'07 State Cup Finals

It's official. Eagan winners for U19 Boys, Bangu Tsunami Sota winners for U19 Girls. Both 2-0 winners over their opponents.

Bangu with 8 titles. With no other club winning more than one, and the Wings and Eden Prairie winning no titles, it would be tough to argue club supremacy.

Bangu Tsunami FC - B14, B16, B18, G13, G14, G16, G17, G19
Minneapolis United - B13
Plymouth Soccer - B15
Valley United - B17
Eagan - B19
Woodbury SC - G15
St. Croix SC - G18

My picks for teams with the best chances to advance out of group play at Regionals are Bangu 19 Girls, PSA 15 Boys, Bangu 17 Girls, Valley 17 Boys, Bangu 18 Boys, Bangu 16 Girls, and Minneapolis United 13 Boys. Of course, it will all depend on the draw.

Congratulations to all the teams and players that participated in this year's MN State Cup.

Favorite Soccer Memory

Thanks to the parent who suggested a great topic. Please share your favorite soccer memory with the rest of the soccer community. Please, let us hear about the game you watched in South America, or Europe or in Blaine watching your U8 player? Or could it be about a post game party at Pizza Hut? Or a national showcase tournament where your underdog team beat a nationally ranked team? Or a weather delayed game where both teams huddled under a shelter? Or a special coach or parent volunteer who touched your child's life?

Abdus Ibrahim Update

Updates on Abdus Ibrahim from a recent US National Team U17 game. Ibrahim is with MLS' Dallas FC, and a former Richfield HS and Wings SC player. It will be interesting to see if he ends up getting any minutes in the MLS. He is currently listed as a developmental player on the Dallas FC roster.

From Top Drawer Soccer - U17 MNT v. Jamaica
http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/articles.aspx?article=2304

The Star Tribune about MLS draft:
http://www.startribune.com/526/story/932450.html

State Cup 2007

Alas, time to get back to this old blog.

Thought I should post a thread for State Cup chatter. Already there is controversy with schedules changing after the initial publication. Rumors abound of favouritism and unfairness...so what else is new. Most of us realize that 'MN Nice' is not a compliment...it refers to the “I'll be nice to your face, then seek to destroy you behind you back” behaviour (the old Scanda-houvia passive-aggressive thing.)

Good luck to all players, teams, coaches, referees, MYSA officials and parents (in that order.) I hope the competition is as exciting as the blog posts we will see.

Remember if you’re downright nasty, with no point, I will delete your post :>)

Happy Blogging!

Local Tournaments

Here's a place to chat about local tournaments in Minnesota (or even neighboring state). If your team has played any local tournaments over the past couple of years, let us all know about the competition, refing, fields, organization and fun factor.

I know historically, NSC Cup is one of the larger early season tournaments. The "USA Cup Weekend" has grown as many local teams don't want to pay the big bucks or commit to 5-6 days of playing (probably at the expense of the EP tourney.) They also get many of the international and east coast and west coast teams as they come in early to play a warm up tourney before the cup.

Midwest Regional League

I think Midwest Regional League is important enough to have its own posting. For league schedules and game results check out: http://www.midwestregionalleague.com/index.asp

Coach Chatter

Please use this post for your top 10 coaches list. Please try to keep things civil and try to be constructive. Thank you and good luck!

Becks to MLS?

More speculation that David Beckham could make a move to the MLS before the start of the 2007 campaign. Other stories floating around about Freddie Adu moving to Manchester United.

Beckham headlines: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=392007&root=mls25&cc=5901

Adu headlines: http://www.itv-football.co.uk/Story/0,14272,6326_1693874,00.html

Futbol in the US would certainly get a positive boost from one or both of these occurrences. Adu will have the opportunity to raise his game, in the world’s top league, developed by Ferguson who is one of the top coaches in the world. Adu getting to the next level of his game quickly could help the US in the 2010 World Cup.

Beckham in Los Angeles or New York would bring some added attention, attendance and lead the way for more top European players to migrate West across the pond. Should the MLS find a way to attract and pay top European players, in the early-twilight of their careers, it will raise the level of play and benefit US players. Fans will welcome both.

MSHSL Student Transfer Rule

A sub committee of the Minnesota State High School League has recommended updating the student-athlete transfer rule. Currently an athlete who changes schools one time (an do not actually move their home) have no restrictions on athletics. After a second transfer students must sit out the first half of a varsity season.

The new rule would require any student that transfers after 9th grade starts (with no corresponding actual house move) to be ineligible to play sports for 1 year. For the full Star Tribune story, go here http://www.startribune.com/526/story/813650.html

So what if a student switches school to be in a better/more competative theater, mock trial, dance line, debate or band program? Would they also sit out of theater, mock trial, dance line, debate or band for 1 year? Each of these extra curricular activities also have a competitive component. Obviously the MSHSL does not govern these extra curricular activities, but the question is a fair one.