...the Stars would be in second place in their conference and would make the play-offs. I guess I cannot comment on how the Stars did today--thanks to White Castle Baltimore not getting their WWWcast up and running, however, I think the Stars are playing some good soccer right now.

This team has come along way from the beginning of the year when they dropped their first scrimmage to Shattuck-St. Mary. You also have to look at their first match against Vancouver. Their starting GK goes down just before half. "Papa" Joe Warren steps in and has done an excellent job. There was a vocal minority telling everyone how pathetic this team was. I think some even made the erronous assumption that they would be lucky to win one match.

Come on you Stars--keep working hard. Keep proving the critics wrong. See you at the Nessy on 7/4!

BUT...They are not being held today, so enjoy the rest of the season.

Pro-Rated Standings based on Points Per Game after matches on Sat Jun 26:
2.14 Austin
1.69 Rochester
1.62 Vancouver
1.50 Tampa Bay
1.42 Montreal
1.36 Carolina
1.25 Minnesota
1.23 Portland
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
OUT OF PLAY OFFS
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1.18 Puerto Rico
1.00 Miami
0.92 Baltimore
0.73 St Louis

Thank you. Good thing, too. Or I would be a double loser.
No make that triple loser with Real Maryland struggling...

We are surely and steadily climbing up the prorated standings as the season wears on. Considering that many teams have ruthless schedules left to make up for the games we have in hand, I am liking our chances.

Sadly, I don't see Tampa staying so high, nor do I think Puerto Rico is a bottom feeder.

Nonetheless, we are kicking Barracuda FC and AC Clip Art to the curb!

If the playoffs were held today, it would be odd because it's Monday.

The Stars got some help tonight in the play-off hunt. Carolina beat Montreal 2-0, and right now Austin is beating the Tampa Bay SuperRookies 4-2 (they are currently in the seond half). Miami also managed a second half goal to tie PR Islanders 1-1. Let's just hope the Stars can start getting some wins down the strech and secure a play-off spot!

Plus, the Islanders are now completely devoting their season to the CONCACAF Champion's league, right? That gives the Stars one more week to put them further back.

I note the latest "Soccer by Ives" power rankings. Quite frankly, I think this is pretty realistic of how things will end this season. However, it is cool they still have the Stars in a play-off spot, and that would be a good thing for the Stars.

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_iv...ek-17.html#more

According to Ives we have now moved up to #6. Come on you Stars--pull some JW7 "luck cards" and get 3 points vs. Vancouver this weekend!

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_iv...ek-18.html#more

Look at what's back!

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/USA/USSFD2.html

I would like to see what his formula said last September about Real Salt Lake's chances of winning the 2009 MLS Cup.

Well, since this formula is purely for playoff chances I think your question is irrelevant.

Its just a simple formula that relates goals scored and conceded to win percentage, then extrapolates until the end of the season. It could easily be applied to a playoff scenario.

I don't think anyone could logically argue that RSL didn't defy the odds by winning the MLS Cup last year. Salt Lake City's Spanish king must be proud.

Soccer by Ives: Week 19 Power Rankings

I see the Stars are down to #8--one spot below FC SuperRookie. Come on you Stars!

After games through Sun Aug 22, the Stars would not make the playoffs.

Pro-Rated Standings based on Points Per Game:
2.10 Austin
1.92 Rochester
1.63 Vancouver
1.48 Portland
1.41 Carolina
1.32 Puerto Rico
1.17 Tampa Bay
1.17 Montreal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
OUT OF PLAY OFF SPOTS
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1.12 Minnesota
1.00 Baltimore
0.96 St Louis
0.83 Miami

I think everything is starting to become more clear regarding the play-off picture now that the "games played" has evened up. There were also some interesting developments with AC St. Louis and Tampa each getting a point this weekend. Based on the remaining schedules of the teams, it looks like it will take about 35 points to make the play-offs. COME ON YOU STARS!!!

http://www.nasl.com/page/2010-ussf-d-2-standings

Gotta like our chances now with 6pts clear, but one more win would be huge. Looking at the schedule a lot of folks think that the Tampa game is pivotal (it is), but let's not forget that Montreal might also be on the chopping block if they lose to Tampa and Austin...

