Vancouver Whitecaps

[Gaffa]

Interestingly enough...

I too played for the summer 'dogs sometime ago. Our fearless leader Ray, a real Dutchman I might add, was the boss down at the Bulldog. Many happy summer evenings spent guzzling piss from some strange, small dutch 1/3 of a pint glass. We always got pissed but didn't know really how much we'd had to drink. Gorping at the leggy hookers wasn't the worst thing I've ever done either.

Colin played with us then too, before (just to get back on thread) he moved on to the 'Caps, where he became very weary (oops, well spotted chaps )

 

[CDK]

Whitecaps, dead end for locals - By L'eco D'italia columnist Vic Bianchin. As much as I’d like to, I find it difficult to slice through the Stanley cup euphoria and get excited about the upcoming 'A' league soccer campaign. Not because I’m a ravenous NHL booster but because there is little to look forward to when it comes to our local squad. No “name brand” imports, have been signed by tight fisted owner David Stadnyk. It’s even worse if you’re a player. The problem for the Whitecaps talented local content is that they have nothing to play for except hometown pride and ego boosting autograph sessions following matches at Swangard Stadium. The ‘A’ League road for Canadian clubs Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver…leads to nowhere as not one Canadian team has a farm arrangement with the American based 10 team Major League Soccer. The ’A’ League's 14 other clubs, have such a feeder arrangement and thus the players have something to shoot for. Our local lads, who for the most part, are Vancouver Metro league Premier Division over-achievers, are forced to grab a metal bird and seek their fame and fortune in Europe with “snowballs chance” type results. Cap defender Rick Titus has managed to escape to Colorado. Striker Jason Jordan failed to grab an open import spot in Colorado or San Jose and now must be satisfied to become one of the vaulted “boys of summer” with no hope of improving his lot in life for the time being. Midfield sensation Johnny Sulentic is hoping to break into Croatian football on his extended try out for NK Zagreb, but that is as likely to happen as Todd Bertuzzi becoming a ballet instructor. The ‘A ‘league Campaign kicked off on Friday the 19th of April with 18 squads opening for business, which is considerably down from the up to 28 teams that the league boasted several years back. The Whitecaps are in the Pacific division along with favorites Seattle, Portland, Calgary and El Paso. The Northeast division may be the toughest. Toronto, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Rochester. By the way Daren Tilley formerly of Vancouver is back with Toronto. The Central division- Minnesota, Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Indiana. The Southeast division – Charleston, Richmond, Atlanta, Charlotte and Hampton. There is also a 3rd Division of 18 teams refereed to as the Premier Development ‘3’, in which the Whitecaps have no club. It’s mystifying that the Caps have no proper reserve squad and have chosen not to even enter a team in the Pacific Coast league. The Whitecaps have also been silent regarding their interest in entering a team in the Super Y-League (Youth), which is also a by-product of the United Soccer Leagues. Last summer the caps had some encouraging success with just such a squad in keeping with then GM Bob Lenaduzzi’s vision of a European style club system. The Women’s side of the equation, the Breakers, are looking forward to the upcoming season even though their games have no relevance in creating playing opportunities in the W-League. The Breakers for a while thought they had no league to play in as it was decided after last season that because of travel costs it was too expensive to participate. Instead of being involved in a series of tournaments and friendlies the Breakers will compete in an un-official women’s 2nd division circuit with the hope that a proper league format will appear in the future. It’s unfortunate that there is no proper semi-pro or pro structure existing in this wide and great land. CSA boss Kevin Pipe try as he might doesn’t have the resources or deep pocket partners to pull off a miracle. Sure there has been talk of a Canadian pro league coming into play by next year but that has been greeted with a collective yawn. Hey Kevin, they say there’s also an asteroid headed our way .It will hit in about 800 years. The US soccer federation whether we like it or not represents Canada’s only organizational club option. If you’re a player, forget about trying to get an American pay check out of it. Maybe that’s why the US is number 13 and we’re 74 in FIFA's soccer rankings. It kind of reminds one of how Canada loves to help our friend to the south in Afghanistan. And what do we get out of it?…a laser guided bomb. E-mail the writer vb11240@hotmail.com.

