Team NSC - USA Soccer Ball

[Ayeready]

I've forgotten if we established with you that his father played for Brighton. Does his father go and watch him play, Ayeready?

Not as a matter of course, I don't think. Andrei's brother Sasha also bounced around when we were the Minnesota Thunder, but I haven't heard anything from him.

Re: How we will get on. I'd say hopes are high. We've shed a some dead *cough*MelvinTarley*cough* weight along with some good players we'll miss, (Andres Arango, Scott Lorenz) and we're starting this season with most of the team that really turned our season around last year.

Last year we suffered for being a team of strangers during the start of the season and slowly started to gel into a decent team, albeit with no-one good upfront. Last year Cvilikas and Tarley couldn't finish a twix between then, but when they gave way to Bracalello and Del Do we started being threatening up front. They became a different team altogether. I'm trusting that they'll stick with what worked last year. Others may have a different interpretation, but that was my sense of the situation.

 

[chops]

13 Kentaro Takada M 5-9 Tokyo, Japan: So glad Taka is back. A little dynamo in the midfield and something of a talisman for the team. When one of his opportunistic strikes from distance finally went in last year, it was a highlight of the season for me. Plus, we're all glad he didn't drown. Highlighted as a player to watch in the team notes.

Very sensitive!

 

[Simster]

We've shed a some dead *cough*MelvinTarley*cough* weight .

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

2011 season starts over here on Saturday and we've been filling out the team since we learned we'd be returning. Some of these boys haven't yet been seen in play, but last year having BHA fans adopt players seemed to give the team a boost. If even a little of Albion's great season rubs off on us, I'll be happy!

Copied from the team notes, that's why the player height is in there... I'm not obsessive or nuffin'.