Remaining schedule:

Stars:
Vancouver @ Stars
Stars @ Rowdies

Tampa:
Austin @ Tampa
Tampa @ Montreal
Stars @ Tampa
Baltimore @ Tampa

Montreal:
Tampa @ Montreal
Montreal @ Vancouver
Austin @ Montreal

GO STARS!

What I would like to happen is: NSC win out and finish on 40 pts; Carolina to lose out (or draw with PR) and finish on 38 (or 39) pts; PR to lose out except against Carolina to finish on 37 or 39 pts; and Montreal to leave the USSF/CSA and join the FFF.

This would result in #4 Portland vs #5 NSC! Now go score some goals you Stars, dammit. It would be like a guaranteed semifinal berth for the Timbers too!

Tampa snatched a point in the 94th minute.

Argh.

Now the Stars really need to take points from Vancouver!

Lame.

Are you serious. I accidently closed my streaming browser window about 3 min. into extra time and figured it wasn't worth the time trying to get the feed going again. Arghhhh!

Beating the Whitecaps on Saturday is very duable. Have you noticed that the team is doing so much better since Del Do has come back. Come on you Stars.

It's Del Doable, if you will.

I'm here all week.

Stars win tonight and I think we are in the play-offs, right?

If the stars win tonight the Rowdies would need to win all three of their final games. They still have Montreal, NSC, and Baltimore. The Montreal game is in Montreal and the Impact are also dangerously close to not qualifying.

If Montreal wins and the Stars win then we are in as we would be 8pts clear with Tampa only having 2games remaining.

At the very minimum we need a point and a Montreal win. This would put everything on the Tampa vs. Stars game next Friday.

This is going to be a great game tonight, GO STARS!

If I am adding stuff up right, the Tampa Bay SuperRookies need to caputre all of their remaining 9 points to make the play-offs. The Stars will secure a play-off spot if they fail to get all of these points. I will certainly be watching the Tampa/Monteal match at 1pm on Sunday.

Come on you Stars!

Alright! 3 points, sooo we're currently 6th in the playoff standings, with 37 points, courtesy of the new Bracadelldo formation.

Who can get more than 37 points?

Montreal Impact have 34 pts and 3 games.
Puerto Rico have 36 pts and 2 games.

They're both likely to catch us, which would put us at 8th and still qualifying.

Tampa Bay have 29 pts and 3 games.
AC St Louis have 29 pts and 3 games.

Conceivably both teams could take all 9 points, which would bump us out. Assuming the Impact and Islanders don't fall to pieces, even one draw would put Tampa and St Louis out of the playoff running.

Is that right? That seems like a very rosy outlook for us. If we beat Tampa... that just makes it very comfortable.

"Bracadelldo " That's brilliant. I may use that in my story.

I can't stop laughing!

So here is the latest scenario:

The Stars would clinch a playoff spot if Tampa ties/loses at Montreal on Sunday AND St Louis ties/loses at Miami on Wednesday!

Matches & Scores:
-Sun Sep 19
<b>Montreal Impact v Tampa Bay Rowdies</b>
-Wed Sep 22
<b>Miami FC Blues v AC St Louis</b>
-Fri Sep 24
<b>FC Tampa Bay v NSC Minnesota Stars</b>
<b>Vancouver Whitecaps FC v Montreal Impact</b>
-Sat Sep 25
<b>Miami FC Blues v Rochester Rhinos</b>
<b>Crystal Palace Baltimore v Portland Timbers</b>
<b>Carolina RailHawks v Puerto Rico Islanders</b>
<b>Austin Aztex v AC St Louis</b>
-Fri Oct 1
<b>Carolina RailHawks v Austin Aztex</b>
<b>FC Tampa Bay v Crystal Palace Baltimore</b>
-Sat Oc 2
<b>Vancouver Whitecaps FC v Portland Timbers</b>
<b>AC St Louis v Rochester Rhinos</b>
<b>Miami FC Blues v Puerto Rico Islanders</b>
-Sun Oct 3
<b>Montreal Impact v Austin Aztex</b>

