One last thought for the board and then observation time. If you were on a team that is 0-8-1, you knew you had practice the next day to sharpen your skills, does it make much sense to be up until three at a bar? By the time you got home, in bed, and had to wake up in the morning to prepare to come to practice, what shape would your body be in to carry out practice directions. In Germany and on tours of Europe we had late afternoon practice after a game because most of us had a job during the day so we were not much effected. These guys have jobs after practice to go to. I am not defending or condemning any of the team. I am asking an honest question. How effective can you be the next day at early practice with the above scenario. I do agree that benching or fines could be an alternative but not a hefty fine as most of these guys probably would have to take out a loan to pay a hefty fine depending on the definition of hefty. There is more to a team than rules. Common sense needs to be utilized on both sides. Even in the Premiership and Bundesliga, fines or benching come before the sack. Must have been something more than just mild rhetoric exchanged. Maybe not. The important thing is to support those who are left. They need us there and vocal. Nuff said. Now observation time. gforever

It's really very simple. 0-8-1, No chance for playoffs. Three salaries saved, based on B.S.

If there were playoff chance, whole thing would be totally ignored.

Branko,
Just to put the record straight, I left the Blast for personal reasons only. Not because they were a bad organization. I still am very close to the Morris's and Jimmy and would consider them to be in the top half of the A-league when it comes to the whole franchise and organization from top to bottom. As they say, the grass is always greener on the other side. And having witnessed it first hand and with friends around the A-league players would love to be 0-8 with the stability of such an organization.
Granted things on the field could be better. But as I have been witness to before, it's far easier to blame someone else than look at yourself first.
These players irrespective of wages are professional athletes and the comments about not being thankful for their position in sports is very true. Most take it for granted. For the average foriegner their comes with it a passion and desire to play. To play a sport that is number one around the world. Unfortunately that same passion and self respect when putting on a uniform does not exist as much as it should.
Be proud to play for the Blast and put on their uniform. Believe me I was, captaining the team under Jimmy in my final year was an honour.
Things will turn around for the team on the field. They have very talented players and a talented coaching staff with a lot of knowledge. One win and I'm sure things will take a sharp turn. But with all this added presure from outside and within these boards strange things happen. As an outsider you never get the full story so with regards to releasing players, it may or may not have been warrented. But one thing is for sure and it was mentioned in a post earlier, there is a big differance in going out for a few pints at night to relax, and rolling in at 3am ready to train at 9. Irrespective of how well you performed in practice.
They still have the majority of the season left and could still finish with a respectable win loss record. Have faith!!

nineteen games left at three points a game for a win. 12-7 or 13-6 have you calculated what it would take to get them in or are we blowing this season off already? I'm not gforever

Jon,

Thanks for chiming in and setting the record straight. I'm glad you're still lurking out there. Good luck to you and your'n.

I don't know exactly what happened the other night since I wasn't there, but it sounds like there were other players out WITH the players who were released.

Maybe we shouldn't be worried so much with what the released players did to get kicked off, but rather what the other players who didn't get kicked off did to stay on the team.

If it's true there were other players involved, then it sounds like the guys who were cut made a choice.

Ok, I have read all 5 pages on this subject and as a friend of one of the players 'released' think I can shed some light on the subject.

First things first lets look at it this way... Any of you Soccer Player or not have had a bad day in the office, 9-5 hell and its been a terrible week or year so far. What do you do? Go for a beer to blow off some steam and vent with people who know and understand your situation. What do you do the next morning you get up and go to work hangover or no hangover and perform to the best of your abilities or face the consequences. The players in question were, #2 DiGuardi, #3 Bartram, #4 Alavanya, #7 McMillan, #8 ? and #31 Spears along with ex player Jeremy Sweet. It is my understanding that the guys went out for dinner and then met after a good meal in Broadripple to have a beer and unwind. They didnt leave the stadium till 9.30pm so after eating they will not have gotten to wherever it was they were in Broadripple till around midnight hence the late night. Some drank more than others but on the whole most just had a couple of beers and a single shot to help celebrate someone's birthday. They left at 2-3 and were home 30 minutes later. All trained the following morning.

