strong critic of US youth soccer in the past was impressed with the community involvement in the club, and sees this as an opportunity to play his part in changing the youth soccer culture.  "Ultimately, I see this as the ideal opportunity to really establish a proper club in the U.S., a club in the European style, where the Club is the focal point of the whole community. "


AOHA US v Panama Watch Party at Brickhouse  

The second of three US Gold Cup group matches will be against Panama on Saturday night and the American Outlaws-Huntsville will be hosting another watch party at the Brickhouse.  The game starts at 7PM and the fun lasts all night.

AOHA Gold Cup Watch Party: USA v Canada at the Brickhouse

The Huntsville Chapter of the American Outlaws are at it again.  They'll be having Gold Cup watch parties for all of the US matches in the Gold Cup starting Tuesday night at 7PM at the Brickhouse Sports Cafe.

Here's the US Gold Cup schedule:

Date, Opponent, Kickoff Time, 

Tuesday June 7, Canada, 7 p.m.

Saturday June 11, Panama, 7 p.m.

Tuesday June 14, Guadeloupe  8 p.m.

Sat/Sun June 18/19, Quarterfinal, TBD

Wednesday June 22, Semifinal, TBD

June 25, Final, TBD

The US is a favorite to make it to the final.  So, there will be plenty of chances to join the AOHAs at the Brickhouse for a game.  So, mark your calendar.

If you're still on the fence about joining the American Outlaws, here's a brief interview with the man behind the Huntsville Chapter, Andrew Adams.

Andrew Adams- American Outlaws of Huntsville, AL

AOHA USA v Spain Watch Party at Brickhouse

The group of rabid soccer fans who are attempting to start an official American Outlaws in Huntsville are getting together at the Brickhouse Sports Cafe on Saturday to watch the USA v Spain match at 3:30PM.

The watch party is open to all, and AOHA officers will be there to help register new members.  The group is just a few members away from the minimum necessary to be officially designated as the 55th AO chapter in the country and the first from Alabama.

USMNT Studio 90

The US faces the World Champions as a warm up to the Gold Cup beginning on Tuesday against Canada.  I think it will be very interesting to see who steps on the field against Spain and who is rested for the main event next Tuesday.