Let's say Portland, Bay, and Loovull all hold serve/lose this week. If we come into the Loovull match with an equal or worse GD, and then we lose the Loovull match, then we go into the last weekend of the season in 9th place.
Owner steps in to fire coach midseason as team underperforms.
That would be the NY Jets, whose owner took the action himself rather than directing the GM to do it.
If I were the GM, I wouldn't feel too comfy in my spot either.
Closer to home, Merage has to realize that while Karina is highly personable, she's not good at the job, and that the latter consideration outweighs the former.
Thing is, Emma's been here several times before. Saturday night's crowd was small. Announced attendance was 17,500. I think closer to 13,000 is realistic.
Sad to me that Emma and Lisa haven't met before. That should have happened by now.
Christine Sinclair joins Vancouver Rise FC ownership
4 hours ago
Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair, already retired from the international game and retiring completely at the end of this NWSL season, is investing in Canada's new women's league, the Northern Super League. Sinclair is joining the ownership group of Vancouver Rise FC — one of the league’s six founding teams where her former teammate, goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé, already serves as sporting director. The NSL is set to kick off in April 2025.
Since our 2-0 defeat of Houston on May 17, we are tied for worst record in the league, with just 2 wins since then. The only other team with an equally bad run of form? Houston. Even Seattle have won 3 games since then!
Orlando clinched the shield with 3 matches to go: "They'll beat you with their passing, they'll beat you with their pressing, they'll beat you with their brains and they'll beat you with their legs. The Pride can beat you every which way, as they did the Spirit, laying waste to the second-place team in the NWSL and continuing to reaffirm their dominance over the league."
Portland down to #11: "There's not much new to say about the Thorns after their 2-1 defeat to the Royals. They were second best the whole way and looked every bit as bad as they have for months now. They've taken just one point from their past seven matches and have one win since June 8."
Instead of wondering about player form, strength of the team, who the opponent is, etc., I find myself wondering about meta-soccer: Will the owners figure out that KK is not good at her job, and that she's selected two successive coaches who aren't good at theirs? Or will they give her another bite at the apple, another year to pick a mediocre coach and construct an unbalanced roster? What will they do to the front office in the off-season?
It makes me think of the video game Football Manager, but with a twist: In my head I'm playing Football Owner.
Probably true. Most played for elite clubs growing up and the Americans at least plus several others were recruited to top college programs. There are College Cup winners and one CC MVP. Olympics medalists, WWC medalists.
Now, this?
Morgan: "I hustled back into playing shape, for what?"
I haven't done a top-to-bottom consideration of this, but the last time Sinc was on a losing team was 2015. That might be her only such experience. Kling might have been on one around that time too. Arnold came from a losing side in West Ham. Utah was fairly Meh when Becky played for them. But that's all that comes to mind. Almost every one else has come through year after year of winning at youth levels, club, high school, college, and international. This is not normal for them.
Somebody already mentioned that Kozal got her first start and clean sheet for Tampa in USLSL action.
For context, they played DC, who have only scored 3 goals in 7 matches, including 2 recently against Spokane. Jorian Baucom (formerly of Loovull) is DC's starting 9. DC have really nice home kits, tho.
For Sinc's last match, everything should already be settled as far as playoff seeding, making or not making the playoffs, etc., both for Portland and AC. So, what I'd like to see is Sinc plays the whole match with a starting XI of her choosing and using all the subs we can so each one can give Sinc some love as they exit or enter the pitch. We've gotta find a way to end the season on some good feels.
She's out!
https://x.com/Phuocerman/status/1844075593224405246
https://x.com/ThornsFC/status/1844075554221457825
Fresh Riveting: https://rivetingpdx.com/2024/10/09/thorns-fc-vacation/
No apologies needed, Chief. The team is soon to head on vacation too.
The Race to Avoid Disgrace - Week 24
7. POR 28 -2 (ORL, @LOU, AC)
8. BAY 28 -11 (KC, NC, @HOU)
9. LOU 25 -2 (@WAS, POR, @SD)
10. SD 22 -8 (HOU, @KC, LOU)
11. AC 22 -10 (@NC, UTAH, @POR)
12. UTAH 21 -18 (SEA, @AC, NJY)
Let's say Portland, Bay, and Loovull all hold serve/lose this week. If we come into the Loovull match with an equal or worse GD, and then we lose the Loovull match, then we go into the last weekend of the season in 9th place.
Owner steps in to fire coach midseason as team underperforms.
