2002-03: Predictions, Opinions & Rumours

[Fat Bastard]

Mid-Season Picks

With all teams now past the half-way pole of this season - which is flying by at a record pace, here's a few mid-season awards and picks.

Team of the Year: UBC Sportstown
UBC has played much better than many thought they would. They have played without Andrea Neil for the entire year and without Tammy Crawford for most of it. But others have picked up the slack. And frankly, their backline is the best in the league - hands down, no questions asked.

Surprise(s) of the Year:
One the good side, who would have thunk SBAA would play as well as they have. They rely heavily on good goaltending, but they play a solid team game, albeit they don't get alot of points for style.
On the not-so-good surprise list is Norvan. This should have been their breakthrough year. But since a draw with Burnaby B things have gone downhill.


Updated predictions...
1. UBC Sportstown - nobody better at the back, and not too shabby on the attack either; likely won't be caught.
2. Surrey United - will give UBC a run - the decider will be next and final match between these two.
3. Burnaby Canadians A - will play better down the stretch, but won't be enough to make up gap between them and the top two.
4. SBAA Saints - will continue to pick up points against the bottom four or five teams, but still must play Burnaby (1), Surrey (1) and UBC (2).
5. Poco FC - were given three points by the league for Burnaby administrative error (there's a theme there) and that might be the difference to keep them ahead of Westside.
6. Westside FC - heading into the time of year when they historically struggle; a poor showing this weekend against Burnaby B and 6th spot might be in doubt.
7. Burnaby Canadians B - young team is struggling but with their roster has been bolstered by the return of college players, so good results should start to roll in for them.
8. Norvan - struggles have snowballed, and now they desperately need to get things turned around and soon.
9. Semiahmoo - this team is game and shows up week in week out, but for BD it's like sending lambs to the slaughter; they should pick up a point somewhere along the line - but against who?

 

[soccerbitches]

soccerbitch style

We would like to make a few predicitions on this league
1. Sportstwon is way overrated a few teams have given them some pretty tough games.
2. Surrey united is waaay better than Sportstown and are going to kick their ass in the finals
3. Burnaby Canadians will buckle under the pressure against SBAA in the playoffs - It should be a good game with all Burnaby's new players and with SBAA's size and all, apparently they are a big team with no talent outside of their goalkeeping but we will see!
4. Norvan, Westside and Poco can fight for 5th
5. Burnaby has a good solid 8th position
6. Semi - no wins no goals a deserving 9th
peace out Pansies

 

[whore]

BEEF OF THE NIGHT:Norvan's coach has a suspension and is still at local soccer fields in Vancouver.

Anyone seen a suspension ruling for 5 years???? Has it been 5 years yet??

Does nobody care?? Anyone?? I need too know how you feel.

I have not seen a waterbottle fly so far....wow, must of been the other team???? Who do I write a leter too??? )

Regards,
TODD B

 

[Cartdriver]

A suspension is a suspension.....

No matter how you slice it, a suspension is a suspension! Too bad the Norvan coach can't figure that out. By having another guy stand next to him as his mouthpice doesn't make it legit for him to be at the park still coaching.

BTW whore (nice name!), before you write a "leter" to anyone, you may want grab a WEBSTER's dictionary


CD

 

[Fat Bastard]

BEEF OF THE NIGHT:Norvan's coach has a suspension and is still at local soccer fields in Vancouver.

If the BCSA can't police their own suspensions, why bother?

What baffles me is that the refs let this guy stay on the sideline. You'd think they'd be all over it, given the guy's suspended for attacking one of their brethren.

I think the MWSL turns a blind eye to it - they know he's at every game.



PS: Surrey Beavers lost a close one to UBC today, 2-1. It takes a big man to admit when he's wrong... I'm not a big man. Ahh, what the fcuk? I may have underestimated the Beavers somewhat. They just didn't look that good against the Pansies. Oh well, someone has to step up ... none of the other teams are giving the big three any kind of a fight.

