Do the Pats have a GM?

Do they have a coach?

Do they have a team?

Do they have a front office?

I have not been here in a very long time but it seems neither has anyone else.

This team seems to be one of the last to open its front office and have tryouts each year...and usually gives players about 24 hour notice which isn't too bad if you live in EP and don't have a life otherwise.

Last I heard was that there was a question of whether or not there was going to be a team or, at best, was it going to be a D3 team.

Chewy, you still around?

El Paso has a team. El Paso will play in 2003.

The new coach has not been named yet. A GM is not named and may not. Diana Cervantes is running things now under her daddy's eyes. Doing a good job too. The front office is changing dramatically. More people.

Players have been in contact with the team. Most will be back for next year. a few new faces as well. Omar Mora is doing extremely well in Mexico, but may not be back until June or not at all. Mike Griego is still stuggling to recover from a knee injury before the season started. and the Brazilians will be back.

The new schedule will help the team save money. It will be a neat suprise for all.

El Paso has great potential to succeed and push for a chamionship if a quality coach is brought in.

To Mr. Cervantes, my best wishes and gell well soon. He dislocated his elbow yesterday playing at Dudley.

No word on where they will play yet. It could be the Sunbowl. Negotiations are still in the works.

Are we going to see any changes in strategy at EP? Is the team going to try and field a group of players that can realistically compete with the makeup of the rest of the league? Or, are they going their own way despite the fact it has gone nowhere these past few years?

I feel they fielded players that could contend last year. They just started to jell and get going when the organization changed the coach, again. that was the problem last year. The coach ruined the team. He couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag. He completely took the team out of any opportunity to finish higher and advance in the playoffs.

Bottom line, the right leadership here can and will make a very successful team. Without it it will be the same old patriots.

I hope and pray I am proved wrong, but I feel we are in for more of the same. I wonder who they will bring in as coach? (What coach would want to come in considering the Pats past?) They should just give the job to Chuy Enriquez.

Does anyone know if Dominic Schell is working in the front office? I thought I heard somewhere that he was going to be working there.

Aaahhhhhh! That was a nice winter's nap. We're all just starting to wake up here, but it's hard with temperatures in the high 60's.

No, Dominic Schell is not working in the front office. Don't know if he'll be back or not -- he seemed to like it here and I believe the team liked him, too.

Should be word within a week as to whether or not the Patriots will play at the Sun Bowl. Hope it happens as UTEP's special events staff has many contacts and better financing to help promote events at their place, which will include the Pats if they can work a deal.

I agree with Dociceit, Diana's doing a great job keeping the biz running. No coach yet, but most of last year's squad will indeed be back. Good to see a receptionist in the office during the off-season, too.

This will be a key season for the Patriots if they get into the Sun Bowl. If they get into the big stadium, Enrique Cervantes wants to see improvement in the crowds this season or he may well drop the team to third division in 2004. If the Pats (and UTEP) can get the crowds, it'll open up more opportunities for the team in succeeding seasons. In other words, for better or worse, look for the Patriots to play things close to the vest in terms of coach and team once again.

without some expenditures in promotion/advertising, can anyone really expect an increase in attendance at the Sun Bowl?


Is it better situated in town?

Just a nicer place that will attract a crowd?

What is the competition like from acrross the border? Are there not at least two teams over there?


Or will the shear size make any crowd look pitiful?

Part of the fun is being there with a crowd of fellow fanatics (except I could do without it but am realistic enough to know you need crowds to pay for the team etc.).

I'd argue the point made where someone said EP "could contend". We had a couple of discussions on lack of professionalism and plain fact that the rest of the league is generally much bigger and (I think they said) much faster.

Yes, "Small" players can be effective but usually in conjuction with some bigger players on the team. The ol' "David vs Goliath" thing gets old.

The rest of the league is going with size often matched with speed.

Will El Paso contend? After talking with Mr. Cervantes I don't know. Most of the team will be back. He is going to keep things mostly local, (El Paso, Las Cruces, Juarez players). The team does have a good releationship with the Juarez Cobras. I expect a couple of players coming from there after their season is over.

Talking with Dominic When he was in town last weekend he feels he will be back. He likes it here and has a girlfriend in town. He has a few players he has played with in the past that he is trying to bring in.

The coach, who knows, it could be anyone from me to you to mickey mouse. That we wont know until March. Mr. C is concetrating on his soccer acadamy at the moment. He has about 180 kids there. His brother Hector and Jesus Enriquez are running that venture. I do hope for the organizations sake they do not have Jesus be the coach. I have my personal reasons and wont state them here, but he is NOT the man for the job.

I do belileve that if this team is to compete and contend it needs a coach that will bring some discipline and professionalism to the team. Too many of the younger guys have no idea what it is to be a pro. And this team has always had problems with discipline on and off the field. Maybe I should say professionalism instead of discipline because if you are a professional you don't have to worry about discipline. But look at teh number of cards and ejections for the Pats. You can see that they are ALWAYS at the top of the league in that catagory.

I just gotta believe. this team and city has so much potential for soccer. It would be a shame to see it drop down to D3. But, at this time the city and sponsors are burned out on minor league teams.

I'm rambling now. We'll see what happens. I'm hopeful, but tired of losing.