@mddeblois.bsky.social
Seems like an age ago that he scored 5 in one game for the USYNT U17s. Good for him for finding a way to continue to contribute positively over what has now been a long and winding road - 32 now!
November 15, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Seems like an age ago that he scored 5 in one game for the USYNT U17s. Good for him for finding a way to continue to contribute positively over what has now been a long and winding road - 32 now!
I should remember this but, to be honest, I was more focused on the Senators at the time. Frank Howard, Eddie Brinkman and, beginning in 1969 - Ted Williams as their manager! He taught the team how to hit and they actually had a winning season.
November 13, 2025 at 1:55 PM
I should remember this but, to be honest, I was more focused on the Senators at the time. Frank Howard, Eddie Brinkman and, beginning in 1969 - Ted Williams as their manager! He taught the team how to hit and they actually had a winning season.
Michelle Kang definitely is the difference. The Spirit really pay attention and commit to the details that connect the team to the community and make it easy for people to come out and and support the team in large numbers.
November 12, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Michelle Kang definitely is the difference. The Spirit really pay attention and commit to the details that connect the team to the community and make it easy for people to come out and and support the team in large numbers.
Welcome to the world of lower league success!
November 11, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Welcome to the world of lower league success!
They could borrow from the Colorado Caribous kits from the old NASL days!
November 11, 2025 at 8:49 PM
They could borrow from the Colorado Caribous kits from the old NASL days!
I think the first 10 years of this new USL are going to be a mix of crazy energy toward growth mixed with crazy falls from teams reaching too far. Texoma appears to be all of it in one club. I expect the energy to continue, but I also don’t see the craziness going away either.
November 6, 2025 at 8:26 PM
I think the first 10 years of this new USL are going to be a mix of crazy energy toward growth mixed with crazy falls from teams reaching too far. Texoma appears to be all of it in one club. I expect the energy to continue, but I also don’t see the craziness going away either.
Every week there are one or more new announcements about a new club joining the USL pro world or an old club going in the wrong direction. It will be interesting to see the percentage of clubs that are on their way up vs down. Also, how many old and new clubs are sustainable in the new environment?
November 6, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Every week there are one or more new announcements about a new club joining the USL pro world or an old club going in the wrong direction. It will be interesting to see the percentage of clubs that are on their way up vs down. Also, how many old and new clubs are sustainable in the new environment?
Unanimous vote despite half the voices speaking out against it. Surely, this is convenient to me and my agenda - I just hope that pushing this through so quickly doesn’t backfire at some point. Regardless, I am rooting for them to succeed.
November 5, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Unanimous vote despite half the voices speaking out against it. Surely, this is convenient to me and my agenda - I just hope that pushing this through so quickly doesn’t backfire at some point. Regardless, I am rooting for them to succeed.
This does not appear to be a self aware decision. I would admire them if they stated a plan for working towards the first division - improving local marketing, ticket sales, infrastructure, stadium, etc., but shutting down while they make all of those leaps at once seems a harder, riskier road.
November 4, 2025 at 3:40 PM
This does not appear to be a self aware decision. I would admire them if they stated a plan for working towards the first division - improving local marketing, ticket sales, infrastructure, stadium, etc., but shutting down while they make all of those leaps at once seems a harder, riskier road.
There almost appears to be a race to fill the upper 3 tiers’ spots while they are available. At some point, these levels will get saturated with clubs and ambitious new clubs will turn to organizing the levels below the top three leagues with the intent of getting promoted into the top 3 tiers.
November 1, 2025 at 3:32 PM
There almost appears to be a race to fill the upper 3 tiers’ spots while they are available. At some point, these levels will get saturated with clubs and ambitious new clubs will turn to organizing the levels below the top three leagues with the intent of getting promoted into the top 3 tiers.
One of my favorite things about the current USL climate is that teams self-relegate or self-delay their startup when they realize they are in over their heads. It is self awareness - an important step on the pathway to promotion/relegation.
October 30, 2025 at 12:07 AM
One of my favorite things about the current USL climate is that teams self-relegate or self-delay their startup when they realize they are in over their heads. It is self awareness - an important step on the pathway to promotion/relegation.
This was always a trip game for Madison. Congrats to Richmond for a nice result at the end of a disappointing season.
October 26, 2025 at 1:00 AM
This was always a trip game for Madison. Congrats to Richmond for a nice result at the end of a disappointing season.
There must be a good joke about Sharktopus and the long arms of justice…or something, but I guess this is very serious to them if they are filing an official complaint. I would think you would need clear and obvious evidence in the eyes of who they are appealing to which is a very high bar to meet.
