Month: January 2018

Greenville FC hopes to build new soccer tradition in Upstate

By Scott Adamson
Adamsonmedia.com

The motto, “Yeah, That Greenville,” emphasizes the Upstate South Carolina city’s uniqueness, as well as its rise as one of the top tourist destinations in the south.

Marco Carrizales hopes there will come a day that when people hear that catchphrase, they’ll also think about soccer.

Carrizales is the CEO and president of Greenville FC, the city’s entry in the National Premier Soccer League. The expansion club will begin play this spring, competing in the Southeast Conference.

The NPSL is a grassroots league that functions as a fourth division in the United States soccer pyramid.

“For us, (joining the NPSL) made the most sense when looking at the viability and long-term sustainability of this club,” Carrizales said. “We are in no rush to become the next FC Cincinnati, but do understand we have that capability. We simply need time to grow into that. We plan to stick around for many years and hope to become engrained in Greenville’s fabric, but to jump to the conclusion that the road will be an easy one is a misunderstanding of the current nature of soccer in the United States.”

Sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, the NPSL features franchises that are individually owned and operated. Entry fees are reasonable and the NPSL’s goal is to grow the game by creating an “all-for-one” philosophy among its members.

They are rivals on the field, but partners in business.

“We are thrilled to see Greenville FC joining the NPSL family,” NPSL chairman Joe Barone said in November. “They are a wonderful addition to one of our country’s most competitive conferences. Soccer fans in South Carolina should be very excited about GVL FC.”

Carrizales says joining the circuit – which fielded 96 clubs nationwide last year – is the perfect fit for Greenville.

 

“We are at the ground level and are extremely comfortable exploring innovative and strong partnerships that will only enhance Greenville FC as well as soccer in the Upstate,” Carrizales said. “The NPSL offers something unique in its operating model, and also placed us into one of the strongest conferences in the league and country, with Asheville City SC and Chattanooga FC leading the pack. We are excited at the opportunity to grow our club with their already well-established clubs.”

Carrizales is no novice when it comes to the Beautiful Game. A native of Dallas, he was selected by Dallas FC in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft and started his college career at SMU before transferring to Furman.

“Coming from Dallas, one of the biggest hotbeds in youth, collegiate and professional soccer, I had the luxury of being amongst some of the most professional clubs out there,” Carrizales explains. “I was fortunate enough to have been an integral part of the inaugural years of FC Dallas Development Academy system, which is ranked in the top five academies in the country on a yearly basis. Coming to the Upstate really opened my eyes to the potential here. I see local players all the time and am amazed at the level of talent that, unfortunately, doesn’t have access to the platforms I was accustomed to.”

Certainly, Greenville FC will look to find the best available players to compete for roster spots – regardless of where they’re from. However, Carrizales is confident the fledgling NPSL team can write homegrown success stories.

“Some of these players can be great, it’s just a matter of getting them proper and professional training that will get them to that next level,” he said. “I hope Greenville Football Club can provide them with that clear pathway to the next level and I hope we are that next step for some of that talent here in the Upstate. I plan to bring my expertise and connections to Greenville to place soccer at the forefront.”

Only 23, Carrizales admits the business side of the game wasn’t on his radar as he plied his trade as a midfielder.

“Growing up seriously committed to the sport as early as 7 years old, my Plan A was always to play soccer at the highest level,” Carrizales said. “I didn’t have the time nor effort to think of a Plan B. I was fortunate to have played at the highest youth, collegiate and professional level, while all along I think I was being molded by those experiences for this opportunity. Not to say it has been a seamless transition, but it definitely has been something I’m comfortable saying I feel like I’ve always been a part of.

“Being at the ground level is exciting for us because we have no traditions or any standard to uphold, so we have the flexibility to hopefully become that innovative club teams will look to emulate.”

Carrizales said the team will announce its coaching staff and venue in the coming weeks. The NPSL season begins in May.

“Through my time in Greenville, I have had the pleasure of growing a strong connection with local clubs and universities as well as local talent that I plan on bringing into the club,” he said. “I hope to have a little say in the choosing of our roster, but ultimately I think it’s important for our staff to be the decision makers in crafting our inaugural roster.”

I’ve yet to take advantage of senior discounts

For two years now, I have been eligible for senior discounts at fine dining establishments.

Brain Farce is an alleged humor column written by Scott Adamson. It comes out basically whenever he feels like writing it. Follow him on Twitter @adamsonsl

And for two years now, I have yet to take advantage of a single one. I just can’t do it.

No doubt it’s silly … why not enjoy that sweet 10 percent discount that some places offer when you get the chance? I mean, living to age 55 should count for something, right?

And when you consider the fact that young people are now snacking on detergent pods, you realize fewer and fewer people will ever make it to that age.

Still, there’s something unsettling about a restaurant staff that throws you into the “senior” category. Because once workers find out you’re 55 or older, they start calling you “sweetheart” and “honey” and immediately tell you where the restrooms are located.

Screw that.

My date of birth is 1960, but I’m still counting on my expiration date being many, many years away. And while there might be a certain expectation of how 55-year olds are supposed to look, act and eat, I refuse to live down to them.

Yet there are seniors who happily take advantage of their discount. And many cheerfully order from a “senior menu.”

Next time you get a chance, take a peek at what’s available for us old folk.

It’s not nearly as good as the regular menu stuff, and it comes in small portions.

If it’s the day before you’re 55th birthday, you’re encouraged to go the whole meat-and-three route, plus dessert.

