The Aztexan

Fieldhouse Construction Cam, week 8

2010-03-17T21:36:00.001-05:00

We have some noticeable improvement to show off this week: paint! And with boards over the doors and windows, perhaps there's more work going on inside, too. You may also notice that Spring is springing in the trees in the background.

(Click to see the Flickr set.)

Aztex Fall To Houston Dynamo, 1-0

2010-03-16T21:09:00.000-05:00

I missed this preseason exhibition game, though I followed the game live via the new Chantico's Army live-tweet account, @Aztex_MatchCast. Sadly, the Houston Dynamo have won the inaugural battle for the "coveted" Roadkill Cup. Here's a quick rundown of post-match coverage:

Pre-season Friendly - Aztex 0, Dynamo 1 — Chantico's Army
The Aztex came out a completely different team than what the fans last saw. Not only were the new faces so numerous we had difficulty tracking them, but the style of play was much different. Ball management had been an issue for many fans last season. Numerous were the times that we saw the Aztex fight to win the ball, only to turn it over on a sloppy pass to their teammates. Instead, on Sunday night, we saw clean plays followed by beautiful distribution. Some real highlights for me were Jay Needham, Eddie Johnson, Jamie Watson, Miguel Gallardo and Lawrence Olum.

Aztex fall 1-0 in second preseason game — Austin American-Statesman
Geoff Cameron's 84th-minute goal, three minutes after he came on as a substitute for the Major League Soccer's Dynamo, was the impetus for more scoring opportunities in the final six minutes . Austin had four clear scoring chances in the final minutes and Houston had one.

. . . the Aztex are still looking for seven or eight players to fill out the team . Six new, unsigned players were on Sunday's roster hoping to make the team.

"We looked a little fitter," Heath said, "we've been working hard and we're not as sharp as I'd like but I thought we were well organized and disciplined."

Dynamo clip Aztex at the finish, 1-0 — AustinAztex.com
Austin went on the attack all game long, firing off seven shots and earning six corner kicks against Houston, but were unable to put a tally on the board to earn a second-straight tie against its MLS foes.

The Aztex started the match on the offensive and kept the gas pedal on for much of the match with their first real opportunity coming in the 16th minute when Yordany Alvarez placed a free kick just inches out of reach for Jay Needham to send it home. Later in the half, Sullivan Silva and and Eddie Johnson joined in the act, each booting shots on net, but Dynamo keeper Tally Hall was able to save them both from danger.

Austin Aztex vs Houston Dynamo [photos] — LaVida Studios

Rumors persist that additional pre-season games will pop up; I'll be sure to let you know if those come true. Until they do, however, the next Aztex match will be the first regular-season game, here at House Park on Sunday, April 11, against the Montreal Impact.

Preseason: Houston Dynamo

2010-03-11T21:47:00.001-06:00

This is it . . . almost. It's not quite the real season, and it won't be at the real Aztex home stadium, but it will definitely be the best pro soccer to be found in Austin — no, in all of Texas — this weekend.

Come on out to Nelson Field this Sunday, March 14, at 5:00 PM for one final farewell match at last year's ground. The Houston Dynamo are coming to town for the second leg of the Roadkill Cup (as I'm hoping it comes to be called).

Last weekend was the first game, in Houston. It ended up a 1-1 draw, even though the orange team scored both goals (oops, better practice those back-passes, Tally). Although I attended the game, I shirked my post-game reporting duties. You can get some post-match info from Chantico's Army, the Aztex site or MyDynamo.net.

Why the shirking? I've been in crunch mode on an another soccer/web project. It's not quite ready for prime time, but you'll hear more than enough about it soon (I hope). In the meantime, I'll do my best to keep up with Aztex happenings here.

Much to my dismay, I'll be out of town and miss Sunday's game. But you shouldn't! The weather should be great (60s or 70s) and the game should be good (the Red & White have had twice as much practice time as they'd had before last week's game). I haven't heard whether many Dynamo fans are coming over, but one would think lots of them would jump at the chance to come to Austin (or, more to the point, escape Houston).

So get some tickets ($20 adults, $15 kids), meet up with Chantico's Army at The Nomad about an hour before the game (this game's at Nelson, remember!) and have a blast. Kickoff is at 5:00 PM.

And one last reminder: this weekend is the world premier at SXSW of the soccer documentary Pelada. The first showing is Sunday night at 7:15, with another on Monday at noon and a third next Friday at 3:30 PM (schedule).

Let the year of soccer begin!

Fieldhouse Construction Cam, week 7

2010-03-10T21:26:00.002-06:00

If you look closely — if you really study this week's picture, and compare it to last week's — you'll see absolutely no difference whatsoever. They must just be working on the inside now, that's all!

(Click to see the Flickr set.)

Fieldhouse Construction Cam, week 6

2010-03-03T20:56:00.001-06:00

Another week closer to opening day, another picture of the future Aztex locker rooms. Definitely a roof on that thing now!

