Rubio Ruben

[Unregistered]

Count em up at least 5 MLS players developed at Westside in the last 115 years:
Rod Dyachenko, Chad Barrett, Danny Mwanga, Erik Hurtado & Rubio Rubin.

Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, and the same is true of success.

That being said OPFC & UPDX will continue to fire blanks and ask for blank checks from parents per normal.

It's hard to know exactly what the OP meant by the assertion that "neither Westside nor Eastside will ever have another one".

If the poster is referring to the fact that both clubs, as part of the Timbers Alliance, assist the Timbers with recruiting and refer their top players to TA, and that a player like Ruben coming up through Westside wouldn't spend his HS years there... fair enough. UPDX, OPFC, and a few other clubs seem to be openly hostile to the Timbers and discourage "their" players from training there.

On the other hand, the idea that someone who spends his entire youth career at a pay-to-play club will attract professional interest upon turning 18 (or before!) and go straight from the neighborhood club to an MLS first team, is nuts. The career path for male pros these days involves a pro academy of some sort (college being a second-choice option)... and if it isn't the Timbers, it will be some other (pro) academy. If MLS drops the territorial rules (as is rumored to be in the works) and other MLS academies can scout and recruit Oregon kids, it will be hard for local clubs to keep top talent around. It's one thing to say "stay away from the Timbers--they stink". It's rather another to say that about RSL or FC Dallas or LAFC or the Philly Union. (Heh--I could see BM joining a partnership with RSL or another Western club in the future, just to pee in Merritt Paulsen's cornflakes).

If the OP is claiming that these clubs will surpass Eastside or Westside in their youth offerings, and/or that UPDX will become the new "destination" club, the one that gets first choice of all the top talent, with other clubs picking from the players BM cuts... THAT remains to be seen. BM is very ambitious and aggressive, and seems to have leveraged his ODP perch to dominate the 04 age group, with quite a few accusations of foul play being thrown around. They won State in the 07 age group, and are contenders in 06 as well (and also won 07G), but haven't begun to dominate the scene like Westside Metros did back in the day. And other DoCs have started to notice what UPDX is up to.

If, say, Nike were to fund a free-to-play academy that competed with the Timbers (unlikely they would do such a thing in OR, as opposed to SoCal or elsewhere), and outsourced it to UPDX, that might be a game changer. But if Nike were serious, I doubt they'd lash themselves to the mast of a pay-to-play club.

[Unregistered]

Count em up at least 5 MLS players developed at Westside in the last 115 years:
Rod Dyachenko, Chad Barrett, Danny Mwanga, Erik Hurtado & Rubio Rubin.

Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, and the same is true of success.

That being said OPFC & UPDX will continue to fire blanks and ask for blank checks from parents per normal.

Lol...yeah, I would really want that Stat to be crowed about. We are the oldest and not the shyttiest club in Oregon. See, we had 5 players make it to the Junior Leavues! Good ratio by the way...averaging one shytty player every 20 years. Go crazy Westside fans...Go crazy.

[Unregistered]

Lol...yeah, I would really want that Stat to be crowed about. We are the oldest and not the shyttiest club in Oregon. See, we had 5 players make it to the Junior Leavues! Good ratio by the way...averaging one shytty player every 20 years. Go crazy Westside fans...Go crazy.

Fifteen years, not 115.

What club has done better?

[Unregistered]

Fifteen years, not 115.

What club has done better?

You crack me up. You are so eager to brag about "your club" being "historically less shytty" than other local clubs, using the metric of crapoy mls players. How about the number of kids at your club that went on to...nothing? Seriously, that is an important point of data to be considered as well. How many kids bought the hype and chased the dream only to fail and end up...where? Did their team experience teach them how to.be successful, productive members of society? Serious question. If you want to point to the the obscure "diamonds" that have been located, you also need to acknowledge all the pieces of coal you have thrown away.

[Unregistered]

You crack me up. You are so eager to brag about "your club" being "historically less shytty" than other local clubs, using the metric of crapoy mls players. How about the number of kids at your club that went on to...nothing? Seriously, that is an important point of data to be considered as well. How many kids bought the hype and chased the dream only to fail and end up...where? Did their team experience teach them how to.be successful, productive members of society? Serious question. If you want to point to the the obscure "diamonds" that have been located, you also need to acknowledge all the pieces of coal you have thrown away.

Pieces of coal? Seriously???

MOST kids who play youth soccer will never ever ever play the game for compensation of any sort--not an academic scholarship, and certainly not a professional contract. The kids know that. Most parents know that. Most kids are playing because they love soccer.

This is true at every club, even ones who try to market themselves as elite, and/or who don't like to field B teams.

