2015 OKC Energy FC

[LakeEffect]

Were all of the players able to get off work to go to practice today? If so, good job!

You've posted four times since joining OKC Talk, and all four have been anti-Energy. You're not fooling anyone...

[Bellaboo]

I think I've posted over 4,000 times. I have an anti-Energy issue that I'd like to get off my chest.
My step son tried out with them about this time period last year. He was an all state soccer player and has some good skills. We told him the odds and to not count on anything. Well, he went to the 2 day tryout, along with I'd guess around 200+ others. The Energy also had a similar tryout in Kansas City the following week. Going to fill the roster you. As it turned out, one player was selected out of maybe 400 + (I have no clue how many in KC so this is a guess) paid their $200 fee, and the late entries paid even more. Tell me how many dollars they brought in ?

But here's the rub. As we were strolling around waiting for our sons session to start we stood close to three guys that were talking to some referees about how they were cleaning up on a bunch of want-to-be ex players that had no business out there. These were people associated with the Energy. They were laughing about these guys donating to their cause. That kind of left a bad taste, guess we should have moved on and not have been eves dropping.

[TreyDoggg]

You've posted four times since joining OKC Talk, and all four have been anti-Energy. You're not fooling anyone...

Sorry I haven't lived on this site. I fired up about a new team and am talking a little trash. I guess that's only OK if you are in the grid.
Get over it.

[borchard]

I think I've posted over 4,000 times. I have an anti-Energy issue that I'd like to get off my chest.
My step son tried out with them about this time period last year. He was an all state soccer player and has some good skills. We told him the odds and to not count on anything. Well, he went to the 2 day tryout, along with I'd guess around 200+ others. The Energy also had a similar tryout in Kansas City the following week. Going to fill the roster you. As it turned out, one player was selected out of maybe 400 + (I have no clue how many in KC so this is a guess) paid their $200 fee, and the late entries paid even more. Tell me how many dollars they brought in ?

But here's the rub. As we were strolling around waiting for our sons session to start we stood close to three guys that were talking to some referees about how they were cleaning up on a bunch of want-to-be ex players that had no business out there. These were people associated with the Energy. They were laughing about these guys donating to their cause. That kind of left a bad taste, guess we should have moved on and not have been eves dropping.

I got this from someone else. Apparently you are not the only one who had that experience:

"It doesn't surprise me. I heard this from some people in the Hispanic Community who tried out last year, and as well on Saturday in Kingfisher. A guy by the name of Steven said he didn't even put his cleats on for the "try out" and was charged $420."

[Bellaboo]

IIRC, they had groups on several fields at Southlake. They were all playing mini games with several groups sitting around watching waiting their turn. In no way was it a 'try out' where talent was evaluated by skill sets.

In my opinion it was a sham of a scam to pad their pocket book. These Energy guys talking in the ring were more or less admitting it.

If the truth were known, which after following their roster signing it seems this way, that their roster was filled before any such try outs began. Especially the one in KC.

And they ended up choosing a reserve goalie.
SMDH....

[d-usa]

Looks like they have been working pretty closely with FC Dallas during their preseason and looking at the players being evaluated there to see who will either be send up to OKC and possibly to sign some folks directly.

[TreyDoggg]

So just so we're clear. Energy is in fact a team built on taking money by duping hopeful players, putting a less-than-quality product on the field and suckering hipsters into thinking it's good soccer, all while bristling at any little hint of criticism.
Did anyone catch the Grid whining to the guy from NewsOK the other day who reminding people that Taft is, in fact, a converted junior high football field?
Can't wait for the reckoning.

[jerrywall]

Classy.

[kwhey]

Were all of the players able to get off work to go to practice today? If so, good job!

Enjoy the 1 season Rayo Yukon will be around. Relegation of the Spain team will hurt

[TreyDoggg]

Enjoy the 1 season Rayo Yukon will be around. Relegation of the Spain team will hurt

I think there's an undisputed champion of running sports teams into the ground in OKC and that's Bob Funk Jr.
#GoBlazers #GoBarons #GoHome

[bradh]

I feel like borchard has created a sock account, since he's trying to be taken more seriously under his real handle.

[Lord Helmet]

Maybe we should have a "dick measuring the OKC soccer clubs" thread and leave this one and the Rayo one about actual team related stuff rather than a bunch of silly trash talk?

[Laramie]

Accentuate the positives of both clubs within their respective threads. Let's not turn this into a prostate pissing match.

Oklahoma City with the Energy FC's performance last season and what's on paper for the new NASL Rayo OKC roster; we should be in for some exciting soccer.

Really feel that both franchises can co-exist in this market.

[kwhey]

But I can hit the ceiling when I piss. So bring it on!

[borchard]

I feel like borchard has created a sock account, since he's trying to be taken more seriously under his real handle.

Nope. Not me :-) Unfortunately for some people I am not the ONLY person who feels this way

[TreyDoggg]

So let me get this straight:
* Energy fans talk all sorts of crap the minute Rayo announces its team.
* When people who like Rayo - or are just sick of Energy - start commenting, energy hipsters get their beards in a twist and want to take the high road.
* Or just wimp out and start a new thread. And cry to their mamas.

Listen Energy, it's time to put your big boy pants on. Maybe your mommies and daddies can take time out from getting you jobs to buy you some.

No one on your team would be good enough to play for Rayo at this point and no one at Rayo would ever take the pay cut or the drop down in quality of play to be in the USL. Those are just facts. The next former Dallas FC player in town will again not play for the energy but rayo.

We ain't taking it to a new thread.

[jerrywall]

I don't have a horse in this race, but I've read both threads, and all I know is the behavior here is turning me off the Rayo. I don't like the "enjoy your one season" comments either, but the negativity against the Energy just seems nasty.