(Click to see the Flickr set.)

Fieldhouse Construction Cam, week 5

2010-02-25T13:06:00.003-06:00

I'm a day late, but here's another sunny picture of the House Park construction site. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I see a roof!

(Click to see the Flickr set.)

We also had news about House Park this week, via Phil Rawlins' interview on KOOP's Futbol en Vivo (get the MP3 from ChanticosArmy.com or subscribe to the weekly show's podcast in iTunes): all regular season Aztex games will be played at House Park, from the very first! (The March 14 exhibition against the Dynamo will still be at Nelson Field.)

Phil didn't elaborate on whether construction is guaranteed to be done by the start of the season, or if there is some backup plan that will let them play there regardless. Either way, this is great news. It's widely agreed that House Park will be a better home to the Aztex, and the less mid-season moving around there is, the easier and more effective marketing can be.

"Pelada" Soccer Documentary Coming to Austin

2010-02-19T14:43:00.000-06:00

When I first wrote about this documentary project almost a year ago, it had the working title, "Footplay". At the time, it was still a work in progress, waiting for post-production and finishing.

Now it's finished, titled "Pelada", and scheduled to be premiered in March at Austin's own SXSW Film festival.

Here's the description from the film's website:

Two players. 25 countries. One game.

Away from professional stadiums, bright lights, and manicured fields, there’s another side of soccer. Tucked away on alleys, side streets, and concrete courts, people play in improvised games. Every country has a different word for it. In the United States, we call it “pick-up soccer.” In Trinidad, it's "taking a sweat." In England, it's "having a kick-about." In Brazil, the word is “pelada,” which literally means "naked"—the game stripped down to its core. It’s the version of the game played by anyone, anywhere—and it’s a window into lives all around the world.

Pelada is a documentary following Luke and Gwendolyn, two former college soccer stars who didn’t quite make it to the pros. Not ready for it to be over, they take off, chasing the game. From prisoners in Bolivia to moonshine brewers in Kenya, from freestylers in China to women who play in hijab in Iran, Pelada is the story of the people who play.

They're not kidding about the globe-spanning scope of this movie. Some of the locales you'll see in the film (and in the trailer below): Ghana, Uruguay, Iran, France, South Africa, Brazil, Hungary, Kenya, Bolivia, Togo, Argentina, Egypt, China and Peru.

Sports Illustrated columnist and "The Beckham Experiment" author Grant Wahl has this to say about the film:

But what elevates Pelada from a cute highlight travelogue to something more resonant is the filmmakers' ability to find compelling stories and earn the trust of their interview subjects. "Once you play a game with someone, interview doesn't seem like the appropriate word," says [Gwendolyn] Oxenham. "There's this level of intimacy that you don't get if you don't play soccer. Every place we went, you're then invited into their homes. Everyone's mother wants to cook for you."

"[Playing soccer] would change the situation from being an outsider having an interview with them to having a conversation with a friend," adds [Luke] Boughen.

The result is a film that combines eye-popping cinematography (by co-directors Rebekah Fergusson and Ryan White) with human stories: the dreams of a teenage Brazilian girl nicknamed Ronaldinha; a lunchtime kickabout among workers building the Cape Town World Cup stadium; and an Italian writer who pens love poems to the sport. A tense game between Arabs and Jews in Jerusalem reveals the benefits (and very real challenges) that come with the sport.

Pelada on Vimeo.

I hope it won't be long before this movie gets wider distribution and returns to town in "regular" theaters. For now, don't miss your chance to catch it during SXSW. As the schedule shows, it's playing on March 14, 15 and 19. (I'm personally thrilled about the third showing; I'll be out of town earlier that week and will miss the first two.) Having a SXSW pass isn't required to see the film, though it is first-come, first-served. If you're lucky, you might even make an evening of it on the 14th, after the Aztex-Dynamo pre-season match.

One last nice note about the production, from Wahl's article:

Yet being accepted into a major film festival isn't the only news for Oxenham and Boughen. After crisscrossing the globe together, they're getting married in June. Part of their honeymoon may involve a screening of Pelada in Cape Town during the World Cup.

Fieldhouse Construction Cam, week 4

2010-02-17T20:38:00.001-06:00

A bright, sunny day at the House Park construction site, but not a lot of visible change to the new locker rooms:

(Click to see the Flickr set.)

Preseason Dynamo Match Leads Off 2010 Schedule

2010-02-12T06:47:00.001-06:00

Ticket sales were announced this week for the first game of Aztex's 2010 campaign: a home exhibition against MLS' Houston Dynamo on March 14.

“We are delighted to be playing Houston again this season,” said Aztex head coach Adrian Heath. “Last year’s game against the Dynamo was one of the highlights of the year. We know we will be playing one of the favorites for the MLS title so it will be a great game for soccer. Fans in Austin can come and watch top level players, some of whom will be playing for the United States in the upcoming World Cup.”

