Thorns Academy Year 2

[Unregistered]

How can you say it's watered down when there are only 77 clubs in the nation? Watered down is something like Timbers Alliance with 7 clubs in one tiny state.

Do you think 2 clubs out of a tiny state are elite?

[Unregistered]

There were 77 for this season and added 3 more for next season.

I think there could be 77 or 80 but if and only if they are coming from large population bases. I think most states could field one team and some of the larger population states could field 2 or even 3. But to think that small states like Oregon, Idaho, Arkansas, New Mexico, Wyoming, Hawaii.. you get the picture right?

[Unregistered]

LOL! Two expansion clubs that sent 3 teams to National Playoffs in their first year. Don't think ECNL is at all disappointed in Oregon clubs.

[Unregistered]

I guess you need to apply first. A few years down the line ECNL will be begging either FC PDX or CU to withdraw voluntarily so they don't have to boot em, and the TA will be going strong.

Thorns applied 2 summers ago and were turned down flat. Even ECNL knows the history of poor development at the Alliance clubs.

[Unregistered]

I think there could be 77 or 80 but if and only if they are coming from large population bases. I think most states could field one team and some of the larger population states could field 2 or even 3. But to think that small states like Oregon, Idaho, Arkansas, New Mexico, Wyoming, Hawaii.. you get the picture right?

Get the picture. Stay happy in your mediocre little Alliance club. I'm sure that's more than enough for you.

[Slow Xavi]

I think there could be 77 or 80 but if and only if they are coming from large population bases. I think most states could field one team and some of the larger population states could field 2 or even 3. But to think that small states like Oregon, Idaho, Arkansas, New Mexico, Wyoming, Hawaii.. you get the picture right?

Find the Thorns/ECNL arguments somewhat tiresome, but in terms of population bases, Portland-metro is much larger than the largest metro areas in the states you cite: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...tistical_Areas

20x+ Cheyenne
4x Boise
3x Little Rock
2x+ Honolulu
2x+ Albuquerque

No idea what the right number of ECNL teams per metro area, but not sure if Portland has too many and do wonder if Seattle doesn't have enough.

[Unregistered]

I guess you need to apply first. A few years down the line ECNL will be begging either FC PDX or CU to withdraw voluntarily so they don't have to boot em, and the TA will be going strong.

The Alliance and FC and CU are all good options and the competition between the three is driving them all to get better. Girls in Oregon benefit over the long run.

[Unregistered]

Thorns applied 2 summers ago and were turned down flat. Even ECNL knows the history of poor development at the Alliance clubs.

No they didn't, but don't let the facts get in the way of your argument. If you knew anything about the ECNL process, you would know that the concept of the Thorns "applying" doesn't even make sense.

[Unregistered]

Find the Thorns/ECNL arguments somewhat tiresome, but in terms of population bases, Portland-metro is much larger than the largest metro areas in the states you cite: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...tistical_Areas

20x+ Cheyenne
4x Boise
3x Little Rock
2x+ Honolulu
2x+ Albuquerque

No idea what the right number of ECNL teams per metro area, but not sure if Portland has too many and do wonder if Seattle doesn't have enough.

Having worked for Metro for many years, they spread a very wide net and so all in all it isn't a one for one comparison.

[Unregistered]

Having worked for Metro for many years, they spread a very wide net and so all in all it isn't a one for one comparison.

I'm not sure your point here, but I bet Portland is much more dense than any of these cities (minus the hotels in Honolulu but prob not many residents live there), so I'm sure they cast a big net as well.

[Unregistered]

Thorns applied 2 summers ago and were turned down flat. Even ECNL knows the history of poor development at the Alliance clubs.

When the logic and the facts stand in your way, resort to lieing. That's what Tom does. Hate to break this to you, but the Thorns did no apply to ECNL. And, hate to break this to you, but Tom got turned down three previous times and could only get into ECNL by merging with Crossfire. Talk about pathtic.

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=Slow Xavi;1596558]Find the Thorns/ECNL arguments somewhat tiresome, but in terms of population bases, Portland-metro is much larger than the largest metro areas in the states you cite: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...tistical_Areas
In the wider region including Longview, WA and Salem, OR, the Combined Statistical Area has a population of 3,022,178, ranking 17th most populous.

And we all know Longview is part of the PDX area unless we need to travel there to play some substandard team that is :-)
Stupid argument and Portland is not that big. I think some people must not travel to other cities very often.

[Slow Xavi]

[QUOTE=Unregistered;1596619]

Find the Thorns/ECNL arguments somewhat tiresome, but in terms of population bases, Portland-metro is much larger than the largest metro areas in the states you cite: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...tistical_Areas
In the wider region including Longview, WA and Salem, OR, the Combined Statistical Area has a population of 3,022,178, ranking 17th most populous.

And we all know Longview is part of the PDX area unless we need to travel there to play some substandard team that is :-)
Stupid argument and Portland is not that big. I think some people must not travel to other cities very often.

Not following

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=Slow Xavi;1596629]

Not following

I think they took an excerpt from Wikipedia that says the metro area of Portland (which goes from Salem to Longview Washington) is 3M people

[Unregistered]

Funny that even a 'Thorns' thread ends up discussing ECNL.


No, the Thorns did not apply to ECNL, they were still a twinkle in someones eye a couple of years ago. They don't even fit the profile of ECNL, you need relatively quality teams in all age groups, etc. Helps if your a 'nike' team as well if you get my drift.

The Thorns experiment is going to have trouble continuing in the short term and will meet it's demise in the long term if they can't figure out a league to play in. Being a stand alone with no league to play in hurts them badly. Playing in OYSA against your former teammates is lame at best. Playing FWRL is dandy, but last year they made their team and shortly after were playing in FWRL and got spanked. That will continue year after year, if they can't get more time together playing prior to entering. They will never get into surf cup or any big tourney in a premier division, not without a playing record of excellence and that is impossible to do with they way it is set up currently. There will always be some appeal for the thorns academy though. For the name, some practice time at Providence, etc. kind of like doing the ODP RTC.