@mddeblois.bsky.social
Diego Luna may not be from El Paso or even associated with their academy, but I don’t think that it was a coincidence that the short in stature 17 year old who didn’t even look like he could be an athlete started his pro career there. I think that speaks highly for their culture.
December 5, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Diego Luna may not be from El Paso or even associated with their academy, but I don’t think that it was a coincidence that the short in stature 17 year old who didn’t even look like he could be an athlete started his pro career there. I think that speaks highly for their culture.
I’m skipping this World Cup. I’ve followed every one closely since the 1982 World Cup when PBS would air the hour long highlights of one game every day. That was such an unexpected success that the final was shown live on network television. I hadn’t missed one since…until now.
December 5, 2025 at 12:25 PM
I’m skipping this World Cup. I’ve followed every one closely since the 1982 World Cup when PBS would air the hour long highlights of one game every day. That was such an unexpected success that the final was shown live on network television. I hadn’t missed one since…until now.
Berman just doesn’t strike me as being in the “varsity” category of professional sports league commissioners. Every time that she is tasked with an important challenge, she finds a way to make it more problematic and difficult than it has to be. She just isn’t a problem solver. She’s a reactor.
December 4, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Berman just doesn’t strike me as being in the “varsity” category of professional sports league commissioners. Every time that she is tasked with an important challenge, she finds a way to make it more problematic and difficult than it has to be. She just isn’t a problem solver. She’s a reactor.
I get the impression that AC Boise have the ambition to be a sort of “Boise State of soccer” eventually. Everyone’s got to start somewhere, but I just get the impression that this club has a lot of growth ahead of it.
December 4, 2025 at 6:37 PM
I get the impression that AC Boise have the ambition to be a sort of “Boise State of soccer” eventually. Everyone’s got to start somewhere, but I just get the impression that this club has a lot of growth ahead of it.
I think that total sequence is a monument to her rustiness and ability at the same time. She made a mistake that you would never see from her normally and a recovery that no other defender in the world could make. It is all there in one sequence - quite the roller coaster.
November 29, 2025 at 10:58 AM
I think that total sequence is a monument to her rustiness and ability at the same time. She made a mistake that you would never see from her normally and a recovery that no other defender in the world could make. It is all there in one sequence - quite the roller coaster.
She has so turned into a winner in the purist form. She always had the amazing, game changing talent, but now it is so obvious that she will do anything in her power to get the result for the team. Anything. What a player.
November 29, 2025 at 5:48 AM
She has so turned into a winner in the purist form. She always had the amazing, game changing talent, but now it is so obvious that she will do anything in her power to get the result for the team. Anything. What a player.
Lucas Mendez’s team does it again! I would love to see them grow, but I don’t know that they want to grow out of the niche that they currently occupy. Regardless, congrats to the Dream. I will definitely watch them.
November 23, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Lucas Mendez’s team does it again! I would love to see them grow, but I don’t know that they want to grow out of the niche that they currently occupy. Regardless, congrats to the Dream. I will definitely watch them.
Seems like an age ago that he scored 5 in one game for the USYNT U17s. Good for him for finding a way to continue to contribute positively over what has now been a long and winding road - 32 now!
November 15, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Seems like an age ago that he scored 5 in one game for the USYNT U17s. Good for him for finding a way to continue to contribute positively over what has now been a long and winding road - 32 now!
I should remember this but, to be honest, I was more focused on the Senators at the time. Frank Howard, Eddie Brinkman and, beginning in 1969 - Ted Williams as their manager! He taught the team how to hit and they actually had a winning season.
November 13, 2025 at 1:55 PM
I should remember this but, to be honest, I was more focused on the Senators at the time. Frank Howard, Eddie Brinkman and, beginning in 1969 - Ted Williams as their manager! He taught the team how to hit and they actually had a winning season.
Michelle Kang definitely is the difference. The Spirit really pay attention and commit to the details that connect the team to the community and make it easy for people to come out and and support the team in large numbers.
November 12, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Michelle Kang definitely is the difference. The Spirit really pay attention and commit to the details that connect the team to the community and make it easy for people to come out and and support the team in large numbers.
Welcome to the world of lower league success!
November 11, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Welcome to the world of lower league success!
They could borrow from the Colorado Caribous kits from the old NASL days!
November 11, 2025 at 8:49 PM
They could borrow from the Colorado Caribous kits from the old NASL days!
I think the first 10 years of this new USL are going to be a mix of crazy energy toward growth mixed with crazy falls from teams reaching too far. Texoma appears to be all of it in one club. I expect the energy to continue, but I also don’t see the craziness going away either.