This date is a slight reschedule from an earlier date that was announced. Unfortunately the new House Park locker rooms won't be finished in time for this game, so it will be held at last year's stadium: Nelson Field. Tickets are $20 ($15 for children, under 5 free).

The Houston games last year (a preseason draw and a U.S. Open Cup loss) were great, and this one should be just as good. The number of orange-clad fans that make the drive over is really impressive. Sadly, due to a mixup in which I wasn't personally consulted about all game dates, I'll be out of town, and will miss it.

On a related note, the full 2010 USSF Division 2 schedule was finally released. The first league game will see Austin host the Montreal Impact on April 11. The first few home games are also scheduled at Nelson Field, while we await completion of the House Park locker rooms. Additional details will continue to come out, but here is my copy of the 2010 schedule/scorecard. I can't wait to start filling it out with "W"s!

Fieldhouse Construction Cam, week 3

2010-02-10T13:44:00.001-06:00

More wet and cold weather is coming, which is never good news for construction projects. I grabbed this picture before the sleet started today. A little progress is visible since last week (note the rafter-looking poles sticking out):

(Click to see the Flickr set.)

Fieldhouse Construction Cam, week 2

2010-02-04T21:03:00.001-06:00

We learned last week that construction of the new fieldhouse/locker rooms at House Park would not be finished before the beginning of the season. The Aztex are restricted from playing at a stadium without adequate facilities for the teams and referees, so the first few games will be back at Nelson.

In the meantime, I'll keep snapping weekly pictures of progress at House Park. I'm a day late this week, and the weather didn't cooperate too well, either. But here's what it looks like today:

(Click to see the Flickr set.)

Where To Get Aztex News

2010-02-02T06:44:00.001-06:00

Ever wonder if you're getting all the Aztex info? I try to cover it all here, but I don't always get to everything, and I'm not always the fastest to get to breaking news, either. So, at the risk of putting myself out of business, I thought I'd share a quick list of the sources I use to keep on top of all things Aztex.

First: websites and blogs that cover the team. I'll include links to the site, as well as each site's RSS news feed¹ and Twitter account², where applicable.

AustinAztex.com — The team's own site, obviously! (RSS; @austinaztex)

The Aztex Blog — You knew about the team site, but did you know that the owners and coach also write a blog? Good behind-the-scenes stuff. (RSS)

Chantico's Army — You don't have to be a member of this supporters' group to read the site's news, match reports and more. (RSS; @Chanticos_Army)

The Native Aztexan Blog — a fellow Aztex & Texas soccer fan's blog. (RSS; @NativeAztexan)

Austin Chronicle Sports — the Chronicle's Nick Barbaro is a true fan of the game. You'll find him among the noisiest supporters at home games, and you'll find his Aztex news among the roller derby and softball reports in the Chronicle. (RSS; @auschronsports)

The Austin American-Statesman — Psych! Ha ha ha! Ha! Hoo... that was funny. Maybe someday, but so far: not so much. There is an Aztex page, god bless 'em, but it's literally completely blank.

Google Alerts — This isn't Aztex-specific, of course, but it is the neatest, easiest thing. You can easily set it up so that Google sends you daily notices whenever it finds new mentions of whatever phrase you're interested in.

The Aztexan — last but not least: me! (RSS; @Aztexan)

¹ An RSS reader (aka newsreader) makes following sites you're interested in much easier. Wikipedia has more info. I personally use NetNewsWire; a lot of people like Google Reader, too.

²All the Twitter accounts in this post, plus a few more, are included in my Aztex Twitter List.

Another good source of information is forums. The primary one for Aztex fans, since the inception of the club 2 years ago, has been the BigSoccer Aztex forum. While that is still the largest and most active, there are a couple of new kids on the block, too: Chantico's Army has their own forum, and the just-announced Aztex Alliance site will also have one. Those are both for members-only (though membership in Chantico's Army is free).

The last thing I'll mention is radio, where there are a couple of interesting sources for Aztex news and commentary. One is AM1300 "The Zone", which has interviewed Aztex personnel many times. In addition to announcements and interviews, head coach Adrian Heath and AM1300 host Ahmad Brooks co-hosted a regular weekly show last season. I haven't heard whether that show will return this year, but AM1300 will clearly continue to invite Aztex representatives on air, as Phil Rawlins and Djorn Buchholz were interviewed last week when season tickets went on sale.

The other spot to tune your radio to for Aztex info is KOOP, 91.7 FM (pronounced "co-op"). This community-access station has a new weekly show, Tuesdays from 1:00 - 2:00 PM, called Futbol En Vivo (@futbolaustin). The first half of the show is in Spanish, while the second half is in English. They discuss all levels of world soccer, from our own local Aztex to leagues around the world.

I personally have a heck of a time remembering to turn on the radio at the right time (or even finding one of those quaint devices, unless I'm in my car). Both stations stream their shows over the Internet, though neither makes it particularly easy to download particular shows and listen to later, podcast-style.