October 18, 2025 at 5:05 AM
There must be a good joke about Sharktopus and the long arms of justice…or something, but I guess this is very serious to them if they are filing an official complaint. I would think you would need clear and obvious evidence in the eyes of who they are appealing to which is a very high bar to meet.
She is a really interesting problem solver - a great combination of strong possession concentration with one eye always looking for penetration possibilities. You can’t ever relax on the one hand or over commit on the other. Her ability to maintain elite match awareness belies her age.
October 15, 2025 at 6:48 PM
She is a really interesting problem solver - a great combination of strong possession concentration with one eye always looking for penetration possibilities. You can’t ever relax on the one hand or over commit on the other. Her ability to maintain elite match awareness belies her age.
Wow! At a time when the City of Modesto are trying to build a soccer stadium and join USL, it is important to remember that this element of club will always exist in any city. Fortunately for all of us, these kinds of clubs are drawn to and find a home in NISA - that is now NISA’s function.
October 13, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Wow! At a time when the City of Modesto are trying to build a soccer stadium and join USL, it is important to remember that this element of club will always exist in any city. Fortunately for all of us, these kinds of clubs are drawn to and find a home in NISA - that is now NISA’s function.
They certainly don’t respect the sport - on any level. They see being cynical as what the smart people do.
October 13, 2025 at 2:33 AM
They certainly don’t respect the sport - on any level. They see being cynical as what the smart people do.
We mis-understand what a great coach is. A great coach puts the journey of the players first - not their own. The evidence of a great coach can't just be measured in wins and losses - it has to be measured differently for every single team and player they coach - that doesn't work on sports center.
October 9, 2025 at 11:24 AM
We mis-understand what a great coach is. A great coach puts the journey of the players first - not their own. The evidence of a great coach can't just be measured in wins and losses - it has to be measured differently for every single team and player they coach - that doesn't work on sports center.
Sacramento Republic are much more impressive to me live than online or in highlights. They have a refusal to lose gear that is incredibly impressive to see in person.
October 2, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Sacramento Republic are much more impressive to me live than online or in highlights. They have a refusal to lose gear that is incredibly impressive to see in person.
I see them all areas where there was never any crime, but I think that is better than areas where there is crime because they are completely unfamiliar with the histories of the neighborhoods and the people that inhabit them so they would actually cause more problems there.
September 30, 2025 at 10:39 AM
I see them all areas where there was never any crime, but I think that is better than areas where there is crime because they are completely unfamiliar with the histories of the neighborhoods and the people that inhabit them so they would actually cause more problems there.
Audi Field is one of the best locations for a soccer stadium in the country. The Spirit are showing how much of an asset it can be as a home field. The only problem for DC United is that you have to want to be good at soccer for the model to work and that starts from the top.
September 16, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Audi Field is one of the best locations for a soccer stadium in the country. The Spirit are showing how much of an asset it can be as a home field. The only problem for DC United is that you have to want to be good at soccer for the model to work and that starts from the top.
I didn’t say that the Open Cup built the game - you threw that in completely yourself. Typically, people do that when they are in argument mode. Based on what you’ve said, you would be better served by expanding your thinking, not narrowing it.
September 3, 2025 at 6:54 PM
I didn’t say that the Open Cup built the game - you threw that in completely yourself. Typically, people do that when they are in argument mode. Based on what you’ve said, you would be better served by expanding your thinking, not narrowing it.
They do in Europe because it is best for the game, but they don’t do it here because they are way too ego centric and don’t realize that building the game will make their league stronger than possible with their current approach. It is a giant blind spot.
September 3, 2025 at 6:31 PM
They do in Europe because it is best for the game, but they don’t do it here because they are way too ego centric and don’t realize that building the game will make their league stronger than possible with their current approach. It is a giant blind spot.
Placing the games on weeknights makes it worse. They can make the Open Cup better by playing the games on weekends. If they have schedule congestion, they can cancel Leagues Cup which the Liga MX clubs already don’t take seriously. All problems solved.
September 3, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Placing the games on weeknights makes it worse. They can make the Open Cup better by playing the games on weekends. If they have schedule congestion, they can cancel Leagues Cup which the Liga MX clubs already don’t take seriously. All problems solved.
I would rather watch stuff that grows the game. This regresses the game. It is moving the game away from competition and instead toward spectacle. You can get a lot of casual fans when you have Messi in your league, but if this is what you do with it, you wasted the opportunity to get better.
September 1, 2025 at 1:58 AM
I would rather watch stuff that grows the game. This regresses the game. It is moving the game away from competition and instead toward spectacle. You can get a lot of casual fans when you have Messi in your league, but if this is what you do with it, you wasted the opportunity to get better.