How's about a rundown on the teams that will be joining or quitting for the 2009 season?
(Why sure JeffConn, thanks for asking!)

New clubs announced:
Buffalo Flash
Quebec Arsenal
Western New York FC Pride (technically, a continuation of Rochester Rhinos Women)

Out, unofficially:
Seattle Sounders Women (the parent club went under, but no announcement yet)

Any other rumors, or news?

I've heard, though NOT officially Richmond and another nearby burg won't be fielding W league teams this season. I guess we'll find something out this weekend.

I still miss the mightly named New York Lady Stallions...

Carolina RailHawks women are "on hold". The RailHawks are looking into bidding for a WPS pro team, so the W-League team got the axe.

http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/story/1324319.html

2009 W-League Alignment and Playoff Info

Central Conference
Midwest Division: Chicago Red Eleven, Cleveland Internationals, Fort Wayne Fever, FC Indiana Lionesses, Kalamazoo Outrage, Minnesota Lightning, West Michigan Firewomen
Great Lakes Division: Buffalo Flash, Hamilton Avalanche, Laval Comets, London Gryphons, Ottawa Fury, Quebec City Arsenal, Toronto Lady Lynx, Western New York Pride
Central Conference Playoff Format: The playoffs begin with a midweek divisional playoff game between the second and third-seeded teams in the Great Lakes Division. The divisional playoff winner will join the Great Lakes top seed and the top two teams from the Midwest Division at the conference tournament (top seed has first right to host or host determined by bid). The divisional top seeds face the lower seed from the opposite division in the conference semifinals.

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division: Atlanta Silverbacks, Cary, Charlotte Lady Eagles, Hampton Roads Piranhas, Northern Virginia Majestics, Richmond Kickers Destiny, Tampa Bay Hellenic
Northeast Division: Boston Renegades, Connecticut Passion, Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues, Long Island Rough Riders, New Jersey Wildcats, New York Magic, Washington Freedom, Western Mass Lady Pioneers
Eastern Conference Playoff Format: The top two teams each from the Atlantic and Northeast Divisions will meet at the conference tournament (top seed has first right to host or host determined by bid). The divisional top seeds face the lower seed from the opposite division in the conference semifinals.

Western Conference
Colorado Force, Los Angeles Legends, Pali Blues, Real Colorado Cougars, Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps, Ventura County Fusion
Western Conference Playoff Format: The top two teams meet in a conference championship match.

http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/294507.html
That's 37 teams for a net loss of 4 teams.

wow Tampa Bay is an island unto themselves... the closest team is Atlanta...

Seems we have moved back to the land of Dixie !

yeah you broke away from the land of the Freedom though. a team based in DC and you may not play them. I think that's one thing Richmond was upset about. Last season we had to go to Bradenton, Tampa and Morgantown, WV, while passing up Fred, Nova and Washington.

day 2 and the Destiny are still on the list. yay!

I do have a question, though it's probably a stupid one. It was noted above that Carolina wasn't going to have a women's team this year. But the list does have Cary. Weren't the Lady Railhawks based in Cary? So does this mean that someone else will be running a team in 2009? Or is that an error to have them listed?
(ok, so that was 3 stupid questions)

Yes, the Lady RailHawks were supposed to be "on hold."

Here's another mystery. The Seattle Sounders women are still on the W-League roster, even though their parent club, the USL's Seattle Sounders no longer exists. I thought the old Sounders went kaput after the end of the 2008 season.

So, i am assuming that either Seattle or the Cary club is a brand new club.