USA vs. Scotland soccer

[copperfiend]

They were originally in the Boston area and were owned by Lipton; they were called the New England Tea Men. When Lipton moved them to Jacksonville they kept the name, and it just sort of stuck.

They were actually more successful here than the numbers indicate. Lipton had lost a ton of money on them in Massachusetts and wasn't willing to give them more than a season in Jax when it was clear they weren't going to recoup. A local group bought them for a second but they just didn't have the resources to make a successful run in the NASL. The team actually hung around in lower leagues for two more years after that.

On Friday's newscast, Sam Kouvaris did a short feature on the Tea Men, and he interviewed Ringo Cantillo and Nino Zec, both of whom still live here.  He also spoke with Arthur Smith - I believe he was the General Manager. 

I wonder if Kouvaris has enough old footage to put together a 30 minute documentary...

I saw that and thought it was great. I didn't live here then but my family were season ticket holders to the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

[Ajax]

Quote from: edjax on Yesterday at 10:01:46 PM

    Attendance of 44,438. Great job Jacksonville!!  Perhaps Mr. Khan should think of a MSL franchise for Jax.

my buddies and I were thinking the same thing on the way to the stadium. this should open a lot of eyes in the MLS.

Some guy was handing out fliers outside of the stadium pushing for the MLS in Orlando.  I was like, "dude, look around at what's happening right here".....

What a great game.

Orlando huh?? Very interesting.

As far as MLS is concerned, they definitely want to be in the southeast.  Maybe after they get over their infatuation with having a 2nd team in NYC. 

I would say that the first city in the south that comes up with a realistic plan for a soccer-specific venue, and a legitimate owner with deep pockets will get the team.  Orlando is ahead of us now, but if some guy with a lot of money and maybe a really cool moustache wants a team here, MLS would listen. 

Of course, there are more people like that in Orlando, Miami and Atlanta, but it just takes the right guy.  (I'm looking at you Shahid Khan). 

How cool would it be to have an 18,000 seat stadium in Brooklyn with the skyline in the background, served by streetcars with a nice warehouse district in the area serving food and beer to the fans...don't wake me up from this dream...

[Ajax]

Meet the Tartan Army at Mark's today before and after the match.
Friday was a blast. They are great people who enjoy a wee bevvy (or three)...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPYs5sVzoO8/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QpwAUx78iA/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0KAafxTzN0/

Mark, I'm sure your good name is being spoken of fondly in Scotland and in other areas today.  You did a great job of taking care of the Tartan Army and making them feel at home.  I hope you get another chance to host them and other traveling supporters' groups soon. 

[Adam W]

I respectfully disagree - I hate those vuvuzelas.  They made all of the 2010 World Cup games in South Africa sound like a swarm of angry bees was buzzing around.  From what I remember during those games, I don't think the vuvuzela is African anyway. 

I'm pretty sure the vuvuzela is a South African invention. I'm not a fan - though it was funny enough for one world cup. I'd be pretty bummed if they became a regular thing outside of Africa.

[fsquid]

why should Kahn have to be the one to do it?

[marksjax]

Maybe just a few noisemakers would be ok. I agree wouldn't want one in my ear all night.
It was pretty quiet in the Scottish section where I was an invited guest.
They got really mad with their team when the floodgates opened. Very disgusted with lack of effort.

[copperfiend]

why should Kahn have to be the one to do it?

How many other multibillionaires are in this town?

[Ajax]

why should Kahn have to be the one to do it?

How many other multibillionaires are in this town?

Thanks copperfiend. 

Khan doesn't have to do it - I should have put a smiling winking face with my comment.  I would be eternally grateful if Khan or any other deep-pocketed owner would entrust our fair city with an MLS franchise and help finance a stadium in an area that would produce some spinoff development. 

Maybe Wayne Weaver is feeling the competitive juices flowing and would like to get back into the ownership game.   

[CityLife]

Just to give everyone an idea of what costs would be associated with a new MLS Stadium. Here is Houston's new one. Just opened this month at the cost of $95 million. However, part of that cost is purchase of land and infrastructure improvements. Actual construction costs were about $60 million.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-LBveiBYgY

[Ajax]

I respectfully disagree - I hate those vuvuzelas.  They made all of the 2010 World Cup games in South Africa sound like a swarm of angry bees was buzzing around.  From what I remember during those games, I don't think the vuvuzela is African anyway. 