That's where Chantico's Army gaffer Matt has stepped in to save the day. He got permission to record and redistribute MP3s of KOOP's Futbol En Vivo show. Each episode is conveniently available in 3 versions: the full show, the Spanish half and the English half. You can get them free from either ChanticosArmy.com or the iTunes Store.

Well, once again a "quick" post grew a lot longer than I thought it would. I hope this gives you some new sources to get the scoop on the Aztex. And if you know of others not mentioned here, let me know!

Season Tickets & the Aztex Alliance

2010-01-30T08:50:00.000-06:00

Though we're still eagerly awaiting the 2010 schedule (due out next Tuesday, per the team blog), the Aztex put season tickets on sale this week:

Season tickets are priced at just $190 for adults and $150 for youth. The new open-ended season ticket allows fans the flexibility of using one ticket at each of the 15 regular season games or using multiple tickets for several games. Game day tickets are priced at $15 for adults 16 years of age and older and $12 for youth 15 years of age and younger, children 5 and under are free. Purchasing a season ticket saves fans 15% off the price of game-day tickets. 2010 Season Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting www.austinaztex.com or by calling 512-335-8881. Fans who purchase season tickets by February 12 will receive a complimentary Aztex scarf. [Ed. note: the website's splash page says to use promotional code "GoAztex2010" at checkout to get the scarf; not sure if that's required.]

I like the "open-ended" (aka "flex") ticket; that really adds to the value. People who might hesitate to get a regular, one-per-game ticket — suppose they know they're going to be out of town for 2 weeks in June — will be more likely to get this flex ticket. Because now those June tickets won't be wasted; they can bring some friends with them to other games.

And I like the prices, which are a good bit lower than last season. I do wish, however, that season tickets would include a couple of the "extra", non-regular-season games the Aztex will play, such as exhibitions and Open Cup matches.

In addition to the season tickets, the team announced the Aztex Alliance. This membership-based fan group replaces the Founders Club we've seen the last two years. In addition to t-shirts and other swag, the new group is a step toward giving fans more of an official voice in how the club is run.

There are two levels of Alliance membership: basic and premium. A $25 basic membership will get you a t-shirt and window cling, plus access to the Aztex Alliance website. This site will include forums, input on club decisions via polls (merchandise designs, exhibition opponents, etc.) and early access to team news.

The $105 premium membership gets you the basic benefits, plus: a lapel pin, a membership card and lanyard, invitations to pre- and post-season team events, a chance to win a trip to an away game, and discounts on camps and merchandise. Premium members will also have a voice with the team, via an elected commissioner who will be able to address the Aztex board. And when the ranks of premium members exceed 1,500, an Alliance representative will be given a full seat on the board.

The Alliance memberships are separate from season ticket purchases, but you can buy both a season ticket and a premium Alliance membership for $285, a savings of $10.

And there's one last way you can save a few bucks: members of the Chantico's Army supporters group get 10% off the season ticket price (saving $19). Membership in that group — which is free, by the way — is a lot of fun and has its own benefits (discounts, online forum, etc.).

Two Years of The Aztexan

2010-01-28T06:00:00.001-06:00

Just a quick happy anniversary to myself: today marks two full years that I've been doing this. Yay me; yay Aztex, top to bottom; yay USSF for ensuring we have a league to play in this year; and most of all: yay fans, current, past & future.

Fieldhouse Construction Cam, week 1

2010-01-27T21:14:00.001-06:00

A few other folks have taken pictures of the construction of the new fieldhouse (i.e., locker rooms) at House Park. But I work only a few blocks from there, and drive right past it every day. So I'm going to do my darnedest to get regular, weekly pictures to follow it's progress. Who knows, maybe they'll finish it next Tuesday, and this will be the shortest series of construction pictures ever; we'll see.

Here's a nice blueprint elevation view of the new structure, swiped from the Grassroots Austin Stadium Supporters (GRASS) site.

But as of today, this is what it looks like so far, in bricks and mortar:

Update, Jan. 28: According to Aztex owner Phil Rawlins on AM 1300 The Zone this morning, the fieldhouse won't be finished in time for the start of the season. So pre-season games, as well as the first few regular season games will be back at good ol' Nelson Field. And unfortunately, this won't be the shortest series of construction pictures ever, after all.

New Project: StatesCup.net

2010-01-22T22:47:00.001-06:00

Just a quick note to help push a new project I'm hoping to get off the ground: StatesCup.net.

You can read the details on that site, but the basic idea is pretty simple: what if U.S. states had "national" teams, like countries do? What if there was a national cup competition for states, the same way there's a World Cup for nations? What players would be on your state's team? Which states would have a dominant roster year in and year out? It'll be like a fantasy soccer league, but with an added dose of regional pride, no actual scoring and more to argue about.