 

[CDK]

I guess L'eco D'italia columnist Vic Bianchin didn't see that Croatia A / Inter game a while back when Sulentic took the piss out of the I-Ties. He has the technical skills to play at the Croatian top level. The only question is his desire to succeed there.

Croatia A's Tommy Babic once played for this very same team in Croatia that Johnny Sulentic is trying out for...

 

[Gomesy16]

Friendly

Caps vs Seattle Sounders

Seattle won 3-2.

The Caps were missing a lot of players, including Steve Kindell, Johnny Sulentic, Alfredo Valente, Oliver Heald, Nico Caveiro, and Chris Caveiro. Seattle had pretty much their full squad.

The game was played on the hard turf in Kent, Washington.

All in all, not a bad showing by the Whitecaps on the road.

 

[Regs]

Season Opener 2002

Caps 1
Minnesota 0

JJ with the only goal and Larkin with the shutout.

Anyone from TTP go?

~TB.

 

[Yoda]

Fibuless, who plays with the Tryhards, said he went he thought the Whitecaps looked weak but their keeper was stellar.

Your thoughts?

 

[Jimmy Holiday]

Larkin Factor

He was stellar in the pipes,saved a pk early on and made some very big saves down the stretch!

As for the team,they didn't look that sharp but were missing a few guys like Clarkey,Nico,Alfredo,Niall and Chris Craviero.
Sulentic is still away,they do miss his creativity!

All in all,they got the win and will only get better.The Canteburry court was buzzing and The Proclaimers were awesome!

5800 in attendance,thought the turnout would of been better!

 

[Jinky]

The Whitecaps suspended Sulentic today.

Whatever that means.

 

[sensei_hanson]

what it means....

Is that white is indeed the colour. Apparently you're to bleed it. Even if you're trying to secure a pretty sweet deal overseas. So I assume Sulentic is currently signed with the Whitecaps. He must be. Otherwise, suspending him from the team is about as useful as suspending me from the team. And that's not very useful.

I hear Stadnyk will sign one of the Proclaimers to replace Johnny. Gotta milk that one for all it's worth.

I also understand negotiations with Right Said Fred are in the works for the new single "I'm Too Sexy (For Swanguard)".

Soccer is the game,
-Sensei.

 

[Hands of Stone]

Suspended, Go straight to Croatia and do not Collect your $200 dollhairs a week

I have also heard that the Looney Bird is under investigation for taking a very young Kilt wearing girl home from the match.

HOSwouldwalk500miles

 

[CDK]

From what I hear, he's doing well with the club that will be playing Champions League in the upcomming season. The Whitecaps will have to be pretty stupid to not play him if he comes back though. He is training at a very high level right now, alongside some very talented players. One of whom will be making over a million GBP with a French Club next season. The worst thing that can come of this is that he will be a much better player if he returns.

 

[Jimmy Holiday]

Sulentic

They just suspended his pay because he's obviously not playing while being under contract.

I'm sure they will welcome him with open arms when/if he returns.

 

[Dude]

Stadnyk- out!

So, Stadnyk is out! Lenarduzzi back in!

What a joke this has all become. At least we won't have to listen to the daily flip flops of Stadnyk.

What, really, is the future of the team? I can't see this continuing...not enough public support.

What happened to Stadnyk, anyhow? Last year he was the new, big stud on campus, with ownership interest in both the Whitecaps, and Vancouver Ravens. First, he drops the Ravens. Now, he bails on the Whitecaps. It sounds to me like this guy has lost too many times on his outside-of-sports business dealings.

 

[sensei_hanson]

David "Enron" Stadnyk has really done well for himself over the past few months.

I understand that Stadnyk has relinquished all ties to the team - they're now operated by the A-League, with Lenarduzzi assuming all GM duties.

"Red is the color, bankruptcy is the game"

How sad.

In an effort to save money, the team will now be forced to sell cost-effective products in their vendors. Club Z Cola and Safeway Select Soda will now take over from Coke and Pepsi. Mr. Pibb replaces Dr. Pepper, and Orange Crush will now be "Orange Drink".