Standings (As of Sat Sep 18):
*51 Rochester - 28 played
*50 Austin - 27 played
*45 Portland - 28 played
*44 Vancouver - 28 played
*41 Carolina - 28 played
37 Minnesota - 29 played
36 Puerto Rico - 28 played
34 Montreal - 27 played
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
OUT OF PLAY OFF SPOTS
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
29 Tampa Bay - 27 played
29 St Louis - 27 played
26 Miami - 27 played
24 Baltimore - 28 played
*Qualified for the playoffs.


Pro-Rated Standings based on Points Per Game:
1.85 Austin
1.82 Rochester
1.61 Portland
1.57 Vancouver
1.46 Carolina
1.29 Puerto Rico
1.28 Minnesota
1.26 Montreal
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
OUT OF PLAY OFF SPOTS
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1.07 Tampa Bay
1.07 St Louis
0.96 Miami
0.86 Baltimore

Yesterday's results (Sept. 18)
Crystal Palace Baltimore 2:4 Carolina RailHawks
NSC Minnesota Stars 1:0 *Vancouver Whitecaps FC
AC St. Louis 2:1 *+Austin Aztex
Puerto Rico Islanders 0:1 *Portland Timbers

and of course a huge game today at 1:00 CT when FC Tampa Bay travel to Montreal to play the impact at a sold-out Stade Saputo.

Interesting to see Austin draw late in the game on Thursday to Tampa which must have felt like a loss and then the Aztex loss to St. Louis last night. Not a good time in the season to be doing that nor did that help MN's cause. So that's two games Austin has done us wrong.

Then of course we have Friday nights Rochester loss to Miami FC. Crazy stuff.

Rochester is now back in the 1st place in the USL Conference by 1-point over Austin. Also, with our win over the Whitecaps and the Railhawks win over Palace they are now within a game of drawing even with Vancouver for top spot in the USL Conference.

The race is getting interesting. Portland is starting to look the team that is peaking at the right time. In their last 8-games they are 5-0-3.

I would like to say MN is on a streak but it's a mini streak with 3-wins in a row. However, in the last 8-games we are 3-3-2. Next Friday's game is huge.

Anyone up for a watch party?

Screw that. Fly to Tampa and stay with us.

Montreal up by 2 at the half time.

Edit: Jesus, do no web-announcers know how microphones work? I think I'm listening to the Montreal English language commentators talking on the phone.

Also, they have a dance team out at half time. One of those dance troupes where they dance like they're mad at you. Hilarious.

We are super close to clinching a playoff spot with the egg that Tampa laid in Montreal today with a 3-0 loss!

I will be at the Sweetwater on 9/24! Tampa Bay would be fun, but I am in Washington, DC the following week, and then I am in trial the week after that one. Sorry SuperRookie, but I am going to have to take a pass. Come on you Stars!

Race for final playoff spot

Montreal Impact 37 pts

@ Vancouver
Home v Austin

NSC Minnesota 37 pts

@ FC Tampa Bay

Puerto Rico 36 pts

@ Carolina
@ Montreal

& competing in CONCACAF Champions League concurently

AC St Louis 29 pts

@ Miami FC
@ Austin
Home v Rochester

Eliminated from playoff consideration

FC Tampa Bay, Miami FC, Crystal Palace Baltimore


One AC St Louis draw will put Montreal and Minnesota automatically in the playoffs. A loss to Miami FC on Wednesday by AC St Louis will clinch Puerto Rico a playoff berth. AC St Louis holds the tiebreaker over Puerto Rico.

I was just doing my maths here this morning and got the same calculations as BQ.

3 spots in the playoffs still open, and 4 teams with a chance at them.

