According to the Whitecaps website the TOA League is now 11 teams strong!

The addition of Tampa Bay and Baltimore brings the new league to nine teams, as they join the owners of the Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact, St. Louis Soccer United and Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Click to continue reading...

Just when we were beginning to wonder if this TOA league would really get off the ground with just seven clubs they go and add two more. Yup, now they are up to nine as Inside Minnesota Soccer has learned they have snatched two prime USL teams away with Tampa Bay rejoining the group and now a new addition in Crystal Palace Baltimore.

Click to continue reading...

TAMPA, BALTIMORE TO JOIN NEW PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE
Expansion brings new league to nine teams

Nov. 20, 2009 – The Tampa Bay Rowdies and Crystal Palace Baltimore have joined the new professional soccer league announced last week, beginning play in the United States and Canada in April 2010.

Click to continue reading...

North America will have a new soccer league from April after rebel clubs broke away from the established second tier league to form a new competition.

The seven include USL champions Montreal Impact and the team they beat in the league's final game -- Vancouver Whitecaps.

The Carolina Railhawks, Miami FC and Minnesota Thunder have also split from USL to form the new league along with former USL team the Atlanta Silverbacks and a new team from St.

Click to continue reading...

STARTERS
Horrible news - Hannover 96 and Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke has been killed by a train. News from Germany suggest it was a suicide. Oh, that is so sad. RIP Robert. We will have a good thought for your family.
-Word from the official Bundesliga web site and Deutsche Welle newspaper. Click to continue reading...

USL_at-a-crossroads

From the Inside Minnesota Soccer website, which has been breaking this story from the beginning, comes word that the Members of the Team Owners Association, TOA, have just released a press statement making their plans public with the decision to move forward with a new division 2 league in North America. Click to continue reading...

USL_at-a-crossroads

From the Inside Minnesota Soccer website, which has been breaking this story from the beginning, comes word that the Members of the Team Owners Association, TOA, have just released a press statement making their plans public with the decision to move forward with a new division 2 league in North America. Click to continue reading...

Official Press Release
TOA announces formation of new league for 2010
Owners of teams in Atlanta, Carolina, Miami, Minnesota, Montreal, St. Louis and Vancouver form new league that will debut in 2010
Nov. 10, 2009 – The owners of the Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps, formerly of USL-1, together with St. Click to continue reading...

Yesterday we found out that the new League was a go and today a number of sites confirm that the TOA will play the 2010 season in a new league.
Teams such as Miami FC, Atlanta Silverbacks, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact, Carolina Railhawks and the Vancouver Whitecaps will soon be joined by a St. Click to continue reading...

Via Andy Mead:

Nov. 10, 2009 – The owners of the Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina Railhawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps, formerly of USL-1, together with St. Louis Soccer United today announced that they have formed a new professional soccer league to play in the United States and Canada beginning in April 2010.

Click to continue reading...

The Teams Owners Association has officially announced their split from the USL. The Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina Railhawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact, Vancouver Whitecaps, and a...

Click to continue reading...

Big Story
After months of speculation about a breakaway in North America's second division, featuring farcical news management by USL and ambitious statements from the renegade Team Owners Association, it's been confirmed today that a new second division professional league will launch in the United States in 2010, consisting of the Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina Railhawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps and St.

Click to continue reading...

Press Release:
OWNERS OF PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAMS IN ATLANTA, CAROLINA, MIAMI, MINNESOTA, MONTREAL, ST. LOUIS AND VANCOUVER FORM NEW PRO SOCCER LEAGUE TO BEGIN PLAY IN 2010
Nov. 10, 2009 – The owners of the Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina Railhawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps, formerly of USL-1, together with St. Click to continue reading...

Six ownership groups that were previously part of the USL-First Division have joined forces with St. Louis Soccer United to form a new professional soccer league that will begin play in 2010.

The Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina Railhawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps have joined St.

Click to continue reading...

