Gomez's brother signed with which Real? Maryland? Salt Lake?

"MLS star Christian Gomez"

Is he the #10 for the Western Division leading Rapids? The team that went from about the lowest scoring team last year to the highest scoring team so far this year? The former MLS MVP?

I'm digging Real Maryland FC's logo. Does anyone know where I can order a shirt or something online?

Gomez's brother signed to Real Maryland. He's listed on their website roster.

Valencia / Getafe in the Copa del Rey final today...two teams that could use a trophy right now...

Maryland!!! Goff si talking about Real Maryland

I will be the first to rip off this band-aid.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/soccer/04/15/bc.soc.mls.earthquakes.stadium.ap/index.html

But congratulations San Jose. While I wish the Black and Red could celebrate this in the near future, we'll have to be bigger fans of the league for announcements like this. While you'll take plenty of lumps this year - the organization appears to have a sound base and now looks like the requisite infrastructure is on its way soon.

I think that's where the A's wanted a stadium...haha.

"Gomez's brother signed with which Real? Maryland? Salt Lake?"

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The discussion is about Real Maryland. Is that not clear in the first paragraph of the thread?

soon they will have real maryland and Maryland United
(formally known as DC United) i ahd no idea there could be that much soccer in maryland

Mysterian makes it sound like Gomez has scored more than one goal this year.
Wasn't it a PK?
do you blow a kiss to your gomez wallbanger on the way out the door?

The stadium will only seat 18,000, just like Denver. (I've read conflicting reports about whether the stadium in Chester, PA will seat 18K or 20K.) Isn't this on the low side? They should aim for something at least half again as large as today's average crowds, if not more, both to accommodate peak crowds (unless they plan to continue to use McAfee for big games), and to allow for future growth in attendance. (If you don't believe attendance is going to grow over the long term, why bother?) They should aim for a capacity of 25K or more. (I suspect that some people in Toronto are having second thoughts about not having built a bigger edifice.) I hope they will be able to build onto the SJ stadium if the need arises.

Wow! Did you meet the King of Maryland? Was he there? There is one, right?

King of Maryland = Cal Ripken, hon.

Mysterian makes it sound like Gomez has scored more than one goal this year.
Wasn't it a PK?
do you blow a kiss to your gomez wallbanger on the way out the door?

Posted by: Dadryan. | April 16, 2008 10:05 AM
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Ha! Good one. No. I hadn't thought of a wallbanger, but I should get one. I do have my Rapids #10 jersey on order, hope it gets here before the Rapids game.

@Tri Village

I'm not trying to be controversial in these statements - however, the 18,000 seaters are probably fine given the league averages and what not at present. Now, Really - if you look at all these parks - additions would not be difficult to undertake at all. However, the initial builds are satisfying what is there except in cases such as Toronto. Colorado has not had a history of sell-outs and neither have FC Dallas. The Crew is struggling to reach 3/4's capacity most of the time and Kansas City - I don't know what can be said about that. (Shame on you Wizards fans - you have a great product on the field so far this year and some seriously dedicated owners in OnGoal LLC). Chicago has also, albeit Pre-Blanco, not seen sell-outs in their far flung suburban ville stadium. Now - if MLS stadiums were begging for capacity constraints - I could understand building the 25,000-30,000 ideas that a lot of people seem to like.

But we're just not there yet. Like I said - if you look at the designs of each park - however cookie cutter they are - all you're doing is building on an upper deck on the opposite side or extending it on another - or, on the cheap you are building a system on these stages that can be rolled up easily that would plunk 4-5k more in the ends.

We've all got to be patient. There is still a lot of committed growth this league needs. To justify the extra costs both in construction and operations for the extra seat build - you're going to need to be on a regular basis probably 80%-90% full with somwhere around 10,000 season ticket holders and see significant demand for big ticket games (Top 2 or 3 teams and international competitions).