It's still pretty quiet there, as I line up some managers who are willing to step up and organize their states' teams, but come on over and check it out. That web address again: StatesCup.net. You can also subscribe to the blog and/or follow the site's new Twitter account, @StatesCup.

Note: I'm hoping that StatesCup.net doesn't take up too much of my soccer website time. In other words, The Aztexan will continue as always. Go Aztex!

Aztex To Play in USSF 2nd Division

2010-01-09T17:56:00.000-06:00

My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.

After months of demonstrating their stubbornness and inability to compromise, the USL and the breakaway NASL were finally made to come to terms by the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF).

More than two long months since I threw in the towel on trying to keep up with the fracas (I followed it myself, but I didn't try to cover it here on the blog), and after plenty of unpleasant bumps along the road, we can now look forward with certainty to a 2010 season of second division pro soccer that will include our own Austin Aztex.

It is a temporary solution, currently slated to last only through the 2010 season. What form the league(s) take in 2011 and beyond will continue to be an issue for the foreseeable future.

But for now, here's what we know so far, according to the USSF press release.

The league will consist of two six-team conferences – the USL Conference and the NASL Conference. The USL Conference will include teams from Austin, Minnesota, Portland, Puerto Rico, Rochester and Tampa Bay. The NASL Conference will consist of teams from Baltimore, Carolina, Miami, Montreal, St. Louis and Vancouver.

In the near future, U.S. Soccer will announce details of the new league, including league rules, a match schedule, television rights and other important operational issues.

That gives us the following team/conference alignments:

USL Conference	NASL Conference

A few things are immediately apparent from this array of team logos. There are new teams: Crystal Palace Baltimore, AC St. Louis and the Tampa Bay Rowdies. There are teams missing from last season: the Cleveland City Stars (now defunct) and the Charleston Battery (moved to USL-2). The Minnesota Thunder are also missing, but replaced by a brand-new, not-yet-named team, owned by Minnesota's National Sports Center (the icon is just a placeholder). And note that although Minnesota, Rochester and Tampa Bay were put in the USL Conference, organizationally they are still members of the NASL itself.

(And I can't help noticing some visual themes: NASL is the conference for birds and fleurs-de-lis; USL is for stripes: red-and-white, yellow-and-green or just plain black-and-white.)

There are lots of details to come — the schedule, for instance — but it already sounds from USSF President Sunil Gulati's comments like things are going to be a bit different in the second division now.

We can’t have this constant issue that bedevils a number of sports, that the offseason is spent primarily to make sure that you can come back the following season. That you’re looking for expansion teams not because it makes long-term sense to build the game and the league, but because you need an expansion fee.

Hopefully with nearly a year to figure it out, the two "leagues" will finally be able to do just that, and we'll all look back at this episode as growing pains that we went through on the way to a stronger and more vibrant 2nd tier of U.S. soccer. For fans, for now, we can relax a bit and celebrate and start planning our season.

As Aztex owner Phil Rawlins put it: "I’m very delighted that we have a resolution for a second division soccer league. With 12 quality teams in our league, we are looking forward to a very competitive and very exciting season."

So are we, Phil! See you at House Park!

No Amateur Aztex Team in 2010

2010-01-01T10:51:00.000-06:00

Amid the continuing troubles engulfing the USL's 1st and 2nd divisions, the league is busy organizing their extensive lower divisions' 2010 season. Last week they announced the 2010 "alignment" of the Premier Development League (PDL).

The PDL is made up of amateur teams (with a few pro exceptions), and college-age players (with a few older exceptions) who are, well, developing. At this lower end of the American soccer ladder, teams come and go and get shuffled around fairly regularly. Last season, for example, saw the addition of the West Texas United Sockers and the Rio Grande Valley Bravos, which moved former Austin rivals New Orleans and Mississippi from the Mid South to the Southeast division.

Looking at the 2010 alignment announcement, though, gave Austin Aztex U23 fans a surprise: the team isn't listed under the Southern Conference's Mid South Division. In fact, the team isn't listed at all!

Chantico's Army tracked down the explanation, getting the following statement from Aztex owner Phil Rawlins:

"We have not registered to play in the PDL in 2010, although we continue to reserve the rights to the franchise for coming years and will continue to review our decision of whether we play in the PDL in future years. Our hope had been to replace the U23 team with a U20 team in the Super 20 League. A Texas division was being formed and we felt it was a long term better fit for the Aztex. At the last minute a couple of teams dropped out of the Super 20 League and without a viable core the Texas division was put on the back-burner for another year. By the time the decision was taken, the PDL registration window was long closed."

(According to Wikipedia, the USL's Super-20 league is "an American-Canadian soccer league for players 17 to 20 years of age. Introduced in 2006 it took the place of the U-19 age bracket in the Super Y-League.")

I wondered what this turn of events meant for the U23 coaching staff (head coach Wolfgang Suhnholz, assistant coach Ron Dennie & goalkeeper coach Alex Parra), but found via followup with Phil that Suhnolz and Parra were only on staff part-time during the season (they're both still listed as staff with Lonestar Soccer Club), and that Dennie is now working with the Austin United Capital Soccer Club.