The kids at WT who don't "make it"--which is most of them, like any club--end up fine. Some go to college, some don't, same as anywhere else. And they are taught the same values (sportsmanship, hard work, respect) that any decent youth club teaches.

I'm not aware of ANY local clubs that has a "cobra kai" mentality, fortunately, encouraging cheating and dirty play and win-at-all-costs, though a few specific coaches I can think of do skirt that line sometimes. (The 05 Cuervos team used to be known for this, though of late their behavior has been much improved).

That said, WT has "produced"--putting the word in quotes because most of the credit goes to the player, not to the coach or club--more professionals than any other club in recent memory. Other than Rubin, whose career stalled in Europe before his recent comeback with RSL, none of them have gotten further than MLS in their pro careers. And while that isn't Champions League, it's not nothing, either; particularly in the past decade or so, with MLS elevating itself from "joke league" to "on par with top European second divisions".

At any rate, "you may such less than us, but you still suck" isn't a very productive argument.

[Unregistered]

Pieces of coal? Seriously???

MOST kids who play youth soccer will never ever ever play the game for compensation of any sort--not an academic scholarship, and certainly not a professional contract. The kids know that. Most parents know that. Most kids are playing because they love soccer.

This is true at every club, even ones who try to market themselves as elite, and/or who don't like to field B teams.

The kids at WT who don't "make it"--which is most of them, like any club--end up fine. Some go to college, some don't, same as anywhere else. And they are taught the same values (sportsmanship, hard work, respect) that any decent youth club teaches.

I'm not aware of ANY local clubs that has a "cobra kai" mentality, fortunately, encouraging cheating and dirty play and win-at-all-costs, though a few specific coaches I can think of do skirt that line sometimes. (The 05 Cuervos team used to be known for this, though of late their behavior has been much improved).

That said, WT has "produced"--putting the word in quotes because most of the credit goes to the player, not to the coach or club--more professionals than any other club in recent memory. Other than Rubin, whose career stalled in Europe before his recent comeback with RSL, none of them have gotten further than MLS in their pro careers. And while that isn't Champions League, it's not nothing, either; particularly in the past decade or so, with MLS elevating itself from "joke league" to "on par with top European second divisions".

At any rate, "you may such less than us, but you still suck" isn't a very productive argument.

You are both dip chits arguing about this- there are kids currently at TA that have come from almost every local club (opfc and westside amongst them) and there will be more to come if mls keeps any form of an academy going forward. The number of kids who play professional sports (any sport) is so small compared to the number that play as youths that you can’t put any correlation to any youth club being better than any other at this point. Westside guy you are living in the past and really only have 1 kid to speak of as the landscape currently sits. Back in the day when there were not as many local clubs “talent” consolidated and went to a westside or a west villa and many of these other clubs did not even exist- now you have 2-5 “talented” players on each roster at various ages at 10 different clubs (which I think does a disservice to the top kids by the way) and Does TA get the nod for development or does the local club they played for when they could barely spell their own name get it??

[Unregistered]

You are both dip chits arguing about this- there are kids currently at TA that have come from almost every local club (opfc and westside amongst them) and there will be more to come if mls keeps any form of an academy going forward. The number of kids who play professional sports (any sport) is so small compared to the number that play as youths that you can’t put any correlation to any youth club being better than any other at this point. Westside guy you are living in the past and really only have 1 kid to speak of as the landscape currently sits. Back in the day when there were not as many local clubs “talent” consolidated and went to a westside or a west villa and many of these other clubs did not even exist- now you have 2-5 “talented” players on each roster at various ages at 10 different clubs (which I think does a disservice to the top kids by the way) and Does TA get the nod for development or does the local club they played for when they could barely spell their own name get it??

You are living in a fantasyland you have no past, present or future of any merit or achievement..same as it ever was for your ilk.... Attack others who actually have produced and continue to produce while you diddle those silly poor fools in your proximity or hood. Transparency is a bi@tch.

[Unregistered]

Pieces of coal? Seriously???

MOST kids who play youth soccer will never ever ever play the game for compensation of any sort--not an academic scholarship, and certainly not a professional contract. The kids know that. Most parents know that. Most kids are playing because they love soccer.

This is true at every club, even ones who try to market themselves as elite, and/or who don't like to field B teams.

The kids at WT who don't "make it"--which is most of them, like any club--end up fine. Some go to college, some don't, same as anywhere else. And they are taught the same values (sportsmanship, hard work, respect) that any decent youth club teaches.

I'm not aware of ANY local clubs that has a "cobra kai" mentality, fortunately, encouraging cheating and dirty play and win-at-all-costs, though a few specific coaches I can think of do skirt that line sometimes. (The 05 Cuervos team used to be known for this, though of late their behavior has been much improved).