That's just my view on the topic - but again - by 2011/2012 only Seattle and New England won't be in their own park (assuming DC gets one SOMEWHERE - jeeze) - and then we'll see how the at the gate draw is.

Mysterian makes it sound like Gomez has scored more than one goal this year.
Wasn't it a PK?
do you blow a kiss to your gomez wallbanger on the way out the door?

Posted by: Dadryan. | April 16, 2008 10:05 AM
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Are you seriously trying to make it seem like Gomez was not a league MVP and best 11 for the last 3 years???

I've seriously questioned the Gomez deal in many blog comments. Gallardo is growing on me but I still think that money would have been better spent on a striker.

Unlike Emilio, Gomez deserved his MVP award. My guess is that you're one of those fans... probably sweat Emilio because he wears the Black and Red.

I see Real MD plays the Bermuda Hogges at SoccerPlex. A Hogges jersey has to be a good one too, right?

Gomez was/is a God

"The stadium will only seat 18,000..."

Did you see the thread about last weekend's attendance figures? The league still has a lot of work to do in this country. Also, San Jose for years had the lowest attendance numbers in the league. 18,000 is about right for them.

Interested to see your story about Real Maryland when it's ready Goff.
Is the Maryland Soccerplex their "Home"?

Off topic again, I like Christian Gomez as much as the next guy but he is not the only reason for the success that the Rapids have had so far this year.
At least Gallardo's scored in the run of play.

Real Maryland will play this season at Maryland SoccerPlex.

Next year they are planning to move to Richard Montgomery High School's new stadium near downtown Rockville, which is closer to a fan base than the remote SoccerPlex.

I am going to be supporting Real Maryland! A buddy that i grew up with playing on my youth team plays for them now(stephen Tupy)and came from playing pro in Iceland, and so does another player who i played against who was incredible when i was younger(Muner Hassan)!

I hope they can win promotion and i will be attending a couple of their games to cheer them on!

Go Real Maryland!

"The future is obviously coming soon"

That is the best quote of the day, Mr. Goff.

Words to live by . . . .

What happened to Comcast on the games? They delayed the first and this last weekend they started "in progress". Also, bring back Dave Johnson. Where is he anyway?

Next year they are planning to move to Richard Montgomery High School's new stadium near downtown Rockville, which is closer to a fan base than the remote SoccerPlex.

Posted by: Goff | April 16, 2008 11:14 AM

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Isn't the new RM stadium going to be turf?

Also, bring back Dave Johnson. Where is he anyway?

Posted by: bubbles | April 16, 2008 11:21 AM

Wizards radio

Isn't the new RM stadium going to be turf?

Posted by: WNT fan | April 16, 2008 11:22 AM

It was a controversial issue, but apparently, yes...

http://www.thesentinel.com/325332177917604.php

So the fake grass is there at the insistence of soccer people. Interesting!

Gomez's past is not in dispute.
I don't think you read the full thread.
You are probably one of those guys who's panties get all in a bunch anyone points out that yer god gomez hasn't done much LATELY...
Emilio isn't getting the service he needs(He's slow as mollases) this year and I do believe that for all the himm'n and haww'n going on about the midfields lack of depth before the season's start United seems to be lacking effective, consistent, strikers.
I repeat I like Gomez almost as much as anyone but it doesn't change the fact that he has not done miracle work in colorado thus far.
Cooke, Burciaga Jr, and the rest of the team seem like they are bringing plenty to the table for the Rapids and at a less whiney price.
Gomez is Gone, get over it.

from reading in the Real Maryland FC website, they seem to be a pretty good team. They won all pre-season games. I like their logo and also the Crystal Palace FC.
Glad to know they will be moving to within reach area. I will never go to soccer plex...too far.

Yep - the school administrators wanted it to be turf so the facility to be viable for outside clubs to use (and help subsidize). Understandable, really. There isn't a nice, grass soccer pitch anywhere in lower Montgomery County - they get beat to shreds with all the use.

Field Turf is not ideal - but it is a zero maintenance, smooth surface.