Come on Stars!

Come on Miami! We just need you to beat or tie St Louis and we are IN!!!!!!!!

Hands up, who thought we would have 37 points at this point in the season? Or at any point in the season? It is difficult not to be impressed, particularly when one factors in that Crayton, Less, and Gao were all going to be important players when the season began.

Have they announced playoff dates? Will they go Thu-Sat or Fri-Sun, or could they have the first game as early as Wed, Oct. 6?

The coach seemed excited about the two-game, total-goals playoff format at youth soccer on Sunday. He was also exasperated by the BU9 referee, who blew his whistle WAY too much for that age group. Let 'em play!

Nice to be in the playoffs, but Oct. 6-7 will be tough nights to draw a crowd. Oct. 6 is a Wednesday, and Oct. 7 is the last Thursday of the HS season, almost every team in the state is playing that night.

When in doubt, check IMS.
Good job, bq!

Well, unlike you and me, the bulk of the people that follow the Stars probably will not go out to see one single high school game this year. However, just being a midweek game will be tough. I'm not saying that with high school, fall youth club soccer and rec soccer it doesn't hurt. It will, but I'm not sure it's going to be devastating. It's just tough to draw people on a school night - period. Then again, when the Wolves were popular they did it all the time and so do the Wild.

The set up is, the top seed gets to choose which of the two nights they want their home game. Most likely they will choose the weekend and we will be stuck with whatever. But it will also depend on travel, air fair and when they played their last game.

What are Papa's chances of goalkeeper of the year? He's been solid, but I don't know how others have done.

High school? Never heard of it. I'll be there for the play-offs, hoping that it rains buckets and Nessy gets a chance to strip the visitors of the ball.

http://ussf.demosphere.com/stats/2010/Top10.20945465.2.html

Jay Nolly's running that table. I would have been a lot more relaxed on Saturday night if I'd looked through their stats and noticed that if you score on the Whitecaps you hardly ever lose.

http://ussf.demosphere.com/teamstats/

http://ussf.demosphere.com/stats/2010/Top10.20945465.2.html

With the amount of goals the Stars have leaked throughout the year there's not a chance in my opinion. You have to look at goals allowed and winning percentages. Nolly has been very good and so has Cronin at Portland.

Vallow at Rochester would have to be considered but so would Kitson since they've split time. That would cause me to not vote for either won.

You might even consider Gallardo down in Austin. He's been good but his team has allowed to many goals also. I'd say Joe come's in the upper middle but again, the team has leaked so many goals it didn't help his cause.

Take a look at the stats and tell me what you think?

Joe gets my vote for comeback player of the year. Out of retirement to lead the team. Sounds like a future Disney movie to me.

BTW, if the Stars make the playoffs they had better be practicing PK's. After Wednesday evenings miss by Simone that makes 4 PK's this season they have missed on.

Gallardo is the keeper of the year, hands down, in my professional opinion.

So a potential home first round playoff match could be any of October 6,7,9 or 10, as far as what we know now? I know I remember some higher-seeded team (I wanna say Vancouver) opting to have the first leg at home for whatever reason in the recent past. So let's hope for that.

Regardless, as far as I can tell right now, I should actually be able to attend on pretty much any of those dates. And I've only managed to make it to 2 games this year - so attendance would already be +1 over the regular season!

Miami is up 1-0 over AC St. Louis with 45 minutes left. A tie or Miami win and the Stars are in the play-offs. Come on you Stars!!!

I'll get the champagne ready (just in case)!!!

Abe Thompson ate his Wheaties this morning, looks like.

wtfhattrick

Dust off those dancin' shoes, we're going to the playoffs!

Thompson with the hat trick. Miami up 3-0 over AC St. Louis in probably the 75th minute. Ooops. St. Louis just scored and it's. 3-1. Keep that champaign chilled for now.

OK, now it's 4-1 Miami. We need an investor!

Holy goal scoring game. It's 4-2 Miami.