 

[whore]

That is my whole point. Why bother with the suspension in the first place if it is not enforced. Why is he, week after week, alowed to be a part of soccer. What blows me away the most is he gets another red card a couple weeks ago and nobody cares. Something needs to be done about this.

 

[Fat Bastard]

Whoa... Stop the train... Say what?!

What blows me away the most is he gets another red card a couple weeks ago and nobody cares.

When did he get a red card? Was it an MWSL game? Perhaps the one against Poco where his team got hammered during the game (and the night before for that matter)?

I would imagine that the MWSL will send this to attention of BC Soccer. God, I hope they'll do the right thing. I like the Norvan coach, he is a pretty good guy, but we (coaches) all need to play by the same set of rules, and when we break them, then we deal with the consequences.

I know these suspensions aren't enforced and most guys still coach through them, but most guys are sharp enough to stay out of trouble during that time.

A red card while under suspension. Dumb!


FBwouldlovetoknowhowthisoneshakesout

 

[whore]

it was against SBAA. He threw some water bottles at the ref and got another red card. This is my beef
1. Why is he there in the first place?
2. When you have a suspension and get yet another red card the book should be thrown at you.

Nothing is being done, it's all being brushed under the carpet. This ticks me right off.

 

[Exaggie]

Perhaps a good solution is to start FINING the Norvan team everytime he shows up to the park... especially when he continues to pull the type of stunts that he so well known for. I mean really... we get fines for not having our net, flags, or the field lined... but that a$$ is allowed to be there week after week in obvious disregard to his suspension. He is an insult to women's soccer as he does not respect the rules that we all seem to be able to follow...

Todd... be a man, step down, and give the Norvan girls a chance to be a respectable team! You have to have enough brain cells left to understand that you are, and have always been, the one holding the team back!

 

[Fat Bastard]

That game (Norvan vs. SBAA) was played November 9. I believe it was played in Surrey, so there's a better than even chance the ref didn't know Norvan coach, whose soccer career has primarily been in the Metro area. Further, I highly doubt Norvan coach gave his real name, if he gave his name at all.

Thus, the league may not even know he was sent off. I am hoping they're reading this.

This actually wouldn't be a league issue. Throwing a water bottle at a ref would constitute physical assault. Those cases are to be handed over to the BCSA immediately. Further, given that Norvan coach is currently under suspension, it would also mean the case would be handled by the BCSA.

As Norvan coach was at the Norvan-Burnaby game last Sunday, I doubt he was faced discipline for the recent infraction. The bottom line is, I think, that the MWSL and the BCSA probably don't even know this happened.

 

[Exaggie]

If they are not reading this... they will now as I just sent them all a copy! Perhaps now something will be done...

 

[Cartdriver]

Someone do something.....

All of the above posts say "I wonder if the league knows", "why is he still on the sidelines?", "someone should do something"......

Will someone just pick up the fcuking phone and call someone who can make this guy follow the rules!!

I believe Cormack's number is easy to find. FB, take the lead as our TTP MWSL guru.......


CDcan'tstandsidelinesittersthatCANdosomething

 

[Fat Bastard]

Consider it done

I contacted one of the directors this morning, and informed of the situation. He knew nothing about it, but would look into it.

It's not surprising that the MWSL (and likely the BCSA) is unaware of this. As I said, the game was played in the Valley - where I am sure they have heard of the Norvan coach, but wouldn't know him from Adam. When he was sent off, what are the odds he used a fake name, if he gave his name at all.

However, on the other hand, Norvan's opponent on the day was Surrey Beavers. The Beavs are coached by an MWSL Director (not the prez, he coaches another Surrey Beavers team). Again, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, he may not have known who the Norvan coach was, but at the very least he can help the league and the BCSA get to the bottom of this.

