May 11, 2012
The Rhinos were able to keep the unbeaten, unscored upon start to the 2012 season going last Saturday at home versus the Charlotte Eagles. There have been a few ongoing themes throughout the Rhinos 4-0-0 start and they continued in the home opener. First, JC Banks was in on the Rhinos goal in the 1-0 win. This time, his cross created an own goal. The two other themes were Kristian Nicht and the Rhinos getting a clean sheet and the match going down to the wire due to the Rhinos not scoring in bunches.
Rhinos MF Drew Cost was named the USL PRO League Player of the Week for his performance against Charlotte. D Jack Traynor joined Cost on the Team of the Week with Tam McManus making the Honorable Mention list.
A lot of school kids came out to see the Rhinos play a friendly against FC Buffalo.
The Rhinos will be tested this weekend as they head south to play Charlotte tonight at 8pm and then travel to face Charleston at 7:30pm tomorrow night.
I will be really impressed if the Rhinos come back from these two games with a 6-0-0 record.
USL PRO League Notes:
- Soccer America & SBI.net recap Week 5 in the USL PRO League.
- Soccer America looks ahead to this weekend's USL PRO League action.
Women's Soccer Notes:
- Pia Sundhage has named the roster for the USWNT May Camp. Lori Lindesey and Megan Klingenberg of the WNY Flash are on the list.
- Chesapeake hosted Boston in last night's WPSL Elite opener. The Breakers came away with a 3-0 win.
- All White Kit has a WPSL Elite League Preview.
- Soccer America looks at the Who's Who of the WPSL Elite League, along with the Who's Who of the W-League.
- Equalizer Soccer wraps up the week that was in women's soccer.
- Summer Green is tearing up the CONCACAF U-17 Women's Championships for Team USA.
- Abby Wambach came in at 33 on ESPN's list of the Top 40 Female Athletes of the Past 40 Years. Not too bad.
NASL Notes:
- Soccer America & SBI.net look back at Week 5 in the NASL.
- InsideMNSoccer.com have the NASL Players of the Week for Week 5.
- Soccer America looks at the NASL action for this weekend.
MLS Notes:
- Rochester boys now have a direct route to the New England Revolution via the Revolution Empire youth club.
- Soccer America has the MLS Scoreboard for last week and they have a look ahead to Week 10.
- Brek Shea is ready to debate sports on ESPN's First Take.
- The Timbers Army paid their respects to MCA of the Beastie Boys.
- Here is a look at Houston's brand new BBVA Compass Stadium that will open up tomorrow as DC United visits the Dynamo.
- Could USMNT MF Jermaine Jones move to MLS in the future?
Other Notes:
- MLS Soccer.com's Armchair Analyst tries to predict Klinsmann's WCQ roster.
- No Short Corners checks out Clint Dempsey's 50th EPL goal.
- Clint will not add to his total this weekend as he is out with an injury.
- MLS Talk likes the changes to the US Open Cup for the 2012 season.
- Apparently quite a few Rangers fans don't want an American owner of the financially troubled club despite the fact that there are three Americans playing a prominant role on the team.
- Jurgen Klinsmann is getting ready for his next USMNT training camp and had a Twitter Q&A this week.
- I like the new Liverpool kits that Warrior came up with.
- The Armchair Analyst takes a look at Michael Bradley eight years after he was drafted into MLS.
- Neymar and Pato headline Brazil's roster for their friendly against the USMNT.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the Rochester Rhinos or SoccerSam.com. Feel free to send any comments or complaints to jamesrweise@gmail.com. James promises to read (but not to respond) to all of them.