Want a succulent Swanguard Hamburger? Not after you taste the new "Compressed Meat Product Burger". Mmmmmm....pig snout......

In other cost-cutting moves, bench boss Tony Fonseca will now triple his productivity as director of ticket sales and head custodial engineer.

Even the beloved Looney Bird didn't make the cut, as he will be replaced by the new fan-friendly mascot - "Fat Guy in an extra-small 86ers jersey, who will work for Frosted Malts"

 

[Hands of Stone]

Looking for a New Owner

This is very interesting, who out there has the money to throw away on the Caps.

Perhaps it is time for one of the major Companies that we all support, to throw their hat in the Caps ownership game.
How about Umbro owning the team, they have said that the sale of Caps kit was huge for the soccer company. Could they make it work, and would the exposure they would get from ownership, help the company that much. It would be great public relations for the company, and you hope people support a company that is supporting/owning our local pro-soccer teams.

If this is not the answer, perhaps public ownership is the answer, I am not sure if this has worked with a pro-soccer team before, but I think it has worked for some other small market sports franchises. People could buy stocks in the Team/Club at a reasonable price, and in turn would head down to Swangard and support the club.
The price of buying the stock could include season tickets, that would be renewed every year to hold ownership of this stock.
The plus side to this is that your money towards the tickets goes into the club, so you get more than just the entertainment value of the season tickets, you have a small share of ownership.

If the public would get involved with ownership, why could the public who owns the team not ask the govt. for some of this Lottery money that may go to the Nucks, and I have heard some money from lotteries could go to the Olympic 2010 bid.
Lottery money to a local team with almost 100% local players and management would be the perfect answer for this team right now. But not if Stadnyc is the owner, happy to see him gone, with all his cost cutting ways.

HOShopestheCapscanbeSaved

 

[Dude]

HOS ideas

Interesting...

I think a combination of your ideas could work.

1. Stock options, exactly as you’ve outlined.
2. A conglomeration of local business that would conceivably have co-op advertising interest in the team.

Consider that the Whitecaps lose ~$350,000.00 / year (this number may be a bit exaggerated, but realistic). Divide that by 10 local companies, that comes down to a budget of $35,000.00 / year. Basically, this loss would be written off as an advertising expense, and the company would have pretty much unlimited use of the Whitecaps name & facility for advertising and cross promotion. It seems to me that $35,000.00 / year is a fairly reasonable yearly budget for a medium-to-large local company to invest, if it can be justified as a reasonable advertising value. Companies like Umbro, The Keg, & Save-On Foods may actually see this as a value.

Of course, to make this work, you would need one of the companies to hold majority ownership (i.e.: 11%) to make this work, and that company would have to be seen as clearly in charge, and control. For example, that company could be ProWave, directed by Leonard Bobarduzzi.

Anyhoo…just a thought…

DudewouldliketoseetheWhitecapscaaryonindeffinetly

 

[Hands of Stone]

Signing of Dasovic Great move by Bobby

Where did he get the money to sign this guy.
I know that Nick was let go by St. Johnstone and will be looking for a new team next year, but I think he would still want more than the $500 a week that the WhiteCaps are giving guys these days.
I guess if the league approves it, it's thier money, than Bobby can sign all kinds of new players, esp. if guys are leaving for greener pastures.

He should really help the team that has struggled at home.

HOS

 

[Dude]

Maybe because Sulentic and Jordan appear to be moving on, which frees up $$$.

 

[knvb]

Apparently Jason Jordan can't go play in Colorado because the Caps and Colorado can't agree on compensation. Caps need to get their heads out of their asses.....

Why would they hold this guy back? How well will JJ play for the Caps knowing they are holding him back?

 

[Dude]

Agree. Stupid management decisions.

On a related note, I heard Tony Waiters on Sports Talk last night, discussing a new 8-10 team CSL type loop that is in the works. He claims it will be up and running within 3 years, possibly two.

Anyone know any more about this model? Sounds a little too familiar to me, but then, we do need a solid Pro league in Canada if we ever hope to qualify for the WC.