Soccer Strategy Part 2 - What is more important, winning or quality of play?

Will the LA Sol Return in 2011 or Will the WPS Expand Elsewhere?

With the closure of the LA team it is only logical that rumors begin to fly around about expansion into San Diego or Seattle or Vancouver (or here or there, I’ve heard a lot of places named…good sign, loads of interest I guess).

Los Angeles Sol: A Brand Lost or a Franchise Folded?

Just a Piece

Though this was a shocking announcement, it is not like it was totally unexpected. In mid-January ASN was writing about the ownership transfer and raised the possibility of a last minute pullout, Sacramento Monarchs style. Sadly they hit it on the nose and the Sol situation became the same story of league-scramble followed by franchise-closure.

The Fan Experience

I’m not a short post person. I start with one idea and write my way to 3 others. It’s easy to split them (see my last two posts) but I don’t like the fractured idea concept…I’d rather put it all out in one massive post and let you read or not read it all as you will.

I’ll work on focusing my posts, but for now here are some of my musings on the Fan experience.

The Egg before the Chicken: Crowds and US Soccer

So what is it about soccer that attracts the largest and most passionate crowds across the world and yet only has this slowly growing “handful” in the U.S.? And I know this is a bit misleading as the sport is one of the most played in the US showing it as a quite popular sport to play, but playing is a far cry from following.

UCLA v. Virginia and Great Soccer Culture

Looking at the UCLA v. Virginia game from a few weeks (ok, months) ago, two words sufficiently sum up the game: UCLA dominated. Even when Virginia had the ball, UCLA was only a touch or two away from reclaiming it. More importantly, the Bruin women stepped onto their field knowing they owned that ball. Though this is not Football (you will never get me to talk like this about Bruins and the pigskin), even admitting the obvious talent of last years Bruin women’s soccer squad hurts my Trojan sensibilities. So when I say they were good you know that it is overcoming a lot of collegiate prejudice to get there. The 3-0 score—one goal by Dea Cook to start the whole game off in the 3’ minute and two more by Sydney Leroux in the 41’ and 88’ minutes—reinforces their authority on that field.

The Under 23s Mix and Match with the Full USWNT: Who's Coming Up the Ranks

There are a couple of big Women's Soccer games I want to get to (USWNT v. Germany, the whole College Cup tourny, etc.), but I’ll start with the USWNT scrimmage earlier this week that mixed the full USWNT squad with the Under 23 squad. I only managed to catch the first game (I had a game of my own to run off to), but I’m glad I caught that at least.

Silly Teenagers, Twitter is for Businesses! Tips to Understanding "How to Find Followers" Tips

This topic is a bit of a focus of mine, it is a huge aspect of my Senior Thesis I’m currently finishing, so this blog will be coming back to it in the future. And I apologize now for the long posts. I’ll try to keep it interesting…

So women's soccer is physical. Why is that such a bad thing? Eyes on Elizabeth Lambert and her BYU beatdown

I have been debating what to start this blog with. I've got the On the Ball Facebook Fan page for facts and friendly conversations. I have Twitter for keeping in the WPS and women's soccer loop (and contributing to the loop). And, of course, there is the On the Ball TV Show to discuss the inaugural WPS season and talk with some WPS players. So what did that leave for a blog?