Six ownership groups that were previously part of the USL-First Division have joined forces with St. Louis Soccer United to form a new professional soccer league that will begin play in 2010.

The Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina Railhawks, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps have joined St.

Click to continue reading...

Some big news is coming out today. The Team Owners Association or TOA is moving forward in their plan to break away from the USL first division and form their own league. TOA just released a press release making their plans public with the decision to move forward with a new division 2 league in North America.

Click to continue reading...

The Members of the Team Owners Association TOA have just released a press statement making their plans public with the decision to move forward with a new division 2 league in North America.

OWNERS OF PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAMS IN ATLANTA, CAROLINA, MIAMI, MINNESOTA, MONTREAL, ST.

Click to continue reading...

The Members of the Team Owners Association TOA have just released a press statement making their plans public with the decision to move forward with a new division 2 league in North America.

OWNERS OF PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAMS IN ATLANTA, CAROLINA, MIAMI, MINNESOTA, MONTREAL, ST.

Click to continue reading...

The Members of the Team Owners Association, TOA, have just released a press statement making their plans public with the decision to move forward with a new division 2 league in North America.

OWNERS OF PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAMS IN ATLANTA, CAROLINA, MIAMI, MINNESOTA, MONTREAL, ST.

Click to continue reading...

There is a song by the Smiths that goes like this:

The death of a disco dancer
Well, it happens a lot 'round here

Well, it's not the death of a Disco Dancer but more like the Death of Soccer in Miami, and it does happen around here quite often! It appears Soccer does not live long and prosper in this town . Click to continue reading...

I've been a little busy today so the links will be fairly light tonight. I guess that's what you can expect when it is the week of your wedding and you have loads of things to do other than write on a blog. But I will have more on that in a couple days.

Tonight I want to really get into a couple things here.

Click to continue reading...

This comes directly from BCSoccerWeb.com. USL-1 team owners are NOT happy with the sale by Nike of the USL to NuRock. Prospect of USL-1 clubs jumping ship to newly created team owned league looms.
------------------
TEAM OWNERS ASSOCIATION CHILLS RELATIONS WITH USL Atlanta, Carolina, Miami, Minnesota, Montreal, St. Click to continue reading...

Over at USLnews.com they have posted a press release from an outfit called the Team Owners Associaton (TOA). This cabal was formed in January 2008 to push for reform within the USL to get the heavy handed league ownership (was Marcos, then Umbro/Nike, and now NuRock) to relinquish control and ownership of the USL to the member clubs. Click to continue reading...

This press release just in from the Carolina Railhawks at 4:00 pm CT today:

TEAM OWNERS ASSOCIATION CHILLS RELATIONS WITH USL AFTER NIKE SELLS USL TO NON-TEAM THIRD PARTY

Atlanta, Carolina, Miami, Minnesota, Montreal, St. Louis, Tampa and Vancouver to Aggressively Explore all Options for Future

August 31, 2009.

Click to continue reading...

This press release just in from the Carolina RailHawks at 4:00 pm CT today:

TEAM OWNERS ASSOCIATION CHILLS RELATIONS WITH USL AFTER NIKE SELLS USL TO NON-TEAM THIRD PARTY

Atlanta, Carolina, Miami, Minnesota, Montreal, St. Louis, Tampa and Vancouver to Aggressively Explore all Options for Future

August 31, 2009.

Click to continue reading...

USLNews recieved this press release this afternoon:
TEAM OWNERS ASSOCIATION CHILLS RELATIONS WITH USL AFTER NIKE SELLS USL TO NON-TEAM THIRD PARTY
Atlanta, Carolina, Miami, Minnesota, Montreal, St. Louis, Tampa and Vancouver to Aggressively Explore all Options for Future
August 31, 2009 Following extensive negotiations with USISL, Inc. Click to continue reading...