I'm pretty sure the vuvuzela is a South African invention. I'm not a fan - though it was funny enough for one world cup. I'd be pretty bummed if they became a regular thing outside of Africa.

It may very well be a South African invention, but it's certainly not a traditional soccer noisemaker.  I just wikipedia'd it and the origins are inconclusive, but I can say that I've seen plenty of Ajax Cape Town games online and never heard that annoying buzzing sound until 2009 or so. 

I'm sure someone made a million dollars off the idea, but in a just universe, they would deserve to lose their hearing.  Or at least end up with a permanent case of tinnitus.   

[Ajax]

Maybe just a few noisemakers would be ok. I agree wouldn't want one in my ear all night.
It was pretty quiet in the Scottish section where I was an invited guest.
They got really mad with their team when the floodgates opened. Very disgusted with lack of effort.

I was very surprised at how quiet they were.  I could hear them sing their national anthem, and I could really hear them signing up and down Bay Street the night before the game.  They were even quiet when it was 2-1.  Maybe the heat took their enthusiasm away. 

[CityLife]

Here are the costs (in 2012 dollars), capacity, and year built of other soccer specific MLS Stadiums. Its important to realize that many are also used for outdoor concerts and have a significantly increased capacity for concerts.

Toronto-$67 million (Canadian)-22k-2007
Columbus-$40 million-20k-1999
Denver-$147 million-18k-2007-cost includes other adjacent developments
Dallas-$95 million-20k-2005
LA-$110 million-27k-2003
Kansas City-$207 million-18k-2011-I believe this includes adjacent development
Philadelphia (Chester)-$128 million-18k-2010
New York (Newark)-$213 million-25k-2010
Salt Lake-$124 million-20k-2008
Chicago-$113 million-20k-2006

[Adam W]

I respectfully disagree - I hate those vuvuzelas.  They made all of the 2010 World Cup games in South Africa sound like a swarm of angry bees was buzzing around.  From what I remember during those games, I don't think the vuvuzela is African anyway. 

I'm pretty sure the vuvuzela is a South African invention. I'm not a fan - though it was funny enough for one world cup. I'd be pretty bummed if they became a regular thing outside of Africa.

It may very well be a South African invention, but it's certainly not a traditional soccer noisemaker.  I just wikipedia'd it and the origins are inconclusive, but I can say that I've seen plenty of Ajax Cape Town games online and never heard that annoying buzzing sound until 2009 or so. 

I'm sure someone made a million dollars off the idea, but in a just universe, they would deserve to lose their hearing.  Or at least end up with a permanent case of tinnitus. 

A lot of clubs banned them after the 2010 World Cup - I know they were banned at White Hart Lane. That said, I think the novelty wore off really quickly anyway and I've not seen or heard one since then. I'm sure they're still going strong in South Africa, though. Not sure if they showed up at the rugby world cup, though it wouldn't surprise me (given SA dominance in that sport).

[Adam W]

Maybe just a few noisemakers would be ok. I agree wouldn't want one in my ear all night.
It was pretty quiet in the Scottish section where I was an invited guest.
They got really mad with their team when the floodgates opened. Very disgusted with lack of effort.

I was very surprised at how quiet they were.  I could hear them sing their national anthem, and I could really hear them signing up and down Bay Street the night before the game.  They were even quiet when it was 2-1.  Maybe the heat took their enthusiasm away.

I guess I can appreciate the disgust - no one likes to lose that bad. But it was a friendly and Scotland really are a pretty crap team. Even given the relatively poor current ranking of the US, they're still a pretty decent side. I just don't think a lot of traditional 'footballing' nations really rate the US all that highly.

Again, it was a friendly and it was against weak opposition, but I thought the US looked way better than they did in the 2010 world cup. They seem to have sorted out their back four (more or less). Maybe it's all down to Klinsmann.   

[blizz01]

True test tomorrow night vs. Brazil.  Hope they can keep the momentum.  They did beat Italy a couple of months ago so anything's possible...