championship

[Z.I.P.]

http://www.ncaa.com/news/soccer-men/articl...e-cup-announced

So they did such a crummy job, they've been given a do-over. Now I'm starting to understand the NCAA. And that's scary!

Did they do a crummy job? I haven't heard anything, positive or negative, about the venue.

Neither have I, but its in a Minor League Baseball park, that's crummy enough for me. With the amount of soccer specific stadiums today, I just don't get it. Where the Women's College Cup was played this year, the place would be perfect, although I don't know if its big enough. Did anyone catch the attendance at this year's Men's College Cup Final?

EDIT: I found the attendance for the entire weekend, but not the final. 18,400

The Final was 8,777

and 9,623 for the game against UCLA

Alright, so the crowd was larger than it appeared on TV. That's a testament to the growth of the sport. Weather should be a factor in site nomination (obviously it is, but it should be a bigger factor). The stadium really looked crumby, with the wall behind the goal and seating mainly along the one sideline. On-camera I assumed maybe 5-6 thousand for the final. Still, I look forward to attending next year's NCAA Women's College Cup in San Diego, where I expect it to be at least in the 60s. The announcer before the game said the recorded temperature in the upper 40s was MUCH warmer than it felt. And as much as I love PDX, I would not want a College Cup played in the cold rain that is endemic to that city from Nov-May.

[bobbyake]

http://www.ncaa.com/news/soccer-men/articl...e-cup-announced

So they did such a crummy job, they've been given a do-over. Now I'm starting to understand the NCAA. And that's scary!

Did they do a crummy job? I haven't heard anything, positive or negative, about the venue.

Neither have I, but its in a Minor League Baseball park, that's crummy enough for me. With the amount of soccer specific stadiums today, I just don't get it. Where the Women's College Cup was played this year, the place would be perfect, although I don't know if its big enough. Did anyone catch the attendance at this year's Men's College Cup Final?

EDIT: I found the attendance for the entire weekend, but not the final. 18,400

The Final was 8,777

and 9,623 for the game against UCLA

Alright, so the crowd was larger than it appeared on TV. That's a testament to the growth of the sport. Weather should be a factor in site nomination (obviously it is, but it should be a bigger factor). The stadium really looked crumby, with the wall behind the goal and seating mainly along the one sideline. On-camera I assumed maybe 5-6 thousand for the final. Still, I look forward to attending next year's NCAA Women's College Cup in San Diego, where I expect it to be at least in the 60s. The announcer before the game said the recorded temperature in the upper 40s was MUCH warmer than it felt. And as much as I love PDX, I would not want a College Cup played in the cold rain that is endemic to that city from Nov-May.

there was seating on 3 sides of the field, after watching the college cup final again, both sides didn't look bad. Charlotte brought a lot of supporters, I'm very impressed with their fan support.

[Zip_ME87]

And as much as I love PDX, I would not want a College Cup played in the cold rain that is endemic to that city from Nov-May.

Ok, I'll give you that. Find a way to play it indoor in Seattle or Tacoma then. Temporarily bring in some sod. I think I've seen that done for some other event before. The Pacific NW has the best MLS supporters. If you really want to try to increase the attendance and get the best atmosphere, that's the place to go in my opinion.

[fknbuflobo]

My considered opinion on the final: Best NCAA final I can remember watching. Both teams seemed to be playing to score goals. No question that Charlotte was the better and more aggressive squad on the pitch. I was disappointed to see them lose a game they deserved to win. However it was good to see the story in this morning's paper start with the sentence that the Cup MVP played for the Akron Zips a year ago and was defending his own title.

That said, I can understand somewhat the controversy over the referreeing. However, you have to understand that Mr Kennedy, the center ref, like every championship game ref in recent years, is a MLS ref. He called the game the same way he would an MLS game -- he allowed contact that is usually whistled in US college soccer. I happen to prefer that style of officiating. On the possible penalty call in the first half that coulda/would changed the result, I at first felt that he should have pointed to the spot as it appeared there was a tug of the jersey. But when I watched the replay, there didn't appear to be as much contact as it first appeared. I think if it were an MLS contest, it would have been a 50/50 call. Those often are let go. So, for those upset with the officiating, you should tell the NCAA to get college-only officials, as MLS refs should be expected to call an MLS-like game.

I too prefer a laissez faire refereeing style, as long as it remains consistent. I want players to decide matches, not fat guys blowing whistles. Mr. Kennedy was unswerving throughout the match. He did not insinuate himself upon the competition at any point. There was consequently more organic flow with less interruption. This is why it was so entertaining to watch. Kennedy certainly could have pointed to the spot, but he chose not to. I would have complained if he had as it would have been a soft call inconsistent with the rest of his match.

Word to all you sissies out there: Man-up and tackle the ball, Alice.