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USL / NASL Updates

Our good friend and Miami Ultra Robert Scorca went over the team sites for all the members of the NASL and here is what he found:

Minnesota Thunder has not had a news update since Oct. 15th before the news of NASL broke out.

Atlanta Silverbacks and St. Louis Soccer United have updates mentioning that 7 teams are part of the new league. This is before Crystal Palace Baltimore and Tampa Bay Rowdies joined the new league and before the NASL name was chosen.

Miami FC, Carolina RailHawks, Montreal Impact, Vancouver Whitecaps, Crystal Palace Baltimore and Tampa Bay Rowdies all have the most current info posted. This includes 9 teams and the NASL name. No this is not a typo about Montreal!

The Vancouver Whitecaps team site ties into all the other teams home sites. Also in google if you type in NASL there is the new NASL listed with google links to all the NASL teams. This is good because it mentions the other teams under each NASL team, the reserve teams, and woman's team. Being google there is no guarantee this is correct.

The USL site tells a different story. If you go to the team sites for the Montreal Impact, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Tampa Bay Rowdies they are still members of the USL-1. How do they do this? Under the news for the clubs they are updated prior to their news release mentioning the split. Vancouver team news stops on Nov. 3rd, Tampa Bay's stops on Nov. 18th, and Montreal stops on Nov. 10th. The Charleston Battery team site is updated to Oct. 28 so there is no mention of them dropping down to the USL-2. I guess the USL philosophy is no news is good news.

The USL news site is updated much more frequent.
Nov. 4 there is a post titled "New era under way for USL-1" This article mentions that in attendance are representatives for the following. Austin, Cleveland, New York, Puerto Rico, Portland, Rochester, Tampa Bay, Edmonton, Ottawa, Baltimore and Detroit. With things breaking the way they are I am sure these cities know how to reach the NASL's front office for a place to play.

Nov. 10 there is a post titled "USL Statement regarding USL-1" This came out in response to the TOA's application being sent to the United States Soccer Federation.

Nov. 20 there is a post titled USL statement regarding Tampa, Baltimore. This mentions about both clubs being under contract to the USL. This was in response to Tampa Bay and Baltimore being mentioned as entries of the new league which is at the time of the article being named the NASL.

For further updates be sure to check out:
The Kartik Report
Inside Minnesota Soccer

A special thanks to Robert Scorca for his research on this topic.

Burrito's take on the War of the Soccer Leagues! USL vs NASL and quesadillas too...

Hola amigos! Burrito bring you the War of the Soccer Leagues between USL and the new NASL that the TOA will begin in 2010. We still wait for ok from USSF but Burrito's connections say it going to happen one way or another! Burrito want to warn you carnales this may be a little long so go get something to eat, or drink a cafecito and relax and read Burritos futbol poetrys!

First Burrito break down United Soccer Leagues Division 1 - USL-1

Austin Aztex
Aztex remind Burrito of Mexico except they in Texas... Team was so-so finishing almost last and they make a bubu during last season that cost them 2 points! They recently release 14 players! They faithful to USL. But no one cares.

Charleston Battery
They finish 4th in USL, they just announce they are going down to USL-2! Pobrecitos! It is a step down for them and for USL.

Cleveland City Stars
Stars ends season last and reports say "las Estrellas" are going to go down to USL-2 again. Things not go well with them this last year. They faithful to USL.

Portland Timbers
Timbers finish first in league but not Champions and choke in playoff. They don't care about the TOA group and careless about USL even though their president get award for being best executive or whatever. (He only get it cause all other teams are gone) They going to MLS so 2010 is only preparation for the big league! Yawn.

Puerto Rico Islanders
PR is ok with whatever happens, they finish 3rd in USL and play Concacaf champions doing mas o menos this year. They are keeping their eye out to see what happens with NASL but for now remain with USL. Puerto Rico also have hot womens!

Rochester Rhinos
Not happy with USL, Rhinos are also not too fond of TOA. But they see no changes to USL so far. Rhinos might surprise everyone and jump ship if not this year then in 2011 for sure.

New teams
New York and Tampa are expansion USL teams pero Tampa say they with the TOA...

Maybe teams:
USL announce Edmonton and Ottawa along with Baltimore and Detroit as possible teams. We now know Baltimore went with TOA so Burrito think other teams might go to TOA too unless USL secure some pesos from the other cities pronto!
Rumor has it another Minnesota team will come into USL-1 but that weird cause Thunder still exist kinda since they still have website! ... And then there is another team called the Minnesota Kings going into NPSL... that make 3 teams in Minnesota! A caray, 3 teams!?!? So if we take Baltimore out and Cleveland out oh and The Battery, well Burrito really can't add so someone need to tell Burrito how many teams USL will have this season, 5? Not looking good for USL-1.


