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    #16
    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
    Which is the point: If the travel club cartel is going to keep the NSWL academy teams out of their league, then offer something different.
    To offer a different league which aspires to be top level, you need actual top level clubs. All of the top level girls clubs in Oregon and Washington play in ECNL. The clubs who are not in ECNL are second or third tier which is why they aren’t in ECNL.

    Here is an example for you. The WPSL is the Women’s Premier Soccer League. It is a second tier level of women’s soccer in the US and well below the NWSL which the Thorns pro team plays in. For instance, The Westside Timbers, Eugene Timbers, Spokane Shadow and Vancouver Island FC have teams which play in this league.

    Let’s assume for this example that the NWSL folded, do you think that the best players on the Thorns pro team are going to stick around for that level of competition? Think about Tobin Heath, Lindsay Horan and Becky Sauerbrunn spending their summers playing against some mid level college players with the Eugene Timbers or Spokane Shadow.

    Of course this wouldn’t happen. They would leave to find better competition. The same thing is going to happen to the Thorns and Reign. Without top levels competition you can’t sell players and parents on being “elite”. All of the top girls clubs in the NW are now in ECNL. Every other league is second or third tier.

    Never said it was fair, but this is the reality we now find ourselves in.

    Comment


      #17
      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      To offer a different league which aspires to be top level, you need actual top level clubs. All of the top level girls clubs in Oregon and Washington play in ECNL. The clubs who are not in ECNL are second or third tier which is why they aren’t in ECNL.

      Here is an example for you. The WPSL is the Women’s Premier Soccer League. It is a second tier level of women’s soccer in the US and well below the NWSL which the Thorns pro team plays in. For instance, The Westside Timbers, Eugene Timbers, Spokane Shadow and Vancouver Island FC have teams which play in this league.

      Let’s assume for this example that the NWSL folded, do you think that the best players on the Thorns pro team are going to stick around for that level of competition? Think about Tobin Heath, Lindsay Horan and Becky Sauerbrunn spending their summers playing against some mid level college players with the Eugene Timbers or Spokane Shadow.

      Of course this wouldn’t happen. They would leave to find better competition. The same thing is going to happen to the Thorns and Reign. Without top levels competition you can’t sell players and parents on being “elite”. All of the top girls clubs in the NW are now in ECNL. Every other league is second or third tier.

      Never said it was fair, but this is the reality we now find ourselves in.
      Exactly. Thorns and Reign should fold. It doesn’t make any sense for them to exist at this point. Their competition will be equivalent to the OYSA since all the top girls teams in OR and WA in ECNL.

      Comment


        #18
        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        To offer a different league which aspires to be top level, you need actual top level clubs. All of the top level girls clubs in Oregon and Washington play in ECNL. The clubs who are not in ECNL are second or third tier which is why they aren’t in ECNL.

        Here is an example for you. The WPSL is the Women’s Premier Soccer League. It is a second tier level of women’s soccer in the US and well below the NWSL which the Thorns pro team plays in. For instance, The Westside Timbers, Eugene Timbers, Spokane Shadow and Vancouver Island FC have teams which play in this league.

        Let’s assume for this example that the NWSL folded, do you think that the best players on the Thorns pro team are going to stick around for that level of competition? Think about Tobin Heath, Lindsay Horan and Becky Sauerbrunn spending their summers playing against some mid level college players with the Eugene Timbers or Spokane Shadow.

        Of course this wouldn’t happen. They would leave to find better competition. The same thing is going to happen to the Thorns and Reign. Without top levels competition you can’t sell players and parents on being “elite”. All of the top girls clubs in the NW are now in ECNL. Every other league is second or third tier.

        Never said it was fair, but this is the reality we now find ourselves in.
        Heath and Horan will go wherever the money is. They're professionals.

        Youth soccer is a different thing altogether. The motivations of players (and their parents) vary widely. Some want a D1 scholarship. Some want to just play the game at the highest level they can. Some want to win games and tournaments. Some want the best training experience.

        There are many aspects of being "elite". Being in a travel league, arguably, is one. Offering a pro training environment is another.

        We seem to agree, mostly, that GAL as it is currently constructed, would be a waste of everyone's time and money. And perhaps Paulsen will follow the path of the Quakes and the Galaxy, and describe that girls soccer is a toxic rat's nest that isn't worth their time and money and shut it down. I wouldn't blame them if they did--after all, I can't think of any girls in Oregon (other than OM, who only moved here to train with the club) who are likely to ever be a starter on an NWSL team.

        But if Peregrine does decide that girls soccer is a worthwhile thing to invest money on, they have options they could pursue that aren't available to nonprofit youth clubs, and are outside the snake pit of travel soccer politics. Maybe it would work, maybe it would not; the Thorns need to be honest about what their goals are, and find a path that best meets those goals.

        But if the Thorns were willing to invest several hundred grand in their GDA program, and that money is still available to spend on girls' soccer even in the absence of GDA, there's a lot of options for how they could spend it, none of which requires participation in a travel league.

        Comment


          #19
          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          Heath and Horan will go wherever the money is. They're professionals.

          Youth soccer is a different thing altogether. The motivations of players (and their parents) vary widely. Some want a D1 scholarship. Some want to just play the game at the highest level they can. Some want to win games and tournaments. Some want the best training experience.

          There are many aspects of being "elite". Being in a travel league, arguably, is one. Offering a pro training environment is another.