Dumb. Coaching week in week out while on five year suspension.
Dumber. Doing it against a team who is coached by a league director.
Dumbest. Throwing a water bottle at a referee - again while on 5-year suspension for assaulting a referee.

Anyhow, the league now knows of the situation. We'll have to see what happens now.

For the record... The MWSL doesn't think much of TTP. They say it's a place for bitchers and moaners. I agree. But I don't see their point.


FBwouldlovetoknowhichrefwastargetofwaterbottletoss!

 

[Exaggie]

Thanks FB... hopefully they will take the issue seriously now!

 

[Cartdriver]

Well done...

Well done exaggie and FB.....

As you both mentioned, we all follow the rules.....and if we try to subvert them, all we do is show disrespect for the integrity of the game and it's rules.

FB....do you know the MWSL's rules for beiing granted a premier spot now? Used to be pretty firm that you had to start at div2, win up to div 1, and then win that league to get into premier. But that was back in the earlier days. I don't know how many teams actually went this route, but what is the path now? How did you get in without paying your "dues" in the "minors"?? Not that CD is thinking of taking on the challenge

 

[Regs]

The MWSL doesn't think much of TTP. They say it's a place for bitchers and moaners.

Yet it appears that TTP has provided some info for the MWSL to potentially look into a suspension issue.

These bloody lower mainland league administrators drive me up the wall!

I would think that a lot more people are now aware of their league that otherwise wouldn't be and it's not because of any marketing geniuses down at their office

Bitching and complaining my way to hell,

~Regs.

 

[Fat Bastard]

"How To Get Into MWSL Premier and Get Your Ass-kicked," by Fat Bastard

Step #1: Get really, really drunk. That way that pic of you holding the Jubilee Shield looks like Fergie holding the FA Cup.

Step #2: Convince the powers-that-be that you know what you're doing. (Baffling with bullsh*t, should dazzling with brilliance not work.)

Step #3: Hook up with a club that has something of a history of winning. Of course, in women's soccer, history is really no more than a couple of years or three.

Step #4: Keep several bottles of Glenfiddich in the kit bag for those long days against Surrey and UBC when you find yourself wondering why you got yourself into this.


FBjustkidding The girls are a great bunch and while it's been trying at times, there have been some rewards too. Most of my players are improving, and that was the real goal.

CD... I'll e-mail you on the ins and outs of getting into Premier. The rules have changed, and will change a bit more before next year.

 

[Cartdriver]

Spoke to the MWSL gods!

Hey all.....so quiet on here, it's a bit scary.....or boring! Without much dialogue, I'm gonna have to go back to those Pam & Tommy Lee websites that used to keep me busy

I spoke with Rob and Bob (the two higher'ups from the MWSL) regarding entering a team in premier. I was told that premier will now be a 16 team division with A & B pools (very good FB, you knew the scoop on this!). They won't interlock until playoffs as both pools will be registered in 'A' cup. The A pool will be made up of this year's premier teams while premier B will be the top div 1 teams being promoted and any "new" teams that enter premier. Just the goods FYI


CDthinksTTP'ersarelosingtheirdesiretopostthisclosetoholidays

 

[Fat Bastard]

Breakers a national team training camp?

So from all accounts from back east, Kara Lang will play for the Vancouver Yet-to-be-named-ers. (Good on the local soccer reports, all two of them, for missing this scoop ... what do they do during the winter?)

While I'm all for signing big names to draw fans, is Kara Lang going to draw more fans that Christine Sinclair already does? Maybe a little. It would have made more "business" sense to go after a player from the Brazil U19 team. It might have been tough, but imagine the crowds if one of those little sparkplugs could have been signed. The atmosphere would have been terrific.

Of course that would have made good business sense. But what seems to drive this team is the whims of the national team coaching staff, of which Dave Dew is a part of. Last year, it was the insertion of Katie Lee. This year it's Kara Lang (albeit a bigger name). But it won't stop there. The national team is going to make sure all its top players are playing pro or semi-pro, meaning in the WUSA or W-League. Rumours continue to persist that the Yet-to-be-named-ers will feature a number of U19 players.

