RCU Open Season, NPSL News, and FOX Soccer Night In America

RCU Open Season in Knoxville On Saturday

  Rocket City United hits the road tomorrow to open the 2011 season against one of three new teams in the Southeast Region, the Knoxville Force.  The Force will play their inaugural game in University of Tennessee's Regal Stadium.  Don't expect a beautiful game during this one.  Neither team will be at full strength and each will likely try to grind out a results until their full complement of players arrive in the next few weeks.

Video of RCU Coach Gerry Cleary on the Season Opener vs Knoxville Force

RCU has made seats available on the team bus for fans who would like travel to the game.  This is a unique experience in sports and any fan interested should contact Director of Operations Jan Henner for more details.


BTW, here's a nice league-wide season preview from the Wisconsin Soccer Central website.


NPSL In Talks with Jamaica's Premier League Clubs

NPSL Technical Director Matt Driver will participate in the International Alliance Symposium hosted by the Jamiacain Premeier League Clubs Association.  "The mission is to have the top U-21 players from both of our leagues have access to different markets, different stages to play on," says Driver.  Hmm, I wonder what this is about.  A player sharing scheme?  An international competition between the leagues? 


Chattanooga FC to Host DC United U-23s

Chattanooga FC has announced that they will host the DC United U-23 team at Finley Stadium on July 23rd at 7PM eastern.  DCU's U-23 is coached by the legendary Jaime Moreno and features the DC Metro areas top college prospects.  The teams met last year at RFK stadium in Washington with the DCU defeating the eventual NPSL Finalists 3:0. 


FOX Soccer Night in America

FOX Soccer Channel has rebranded its weekly MLS broadcast into Soccer Night In America, and it will begin with the Portland Timbers v Philadelphia Union match on Friday night at 9PM.  Also, as part of the festivities for those without FSC (Hello, Knology customers!!!) MLS is offering access to the 2011 MLS Matchday Live online streaming service for free for all of this weekend's matches. 

USMNT in Nashville Update

Disappointing Turnout Expected?

There's a minor debate going on about the turnout for Tuesday night's match between the US and Paraguay at LP Field.  As of yesterday, 17,000 tickets had been for a game in a stadium that holds nearly 70,000.  Some are arguing that a match versus a top twenty-five team that is coming off their best World Cup showing ever should attract more interest.  I'm not so sure, but I do see the valid points of the arguments.

When you compare the 63,000 tickets sold for the Argentina match, the number for next Tuesday's match seem paltry, but Paraguay is not a world power the likes of Argentina.  Despite coming off an appearance in the round of 8 where they were beaten by the eventual champions Spain in last year's Wold Cup, but La Albirroja are certainly not one of the "sexy" teams of world football (unless you count the team's unofficial mascot, Larissa Riquelme).

No word on whether Larissa Riquelme will be in attendance next Tuesday.  Now, that might sell more tickets!

Also, Paraguay aren't bringing their star players.  Even if they did, I'm guessing not too many folks who weren't born along the Rio Paraguay would buy tickets just to see Roque Santa Cruz and Nelson Valdez who are being left out in favor of some of the younger talents.  Educated soccer aficionados may know the likes of Lucas Barrios (Borussia Dortmond) and Oscar Cordoza (Benfica), but the typical EPL obsessed fans I know don't know them at all.

But enough about the opponent.  I'm more concerned that a match with the USMNT's first choice players hasn't already drawn more than 20,000.  Landon Donovan. Tim Howard. Clint Dempsey.  These are legitimate international professionals, if not star players.  Considering that the USA's finish in last year's World Cup made these guys household names in countries on the other side of the globe, it boggles my mind that there isn't more interest on the other side of town here in the USA.

USMNT Training Ahead of Argentina/Paraguay Friendlies

Maybe I'm just getting old and impatient, but it's about time the soccer community in the US woke up and started supporting the professional game here in the US.  I know... Rome wasn't built in a day and all that hooey, but hurry up already! 


Bussing It with Rocket City United

At least the Huntsville/Madison area will be well represented.  Rocket City United has provided fans a free trip up to Nashville on their team bus, and if you haven't reserved your seat, it's too late.  All 60 seats on the bus have been taken.  The bus will take off from the Walmart on Madison Blvd. parking lot at 3:15 on Tuesday afternoon. 


Rocking the Red

Looks like the Yanks will be sporting a new look when they step on the field this week.  Nike and the US Soccer have unveiled a red third jersey.  The shirt is an attempt to appease the hard core USMNT fans who always wear red and have been asking for a return to the red shirts for a while.  The last time the US wore red in a real competition was the "last place finish" of the 1998 World Cup.  I think someone at the US Soccer house became superstitious and decided the red shirt was to blame rather than the horrid 3-6-1 tactical formation and the bickering between the players.