Hey, I thought the Stars were not going to win a match this year, right? Great work guys. Playoffs here we come!!!

If the play-offs were held today... we'd be in!
I believe!
Go Stars!

MIami win's 4-2 over AC St. Louis. The St. Louis loss means that Minnesota, Montreal and Puerto Rico have all clinched a playoff spot. Woot-Woot!

INVESTOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JOY !

Celebrate with your fellow fanatico at the Sweety on Friday !

PLAYOFFS FRIDAY NIGHT TAMPA TAMPA TAMPA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We're in baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Doesn't clinching a playoff spot in your inaugural season warrant a press release?

Could have previewed Friday's game at Tampa -- and potential four-game win streak entering postseason -- and also got out the early word on playoff dates.

Another missed opportunity by a media staff that has struggled this season.

Love it when the haters find something to hate on even at the best of times! Makes me laugh!

I was wondering where they were, now that the team that didn't have a chance is in the playoffs. Still hatin' I guess.

This does seem needlessly churlish. I think they have done a very good job with updates, highlights, Stars TV, etc. Particularly when we consider that they had about a month to get up and running.

Regardless, a playoff spot is exciting and pretty close to astonishing. Go team. Now if we could just get that We Have Found An Investor And Will Exist Next Year announcement I would be extra pleased.

Isn't it a little late to play the month to get up and running card? Six months isn't enough time to figure out the rudiments of a timely press release?

We sure got the We Need An Investor And Might Not Exist Next Year announcement, but nothing about the playoffs? For a first-year team that almost didn't exist?

Sheesh, anything that gets 13 exclamation points from Bruce has to be big news.

Again, the words needlessly churlish come to mind. I am not playing any metaphorical card at all. I am stating outright that I think they did a good job at the outset and they are doing a good job now. You are placing a good deal of emphasis on a timely press release, and maybe you have a point, but please dude, be honest. If it wasn't this you would be belittling something else. The number of positive words I have seen you express regarding the Stars could fit inside a thimble.

How can you expect me to get excited about a team when the organization itself doesn't seem to be? Failing to announce playoff qualification is a slap in the face to all the true fans, especially those who slogged through the rain delay last Wednesday. At best, it's unprofessional. At worst, it smacks of throwing in the towel.

I don't think anyone would disagree that there should be a press release, I think it's the overreaction to the lack of press release only 12 hours after we got into the playoffs. I was as drenched as the next madman last Wednesday and I don't feel a smack in the face. I feel like my team is in the playoffs. How the team gets through to the news media that pay them no regard is not something I can do anything about.

Whose got those lyrics to the Sex Pistols song? I want to start practicing.

I just looked through my emails. I've gotten a NSC Minnesota Stars E-Newsletter every Thursday. I expect to see a new one the next few hours saying they made the playoffs.

Yes, I also receive those weekly emails. The core followers have been taken care of, but they keep track of most stuff on their own.

In this era of immediate information, news get old faster all the time.

I do not expect you to be excited. I expect precisely the opposite. I expect you to forever find fault with this project regardless of context. Thus far you have yet to disappoint. It matters not to me - everybody has got their something.



Come on man, this statement is demonstrably silly. A true fan is unaware that the team they follow has made the playoffs? The team has not yet officially informed me of what I already know (I suspect it will be in the newsletter this afternoon), yet my face feels remarkably unslapped. How can this be?



To you it seems like this, which is really not surprising. You have been rocking this Rain Parade persona for quite some time.

this was me after reading the news last night


Congrats to the NSC staff, coaches, & players

Stars playoff information as they know it at the moment, included in the always wonderful StarsTV: Go Stars!
http://www.nscminnesota.org/scripts/runisa.dll?M2:gp::73191+L3/Display+E+NDX+NDX+468457

By the way, I'd love to see the press release whatishisname would write today:
"We're in the playoffs, playing a team yet to be determined on one of two days either here or away, with the other game, either here or away a few days later..."
I like the StarsTV method better!