Since it was announced last week that the United Soccer Leagues had been put on the block by their parent company, sportswear behemoth Nike, I was curious in the outcome, but wanted to withhold speculation until the sale was completed. Nike came to own the USL by virtue of their takeover of Umbro in early 2008. Click to continue reading...

Inside Minnesota Soccer has spoken with Tim Holt, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer for USL. Holt was asked about a third party who supposedly had won the bid from Nike and was in the due diligence stage when NuRock was announced as the owner. Holt said that USL management has been aware of all the groups that made bids but denied having inside information on the individual bids.

Click to continue reading...

Inside Minnesota Soccer has spoken with Tim Holt, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer for USL. Holt was asked about a third party who supposedly had won the bid from Nike and was in the due diligence stage when NuRock was announced as the owner. Holt said that USL management has been aware of all the groups that made bids but denied having inside information on the individual bids.

Click to continue reading...

While I have been working on my account of my time in the Atlanta Attack front office (the eagerly awaited "The Soccerball Years, part 2") several prominent citizens of my home town have decided to throw caution (and a lot of cash) to the wind and invest heavily in new professional soccer franchises. Click to continue reading...

Congratulations to all the players who were named to the 2009 All-League Team. The announcement of the individual awards will be on August 5th.
Goalkeeper of the Year:
Michelle Betos (Atlanta Silverbacks)
Defenders:
Ashleigh Gunning (Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues)
Ria Percival (Ottawa Fury)
Brittany Taylor (Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues)
Midfielders:
Gemma Davidson (Chicago Red Eleven)
Michelle French (Seattle Sounders)
Rosa Tantillo (Buffalo Flash)
Nikki Washington (Pali Blues)
Forwards:
Laura Del Rio (FC Indiana Lionesses)
Amber Hearn (Ottawa Fury)
Angelika Johansson (Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues)
W-League 2009 Individual Honors
Defender of the Year Finalists: Ashleigh Gunning (Hudson Valley), Ria Percival (Ottawa), and Brittany Taylor (Hudson Valley)
U19 Player of the Year Finalists: Sarah Chapman (Tampa Bay), Chante Sandiford (Washington) and Fortuna Velaj (Connecticut). Click to continue reading...

A few more players to say ‘Goodbye' to on Les Rosbifs, as the thorough sifting of the list continues unabated. The biggest one of these is the departure of former Manchester United and Manchester City winger Terry Cooke from Colorado Rapids of the MLS. Cooke was waived yesterday so that the Rapids English coach, Gary [. Click to continue reading...

CENTRAL CONFERENCE
Divisional I: Quebec City Amiral 0 - 5 Buffalo Flash
Semifinal I: Chicago Red Eleven 2 - 4 Ottawa Fury
Semifinal II: Buffalo Flash 0 -3 FC Indiana
Central Conference Final: Ottawa Fury v FC Indiana
Sunday, July 26 @ 7:30PM EST @ Jefferson High School
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Semifinal I: Tampa Bay Hellenic 1 - 2 Washington Freedom
Semifinal II: Charlotte Lady Eagles 2 - 1 Atlanta Silverbacks
Eastern Conference Final: Charlotte Lady Eagles 1 - 2 Washington Freedom
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Western Conference Championship: Colorado Force 2 - 5 Pali Blues
W-LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP :: SEMIFINALS
Regular Season Champion: Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues. Click to continue reading...

Tampa Bay Hellenic's first foray into the W-League's postseason ended abruptly Friday night with a 2-1 first round loss to the favored Washington Freedom. Hellenic finished their second campaign with a 8-1-3 regular season record which was good enough for second place in the Atlantic division behind the Atlanta Silverbacks. Click to continue reading...

Tampa Bay Hellenic (8-1-3) will have to settle for second place in the W-League's Atlantic division. The Atlanta Silverbacks (9-1-1) won 1-0 over Charlotte Saturday night to skip past Hellenic into first place and the division crown since Tampa Bay has finished its regular season slate of games. Click to continue reading...