TOA (aka North American Soccer League NASL)

Miami FC Blues
They buy rights to NASL name. They have not mucho fans except for Burrito and some vatos called the Ultras (3 guys and one of their girlfriends). Owners of team Traffic Sports have mucho dinero. If Traffic wants to make a good team now is time to do it. No more excuse. Will Blues change name to Strikers? We will see... Nowheres to go but up for Miami FC. Vamos Miami!

Minnesota Thunder
No moneys, no players, no nothing. Thunder owe money to everyone and their mami! USL trying to kill them to make sure TOA league doesn't work but even if Thunder say bye, bye there are enough teams now to make new league work. Burrito hope other TOA members help Minnesota survive.

Montreal Impact
The new USL Champions are on top of the world. Joey Saputo playing all sides and running the show. Everyone want Montreal in their side but so far Impact only on their own side. If Saputo could he make his own league where Impact play with themselves... no pun intended...
Impact will play where they want, they don't need MLS, with the 40 million franchise fee they can start the new league and give free croissants to fans for the rest of the year!

Vancouver Whitecaps
They going to MLS anyway but they want the better for futbol in North America by sticking with the TOA (unlike the Timbers who just dont care). Whitcaps say they will keep a team in NASL even though they move to MLS.

Carolina RailHawks
Burrito call them Railchickens. A loyal TOA member they were along with Miami and Minnesota the first teams to be kicked out by USL a move that Burrito thinks was the stupidest thing since Mild Sauce!

Atlanta Silverbacks
They took a year off from USL cause they no like them. USL turn around and want to put team in Atlanta.

St. Louis Soccer United
No team yet but Jeff Cooper have the dinero and the organization to make this team happen soon.

Tampa Bay Rowdies
Rowdies have already given some pesos over to USL but are loyal to TOA. If they cant jump this year they will do it in 2011. Burrito looking forward to Florida derby!

Baltimore Crystal Palace
USL-2 team ready to move up. They might have the same legal issues that Tampa have so they might have to stay in USL for another year but Burrito hope 2010 they will be in NASL!

More Teams?
Burrito hear other teams may join NASL. One is Ottawa who waiting to see what happens before they make up their minds.

Epylogue:
Burrito enjoying the War of the Soccer Leagues telenovela but hope it get resolved soon so that Miami FC can concentrate on getting star players like the ones who play in NASL back in the day like Pele, Beckenbauer, etc, etc.

What do you think will happen with NASL? Will NASL be a strong league? Will USL survive? Will USSF approve the new League? Will Taco Bell ever make a decent quesadilla?

Burrito leave you with a Great goal from back in NASL glory days by George Best!

TOA League goes up to 9 teams! Baltimore and Tampa join!

Last week we mentioned the possibility of Tampa joining the TOA (read HERE) which lead to much skepticism on behalf of a number of readers and on bigsoccer, but today it has been confirmed! I hate to tell you I told you so...

The Kartik Report indicates Tampa's inclusion into the TOA League might be a bit premature due to legal binds with USL. Still, Tampa is a TOA member and worst case scenario might spend 2010 with USL jumping ship in 2011.

According to the Whitecaps website the TOA League is now 9 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.

More HERE

It goes on to report that the new league will be announced some time next week! The new league is also active in its search for a full-time commissioner and will introduce an extensive marketing campaign in the coming months.

USL News goes on to report that Miami FC Registered Two NASL Trademark Claims on 11.16.2009!

According to a search of the United States Patent and Trademark Office records, North American Soccer League, LCC in Delaware filed two trademark claims on November 16th, 2009. They claims were marked c/o Miami FC 501 Brickell Key Drive, Suite 407 Miami FLORIDA 33131

More HERE

More news to come!

The Kartik Report
Inside Minnesota Soccer
MLS Rumors
Match Fit USA
Railhawks site
WVHooligan
Major League Soccer Talk
PitchInvasion

South Africa's World Cup has its 32 teams

On Friday December 4th we will find out how the group stages will look for the XIX World Cup to take place in South Africa next Summer.

We now know the 32 countries that qualified for the world Cup:

For CONCACAF it was The United States, Mexico and Honduras.

For CONMEBOL it was Brazil, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay.

For Africa it was Algeria, Camerun, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and the host South Africa.

For Asia it was Australia, North Korea, South Korea and Japan.

For UEFA: England, Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Italy, Greece Serbia, Portugal, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands,

Oh and Last but not least New Zealand.

There are really no "Virgins" that will participate in the South African World Cup though some might argue Slovakia and Serbia are first timers. The Slovaks were part of Checoslovakia and the Serbs have a long tradition with Yugoslavia and the last WC played as Serbia and Montenegro.

Who will win? My bet is with Spain and Brazil!

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