Speaking of area youth clubs, Phil also made the excellent point that if a Texas Super-20 division had gotten off the ground, that would have served as a better stepping stone than a PDL team for bringing youth players into the Aztex fold.

I'm sure I was not alone in wondering, lastly, whether the ongoing turmoil between USL-1 and its breakaway teams, and the uncertainty that situation has created, had anything to do with these plans falling through. Phil, however, assured me that the decisions of the last-minute dropout teams were purely financial.

So, although I remain hopeful that the top-tier Aztex team will find some way, somehow, to play somebody in some league (despite continued brinkmanship), this sad fact is certain: there will be no amateur Aztex team this season.

Waiting for Gaetjens

2009-12-24T16:50:00.001-06:00

There's a new podcast on the American soccer scene that I'd like to recommend: Waiting for Gaetjens. You can get it from their website, WaitingForGaetjens.com, or subscribe to it in the iTunes Store here.

The hosts are Greg Lalas and Adam Spangler. Lalas is a columnist for SI.com, commentator for New England Revolution TV broadcasts, and Site Director for Goal.com, while Spangler is a freelance writer who runs ThisIsAmericanSoccer.com.

It's a weekly show, clocking in between 40 and 50 minutes per episode so far. Their format, dubbed "the starting 11", keeps things moving along well by cramming 11 topics into each show. I like the balance between news coverage, opinion, and Lalas and Spangler just basically chewing the fat about the American game. They cover it all: MLS, the U.S. national team, the World Cup, even the ongoing drama in our 2nd division.

They've brought some good guests on already, too: Real Salt Lake's GM, LA Galaxy's Dema Kovalenko, the Tampa Bay Rowdies' CEO, Grant Wahl and former NY Cosmos star Shep Messing (who dropped some serious hints about the future of that brand). They've even interviewed Austin's own star of the international soccer scene: Dan Wiersema of the Free Beer Movement (covered here previously).

So, what's a Gaetjens? Until they fix the broken "Who is Joe Gaetjens?" link on their website (you should fix that link, you guys), I'll just point you to his Wikipedia entry. With an upcoming World Cup group that pits the U.S. against England, here's hoping they picked an auspicious namesake.

Check it out, an entertaining and informative new soccer show: Waiting for Gaetjens.

"Crazy" - A 2nd Division Theme

2009-12-16T13:06:00.001-06:00

The 2006 hit "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley popped up in my iPod's shuffle today, and it struck me as a near-perfect fit for the mood of uncertainty facing 2nd division pro soccer in America this winter. A sort of theme song for the USL/TOA/NASL train-wreck, if you will.

You can listen along to the song in this YouTube video.

I remember when,
I remember, I remember when I lost my mind
But there was something so pleasant about that place
Even your emotions had an echo
In so much space

And when you're out there, without care
Yeah, I was out of touch
But it wasn't because I didn't know enough
I just knew too much

Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Possibly...

And I hope that you are having
The time of your life
But think twice
That's my only advice

Come on now, who do you,
Who do you, who do you, who do you think you are?
Ha ha ha, bless your soul
You really think you're in control?

Well, I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
Just like me

My heroes had the heart
To lose their lives out on a limb
And all I remember
Is thinking, I want to be like them

Ever since I was little
Ever since I was little it looked like fun
And it's no coincidence I've come...
And I can die when I'm done

But maybe I'm crazy
Maybe you're crazy
Maybe we're crazy
Probably...

Farewell, Cleveland City Stars

2009-12-03T08:33:00.001-06:00

The Cleveland City Stars are no more. I'd heard rumors that they might move back down to USL-2, but for some reason the league decided to pull the plug:

After months of negotiation and meetings, and in the midst of the conclusion of our sale, the USL decided to terminate our franchise just prior to Thanksgiving. This news came as a significant surprise to us given the nature of the process we were involved with up until that point. After much consideration and counsel the leadership of Cleveland City Stars decided to accept the leagues termination of our franchise and all implications thereof.

Well, there's another batch of second division soccer players on the market, including Gordon Kljestan (Sasha's big brother).

When I dug up my City Stars expansion team preview from the beginning of the year, I was struck by the fact that their "promotion" to USL-1 was announced on Dec. 5, 2008. If you take a look at your calendar, you'll see that's almost exactly one year ago.

By all accounts, Cleveland had been building a decent team in USL-2 up to that point. They won that league's title in 2008, in fact. But it was clear that the league rushed Cleveland's move to USL-1, to help make up for the Atlanta Silverbacks' sudden departure last November. Perhaps if head coach Martin Rennie had known they were going to move up, he wouldn't have taken the Carolina Railhawks job.

