I think people need to accept that the pre scandal Thorns,which was probably one of the pillars of the women’s soccer community, is frankly on life support. Maybe even dead.
A very good fan base and attendance is a very good rebuilding piece, but Merritt Paulson’s last few years of ownership damaged the brand.Followed by a coach who admit…
I think people need to accept that the pre scandal Thorns,which was probably one of the pillars of the women’s soccer community, is frankly on life support. Maybe even dead.
A very good fan base and attendance is a very good rebuilding piece, but Merritt Paulson’s last few years of ownership damaged the brand.Followed by a coach who admitted having feelings for a player and a level of distrust that permeated when one of the most respected players in the league (Becky) had to step in to tell management why they were handling it incorrectly. It’s been painful to watch. I do think her saying positive things about Gale is a pro in his favor.
It’s recoverable, but the Portland Thorns are no longer the queen of the ball. When Vlatko the Impaler is the best new coach in the NWSL, we may need to take a step back as a fan base. I don’t like it, but the best way to get respect is to get great players to commit.
I’m hoping that last game is a sign to come for Fleming, Weaver comes back healthy, and a viable right forward is brought in to help Sophia.
Frankly, the change in competitive balance has very little to nothing to do with Portland's "brand" and scandals. There has been NO evidence that players or coaches are rejecting Portland or that woso folks see Portland as an undesirable place to play. They are very much still one of the pillars of the women's soccer community, and I think most players and coaches would agree. I'd argue (and so did she) that one of the main reasons Smith re-signed in Portland was for that exact reason.
The reason the Thorns aren't the belle of the NWSL ball anymore is because other teams are investing at an equal or higher level for the *first time ever* and there are now other high level options in prime locations as a result. Period. That's it. The Thorns aren't going backwards because of the scandals, they've just stalled while other teams have moved ahead of them. I remain hopeful that they will get to an equal level under the Bhathals, but there's no more Yankees of woso anymore, and that's a VERY GOOD thing for the sport.
So yeah: It bothers me slightly when the scandals get used as a crutch for the Thorns not being at the level they should be at from some abstract appeal perspective, because that's simply untrue and takes responsibility away from the current FO which is working in an environment that, while comparatively not what it once was, is still very favorable to building an elite team.
I think you are in denial that the last few years didn’t drastically impact the Thorns. It has brought both coaching instability plus a short term decision to hire someone who was as much a PR hire as a qualified GM.
That's neither what I was arguing, nor what you said in your original post. You said that the scandals have ruined the Thorns' brand and therefore limited their ability to get good players and coaches. That is not true. They are still very much --by all accounts-- a desirable place to play and coach. Even during the scandals, none of their stars left. The difference is that there are now *tons of other options* for star players looking to come to the NWSL. I am not saying that the scandals didn't have an impact, just that said impact was NOT ruining the brand or appeal factor.
Saying that the scandals have created stagnation as a knock-on result of Paulson's lame duck ownership is true: Once Paulson was forced to sell, he became a lame duck owner and stopped investing in the team, allowing other franchises to pass the Thorns up as the league grew exponentially. Saying that the Thorns are no longer a pillar of the woso world is demonstrably, objectively false. They are not dominant on the field anymore because they are no longer the only attractive place to play! Since 2020, the NWSL has added franchises in three giant, player-attractive markets, tripled the salary cap, increased the media deal by 40x, and have had three existing franchises receive major investment. You HAVE to look at context instead of the Thorns in isolation.
So nah, no "denial" here. Just looking at the situation with a wider lens than "Thorns not dominant no more, must be because scandal."
I think people need to accept that the pre scandal Thorns,which was probably one of the pillars of the women’s soccer community, is frankly on life support. Maybe even dead.
A very good fan base and attendance is a very good rebuilding piece, but Merritt Paulson’s last few years of ownership damaged the brand.Followed by a coach who admitted having feelings for a player and a level of distrust that permeated when one of the most respected players in the league (Becky) had to step in to tell management why they were handling it incorrectly. It’s been painful to watch. I do think her saying positive things about Gale is a pro in his favor.
It’s recoverable, but the Portland Thorns are no longer the queen of the ball. When Vlatko the Impaler is the best new coach in the NWSL, we may need to take a step back as a fan base. I don’t like it, but the best way to get respect is to get great players to commit.
I’m hoping that last game is a sign to come for Fleming, Weaver comes back healthy, and a viable right forward is brought in to help Sophia.
Frankly, the change in competitive balance has very little to nothing to do with Portland's "brand" and scandals. There has been NO evidence that players or coaches are rejecting Portland or that woso folks see Portland as an undesirable place to play. They are very much still one of the pillars of the women's soccer community, and I think most players and coaches would agree. I'd argue (and so did she) that one of the main reasons Smith re-signed in Portland was for that exact reason.
The reason the Thorns aren't the belle of the NWSL ball anymore is because other teams are investing at an equal or higher level for the *first time ever* and there are now other high level options in prime locations as a result. Period. That's it. The Thorns aren't going backwards because of the scandals, they've just stalled while other teams have moved ahead of them. I remain hopeful that they will get to an equal level under the Bhathals, but there's no more Yankees of woso anymore, and that's a VERY GOOD thing for the sport.
So yeah: It bothers me slightly when the scandals get used as a crutch for the Thorns not being at the level they should be at from some abstract appeal perspective, because that's simply untrue and takes responsibility away from the current FO which is working in an environment that, while comparatively not what it once was, is still very favorable to building an elite team.
I think you are in denial that the last few years didn’t drastically impact the Thorns. It has brought both coaching instability plus a short term decision to hire someone who was as much a PR hire as a qualified GM.
That's neither what I was arguing, nor what you said in your original post. You said that the scandals have ruined the Thorns' brand and therefore limited their ability to get good players and coaches. That is not true. They are still very much --by all accounts-- a desirable place to play and coach. Even during the scandals, none of their stars left. The difference is that there are now *tons of other options* for star players looking to come to the NWSL. I am not saying that the scandals didn't have an impact, just that said impact was NOT ruining the brand or appeal factor.
Saying that the scandals have created stagnation as a knock-on result of Paulson's lame duck ownership is true: Once Paulson was forced to sell, he became a lame duck owner and stopped investing in the team, allowing other franchises to pass the Thorns up as the league grew exponentially. Saying that the Thorns are no longer a pillar of the woso world is demonstrably, objectively false. They are not dominant on the field anymore because they are no longer the only attractive place to play! Since 2020, the NWSL has added franchises in three giant, player-attractive markets, tripled the salary cap, increased the media deal by 40x, and have had three existing franchises receive major investment. You HAVE to look at context instead of the Thorns in isolation.
So nah, no "denial" here. Just looking at the situation with a wider lens than "Thorns not dominant no more, must be because scandal."
It killed the Thorns brand we knew before. Being “desirable” is a long run down from what they were before.
Some decisions have allowed KC and Orlando to pass them, but that scandal did a ton to the brand. None of it positive.