But then the next day – because you grew up in an ancient world – you order a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup because, apparently, that’s what 55-year olds are supposed to eat.

There is even one restaurant, which shall remain nameless, that actually offers discounts to those of us 50-years old and over.

The catch?

You have to order from the children’s menu – I kid you not.

There’s nothing the wife and I enjoy more than going to a restaurant and eating processed chicken nuggets in the shape of clowns with a side of mac and cheese and a juice box.

Why not just put us in high chairs and throw a jar of Gerber at us?

Sure, the crayons and coloring book are a nice touch, but I still have a hearty appetite.

And that’s another thing about this smaller portion nonsense. When you go to bed at age 54 and wake up at age 55, does your stomach shrink overnight?

Do you tastes magically change?

No … they most certainly do not.

Look, I don’t mean to sound like an ass. It’s always good to save money and restaurants don’t have to offer discounts of any kind, so the fact that they do is a nice gesture.

They’re simply trying to throw a bone to the “Matlock” and “Murder She Wrote” crowd.

But sometimes niceness can be misplaced, and “senior menus” oftentimes perpetuate a stereotype.

I am acutely aware that there are 55-year olds who wear polyester pants up to their teats and long for the good old days when phones were plugged into walls and the coolest cat on television was Arthur Fonzarelli.

And if you are that person and you want to order the oatmeal with fruit and have the manager burp you when you’re done, great.

Enjoy your meal and be sure to leave a quarter for a tip.

There are many of us, however, who may be chronologically challenged but still want to look, act and eat like the cools kids.

So if you’re in the marketing business and work for a restaurant chain, keep this in mind. Perhaps at your next meeting you might consider making the senior menu less about age and more about tasty options.

Keep the coloring books, though.

I’m almost to the point where I can stay inside the lines.

Birmingham Legion FC continues Magic City’s soccer tradition

Birmingham’s United Soccer League team now has a name, crest and colors.

Scott Adamson writes a column on the Beautiful Game when he’s in a beautiful mood. And that’s more often than you might think.

But if you want to get really technical, Birmingham Legion Football Club is not the Magic City’s first franchise in this organization.

Remember Birmingham Grasshoppers FC?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Led by Birmingham-Southern boss Preston Goldfarb – one of the greatest college coaches to ever grace the game – the Grasshoppers competed in the United States Interregional Soccer League from 1992-96.

The USISL did have a Pro League, but Birmingham was part of the Premier League, which was the circuit’s elite amateur division. Still, it was an early iteration of the USL and for a Birmingham-bred soccer fan like myself, it was well worth watching and following.

Now, however, the stakes are much higher.

“This is a new chapter in Birmingham’s sports history,” James Outland, member of Legion FC’s ownership team, told Ashley Foster of bigcom.com on Tuesday. “The name ‘Legion’ is synonymous with Birmingham and sports. It has a cultural significance that runs deep and is truly unique to our community.”

The USL is growing like kudzu, and stands as the largest (and, if the North American Soccer League fails to get relief from the courts, only) second division league in North America.

This year 33 teams will take the field, while in 2019 Austin, East Bay (Oakland) and Memphis will join Legion FC as expansion franchises.

“Birmingham, for us, is a tremendous addition,” USL president Jake Edwards said last summer when the city was granted a franchise. “From a regional point of view, there are some great natural rivalries, and Birmingham has long been a hotbed for the fans of the sport. It’s a market we’ve kept our eye on for a long time, but I think they won’t know what has hit them when this soccer juggernaut comes to town. They’re going to be a great addition to the USL.”

Birmingham has, indeed, shown its potential as a soccer hotbed before, albeit in a “big event” capacity.

There was a time when the United States Men’s National Team as well as the World Cup-winning U.S. women made Birmingham a regular stop. Fans showed up by the tens of thousands to watch their matches played at Legion Field – the inspiration for the USL club’s nickname.

And one of the most unforgettable memories I have as a sportswriter is Claudio Reyna’s goal just seconds into the United States’ match against Argentina in the 1996 Olympic Games.

I have spent more days that I can count covering American football games at the “Gray Lady,” but it was never louder or more electric than hearing 83,183 people erupt when the midfielder’s kick found the back of the nylon.

But Birmingham has mostly been overlooked when soccer leagues have been eying franchise spots, although the Birmingham Hammers of the National Premier Soccer League have given my hometown a quality club team to call its own for the last few years. This summer, the Hammers will compete in the Premier Development League before transitioning to the USL and new brand.

(The Hammers are a “gateway team” for the United Soccer League; they were co-founded by Legion FC vice president Morgan Copes and will live on as fans urge their team to “Hammer Down”).

The USL is a major step forward in the city’s soccer evolution, and now it’s up to the fans to prove they can and will support pro soccer on a regular basis.

With natural rivalries against the likes of Atlanta United 2, Charlotte Independence, North Carolina FC and Memphis, I have high hopes.

Legion FC will likely play its home games at UAB’s soccer facility, BBVA Compass Field. Plans are in the works to expand seating there to 5,000.

Ultimately the team hopes to be part of a new 45,000-seat stadium in downtown Birmingham, a project that is still in the wish list stage at the moment.

If that venue is ever built, though, it could lead to more major soccer events coming to town – and give the Magic City more chances to further prove its bona fides in the Beautiful Game.

For more information on Birmingham Legion FC, go to www.bhmlegion.com.