And, of course, the press release arrived in my email today. Some people just like to complain...
I'm still doing the "we're in the playoffs" happy dance!

Really?

I have received two press releases about this.

The Stars have reached the playoffs. Something that many individuals stated, or may have alluded too, as being impossible this season. Some even went as far to say that they wouldn't win more than 3 games all season.

So, when in fact the team reaches the playoffs and has had a fairly successful season on the pitch the first thing you can think of is, "where is the press release" for something that just happened less than 16 hours previous?

Man.

There is no slack with you.

If Scott Clasen would just get his lines right, they'd have had that out sooner and MN Debbie Downer guy wouldn't have gone through so many boxes of tissues waiting in anguish.

CLAAAAAAAAASEN!

Umm...

This may be unexpected coming from me, a long-time Minnesota Thunder/Stars homer, but MN soccer guy has a legit point, albeit with a few major caveats thrown in.

Caveat Number One: The fact that they had about a month to put most of this together is relevant. It is apparent that the NSC has underestimated many aspects of operating and maintaining a Division 2 franchise. And while they have done an excellent job in many areas, they have been less than excellent in some departments.

Caveat Number Two: Because of that underestimation, there was a lack of hoped-for resources, in both manpower and capital, with which to perform at the highest level in all departments. Limited resources will ultimately affect performance over time.

Caveat Number Three: I think that MN soccer guy goes too far in saying that it seems the organization is not excited about being in the playoffs or the lack of a timely press release smacks of throwing in the towel. I would want more evidence before I got the feeling that a sports franchise wouldn't care about advancing to the next level. Only a cynic would reach that conclusion from a late press release.

(Okay, everybody who reads my posts: All together now...)

Having said that...

Any top level sports franchise would have had that press release out within 15 minutes of their qualifying for the playoffs. This is big news to anybody who follows the team and should be big news to anybody who covers it.

And while it is true that most of the local news outlets don't run most of our press releases, we never know just when they will run with one, so it is better to proceed as if they will. And timeliness IS an important factor in sports media.

And keeping all those caveats in mind and crediting the NSC front office and publicity departments for doing as well as they have under trying circumstances, they have struggled in certain areas.

Not every signing received a press release. The twitter feed was good on some matches, poor in others. I know that a match summary should be on the official site within an hour of the end of the match and that some didn't appear until the next day.

If a publicity department is firing on all cylinders, every match or scrimmage that team is scheduled to play, whether against Manchester United or the Little Sisters of the Poor's scrubini squad, should be prominently announced on the homepage within a half day of it being scheduled and should be included in every schedule in the website. Such was not always the case.

The above are just a few of many areas where the publicity department fell short. And while there are legitimate reasons that were undoubtedly factors involved, in the end, they did fall short.

To draw a parallel to the game itself, there may be many legit reasons that a team loses a game. They may not have the quality of the players the opposition does. They might have a key call go against them. The schedule, the injuries, the weather...

But in the end, if they want to be called the best team on the day, they need to win the match.

Remember, this is an organization that announced at their supporters' summit that their goal was to be the best Division 2 franchise in the country. And while they have made outstanding progress in many areas, they still have much work to do.

And I think it is fair to point out those areas where the work is needed, no matter the source.

"The fact that he thinks the only difference between Messi and your average MASL player is 'desire' is beside the point " jabs

That little old jersey collector

Me

Did I really use 13? Wow! I guess I was pretty excited! Hahahahaha.

I know many of you can't deal with MN Soccer Guy, but if you take away the snarkiness and poor timing of the way he writes things sometimes, he has a point.

Perception is the key to many endeavors and the difference between coming off as professional or amateur is a fine line that can make things happen or not, especially in the long run. And until I hear otherwise I am going to go on the assumption that the National Sports Center is on board with this team for the long run.

In my opinion the timeliness of information coming from the team was fast and furious as the season started, and then slowed and became less detailed as the season wore on. Kind of like a rookie player hitting the wall 2/3's of the way through a season. The stamina was just not there.