[borchard]

I don't have a horse in this race, but I've read both threads, and all I know is the behavior here is turning me off the Rayo. I don't like the "enjoy your one season" comments either, but the negativity against the Energy just seems nasty.

I hear what you're saying. This is why I have tried REEEAAAALLLLYY hard to take the high road.
But I, and my friend who are starting a supporter's group for Rayo, and the guys who started the Scissortail Podcast, get this crap thrown at us constantly. I recently even had a guy start a personal flame war with me on Facebook over my support for Rayo OKC. I stayed on the High Road. I honestly did. I talked about how I'm going to support Rayo, rain or shine, cold or heat. His response? "You support S#!T!"
I had no idea who this person was? When I looked at his profile, he lives in Kansas City!???!
And all of the asinine, childish posts to Twitter and FB.
One of the owners of Rayo has even been threatened!
Unfortunately, I have to agree with Treydogg. All of that happens, but he posts negatively and now it's Rayo OKC that's bad?
And nobody here has even responded to Bellaboo, and what happened to his son? BTW, I verified that this happened with other people as well. When this was related to Coach Marcina, he said that is something they will NEVER do. Here's a quote;
"We will never fleece people out of their money playing on the hopes and dreams. That is sick"
Sorry for this diversion down a dark alley. Now back onto the High Road

[kwhey]

No one on your team would be good enough to play for Rayo at this point and no one at Rayo would ever take the pay cut or the drop down in quality of play to be in the USL. Those are just facts. The next former Dallas FC player in town will again not play for the energy but rayo

Better in what way? Because it is the NASL? Yeah, that worked out last year in the open cup.

[jerrywall]

I can't speak for what happens on facebook or twitter, only what I see here. And I get enough stupid fan behavior from college FB. If this is soccer culture, count me out. Smack talk is well and good, but this is really gooner stuff.

[borchard]

Better in what way? Because it is the NASL? Yeah, that worked out last year in the open cup.

It worked pretty well the year before,though.
In the 3rd Round of the US Open Cup in 2014 only ONE USL Pro team beat a NASL team, while 6, out of 8, NASL team won their 3rd Round games.
In the 4th Round all 6 remaining NASL teams were pitted against MLS teams. They won 3 of those match ups. Only 1, of out 7, USL Pro team made it out of the 4th round.
In the 5th Round, the sole remaining USL Pro team lost, while 2 of the NASL teams made it to the Quarter Finals.Meaning that, out of the 8 teams in the Quarter Finals of the 2014 US Open Cup, there were 6 MLS teams, and 2 NASL teams.

[kwhey]

2015 - 0-7. Enough said. I wouldn't doubt that the same thing would happen again in 2016.

[TreyDoggg]

2015 - 0-7. Enough said. I wouldn't doubt that the same thing would happen again in 2016.

I don't know about the U.S. Open Cup, but I am sure that destroying the minor league USL is now a priority for NASL, especially in the OKC market. Feel free to identify anyone on the Eneergy roster who has the experience of any of the front line players signed by Rayo. I'll be waiting.
And if the mama's boys in the Grid want a friendly wager on this year's open matchup (assuming they can win their way to even be able to play Rayo), I'm sure Red Army fans would be more than happy to take it.
You've been duped the last couple of years kwhey, and I kind of feel bad for you.

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City market is very fortunate to have the USL & NASL in our market.

Talk to the soccer fans in Tulsa; they would love to revive the Roughnecks' brand in the NASL --relocated from NASL Hawaii. Tulsa supports the USL Roughnecks and the NPSL Athletics; together they average 8,200 fans. They are disappointed & troubled that the NASL chose to put a team in OKC over Tulsa.

Future MSL expansion/relocation for cities with 2 million or more:

Tulsa could support MLS easily; however, an ownership group would have trouble investing in the MLS' current model where the league reaps a good amount of profits on individual team branding, merchandising & TV revenue. OKC won't be getting an MLS franchise regardless of what is being promoted by Energy FC. We had an opportunity to land an expansion franchise in the early 2000s--that ship has sailed... Salt Lake City (robust economy & high per capita income) is the only city with less that 2 million to obtain an initial franchise. Rochester, a great soccer market has been passed up despite its proximity to Buffalo (66 mi) & Syracuse (75 mi), NY; those cities are not within the 40-mile MLS travel radius .

USL has some great individual talent on the independent (non affiliated) clubs; however, the USL continues to trend toward development for the MLS or an MLS2 league as many MLS teams have their development clubs playing in the same city--in some cases the same venue. An example of this trend, the NBA in OKC where the Thunder & NBADL Oklahoma Blue; they can walk across the street and observe their players' develop. Other major leagues are testing this model like MLB.

Oklahoma City Energy fans, the future potential will be difficult to compete with the MLS cities that field their own development teams in the USL.

We received a taste of what's in store from that last season with tough competition from Los Angeles Galaxy II, Seattle Sounders 2, Toronto FC II, Portland Timbers 2, Real Monarchs SLC & Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2; with the addition of Sporting KC's 2016 Swope Park Rangers KC, USL continues it's trend. Look for FC Dallas to join those ranks .

MLS clubs will eventually have all of their development club in one league (USL) with a group of non affiliated clubs/cities to provide competition where they can also poach players.

NASL could land a future TV contract of some kind which would be great for the league's future. Just wish the OKC owners could join forces--that will not happen.

I plan to support both OKC's NASL & USL clubs this season; regardless of their records--although I haven't committed to become a season ticket holder for either.

Let's play soccer!

[TreyDoggg]

Rayo isn't selling its fans on the idea of the MLS coming in the future. That's all Energy has done. And now it sounds like they'll be stuck playing in a league full of developmental sides. Good luck.