Oh boy, but its been raining, and raining, and raining... past 3-4 days, think the island might float to the mainland. I do hope things start to clear up for the 29th soon, or else its gonna be a wet and muddy opening day.

As for our team, this has to be the most solid group of pros the island has seen yet. I really like our chances to start winning right away from game 1. I think as the season goes on this team will be a force to reckon with and that we might actually see an attendance boost. If the Islanders prove they belong and actually make a playoff run it might just become its own animal in terms of popularity down here.

Cheers, MM

Well, at least the rain helps the grass grow. There are still a couple of clears, although overall the pitch looks great!

Yo vivo a 2 minutos del Loubriel y ese dia voy a guiar hasta Sagrado Corazon pa estrenar el tren jejjeje

Less than a week!!! I read on the article on the website that said several of the home games are going to be televised locally.

If I supply the videotapes and pay for the shipping, any chance that one of you guys can ship a Brutha tapes of the games???

I would love to have the 2 games against Montreal on tape. Would pay for tapes and postage of course...

My cable company doesnt have that channel
If I find someone Ill let u know.

Only 4 days and two hours.
I can't wait!!!!!
I dont care about the rain, cause we always win in rainy days. The only thing that worries me is that Salles ain't playing in the first game. I hope the new guys can make a good job without him.

What is wrong with Salles?

http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/suspensions/index_E.html

Well i guess that impacts and islanders have a big loss in the first game, no brazilian!
No Salles, No ZeRoberto till May 1

that kind of sucks!

We still have McAthy, Bardales and Woolfolk

I saw the Montreal Impact while I was driving home from work near the beach. I circled around and then yelled out my window "ISLANDERS WOOOOOH! Gonna kick your ***!" A few of em stopped and stared as my red Durango drove off from the scene of the crime. I got a good chuckle after that and my girlfriend was like, "Oh... my... God... tell me you didn't do that!" "I sure did honey, I sure did..." Lol!

It has stopped raining and we actually have decent weather last couple of days. I don't have a clue how opening night will be in terms of weather but I pray for a good one.

PS: The Impact have some pretty tall players on that team.

We saw the first tv pictures here in Montreal from today's Impact practice. The field was in pretty bad shape and they were cutting the grass in the middle of training...In any case, we'll be ready on Friday...

The field in bad shape?

That wasn't Loubriel Stadium for sure. At least to me, the pitch looked fine.

Fraubel, Mighty, etc. It'd be cool to meet y'all, unless I already know ya but have no clue...

Not 100% sure, but I heard practices where at Buchanan......someone correct me if Im wrong :p

No, it's not Loubriel. Could it be the stadium used for the pan am games a while back?

Hey man I am up for meeting anyone in PR for the games as is my girlfriend. As for where they are practising I haven't a clue but its possible that they may be in that Pan Am games stadium near old San Juan which is largely left uncept from what I gather.

PS: I received an email from FIFA that shook my world, I am going to the first round of World Cup 2006 games for the USA... thank you very much! WOOT!

I read The Impact were practicing at Sixto Escobar Stadium in San Juan. The pitch at this venue is ussually unkept as it is seldom used for soccer.

If any of the other locals posting here fancy meeting me at the game look for the old timer with the ridiculously small pony tail. I go as Vicente in the real world. I will be there for the fourteen 2005 games.

Read you later!

And any post season game at Loubriel Stadium!!!!!!

Starting lineup, perhaps??

G: Kennedy
D: Alexis, Gores, Maliza (Zuleta may be hurt IIRC), and Velez
M: Gonzalez, Mime, Juninho Da Silva, and Saito Nieves
F: McAthy and Bardales, perhaps?

MY guess:

G: Kennedy
D: Alexis, Gores, Velez, Mime (I would rather see Maliza in m.f. than d.)
M:Gonzalez, Maliza,Da Silva,Saito
F:McAthy, Woolfolk (I read yesterday Bardales is suspended for this game)

I do not know how Irrera has played since he arrived but he could be in for Saito anytime soon. I think Saito is a very good substitution half way or late in the game but I just do not see him as a starter all season in this league.

Sunday is a whole new slate, Salles and Bardales will be available.Maradona will have seen how the players fared today.He could make adjustments.

Any other ideas?

Yeivo's lineup looks like the most probable for tonight. But who knows.

I wish that I could be there to see the game in person. Or that I could see it on tv or video.

Yeivo nailed it. I came close.

BTW: breaking news, we have a new guy who played, too: Noah Delgado... where the # did he come from?

Eloy Ramos also was on the bench tho didn't play.

We came out in white instead of Italia blue... oh, and silver numbers to boot, which under the right (wrong) light were unreadable.

Delgado came from Rochester (2004), before that with Syracuse (2003), before that with Portland (2002).

After the game it rained like it was NOAH'S ARK again. Coincidence??? >D

He played, and I think he did pretty good, Noah I mean. Strong, pretty fast and like Nike....No Fear. I think I like him for 25 to 30 min. subs. This is good, we need a deeper bench.

Dan Kennedy for TOTW....10 saves on friday and I predict a shotout tomorrow (fingers crossed)....