As mentioned in previous posts they were made to run as a team for an hour and the 6 above for a further 30 minutes of 'punishment' sprints before being cut. I am also told and other messages testify that these guys were first in training that morning and had the best attitudes of the whole squad - seems blowing off the steam may have helped?

As for comments on what was said, I am told that all the players were nothing but respectful and infact my friend who supposedly had a 'bad attitude' only asked "what rule have we broken?" Is that disrespect? Plain and simply the guys broke no rules and did nothing wrong. Granted their actions may be deemed unprofessional and I believe regret that they did not look after their bodies, but who hasnt had a late night the day before work and still performed to the best of their abilities?

At current I am led to believe McMillan and #8 are training again for reasons unknown but the rest remain cut due to management stupidity and stubborness. I also hear one of them is considering legal action for breach of contract.

As for 'Concened Fan', I'd like to kill you but maybe this is more effective for you to think about..... You cost DiGuardi, Bartram, Alavanya and Spears their jobs, most have returned to their homes.....soccer isnt just a job though its a passion and a dream and you have taken both from those players too. How would you feel? If you have an axe to grind, have the balls to do it in person.

Finally, I ask no you know that story, post a reply to this question:

Should the Blast Players have been released?

On another unrelated subject I also hear a rumor that they tried to sign a goalkeeper from another A Legaue team to replace Spears and Blast management spoke to the player before his club. may be wrong and I ask you all on the board to clarify but is that not against league rules?

It's called loaning a player, not signing one and there is nothing wrong with that.

I have read through all the pages of this drama, and it is quite a shame indeed that these players have to be subjected to such a bunch of bull. I'm so disappointed in Jimmy this season, I was looking forward to having him back as the head coach, he was seemingly such an asset when he coached the team before, but I am beginning to re-think my position. I don't think he is thinking clearly. Seems to be so frustrated with his line up and the inability to play the game he wants played that he has lost all control of himself and the team. These guys need our support now more than ever. I know I will still be there to give them that this Saturday.

Concerned Fan is a sackless twat. He doesn't even have the sack to come on here and defend himself.

As for the players, they probably made a bad choice but WHO CARES??? If this was a repeat offender type situation then we have a problem but by all accounts they seem to have violated no team rules.

In Portland alot of the players come across to the pub after matches that we win. A good time is had by all and songs are sung and cheers go up as each player enters the pub.

We rarely see them when we lose which is understandable. The last thing I would want to do if I was a player is go hang out with an angry Timbers Army after a loss.

Long and short of it, I have seen some of our players perhaps drink too much. I have even seen one of them make a "questionable" decision as to the attractiveness of a young lady he took home (let's just say I believe the player had some serious beer goggles going). In the end though it is their OWN DAMN BUSINESS!

I still can't get over the fact that this "concerned fan" turned in his/her own players. Un-phucking-believable.

Hello.

Geez! The Thunder come to town, pull out a win and, in the process, destroy the franchise forever! Not a bad night's work.

All seriousness aside, it seems to me that most, if not all, of the people posting about this are getting worked up about a situation that they know next to nothing about. I've read the numerous posts on this subject and I still don't know for sure just who and how many were released. I've seen different reports claiming from two to six players have been given the sack, but no one has quoted a reliable source, or at least one that I could check and get confirmation from. Shouldn't those of you without the facts get them before you rush to decide who is to blame?

Admittedly, from a distance, I do have a few speculations as to who is at fault (I think it's a group screw-up), but I certainly wouldn't start pointing the finger with such certainty until I got the facts straight.

One thing I do know, it's certainly not Concerned Fan's fault if players were released. He did not force the players to have a late night after the loss and he did not force the coach and/or management to react as they did. He just reported what he saw and stated his opinion about it. Incidently, he did clearly state that it was just an opinion. That opinion may or may not have been accurate or well informed, but he never claimed his opinion to be fact.

If there is anyone here who has never criticised an entertainment event (and that is what professional sports, along with movies, plays, musical recordings and performances, paintings, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, are) and speculated as to the reason for the unsatisfactory performance, well, maybe you've got the moral high ground to snipe at him from. If not, then not.

Let he who is with out sin...get a move on, because life is short and time's a wastin'.

Always gettin' a move on, I remain

That little old jersey collector

Me