That said, WT has "produced"--putting the word in quotes because most of the credit goes to the player, not to the coach or club--more professionals than any other club in recent memory. Other than Rubin, whose career stalled in Europe before his recent comeback with RSL, none of them have gotten further than MLS in their pro careers. And while that isn't Champions League, it's not nothing, either; particularly in the past decade or so, with MLS elevating itself from "joke league" to "on par with top European second divisions".

At any rate, "you may such less than us, but you still suck" isn't a very productive argument.

Producing Oregon's finest is not a mantle anyone wants or should display.

As always, Carry on Clowns.

[Unregistered]

You are living in a fantasyland you have no past, present or future of any merit or achievement..same as it ever was for your ilk.... Attack others who actually have produced and continue to produce while you diddle those silly poor fools in your proximity or hood. Transparency is a bi@tch.

Not part of opfc so nice try azzhat. Why are you hanging your argument as currently being the best thing since sliced bread on someone born in 1996 and has been gone for almost 10 years? And does IMG academy get any credit? You are living in fantasy land thinking that cony, jimmy or any of the evans or any other clown coaches at westside have some magic formula to develop pro soccer players compared to other clubs. It takes the kid that has that insatiable internal fire that is willing to do the hard lonely work it takes to make it. I know because I played professional baseball and the grind does not afford you a normal highschool experience. You have to make hard choices and most are not willing to miss things like hanging out on Saturday at the mall with friends or spending a lot of time with a girlfriend.

[Unregistered]

Not part of opfc so nice try azzhat. Why are you hanging your argument as currently being the best thing since sliced bread on someone born in 1996 and has been gone for almost 10 years? And does IMG academy get any credit? You are living in fantasy land thinking that cony, jimmy or any of the evans or any other clown coaches at westside have some magic formula to develop pro soccer players compared to other clubs. It takes the kid that has that insatiable internal fire that is willing to do the hard lonely work it takes to make it. I know because I played professional baseball and the grind does not afford you a normal highschool experience. You have to make hard choices and most are not willing to miss things like hanging out on Saturday at the mall with friends or spending a lot of time with a girlfriend.

Today you just play with yourself, professionally of course on the forum. Tool Time.

[Unregistered]

Not part of opfc so nice try azzhat. Why are you hanging your argument as currently being the best thing since sliced bread on someone born in 1996 and has been gone for almost 10 years? And does IMG academy get any credit? You are living in fantasy land thinking that cony, jimmy or any of the evans or any other clown coaches at westside have some magic formula to develop pro soccer players compared to other clubs. It takes the kid that has that insatiable internal fire that is willing to do the hard lonely work it takes to make it. I know because I played professional baseball and the grind does not afford you a normal highschool experience. You have to make hard choices and most are not willing to miss things like hanging out on Saturday at the mall with friends or spending a lot of time with a girlfriend.

Huh? Pro baseball won't touch you until you're 18. Being a pro athlete is a full time gig, for sure, whether in the top leagues or the lower ones, but there aren't any 16 year olds playing in left field for the Yankees, like there are playing in MLS and Europe.

[Unregistered]

Oregon needs an elite team. The Timbers Academy is a failure and everyone knows it. The teams suck and the organization refuses to invest in the younger kids by only having what the MLS makes them have.

Oregon needs one, or two max, teams per age group that participates at ever level of MLS Next. Let the elite boys play with and against each other with coaches that are focused on player development.

If one of the local clubs put an effort into it and made this a thing they would have every star player from the state trying out.

Instead- they are stuck with one or two good players on each team mixed with a bunch of average kids.

[Unregistered]

Today you just play with yourself, professionally of course on the forum. Tool Time.

Weakest comeback I have ever heard. Atleast I actually get it and have been actually paid to play a kids game. You can relive your highschool pine riding days all you want al bundy

[Unregistered]

Huh? Pro baseball won't touch you until you're 18. Being a pro athlete is a full time gig, for sure, whether in the top leagues or the lower ones, but there aren't any 16 year olds playing in left field for the Yankees, like there are playing in MLS and Europe.

You completely missed the point. That 16 year old playing professional soccer or any other youth who has made it has not had any sort of “normal” childhood. They have spent an inordinate number of hours from a very young age almost single minded working on their craft. Many are in a situation where they remove themselves from public or normal highschool- look no further than the last local youth to make it- Peyton Pritchard (he was homeschooled so he could practice and workout hours on end without hourly class and school perameters) only focus on one thing and are not interested in what most highschool kids are but you would have no clue because you would rather be a key board bad azz and try to talk chit about something you know nothing about

[Unregistered]

Weakest comeback I have ever heard. Atleast I actually get it and have been actually paid to play a kids game. You can relive your highschool pine riding days all you want al bundy

You got paid to play with yourself, fits like a glove
Ball Boy