1 Joseph Warren GK 6-4 Minneapolis, Minn. : Mighty Joe signed up, then retired, then unretired. He did some great things last year and I'm glad to have him back.
2 Justin Davis D 6-0 Litchfield Park, Ariz.: New Guy.
3 Cristiano Dias D 6-3 Machado, Brazil : New Brazilian Guy.
4 Neil Hlavaty M 5-11 Lombard, Ill. : A stalwart from last year, he fought for a place in the team and impressed. Also, other team's commentators cannot, for the life of them, pronounce his name.
5 Jack Stewart D 6-2 Torrance, Calif. :Used to play for Real Salt Lake and was featured in Cosmopolitan magazine's 50 most eligible bachelors. Not even kidding.
6 Kevin Friedland D 5-8 Irvine, Calif. : Friedland helped design our new strip (including the Nessie on the back). You'd be hard pressed to find anyone who works harder for this team than Kevin Friedland, on and off the pitch. Injuries seem to be dogging him, but he is also an assistant coach, so he is always around.
7 Andrei Gotsmanov M 5-8 Minsk, Soviet Union: Back again. Despite picking up injuries easier than a porcelain doll in a cement mixer, people are hopeful that this will be a good year for Gotsmanov. When he plays, he can really play and the team obviously still has faith in him.
9 Tino Nuñez F 5-8 Atlanta, Ga.: New guy.
10 Sandy Gbandi M 5-10 Harbel, Liberia: New guy. Got a start in the preseason game against the Chicago Fire and seemed good apparently. I just love the guy's name.
11 Chris Clements D 6-2 Allen, Texas : Another returning player. He may get more starts this year because our former captain and defender Andres 'The Wrangler' Arango is no longer with us.
13 Kentaro Takada M 5-9 Tokyo, Japan: So glad Taka is back. A little dynamo in the midfield and something of a talisman for the team. When one of his opportunistic strikes from distance finally went in last year, it was a highlight of the season for me. Plus, we're all glad he didn't drown. Highlighted as a player to watch in the team notes.
14 Brian Kallman D 6-0 Woodbury, Minn.: "Red Card" Kallman is back again and may get more playing time in the new defense if he can refrain from running up to guys and punching them. We're thinking of making a drinking game/charity donation based on how many cautions and cards he gets, but I'm not sure our wallets will handle it if he gets more starts this year. Scowling appears to be his natural disposition. You kind of need at least one guy on the team like that though, don't you?
15 John Gilkerson D 6-0 Winchester, Va.: New guy. We saw a lot of him with the Carolina Railhawks last year and I remember him as being pretty good.
16 Kyle Altman D 6-1 Albuquerque, N.M. : The Rabbi is now likely to be coordinating our Defense this year and seems to me a likely Captain. Intense, fairly physical and gives it everything.
17 Geison Moura M 5-10 Sao Caetano, Brazil: Not in the starting line-up against Atlanta in our first game of the season, which is too bad, because I love watching this guy play.
18 Jeff Cosgriff M/F 6-4 San Francisco, Calif.: New guy. AC St Louis went udders aloft over the winter and we picked up this guy who gave us troubles last year.
19 Simone Bracalello M/F 6-0 Genoa, Italy: Last year's newcomer of the year and one half of the Bracadeldo striking force. I'm glad to see he is a starter, he deserves it. No ball passes with range of his legs without him bringing it down with a foot and playing it - shoulder high, behind him, doesn't matter. I'm biased because he is my favourite player.
20 Brian Cvilikas F 6-3 Highlands Ranch, Colo.: One-two passes between Hlavaty and Cvilikas are enough to make most announcers swallow their tongues. He is another tall guy in an increasingly tall team - we've added quite a few big lads this year. Didn't have a whole lot of luck in front of goal last year, but I'm optimistic about him.
21 Devin Del Do F 5-9 Valencia, Calif.: The Pleasurer. Really helped turn the season around when he came off the injury list and paired up with Bracalello. Endlessly penetrates the defense etc etc. Good at getting on the end of crosses and finishing which was a rare ability last year.
23 Ryan Woods M 5-7 Preston, England : New guy. Never heard of him.
26 Ely Allen M 5-11 Kent, Wash.: I thought Allen was great last year. He played great games even when everyone else was having a mediocre game. Capable of making good, tricky runs down the wing and did that a lot last year before crossing it to lazy, lazy Melvin Tarley who squandered them all. Melvin's gone, Ely is still here.
30 Matt Van Oekel GK 6-4 Chesapeake, Va.: Matty "Extreme" looked like he was going to be our starter Goalie. He improved a lot last year even if his salty talk didn't. Honestly, filthiest mouth on the park.
32 Lucas Rodriguez M 5-8 Buenos Aires, Argentina: Picked up an award for best newcomer during the Indoor football season with whoever he was playing with and I was pleased to see that the stars picked him up. he is a starter this year, which hopefully means he has put his injury worries behind him.
77 Andy Lorei M 6-2 Erie, Penn.: New guy. No one is sure on the name.

Staff:
Manny Lagos Head Coach Saint Paul, Minn.: In Manny we trust. Seems to have three gears: Solemn, Solemnly shouting and Incandescently Angry. We'll see how many times he throws his sports coat this year.
Carl Craig Assistant Coach Newcastle, England.: My mum grew up in Newcastle and I may offer my services as an interpreter, because I'm not sure anyone knows what he is saying. His pantomime skills are coming along though.
Jeremy Donner Athletic Trainer Eagle Butte, S.D.: Ha! Eagle Butte, honestly.


Our first game of the season is an away game in Georgia against the Atlanta Silverbacks, which Atlanta have promised to have streaming. Our home opener is on the 30th. So EXCITED!

In the meantime, congratulations on your continued charge towards the Championship!

This year Im really going for it!!!

Baggsy I get Christiano Dias to adopt!!!

Any news of the streaming?

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

Cristiano Dias - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

MINE!!!!!

 

[Mendoza]

I will take the great man for a second year, Kentaro "glad he didnt drown" Takada

 

[Ayeready]

I will take the great man for a second year, Kentaro "glad he didnt drown" Takada

Scored our first goal of the season! Played every position on the field bar goalie and battered our first 2011 goal in.

Second goal in a 2:1 win over Atlanta... hold your breath... Gotsmanov. A f*****g screamer from a wide free kick. I'll post a link to the recap as soon as Atlanta's IT crew dry their eyes long enough to post it.

