David Fellerath ·
29 Oct 2009, 7:22 PM ·
4 Comments
Can Gregory Richardson, shown here scooting past USL-1 player of the year Cristian Arrieta of the Puerto Rico Islanders, lead the RailHawks into a successful new league? (Photo by Jeremy M. Lange)
In an interview Thursday afternoon, Carolina RailHawks president Brian Wellman confirmed that the dissident group of USL-1 club owners known as the Team Owners Association (TOA) would be submitting an application to the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) to form a new league.
“We’ll be submitting an application to USSF for a new league as soon as tomorrow,” Wellman said in a phone interview from Charleston, S.C., where he was meeting with Andrew Bell, president of the USL-1 Charleston Battery, to coordinate the scheduling of friendlies next season.
“Nothing’s changed as far as the teams go,” Wellman said of the composition of the proposed new league. The TOA consists of five former USL-1 clubs (Minnesota , Miami FC, Montreal, Vancouver and Carolina) and three ownership groups (in Atlanta, Tampa Bay and St. Louis).
Wellman suggested that the TOA has heard from other member prospects, as well.* “We have at least one conversation a day with people representing new markets. Even without media coverage [of the dispute], there’s a lot of interest in the league.”
Furthermore, Wellman left open the possibility that the new league might follow the FIFA calendar, playing during the winter months.
If the TOA settles on a winter schedule, Wellman said, “It wouldn’t be this winter. It would start sometime in the summer, and prorate as our fiscal year went along.” Continue reading »
Carolina RailHawks, Soccer Alec Papadakis, Atlanta, Christian Arrieta, CONCACAF, Daniel Paladini, EPL, FIFA, Gregory Richardson, Mexican first division, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact, New England Revolution, NuRock, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, TOA, USL, USSF, Vancouver Whitecaps, Wilmington Hammerheads, Winter schedule
Kate Shefte ·
29 Oct 2009, 2:08 AM ·
1 Comment
{Insert witty, overused variant of "St. Louis gives 'Canes the Blues" caption here.} Photo by Peggy Boone, IndyWeekBlogs.
RBC CENTER/ RALEIGH—File this one under the “pathetic” category and call it a night.
The evening celebrated 10 years of Hurricanes hockey in the RBC Center – the first game in the building took place 10 years ago tomorrow – but there wasn’t much for the home crowd to celebrate in the ‘Canes’ seventh straight loss, one in which they came out strong but quickly fell flat. It was one of those games where, even though the home team trailed by two in the third, it seemed like much more.
The Blues, 12th in the West, made a mockery of Cam Ward’s goals-against, scoring four goals on 18 shots and added an empty netter en route to a 5-2 victory.
Since we’re on the topic of reasons Carolina is mired in this streak of horrendous play, here’s another reason – an inability to recover and learn from past mistakes. The ‘Canes have now given up two goals in less than a minute in five of 11 games this season. Perhaps they’ve taken a page out of N.C. State football’s game plan and let their team defense turn to mush. (I’m not bitter, swear.)
Both teams came for a fight in the first period and a hockey game broke out. Before the seventh minute had passed there were two circling, barefisted one-on-one fights featuring Jay Harrison and Brad Winchester and, later on, Tim Conboy and longtime NHL tough guy Cam Janssen.
In trying to stop the endless march to the penalty box – the ‘Canes are first in the league in penalty minutes and on pace to more than double last year’s season total – the new theory seemed to be, “if I’m going to the box, I’d might as well take one of them with me.” Harrison and Winchester unleashed their fists of fury three minutes in before things really started. Harrison got in a few good punches before both men fell to the ice.
Conboy vs. Janssen was far less exciting. Janssen got a hold of Conboy early, but Conboy ducked so far away he couldn’t get a good shot in. That one ended in a stalemate.
David Perron scored off a rebound while the majors expired. Three Blues players broke out from the boards after a session of little kid soccer – everyone standing in a circle, kicking it around without it ever really going anywhere – along the boards and before the ‘Canes really seemed to know what happened, Ward turned away a shot, Ray Whitney cleanly missed sweeping away the rebound and Perron put it behind Ward.
Continue reading »
Carolina Hurricanes, Hockey Blues, Cam Ward, David Perron, losing streak, Mo, Paul Maurice, postgame, St. Louis