Whether it was the gap left by Rennie's departure, or just expansion-team growing pains, there's no argument that they struggled this season. As did the other expansion team, our Austin Aztex. 2009 was the first USL-1 season for the Aztex, though with the 2008 PDL season under its belt, the organization wasn't completely new. But even with some experience from their USL-2 and PDL campaigns, the two USL-1 sides wound up slugging it out for last place, as expansion teams are often expected to. Cleveland eventually claimed the bottom spot by just 2 points.

They were our fellow expansion team — our freshman classmates in the class of '09, if you will — so I'm sad to see them go.

Meanwhile, we're watching the USL/TOA/NASL/WTF drama unfold. Who knows what tomorrow, let alone next Spring, will bring. But as of now, here are some of the new teams which may be launched onto the front stage of 2nd-division U.S. soccer next year:

Atlanta Silverbacks — yes, there used to be a USL-1 team with that name, but what does their roster look like right now?

Crystal Palace Baltimore — moving up from USL-2, like Cleveland did

Tampa Bay Rowdies — brand new organization, despite the retro name

St. Louis — brand new team, not even a name yet; same owner as WPS's Athletica

FC New York — brand new organization (and rumored to already be in trouble)

Ottawa Fury — existing PDL team

And not only brand-new teams, but depending on how it all plays out, possibly a brand-new league, too.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking, and nothing is settled. (And you know no work gets done anywhere the last 2 weeks of the year.) My point is that this is all harder to pull off than it looks. Having meetings, making presentations, trademarking names and issuing press releases is the easy part.

Just ask the Cleveland City Stars.

To Hell With Thierry Henry

2009-11-20T19:18:00.000-06:00

"Hand of God", by Balakov on Flickr

There's been lots of ink & pixels spilled about Thierry Henry's handball. Let me add to the clamor a little bit. I mean, why have a blog, if you can't spout off whenever you feel like it?

This Twohundredpercent piece, Trying To Dissect The Thierry Henry Handball, sums up the rational, measured response. His main point, repeated several times, boils down to: "to expect anything but win-at-all-costs behavior from a pro footballer is foolish". He dismissively summarizes it here:

So, there we go. Thierry Henry handled the ball and that decision may or may not have knocked Ireland out of the World Cup. He could have come clean but, hey, he’s a footballer. What he did is what they do if it gives them a chance of a result and it’s what they’ve been doing for years – for decades even beyond Diego Maradona. He could have apologised. He could even have refused to celebrate the goal, but the fact that he did neither is hardly a surprise, except to those in the media that had placed him upon a pedestal some years ago."

Fine, it's not a surprise. But you know what? It still sucks.

Forget pedestals for individual players. I don't care if it's "the aesthete’s footballer", as Twohundredpercent dubs Henry, or a neanderthal thug like Kyle Beckerman.

How about this. Here's a guideline for you. How about: all mega-rich global superstars, who earn their astoundingly pampered living playing a game with a ball at their feet, have to at least play by the damned rules.

So while I may not expect the star striker of the French national team to admit that his crucial goal in a World Cup qualifier should be disallowed, I can still be mad that he didn't. I'm a fan; that's my right. I'm a part, however infinitesimal, of the ridiculous spectacle that is 21st-century pro soccer.

And I think cheaters suck.

The Free Beer Movement Needs YOU

2009-11-18T19:33:00.000-06:00

Allow me to introduce, if you don't know it already, the very worthy Free Beer Movement. The goals and tactics of this movement are simple, but profound:

The success of soccer in the United States depends on a larger and more supportive network of fans that attend games, watch them on TV, and spread their love and knowledge of the game to others.

Most everyone that likes beer likes free beer even more. Combine that love of free beer with an open mind towards the beautiful game of soccer and maybe, just maybe, win over a few converts.

Invite your friends to see a soccer match and buy them a beer.

The movement's slogan, Imbibo Patefacio Ianua, translates from the Latin as "Drinks Open Doors".

Get started with FBM's handy beer conversion chart, which will help you determine the right number of beers for the given level of play you're sharing with your potential converts. The scale varies from just one beer for a World Cup match, all the way up to "7, or more" for youth and high school matches.

Taking a friend to a USL-1 match, such as our own Austin Aztex, would be a 5-beer event, for example. In fact, the movement's leader is Austin's own Dan Wiersema, who was seen personally free-beering(™) many fresh-faced fans-to-be at this year's Aztex home games.

In addition to his own personal evangelical work, Dan is working hard to advance the Movement. He's printed tons of FBM stickers (yours free for simply sharing your free beer outreach story) and he's working to get Columbus Crew/USMNT defender Frankie Hejduk as the Movement's spokesperson. Last, and certainly not least, the FBM website is becoming a pretty darn good blog in its own right.

So how do you join? You can follow FBM on Facebook or Twitter, or fill out the form. But it really just boils down to committing to give it a shot. "Want to get some beer and go to/watch the game this weekend? I'm buying!", and you're in.

You could try it this weekend, in fact, with the MLS Cup. It's on ESPN this Sunday, 7:30 PM CT.