Great start to the season.

 

[Vankleek Hill Seagull]

2011 season starts over here on Saturday and we've been filling out the team since we learned we'd be returning. Some of these boys haven't yet been seen in play, but last year having BHA fans adopt players seemed to give the team a boost. If even a little of Albion's great season rubs off on us, I'll be happy!

18 Jeff Cosgriff M/F 6-4 San Francisco, Calif.: New guy. AC St Louis went udders aloft over the winter and we picked up this guy who gave us troubles last year.

Go on then, I'll adopt a Jeff. There's nothing like having a good Jeff on your team.

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

Scored our first goal of the season! Played every position on the field bar goalie and battered our first 2011 goal in.

Second goal in a 2:1 win over Atlanta... hold your breath... Gotsmanov. A f*****g screamer from a wide free kick. I'll post a link to the recap as soon as Atlanta's IT crew dry their eyes long enough to post it.

Great start to the season.

YAY!!! Judeging by the pre-match notes Dias didnt get a game?

Where can we see the goals?

 

[KLF]

Now that I talked Big Joe out of retirement, I'll adopt him again! Go Joe!

 

[SeagullTim]

Sandy Gbandi

 

[New Carpet?]

So what's happened to Daniel Wasson this season?

 

[Ayeready]

So what's happened to Daniel Wasson this season?

He picked up a season-ending injury in practice. Too bad, it would have been nice to have him back. He's hoping for an early recovery and is still (afaik) on the team, but likely out this year.

 

[Braders]

I'll keep Andrei again , excellent

 

[Ayeready]

http://youtu.be/U5gm69vyonc

Gotsmanov's free kick is at 3.18... the more I watch this, the slower the shot seems and the more surprised the keeper looks.

Takada's goal @ 0.45

Shots of the shaky midfield scrapping fill the video out.

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

http://youtu.be/U5gm69vyonc

Gotsmanov's free kick is at 3.18... the more I watch this, the slower the shot seems and the more surprised the keeper looks.

Takada's goal @ 0.45

Shots of the shaky midfield scrapping fill the video out.

Takedas goal was really well taken but the keeper made a total mess of Sergeis free kick..... no way was that a shot.

One of our best friends is from Atlanta and is a soccer fan and didnt know Atlanta were playing again... just ruined his day

Commentating was poor as was Minesotas defence for their goal..... think my man is needed in defence!!

Thanks for the video... cant wait for the next.

 

[GregX]

Tonight's the home opener for the Stars. We'll be taking on the Carolina Railhawks. It was the Failhawks that ended our playoff run last seasonso we're looking for a bit of vengance tonight. The boys are coming off a 3-match away series and stand in fifth place on 4 points. Carolina are in second on 6 points.

Direct link to the game isn't up yet, but it will be available on the NSC Stars site:
NSC Minnesota Stars

Wish us luck!

 

[tonymgc]

Any news on how the Stars are doing

 

[Ayeready]

Update:
We remain unbeaten at home. We're fourth, but 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th are all pretty tightly packed, so a few good results means we could nab second place. Our next game is against 3rd place Puerto Rico at home, so hopefully that'll be the leap we're looking for.

The last home game was against the running-away-with-it Carolina Railhawks. (I don't know what a railhawk is either). It had all the drama we could ask for: two of our guys off injured, a little bit of off-the-ball aggro, one of theirs sent off late in the game, a bullshit penalty that our goalkeeper saved anyway because He Is A God Among Men and a game winner in the 93rd minute from super-sub Amani Walker. Absolutely deliriously happy.

On the topic of Gotsmanov, who I know you guys have an interest in; he's had a great season. We used to call him Glassjawmanov on account of his ease at picking up season shortening injuries but he's back, he's playing well and for a short guy... he throws his weight around. All the injuries are coming from Andrei this season, not towards him.

We need to win more and draw less, but still, if we keep up recent form, we'll hopefully attract a buyer.

 

[Ayeready]

BTW: Your stadium looks absolutely fantastic, congratulations.