From day 1 I said that the most important thing the organization should seek out was some people with real experience running a professional sports team. And it never happened.

Hard work and desire alone, which NSC has in spades, will not get the job done at this level.

The ticket sales fiasco is a #1 and probably worst example of things gone wrong. The organization stated that hitting a certain average attendance was a big key to their financial success yet they failed to hire a sales staff with any knowledge of how to do that. It made me really sad.

And my second and final example was that in their early meetings with the public the team made grand statements that should never have been stated publicly. They said that their player salary budget would be in the middle of the pack, but its known by league insiders that they clearly have one of if not the lowest budget. And then there were the statements about putting in place a player loan agreement with an MLS and European team. Those didn't happen and were not likely to happen from the start no matter how much of a cool idea it seemed like at the time.

And I think that same lack of experience factor hurt the Thunder considerably, and watching that all go down should have been a great lesson to learn from, yet it was not.

If a new investor can be found, I really hope an effort will be put in to find a couple of key employees with real experience.

Enough on this topic from me.

I am excited that we WILL get at least one playoff game, and hopefully more than that. I am proud of the players and coaches, and certainly very appreciative of the National Sports Center for fielding a team for us to watch for another season. We can never take that away from them.

These last few responses hit the target and I think the key is to separate our feelings for the team (and its results) from our feelings for Minnesotan soccer (and our desire for its success).
That said, the Star Tribune ran a small item in today's paper (pg. C3). I couldn't find the piece on the Sports page until I searched for NSC Minnesota Stars, but here it is: http://www.startribune.com/sports/103683469.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU

Also, is it bad to really hope that there is an NFL strike so that US soccer can steal their fans?

Only in a soccer discussion would you find snarkiness and churlish in the same discussion. Well done!

There was a nice piece in this morning's Strib, but it could have been two -- one on Thursday announcing playoff qualification and another today previewing the regular-season finale against Tampa and more specifics on playoff scenarios. When you are trying to publicize a home playoff game while competing with every major sport plus the U of M, you must take advantage of every possible free opportunity.

And it wouldn't have taken much. The playoff release could have been written before Wednesday's game and sent off -- from the comfort of someone's home, a coffee shop, wherever -- as soon as the score became available. It would have been nice to include a canned quote from Manny, who I'm sure is proud of his team's effort, not to mention confident about their playoff chances.

As Bruce mentioned, these are some of the little things that distinguish a professional operation from something less. To give NSC staff a pass on basic media relations seems a bit generous given 20 years of experience in the sports promotion business.

Bruce- all great points, we all knew the ticket guy wasn't going to work out, what an awful hire. As you pointed out most of the responses have to with Soccer Guy's consistent snarky comments that point out every inadequate instance of slight failure. It is as if he had a secret agenda against the NSC and their desire to put a team on the field.

OK. Mi dispiace. I think I finally get it now. If you were running things over there everything would be beautiful, there would have been two Strib articles rather than one, and releases would be issued nanoseconds after important events.

I think we could go one better: I'm talking pre-emptive press releases.

Here's one:

Stars beat Tampa 2-1, Takada finally scored, Altman picked up a yellow card, Tampa Fans couldn't help liking Superrookie.

I'm too negative, I hate the NSC and I'm snarky and churlish, needlessly so.

My bad, but there's just something about losing hundreds of thousands of dollars that makes me uncomfortable.

Everyone losses money the first year.

The NSC said they don't operate programs unless they at least break even. Then again, they said a lot of stuff that may or may not be true.

You are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars? That does have to sting.

You are quite clearly a bright individual, so please do not pretend to be surprised by the reaction you elicit. When you jump into what is in essence a celebratory thread to accentuate the negative and imply that you could do better, you are sticking your chin out.

Next time why not start a Here Is How I Would Have Done It thread? It would be more honest and a hell of a lot less irritating.

Aaaaah, Nathan3e, the voice of reason!

Thanks for putting it so well my man!