November 6, 2025 at 8:26 PM
I think the first 10 years of this new USL are going to be a mix of crazy energy toward growth mixed with crazy falls from teams reaching too far. Texoma appears to be all of it in one club. I expect the energy to continue, but I also don’t see the craziness going away either.
Every week there are one or more new announcements about a new club joining the USL pro world or an old club going in the wrong direction. It will be interesting to see the percentage of clubs that are on their way up vs down. Also, how many old and new clubs are sustainable in the new environment?
November 6, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Every week there are one or more new announcements about a new club joining the USL pro world or an old club going in the wrong direction. It will be interesting to see the percentage of clubs that are on their way up vs down. Also, how many old and new clubs are sustainable in the new environment?
Unanimous vote despite half the voices speaking out against it. Surely, this is convenient to me and my agenda - I just hope that pushing this through so quickly doesn’t backfire at some point. Regardless, I am rooting for them to succeed.
November 5, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Unanimous vote despite half the voices speaking out against it. Surely, this is convenient to me and my agenda - I just hope that pushing this through so quickly doesn’t backfire at some point. Regardless, I am rooting for them to succeed.
This does not appear to be a self aware decision. I would admire them if they stated a plan for working towards the first division - improving local marketing, ticket sales, infrastructure, stadium, etc., but shutting down while they make all of those leaps at once seems a harder, riskier road.
November 4, 2025 at 3:40 PM
This does not appear to be a self aware decision. I would admire them if they stated a plan for working towards the first division - improving local marketing, ticket sales, infrastructure, stadium, etc., but shutting down while they make all of those leaps at once seems a harder, riskier road.
There almost appears to be a race to fill the upper 3 tiers’ spots while they are available. At some point, these levels will get saturated with clubs and ambitious new clubs will turn to organizing the levels below the top three leagues with the intent of getting promoted into the top 3 tiers.
November 1, 2025 at 3:32 PM
There almost appears to be a race to fill the upper 3 tiers’ spots while they are available. At some point, these levels will get saturated with clubs and ambitious new clubs will turn to organizing the levels below the top three leagues with the intent of getting promoted into the top 3 tiers.
One of my favorite things about the current USL climate is that teams self-relegate or self-delay their startup when they realize they are in over their heads. It is self awareness - an important step on the pathway to promotion/relegation.
October 30, 2025 at 12:07 AM
One of my favorite things about the current USL climate is that teams self-relegate or self-delay their startup when they realize they are in over their heads. It is self awareness - an important step on the pathway to promotion/relegation.
This was always a trip game for Madison. Congrats to Richmond for a nice result at the end of a disappointing season.
October 26, 2025 at 1:00 AM
This was always a trip game for Madison. Congrats to Richmond for a nice result at the end of a disappointing season.
There must be a good joke about Sharktopus and the long arms of justice…or something, but I guess this is very serious to them if they are filing an official complaint. I would think you would need clear and obvious evidence in the eyes of who they are appealing to which is a very high bar to meet.
October 18, 2025 at 5:05 AM
There must be a good joke about Sharktopus and the long arms of justice…or something, but I guess this is very serious to them if they are filing an official complaint. I would think you would need clear and obvious evidence in the eyes of who they are appealing to which is a very high bar to meet.
She is a really interesting problem solver - a great combination of strong possession concentration with one eye always looking for penetration possibilities. You can’t ever relax on the one hand or over commit on the other. Her ability to maintain elite match awareness belies her age.
October 15, 2025 at 6:48 PM
She is a really interesting problem solver - a great combination of strong possession concentration with one eye always looking for penetration possibilities. You can’t ever relax on the one hand or over commit on the other. Her ability to maintain elite match awareness belies her age.
Wow! At a time when the City of Modesto are trying to build a soccer stadium and join USL, it is important to remember that this element of club will always exist in any city. Fortunately for all of us, these kinds of clubs are drawn to and find a home in NISA - that is now NISA’s function.
October 13, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Wow! At a time when the City of Modesto are trying to build a soccer stadium and join USL, it is important to remember that this element of club will always exist in any city. Fortunately for all of us, these kinds of clubs are drawn to and find a home in NISA - that is now NISA’s function.
They certainly don’t respect the sport - on any level. They see being cynical as what the smart people do.
October 13, 2025 at 2:33 AM
They certainly don’t respect the sport - on any level. They see being cynical as what the smart people do.
We mis-understand what a great coach is. A great coach puts the journey of the players first - not their own. The evidence of a great coach can't just be measured in wins and losses - it has to be measured differently for every single team and player they coach - that doesn't work on sports center.
October 9, 2025 at 11:24 AM
We mis-understand what a great coach is. A great coach puts the journey of the players first - not their own. The evidence of a great coach can't just be measured in wins and losses - it has to be measured differently for every single team and player they coach - that doesn't work on sports center.