From the days of the Minnesota Thunder playing Real Salt Lake in USOC matches or when the NSC
Stars played the Austin Aztex in the USSF D2 Pro League, whenever Jamie Watson touched a ball for
those opposing sides, Minnesota pro soccer fans would chant, "You dive like Jamie Watson." The
chant was started after [.
Think media coverage of Major League Soccer in your area is poor? Try being a second division team.
The Austin Aztex played in the FBM's backyard last season (before chasing the almighty dollar to
Orlando) and local media coverage of the team was scant to say the least.
So kudos to North American Soccer League's NSC Minnesota Stars for taking it upon themselves to
produce and promote a series that takes a behind-the-scenes look that the team and the players.
Think media coverage of Major League Soccer in your area is poor? Try being a second division team.
The Austin Aztex played in the FBM's backyard last season (before chasing the almighty dollar to
Orlando) and local media coverage of the team was scant to say the least.
So kudos to North American Soccer League's NSC Minnesota Stars for taking it upon themselves to
produce and promote a series that takes a behind-the-scenes look that the team and the players.
In recent days the Montreal Impact completed their "French connection" by signing two players
with Ligue 2 experience, midfielder Idriss Ech-Chergui and defender Kevin
Hatchi. The signings bring Montreal to the seven foreign player roster limit.
NASL teams have been busy recently, not only with the NASL Player Combine in sunny Florida this
past weekend but in signing veteran players for the 2011 season. FC Tampa Bay announced the
signing of veteran defender Frankie Sanfilippo, while the Puerto Rico Islanders also reached out
for experienced backline leadership by adding former Aztex' captain Jay Needham.
IMS sat down with Djorn Buchholz yesterday immediately following the Minnesota Stars
press conference where it was formerly announced that the former Thunder GM and Aztex CEO will now
take the reigns of the Minnesota Stars.
A confident Djorn Buchholz listens to questions from the media during Wednesdays Minnesota Stars
press conference.
The Minnesota Stars held a press conference today announcing that with the help of the North
American Soccer League (NASL) they will be back for the 2011 season and will play their games at
the National Sports Center.
Aaron Davidson - Photos by Jermey Olsen - www.digitalgopher.
The Minnesota Stars have announced the team will hold a press conference next Wednesday,
January 5th at 11:00 a.m. The press conference will be held at Brits Pub in the Club Room on the
3rd floor.
Brits Pub is located at 1110 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis, MN.
The nature of soccer in the United States means professional clubs in our lower divisions are
always coming and going in rapid fashion. Every year sees the launch of at least one new
organization. Usually these clubs are wholly new creations, bursting onto the scene with little but
big talk and modest money by people with little experience running a soccer operation.
On Thursday, I got up with RailHawks predsident Brian Wellman about the recent news that NASL
had re-submitted its bid for Division 2 sanctioning with two extra teams. NASL concluded its recent
meeting in Tampa last week.
I've posted the audio in two parts from that interview, since I'm sure there are several
questions among the minds of D2 fans across the country.
With the USL's PDL regular season just completed and the playoffs underway, here's a look at the
final (unofficial) numbers for the league (as always, additions and corrections are
welcome):
Rk Team G Total Average Median High Low 1 Des Moines Menace 8 27,790 3,474 3,497 3,961 2,929 2
Fresno Fuego #5 15,237 3,047 2,743 4,361 1,723 3 Portland Timbers 8 23,079 2,885 1,444 8,174 349 4
Carolina Dynamo 8 13,620 1,703 1,710 2,741 945 5 Austin Aztex 8 11,157 1,395 1,235 2,507 808 6
Ventura Co.
Last September the Austin Aztex, under new ownership, announced their return to the American soccer
fold. Almost a year earlier the first incarnation of the Aztex had packed up for greener pastures
in Orlando, leaving supporters in the lurch and a bad taste in the mouth of the local soccer
community.
Erika Esola of the Seminole Chronicle recently interviewed Orlando City FC owner and former owner
of the Austin Aztex, Phil Rawlins. As I've been saying for a while now Orlando City is closer to
MLS than a lot of people have been giving them credit for. Whether you agreed with the way Rawlins
handled the [.
I remember first watching Jamie Watson play for Real Salt Lake back in 2005. Back then RSL was a
dismal side with little direction. You could almost say it's fitting that Watson began his
professional career there. For two years Jamie battled for playing time and failed to find his
groove. It's perfectly understandable; Watson entered the league as a young man who was legally
able to drink.
