The USL, Charlotte's World Cup Bid, and a Fun-Sized Green Diva

No, this isn't "Which one of these things doesn't belong", and I'm not Grover. Though we have the same wrist circumference.

We aren't posting USL stuff on majorleaguesoccertalk.com much anymore because some people get pissy when we do. I don't know why, they just do. The very mention of the USL is more controversial to some MLS fans than the bank bailout and the abortion issue combined, and almost as polarizing as Billy-fucking-Mitchell. Damn. But, Kartik Krishnaiyer has posted a write-up about how the USL-related shit has totally hit the fan since August, read it: here.

I think the USL and the TOA need to get there crap together and look at how the J. League works. It's a successful summer-based league in a capitalist country with competing sports that manages to take time off for FIFA days. Can you imagine? Looking at something that actually works. I mean, it's crazy. But that won't happen since the situation has devolved to the point where the two-parties may well start flinging their own feces at one another. You know, like the Democrats and Republicans. Feces-flinging, welcome to the new America.

On a brighter soccer-related note, Charlotte is still in the running to host World Cup matches should the US win the right to do so in either 2018 or 2022. Charlotte is far from the most famous city on the list, and far from the most prosperous, but it should host matches anyway. Why? Because it can. Charlotte has a successful history of hosting big events, it does so every year when it plays host to the NASCAR All-Star race and Coca-Cola 600, two of the biggest events in motorsports. The CIAA has seemingly fallen madly in love with Charlotte as a host for it's showpiece event, it's basketball tournament and the ACC has decided to put it's football championship in the same stadium that would host World Cup matches. Charlotte's track record is nothing short of wonderful. Furthermore, Charlotte isn't playing the "we simply deserve it" card, it actually wants to host. You can support Charlotte's World Cup dream here.

Oh, and Jane. Who isn't small, she's fun-sized, hosted a conference today about the Ford Fiesta at her school. She's a Fiesta Agent and as such, she's driving the Fiesta for six-months. If you want a new car, and happen to want an economical American car, you should watch her Fiesta Movement videos. It looks like a fun little car, and no FTC, I'm not on Ford's payroll, and as of March 2009, not on Jane's either. So you'll have to find some other way to make money.

Charlotte's World Cup bid? Yea, forget it.

It's not because Charlotte is too small, it's big enough. It's also has the transport links and a plethora of quality training venues. The stadium itself fits all the standards required. It's the culture of the stadium.

It's stuff like this.

We must have the only stadium in the world where a fan can get kicked out for cheering, amazing. As if it's not bad enough that you have to sell the soul of your first born to get into an NFL game, then $7 for a beer or $5 for a soda, now you aren't allowed to cheer? Why even go?

I guess the Panthers staffers are afraid that someone from Charlotte-beyond-the-walls (read: the non-gated communities) may offend someone from within the walled utopias. Heaven forfend with all it's glorious and powerful might.

Yea, it's understandable to remove someone who's obviously drunk and belligerent from the stands -- if it's even possible to get drunk without taking out a loan which Bank of America would probably deny -- but this guy wasn't drunk at all, he was just a guy at a football game, cheering for his team. But I guess Tyler and Muffy were put off by it? I guess personalities aren't the fashion in Charlotte-within-the-walls, creative architecture certainly isn't.

Charlotte has a problem. Lots of people have moved to Charlotte in the last few years and tried to change it into a boring, soulless hell drained of all it's Southern, yes, Southern, charms. These people need to understand that Charlotte is still a little Southern city, this isn't Binghampton, this isn't Chester, this isn't Trenton, this is Charlotte. It's halfway between Concord (that's con-CORD) and Gastonia, and the sooner you realize that, the happier you'll be.

If not, there's a door.

Potential Carolina World Cup venues

Soccer by Ives has a list of fifty-eight potential US World Cup venues (down from seventy), three are located in the Carolinas: Charlotte, Clemson and Columbia.

While I admit none of them are likely to host matches, Charlotte does have a chance and it's nice to see Clemson and Columbia showing an interest. South Carolina is frozen out from hosting NCAA events due to the whole flag row, and doesn't have an NFL team so the Super Bowl is highly unlikely meaning this could be their only chance for major sporting exposure.

However, FIFA's regulations require certain things that Williams-Brice Stadium and Memorial Stadium don't live up to at the moment and it would require significant work to bring them up to snuff.

With that said, I'm disappointed that the USSF didn't contact Chapel Hill or Raleigh.