That would be the NY Jets, whose owner took the action himself rather than directing the GM to do it.
If I were the GM, I wouldn't feel too comfy in my spot either.
Closer to home, Merage has to realize that while Karina is highly personable, she's not good at the job, and that the latter consideration outweighs the former.
https://x.com/ThornsFC/status/1843334383207583894
Thing is, Emma's been here several times before. Saturday night's crowd was small. Announced attendance was 17,500. I think closer to 13,000 is realistic.
Sad to me that Emma and Lisa haven't met before. That should have happened by now.
Not surprising, and very cool!
Christine Sinclair joins Vancouver Rise FC ownership
4 hours ago
Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair, already retired from the international game and retiring completely at the end of this NWSL season, is investing in Canada's new women's league, the Northern Super League. Sinclair is joining the ownership group of Vancouver Rise FC — one of the league’s six founding teams where her former teammate, goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé, already serves as sporting director. The NSL is set to kick off in April 2025.
Good for her. She needs to be involved in post-career soccer in some fashion and doing it in the backyard of her yuut is an excellent choice.
Since our 2-0 defeat of Houston on May 17, we are tied for worst record in the league, with just 2 wins since then. The only other team with an equally bad run of form? Houston. Even Seattle have won 3 games since then!
Weird-@$$ league that has an expansion club in line for a playoff spot this close to season's end.
Related: poor, poor Houston. Somebody rescue Jane Campbell before the inevitable hurricane arrives.
Houston (and Portland) are evidence that you can have good players on a really bad team.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/page/nwslpowerrankings1007/nwsl-power-rankings-shield-clinching-orlando-pride-looks-unstoppable
Orlando clinched the shield with 3 matches to go: "They'll beat you with their passing, they'll beat you with their pressing, they'll beat you with their brains and they'll beat you with their legs. The Pride can beat you every which way, as they did the Spirit, laying waste to the second-place team in the NWSL and continuing to reaffirm their dominance over the league."
Portland down to #11: "There's not much new to say about the Thorns after their 2-1 defeat to the Royals. They were second best the whole way and looked every bit as bad as they have for months now. They've taken just one point from their past seven matches and have one win since June 8."
Instead of wondering about player form, strength of the team, who the opponent is, etc., I find myself wondering about meta-soccer: Will the owners figure out that KK is not good at her job, and that she's selected two successive coaches who aren't good at theirs? Or will they give her another bite at the apple, another year to pick a mediocre coach and construct an unbalanced roster? What will they do to the front office in the off-season?
It makes me think of the video game Football Manager, but with a twist: In my head I'm playing Football Owner.
As I watched last night's disasterpiece and considered it alongside the others, a thought occurred:
This is probably the first time, or at least the first time in a long time, that these players have faced this kind of adversity.
None of them are accustomed to losing streaks or playing for losing teams.
Now all of them are in that boat, and they might not know how to get out of it.
Probably true. Most played for elite clubs growing up and the Americans at least plus several others were recruited to top college programs. There are College Cup winners and one CC MVP. Olympics medalists, WWC medalists.
Now, this?
Morgan: "I hustled back into playing shape, for what?"
Soph: "Oww, my ankle!"
I haven't done a top-to-bottom consideration of this, but the last time Sinc was on a losing team was 2015. That might be her only such experience. Kling might have been on one around that time too. Arnold came from a losing side in West Ham. Utah was fairly Meh when Becky played for them. But that's all that comes to mind. Almost every one else has come through year after year of winning at youth levels, club, high school, college, and international. This is not normal for them.
Somebody already mentioned that Kozal got her first start and clean sheet for Tampa in USLSL action.
For context, they played DC, who have only scored 3 goals in 7 matches, including 2 recently against Spokane. Jorian Baucom (formerly of Loovull) is DC's starting 9. DC have really nice home kits, tho.
Last regular season win came 93 days ago.
Two regular season wins in 142 days.
For Sinc's last match, everything should already be settled as far as playoff seeding, making or not making the playoffs, etc., both for Portland and AC. So, what I'd like to see is Sinc plays the whole match with a starting XI of her choosing and using all the subs we can so each one can give Sinc some love as they exit or enter the pitch. We've gotta find a way to end the season on some good feels.
Just lie back and think of Eng...WNBA.
Truly taking one for the team.
OT: Horan has 5 goals and 2 assists in 3 matches for OL..
Just trying to lighten the mood.
including that sweet roundhouse volley last week.
OL play a lot of truly terrible teams.
Oh, um...