A happy day in the city the Free Beer Movement calls it's HQ, Austin, will welcome a soccer team
once again. It's been nearly a year since the former club-that-shall-not-be-named skipped town in
nearly the middle of the night and, well, as much as we try to push it into the dark recesses of
our minds, it still haunts us.
Sporting Kansas City made one move today before the roster freeze at 4pm Central time today. Today
KC announced that they'd acquired Kenyan defender, Lawrence Olum. Olum spent most of the year with
Orlando City SC of the USL Pro division. The 27 year old Olum played in 21 games for Orlando City
in league play, recording only 1 assist.
This was the round proper where the lower sides had to show their metal against the MLS sides as
Round three proper came to the US Open Cup. Battle for Los Angels and battle for New York was very
exciting to see while a former Texas club that moved to a Central Florida city came back to face FC
Dallas and fireworks were early and late.
USL PRO, the organization that will run D3 soccer in the United States and Caribbean for the
2011 season, announced the playoff format for their fifteen-team league today from their Tampa,
Florida headquarters. Eight of the league's fifteen teams will be eligible for the post-season
playoffs.
Live MontzTV with Jamie Watson is presented by IonWatchUSA.com. They sell the cool Imazine
Watches and Popochos that are all the rave these days, even Neiman Marcus sells their gear! They
also sell the really cool iPod Nano Watch Bands! You can check out all of IonWatchUSA.
In Part Two of the Revolution-Red Bulls 2012 trilogy, Jay Heaps' squad played like a
confident bunch that wasn't going to be bullied (pardon the pun) around during a rare Sunday night
game. They created chances. They capitalized on those chances. And they did it in front of their
home fans.
AUSTIN, Texas (April 22, 2012) – The Austin Aztex unveiled their all-new primary and alternate
uniforms on Sunday night at the Lion & Rose British Restaurant and Pub at Westlake...
The Austin Aztex will be back playing soccer next year just as they were when they started out in
2008, participating in the USL Premier Development League (PDL). David Markley, founder and
minority owner of the previous Aztex franchise spoke to former Aztex supporters, Eberly's Army
(formerly Chantico's Army) on Sunday giving them the news.
Three Virginia teams that particpate in the Premier Developmental League can now start planning for
their 2012 season matchups. The USL released the 2012 PDL Schedule today. The Fredericksburg
Hotspur, Northern Virginia Royals, and Virginia Beach Piranhas will play in the South Atlantic
Division of the PDL in 2012.
The Dynamo finished a four day Invitation Training combine last week, taking a look at several
players looking to be a part of the 2011 roster. We should hear something in the new few days to a
couple weeks as to whether or not any of the invitees impressed the coaching staff enough to be
offered either a trial or a contract.
As some other teams prepare for some other games this weekend, the Houston Dynamo are hard at
work preparing and looking for potential new faces for next season. Yeah, I know, everyone would
rather be playing this weekend but if you can't, you might as well use the time wisely.
The Dynamo PR team is hard at work covering the combine and prodiding updates.
Happy Friday everybody, and welcome to the Musket Rounds. Today's assortment is pretty
Revolution-centric, thanks to the fact that there's a game tomorrow. Plus, there's a bunch of
speculation over what inevitable roster moves the Revs are poised to make. With three open spots as
of July 1st, there's a whole bunch of things New England could do, and I wouldn't be terribly
surprised if they had the room for a DP.
Welcome to the former home of The Aztexan, a former fan blog of the former Austin Aztex pro
soccer team. Soccer supporters in central Texas had three good years backing our lads in red &
white before they gave up on us and skedaddled off to Orlando late one October night. (If you're
interested in the history of that departure, you can read the previous five posts below.
*I have 10 words: Chivas USA's Justin Braun is in a national team camp.
* No loan for Beckham?
*The Los Angeles Blues of USL Pro signed center back Gareth Evans Tuesday as their fourth player
in preparation for their 2011 debut season. Evans, 23, has played for Wales' Wrexham, as well as
the Austin Aztex and, most recently, Real Maryland Monarchs of the USL2.
On December 28th, 2010 at 5:30pm central time OnlineSoccerAcademy.com will be hosting our Live
MontzTV Interview with Jamie Watson. This is a FREE event for the soccer
community of all ages presented by Imazine Watches at Rookies Sportscafe in Mandeville,
Louisiana.
