October 11, 2006
RailHawks soccer team names head coach
As expected, Carolina RailHawks managing partner Chris Economides will name ex-Rhino defender Scott Schweitzer as the first head coach in team history this afternoon.
Schweitzer was a logical choice given not only his long history with Economides, but also because Scott is a known commodity in the Raleigh-Durham soccer community since he played his college soccer at NC State, played in the A-League for the Carolina Dynamo, and he's been coaching in the Raleigh-Durham area since retiring from the Rhinos after the 2005 season.
The next question is how many ex-Rhinos will be in Carolina's opening day lineup in 2007?
Chris Carrieri, who has been playing for the Richmond Kickers the past two seasons, has been rumored to be headed to Carolina for a while.
Craig Demmin, Schweitzer's long time partner in central defense for the Rhinos, is a free agent and it wouldn't be surprising to see him sign with the RailHawks.
John Ball has been a long time friend with Scott Schweitzer and it wouldn't be at all shocking to see him head to Carolina if he's a free agent this offseason.
Rhinos forward Charles Gbeke is a guy that was brought to Rochester from Montreal this past offseason by Chris Economides. Given that Charles never really seemed to fit in to Laurie Calloway's plans this past season, I could see Charles heading to Carolina.
Then you have guys like Bill Sedgewick, Stoain Mladenov, and Pato Aguilera who are likely to be free agents this offseason and have ties to both Schweitzer and Economides. And will a guy like Mali Walton who has been playing indoor, but hasn't played outdoor in years opt to play the outdoor game again?
It's certainly going to be very interesting to watch how the Economides-Schweitzer combination works in Carolina. And you can guarantee that a lot of Rhino fans will be comparing what the RailHawks are doing to what the Rhinos are up to.
The Toronto Lynx drop down to the PDL
Ever since the announcement that Toronto FC would join MLS in 2007, there has been the question about what would happen to the Toronto Lynx. There was some talk that the Lynx would remain in the USL 1st Division and play their home games at the brand new home of Toronto FC, BMO Field.
Well, that question has finally been answered with the Lynx dropping down to the PDL in 2007. All in all, it's probably the right decision as there is no way that a USL 1st Division team would be able to draw any fans with MLS already in town. Heck, Toronto was the only USL 1st Division team to average fewer than 2000 fans per game in 2006 without an MLS team to compete with!
When in doubt, run a Bechham to MLS piece
How Beckham Going to the MLS Would Benefit Both
Beckham seems perfect for 'Pele' role
It has been too long since the last round of media daydreaming obout Beckham, Ronaldo, or [Fill in the blank with a world soccer star] potentially moving to MLS, so a couple of writers expound on one of my favorite dead horses.
And unlike the Ronaldo-Red Bull rumors run amok, this is just some more wishful thinking on the part of media members who dream of the day when they can cover a true World Star on a day to day basis without getting a passport and their editor drunk to approve the travel expense.
Since others are daydreaming..................
Revolution's arsenal likely won't include Karbassiyoon
Since the Rhinos will likely be looking to add some firepower up top this offseason and MLS might only offer Danny Karbassiyoon less than $30,000, couldn't the Rhinos outbid MLS?
It's just a thought...............
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not necessarily those of the Rochester Rhinos or SoccerSam.com. Feel free to
send any comments or complaints to news@soccersam.com. James promises to read
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