And if three people do it, three. . . can you imagine? Three people walking in and singin' a bar of "Alice's Restaurant" and walking out? They may think it's an organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day, I said fifty people a day walking in, singin' a bar of Alice's Restaurant and walking out? And friends, they may thinks it's a movement. And that's what it is.

— Arlo Guthrie, "Alice's Restaurant"

Wikipedia Forever

2009-11-13T21:16:00.001-06:00

The Wikimedia Foundation has kicked off their annual fundraising campaign:

Lots of people love Wikipedia, but surprisingly few know it’s run by a non-profit, the Wikimedia Foundation. The Wikimedia Foundation has just one purpose: to support the free and open sharing of knowledge. We don’t sell information and we don’t accept advertising. Your donation is what makes Wikipedia possible.

I have a simple guideline for subscribing, donating to, or otherwise financially supporting websites: if I'd really miss it if it went away, then I support it. Wikipedia is not just in that category, it defines it (no pun intended).

Think about it: Wikipedia is frickin' magic. The very idea of it is just crazy, really. Yet against all odds and every shred of common sense, it works. And not just works, but works fantastically. Wikipedia is a modern-day miracle, high-tech, yet human-powered.

I just donated to help keep Wikipedia running now and forever. I encourage you to do the same. And if you're hesitant to chip in, then I give you this challenge: for the next couple of weeks, the rest of November, keep count of how many times you reference Wikipedia. At the end of the month, look at that number, and consider again whether keeping Wikipedia running isn't worth a few bucks.

Major Roster Changes for 2010

2009-11-07T17:13:00.001-06:00

Announced Aztex scouting destinations:
Mexico, Haiti, Colombia & Senegal

If you felt that the 2009 Aztex roster needed a serious shakeup for the team to be a contender next year, you were in good company. At least, management would seem to agree with you. In addition to several international scouting trips, the team just announced that it would not pick up the option on 14 current players.

The announcement made it clear that the team's poor inaugural season performance was the reason for the extensive player cuts.

"Our expectations as a club were to make the playoffs," said head coach Adrian Heath. "We didn’t achieve that and we know that things have to change for next season. Everyone we have let go today has given their all for us and in some cases the decision to release them was very difficult indeed. But we must move on."

Here's the list of guys who won't be returning in red & white next season:

David Sias
Gareth Evans
Gifton Noel-Williams
Jarius Holmes
Lyle Adams

Ryan Caugherty
Ryan McMahen
Sam Reynolds
Wes Allen
Zack Pope

A.J. Godbolt
Josh Alcala
Kyle Brown
Michael Dello-Russo

A few of those were surprises to me. Gifton Noel-Williams, though out due to injury for much of the season, was originally hailed as the club's marquee player, and was thought to have been a mature, steadying influence on the young Austin squad. On the other hand, he never did quite make the kind of impact on the field that we all hoped for.

The release of Michael Dello-Russo, though the newest Aztex player on the list, was also a surprise. His arrival after being released by FC Dallas had some amount of fanfare, with a reported contract through 2011. So much for that.

It's also sad, as a fan of the club since the first, PDL-only season in 2008, to bid farewell to some players who date from that era: A.J. Godbolt, Zack Pope, Wes Allen & Josh Alcala.

Best of luck to all these fellows.

With these cuts, here's who's left from 2009: Miguel Gallardo, Kieron Bernard, Sullivan Silva, Eddie Johnson, Yordany Alvarez, Michael Callahan, Kevin Sakuda, Nick Noble and Salif Diao-Jimenez.

There's been no word on other players who made guest appearances last season, such as Jeff Harwell, Jean Alexandre and Jamie Watson.

So this squad was already on the small side, and now they've cut more than half the players. There had already been reports that the Aztex would be scouting abroad this off-season, but now we see how much recruiting work there is to do. Here's what coach Heath has to say about their focus:

"We need to add more bite and experience to the squad and more productive in front of goal. Phil and I have talked at length and we know we will need to add a few experienced pros into the mix for next year."

Austin will be scouting soccer talent in Colombia next week, and in Mexico after Thanksgiving. Rawlins, along with director Gary Mellor, has already taken a scouting trip to Senegal:

Accompanied by two national youth coaches from Senegal, in one of the few stadiums in Dakar designed for 15,000 people, they watched five scrimmages between kids ages 15-16 from Dakar, St. Louis and Kedegou.

"The standard of play was very impressive and there were some really talented kids there," Rawlins said after the first day.

And coach Heath made a scouting trip to Haiti:

There is certainly a talent base there. For a country of 10 million and with the athleticism on display, there certainly should be lots of players around the world but I think there are only about 35 at the moment, of which about 20 are in Europe. I can see that changing now because the players who have gone to the U.S. and to Europe have done really well and I’m sure there will be other coaches and scouts going to Haiti just like I did.

Stay tuned for more news from what is sure to be a busy, rebuilding off-season.