But what does that mean for our local players, many of whom are more than capable of playing at the W-League level? What it likely means is that for many of our local star players, they may find themselves on the outside looking in, as the CSA uses our local women's side to prepare for next fall's World Cup. With Sinclair, and fringe Nats such as Maglio, Artuso, and Allen on the attack. The addition of offensive players such as Lang, and likely Thorlakson (which would be a positive), where will that leave a player like Ros Hicks, who through the college season showed that she is one of the country's most opportunistic strikers. Or other quality players like Phebe Trotman, Sarah Regan, Naomi Eguchi or Thea Roggeman?

I am all for our women's program continuing to develop and be successful. I would love to see Canada win the World Cup. I just think that their should be separation between our "semi-pro" teams and the "national team." Fergie wouldn't pick a side based on Ericksson's choices, and nor should our local teams.

I hope that the management will see the light on this issue, and push to see that the Vancouver W-League team remain a showcase for local talent, regardless of whether or not they have caught the fickle eye of the CSA coaching staff.

-----------------------------------------------------------
SelfishFBthinksthisworksforhim...moregoodplayersforXtreme!

 

[Fat Bastard]

Breakers rumours

So more rumours continue to swirl around the Breakers, and potential signings...

Kara Lang is signed, sealed and soon to be delivered. Katie Thorlakson appears to be a slam-dunk. As would Claire Rustad. Now, the rumour about is that the "Yet-to-be-nameders" have signed two players off the U19 Brazilian squad. (No names mentioned ... possibly Marta?)

Don't be surprised to see a couple of more Canadian U19 members join the team. Erin McLeod, who for all itents and purposes, is the National no.2 behind Karina LeBlanc, does not have a summer gig. She's from Calgary, so I am sure Pellerud will be pushing Dew to add her on. (I would also expect the Island bias continue with the addition of Hannah Shoichet - UBC - who is from Victoria.) I also wouldn't be surprised to see Sasha Andrews sign with the team. Andrews, who is on her way to becoming the female version of Sol Campbell, is an Albertan, and like McLeod is without a summer job.

As a local soccer enthusiast, I have a ideological problem with the imports, as until this team is run like a professional team, then I think the local community has a right to support local players. Also, I think the local players should have the privilege to use the Breakers as a vehicle to showcase themselves to national and collegiate coaches, and even WUSA teams.

However, as a soccer businessman, if any of these moves comes to fruition, particularly the Brazilians, I understand that this will help the team develop in terms of building a market. Even if they can create a fraction of the climate experiences at the summer's World Cup games, then Breakers games will be more fun than the Caps with the Southsiders. In addition, players like Kara Lang (media darling) and Erin McLeod (self-promoter) are sure to sell a few more tickets.

Here's my real problem. For the most part, the current roster is being kept in the dark on these goings-on. Fringe players from last year are being used to work camps, sell tickets and promote the product. A product many of them will not be part of come May. Lenarduzzi and Dew need to be up front with the players. That way if they want to continue to be used as free marketing tools, then they do so with their eyes wide open. Certainly, mainstays such as Potis, Artuso, Neil, Hermus and Maglio can and should be used to promote the team. But I worry about others who are putting the time in now, only to be setting themselves up for blindside shot come cut-time.

PS: Heard through the grapevine that the Breakers will be renamed Vancouver Whitecaps Women's FC - taking a page from the Seattle franchise. I hope this turns out to be false, as it lacks any imagination, and simply reinforces my belief that the Breakers are nothing more than a marketing tool for the men's side. (There is no way that could have been the best submission from the eternally long name-the-team contest.)


FBwillnowclimbdownfromhissoapbox,gottagametomorrow.Goodlucktoeveryone.

I see BD won himself a stay of execution for tomorrow's tilt with Surrey