          We seem to agree, mostly, that GAL as it is currently constructed, would be a waste of everyone's time and money. And perhaps Paulsen will follow the path of the Quakes and the Galaxy, and describe that girls soccer is a toxic rat's nest that isn't worth their time and money and shut it down. I wouldn't blame them if they did--after all, I can't think of any girls in Oregon (other than OM, who only moved here to train with the club) who are likely to ever be a starter on an NWSL team.

          But if Peregrine does decide that girls soccer is a worthwhile thing to invest money on, they have options they could pursue that aren't available to nonprofit youth clubs, and are outside the snake pit of travel soccer politics. Maybe it would work, maybe it would not; the Thorns need to be honest about what their goals are, and find a path that best meets those goals.

          But if the Thorns were willing to invest several hundred grand in their GDA program, and that money is still available to spend on girls' soccer even in the absence of GDA, there's a lot of options for how they could spend it, none of which requires participation in a travel league.

          Or maybe the Timbers/Thorns give it the ole’ college try to make it look like they cared and then pocket the 200 or 300 grand they were paying the Westside Timbers to run their girls academy. Clearly, they weren’t really interested in doing the girls academy or they would run it themselves like they do the boys academy. They are losing a whole lot of money right now with both of their pro teams not playing. There is zero payback to them for running a girls academy. Money talk and bs walks. Time to cut bait and go home.

          Comment


            #20
            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            Why would the Thorns want to invest in clubs that have been nothing but hostile to them and to their program, and whose clientele doesn't need financial support anyway? Perhaps it's a two-way street, because said clubs seem to view the whole Timbers Alliance as mean and unfair to them (though I'm certain they could join if they wanted), but if I'm Merritt Paulsen, and I decided to disband the Thorns Academy and instead sponsor a club-based training program of some sort, THUSC will be the last local club to see a dime of my money.

            Especially, if reports are true, that Thorns were denied entry into ECNL because the two incumbent local clubs objected.

            But advanced training programs hosted at Eastside, Westside, Washington Timbers, CFC, and the more remote Alliance clubs would be another excellent idea.
            You are naive if you think FC Portland or THUSC have any say in another club getting into the ECNL.

            So think for a second and ask WHY would the ECNL want the Thorns in the ECNL? They have an embarrassing track record. They aren’t really a club. They have been in existence for a short period of time. Go down the list and tell us why the ECNL would want the Thorns.

            Comment


              #21
              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              You are naive if you think FC Portland or THUSC have any say in another club getting into the ECNL.

              So think for a second and ask WHY would the ECNL want the Thorns in the ECNL? They have an embarrassing track record. They aren’t really a club. They have been in existence for a short period of time. Go down the list and tell us why the ECNL would want the Thorns.
              One is the Thorns never touched ECNLs best players.....that was nice of them.

              Comment


                #22
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                One is the Thorns never touched ECNLs best players.....that was nice of them.
                Wrong. You must be a parent of 04 teams and above. And even the 04 team had a stand out come over and choose DA before ECNL, but then wanted high school. A decent handful of top players in 05 and 06 teams went DA.

                Comment


                  #23
                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  Wrong. You must be a parent of 04 teams and above. And even the 04 team had a stand out come over and choose DA before ECNL, but then wanted high school. A decent handful of top players in 05 and 06 teams went DA.
                  The GDA is done and so are the Thorns. All of the coaches know they did not get accepted into ECNL and they thought this GAL league for the castoffs from the GDA may be an option but everyone bailed to ECNL or shut down their program (San Jose Earthquakes, LA Galaxy, etc). The Thorns Academy coaches are hoping for a miracle, but are going to be left with OYSA. They should just shut down the program, it is over.

                  Comment


                    #24
                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    The GDA is done and so are the Thorns. All of the coaches know they did not get accepted into ECNL and they thought this GAL league for the castoffs from the GDA may be an option but everyone bailed to ECNL or shut down their program (San Jose Earthquakes, LA Galaxy, etc). The Thorns Academy coaches are hoping for a miracle, but are going to be left with OYSA. They should just shut down the program, it is over.
                    Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

                    Comment


                      #25
                      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                      The GDA is done and so are the Thorns. All of the coaches know they did not get accepted into ECNL and they thought this GAL league for the castoffs from the GDA may be an option but everyone bailed to ECNL or shut down their program (San Jose Earthquakes, LA Galaxy, etc). The Thorns Academy coaches are hoping for a miracle, but are going to be left with OYSA. They should just shut down the program, it is over.
                      Buuuut Cony needs a new car!

                      Comment


                        #26
                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        Buuuut Cony needs a new car!
                        His little black Prius is getting up there in miles... and so is he. :) :) :)

                        Comment


                          #27
                          When did germany bomb Pearl Harbor? Haha- I believe it was Japan.

                          Comment


                            #28
                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            When did germany bomb Pearl Harbor? Haha- I believe it was Japan.
                            That is a line from the movie “Animal House”. I actually had a good laugh when I read it. Well played whoever wrote that post.

                            Comment


                              #29
                              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                              That is a line from the movie “Animal House”. I actually had a good laugh when I read it. Well played whoever wrote that post.
                              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7vtWB4owdE

                              Comment


                                #30
                                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                                I think I read that the thorns will be playing Grants Pass and Bend Timbers. Super league indeed.
                                This is what they need.

                                Comment

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