We’re back! Now that Thanksgiving, Gray Thursday (?), Black Friday, and family gathering awkwardness/delightfulness is behind us for a little while, we can get back to what really matters: Second Division Professional Soccer in These United States!
With the season being over, things may or may not slow down around here. There’s all kinds of hoopla about divisional sanctioning, be it USL’s as-yet-unannounced divisional status for 2018, USSF’s ability to award said status in the first place by way of NASL’s lawsuit against the federation, whether NASL will even exist by the time New Year’s Day arrives, et cetera. Offseason soccer business is way crazier than on-season soccer business, mainly because the folks that run soccer in this country are megalomaniacs.
Here’s what we DO know:
- Paolo DelPiccolo is training in Italy with Serie C side AC Reggiana 1919. I like that name because it can’t decide if it’s Italian or German, which kind of fits with the geographical history of northern Italy. Fun fact: Reggiana is owned by former Mets/Dodgers catcher Mike Piazza, which is just hilarious. Will PdP impress enough to be offered a contract? STAY ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT TO FIND OUT.
- Louisville City’s kit contract with Adidas is at an end. I doubt we’ll hear much about whether the contract was/will be renewed before 2018, but it’s certainly something people will have opinions about. There’s a Reddit thread on the issue if you want to chime in.
- Despite winning the USL Cup, finishing top of a very deep Eastern Conference, and running on a 20 man roster for most of the season, James O’Connor didn’t win Coach of the Year. Lesson learned: coach of the year is a meaningless award voted on by people who probably aren’t paying attention or whom are given absurd criteria to consider before voting. Whatever.
- Elsie Effsie will be back in Bradenton, Florida this spring for training camp. Good to know.
More to come, however inconsistent that news may be. COME ON, CITY!