So the fake grass is there at the insistence of soccer people. Interesting!

Posted by: tri-village | April 16, 2008 11:36 AM

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the latest generation turf is a Godsend to youth soccer in the area, IMO. except for the little black things all over the place.

remote? too far?

Plex is 10 miles farther from DC than RM, most of which is on superhighway.

cmon out man

the latest generation turf is a Godsend to youth soccer in the area, IMO. except for the little black things all over the place.
==========================================

Yeah, but when a pro team starts playing on it, are people going to start complaining about its effects on the quality of play, the way people were incessantly moaning about RSL's pitch last Saturday?

If this turf is acceptable for competition above the youth level, should the Freedom be looking to play at Richard Montgomery, or at some other local high school with a similar field, rather than Soccerplex, when WPS gets underway next year, for essentially the same reasons (getting closer to a fan base, etc.)?

remote? too far?

Plex is 10 miles farther from DC than RM, most of which is on superhighway.

cmon out man

Posted by: go monarchs | April 16, 2008 11:58 AM
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If you depend on public transit, it might as well be on the far side of the moon.

Just think about how controversial the idea of United moving to Greenbelt or New Carrollton has been. What would the reaction be if they proposed building a new stadium in or near Soccerplex?

There was talk of a shuttle bus from Shady Grove.

http://www.potomacsoccerwire.com/news/460/1700

Atlanta Silverbacks use the newest turf...

Yeah, but when a pro team starts playing on it, are people going to start complaining about its effects on the quality of play, the way people were incessantly moaning about RSL's pitch last Saturday?

If this turf is acceptable for competition above the youth level, should the Freedom be looking to play at Richard Montgomery, or at some other local high school with a similar field, rather than Soccerplex, when WPS gets underway next year, for essentially the same reasons (getting closer to a fan base, etc.)?

Posted by: tri-village | April 16, 2008 12:04 PM

==================================

RSL plays on AstroTurf. Massive difference.

No, Real Salt Lake plays on FieldTurf, the stuff with "the little black things all over the place," just as was said before.

Of course, FieldTurf surfaces vary from each other, depending on wear, age, and treatment. Rice-Eccles: not so good, but there are four stadiums in the league playing featuring it, writing off games played on the fake stuff is a bad idea.

"I am going to be supporting Real Maryland! A buddy that i grew up with playing on my youth team plays for them now(stephen Tupy)and came from playing pro in Iceland, and so does another player who i played against who was incredible when i was younger(Muner Hassan)!

I hope they can win promotion and i will be attending a couple of their games to cheer them on!

Go Real Maryland!"
__________________________

No such thing as promotion in USL. But good that you're supporting the local team.

No such thing as promotion in USL.
==========================================

Have USL-2 team owners ever sought to be admitted to the higher tier when they thought it was the right move, competitively and/or financially? (It would be less like promotion and more like admitting an expansion team.)

Yeah, but when a pro team starts playing on it, are people going to start complaining about its effects on the quality of play, the way people were incessantly moaning about RSL's pitch last Saturday?

If this turf is acceptable for competition above the youth level, should the Freedom be looking to play at Richard Montgomery, or at some other local high school with a similar field, rather than Soccerplex, when WPS gets underway next year, for essentially the same reasons (getting closer to a fan base, etc.)?

Posted by: tri-village | April 16, 2008 12:04 PM

==================================

First, the question with a Field turf v AstroTurf field is not a question of the surface, but the subsurface. For all intents and purspoes, Real Salt Lake plays on field that is essentiall concrete underneath.

I don't know what is under the RM field, but I will be willing to bet it won't be concrete.

Field turf gives more grasslike performace, although it is still brutally slick when wet.

Field turf gives more grasslike performace, although it is still brutally slick when wet.
===========

That's why I like it.

I'm pretty sure I remember talk of promotion in USL at one point as long as the owner had the stadium and financials to move up. I'm not sure if any teams actually went up a level though.