11 Things – USL Week 1

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/774456

11 Things – USL Week 1

By NICHOLAS MURRAY

03/27/17, 11:23AM EDT

USL Kickoff brings thrills, some notable spills and big crowds

The 2017 USL regular season got off to a spectacular start, with new venues, new teams and new players all making a big impression. Here are 11 things we took away from the weekend.

1. STANDING OVATION: Fans came out in record numbers for the USL’s opening weekend, with the league seeing its largest Week 1 attendance in history across Saturday’s and Sunday’s contests. At the forefront were sellout crowds of 6,890 at the opening of Phoenix Rising FC’s spectacular home venue, and 7,710 at Al Lang Stadium as the Tampa Bay Rowdies made their debut in the USL. The results for the two sides contrasted, with the Rowdies getting off to a strong start thanks to Georgi Hristov’s penalty kick against Orlando City B, and Rising FC seeing an early goal by Toronto FC II rookie Ryan Telfer decide the result, but the atmosphere and energy generated by both clubs was a positive sign for both.

2. ALIVE AND KICKING: The honor of the biggest crowd of the weekend outside of Major League Soccer, however, went to one of the clubs celebrating its 25th anniversary season. The Richmond Kickers drew a club-record 8,021 fans into City Stadium for their season opener against the Harrisburg City Islanders, and new captain Conor Shanosky’s goal sent the fans home happy with a 1-0 win. After an offseason that saw Richmond seal a 40-year lease at its historic home, the opening game of 2017 brought a vision of what could be for years to come as the club’s upward ascent off the field continued.

3. BATTERING RAM: The Charleston Battery also kicked off their 25th anniversary season at home on Saturday night, and took away one of the more impressive wins of the weekend as they edged out FC Cincinnati 2-1 behind a stellar performance from midfielder Justin Portillo. Making his return to competitive action, the standout central midfielder provided the assist on Charleston’s opening goal of the season, and then notched the game-winner as he scored on the rebound of his own penalty kick that had been initially saved by FCC goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt. With the newness that surrounds the USL these days, the ability the Battery and Kickers have both kept to remain in the front of the pack has always been impressive, and Saturday was another night where the organization of both was on full display.

4. ROUGH RIDERS: Arguably the result nobody saw coming going into Saturday’s action was Tulsa Roughnecks FC’s 4-1 victory against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, as new Head Coach David Vaudreuil’s side opened in tremendous style in front of the club’s passionate fans at ONEOK Field. An early setback didn’t derail the Roughnecks as Argentinian playmaker Juan Caffa quickly got the side back on level terms with an exceptional free kick. From there, the Roughnecks harried the Switchbacks out of their game and took advantage of their mistakes to run away with the biggest margin of victory over the weekend.

5. SHOOTING RANGE: While Tulsa finished bottom of the Western Conference a season ago, the Swope Park Rangers lifted the Western Conference Championship, and under new Head Coach Nikola Popovic the side continued to play the exciting, attacking soccer that brought it success a year ago. Despite the absences of 2016 All-League defender Amer Didic and last season’s leading scorer Mark Anthony Gonzalez – both currently with Canada’s U23 National Team – the Rangers looked crisp as they rallied to defeat OKC Energy FC 3-1 at Children’s Mercy Victory Field for a strong start to their title defense.

6. QUESTION TIME: Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and OKC Energy FC square off on Saturday night at Weidner Field in what is set to be one of Week 2’s most anticipated contests. After both team’s travails on Saturday night, the game remains a fascinating one, but for very different reasons than we might have thought during preseason. Energy FC in particular, with its retooled squad, had high expectations going into the new season, but now either OKC or the Switchbacks could be looking at a 0-2-0 start to the season, which would be far from ideal.

7. SOUTH TEXAS SHOWDOWN: San Antonio FC was looking to break the hold Rio Grande Valley FC had held over it last season when it visited for the first regular season game at H-E-B Park on Sunday evening. Thanks to a new – and yet familiar – face, San Antonio got the 1-0 win it was looking for. Billy Forbes’ attacking spark was on show throughout the game, and his finish in the 15th minute gave SAFC exactly the boost it needed, having never even led against the Toros last season, let alone earned a victory. As high as the expectations are for Head Coach Darren Powell’s side in Year 2, Sunday was a fine start.

8. DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE: The Pittsburgh Riverhounds also had numerous new faces in their squad that squared off with defending champion the New York Red Bulls II on Saturday evening, but it was the familiar duo of Corey Hertzog and Kevin Kerr that ensured the Riverhounds earned a 3-3 draw after going behind three times at Highmark Stadium. Hertzog – an All-League selection last year after scoring 12 goals – will have been particularly pleased to carry his preseason form into the regular season as he aims at leading the side back into the playoff picture this year.

9. SHUTOUT CITY: For the first time ever, a game in the Kings’ Cup rivalry between Louisville City FC and Saint Louis saw neither side find the score sheet, as the opening game of the 2017 USL regular season ended in a 0-0 draw at Louisville Slugger Field. Both teams should take something from the contest, though, with Louisville both looking bright thanks to new additions Richard Ballard and Brian Ownby, and looking strong defensive despite the absence of Sean Reynolds and Paco Craig. For Saint Louis, earning a point after absorbing as much pressure as the side did in the first half will also be a plus as center back pairing A.J. Cochran and Konrad Plewa both put in stellar performances.

10. KILLER FINISH: After suffering the disappointment of a torn ACL that prematurely ended his season in 2016, there was probably no more fitting way for Sacramento Republic FC’s Emrah Klimenta to return to the lineup than scoring the winning goal on Sunday afternoon in his side’s 2-1 victory against Seattle Sounders FC 2. Sacramento was made to work by a young S2 side after the host had taken the lead at Starfire Stadium on former PDL standout Brian Nana-Sinkam’s first professional goal, but Republic FC eventually knocked the door down in the second half to get the three points.

11. THE CITY BEAUTIFUL: The second week of the season kicks off in midweek as the Swope Park Rangers aim to build on their strong opening win against a Portland Timbers 2 side that fell 2-1 to Real Monarchs SLC in its first contest on Saturday night. Thursday night brings a game with multiple storylines as Orlando City B plays its first game at the new Orlando City Stadium, with former Lions player James O’Connor leading his Louisville City FC side into the Sunshine State. O’Connor helped create one of the biggest moments in Orlando’s USL history when the side claimed the 2013 USL Cup Final in front of 20,886 fans at the Florida Citrus Bowl, but now as Louisville’s Head Coach will be hunting for City’s first win of the season.

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/774592

USL Sets Opening Weekend Attendance Record

By USLSoccer.com Staff, 03/27/17, 7:11PM EDT

League sees 38 percent rise in attendance on previous mark in Week 1 of 2017 season

TAMPA, Fla. – The United Soccer League (USL), the largest Division II professional league in the world, hit a new high mark as almost 60,000 fans (58,145) attended USL Kickoff over the past weekend, a 38 percent rise in the league’s previous high, when 42,257 fans attended the league’s 13-game slate to start the 2016 season.

“We are absolutely delighted to have seen the outstanding support and atmosphere the fans brought to USL Kickoff weekend,” said USL President Jake Edwards. “Having seen firsthand the passion the fans brought to the Tampa Bay Rowdies’ opening game on Saturday, the amazing scenes elsewhere in new facilities in Phoenix and the Rio Grande Valley, and the remarkable show put on by the fans in Richmond, I cannot say enough about how excited I am for the rest of the season.”

Buoyed by new clubs, new venues and new high-profile signings, the USL boasted the four highest-attended games in the United States outside Major League Soccer over the weekend. Leading the way were the Richmond Kickers, which welcomed a club-record crowd of 8,021 to City Stadium for the first game of the historic club’s 25th season.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies, Phoenix Rising FC and Rio Grande Valley FC also set club records in their respective home openers. The Rowdies welcomed 7,710 fans – and USL President Jake Edwards – to Al Lang Stadium for the club’s first game in the USL, and the side took a 1-0 victory against Orlando City B as the I-4 Derby kicked off the new season.

Rising FC packed 6,890 fans into the new Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex on Saturday night, with the outstanding new venue welcoming numerous guests including USL Chief Executive Officer Alec Papadakis to its grand opening. Rio Grande Valley FC had more than 6,000 fans on hand for its first USL regular season contest on Sunday against San Antonio FC, after a sellout crowd of 9,700 fans had opened the venue last Wednesday night for an international exhibition against Liga MX’s C.F. Monterrey.

The league also saw fans tune in throughout the weekend on the USL Match Center, with 909,000 minutes of action being viewed over the course of USL Kickoff on the league’s YouTube channel. Additionally, seven games were broadcast locally as the advent of USL Productions, the league’s $10 million investment in state-of-the-art broadcast production, broadcast and distribution facilities with VISTA Worldlink in south Florida, brought all of the action to fans across the United States with support from up-to-the-minute match statistics provided by industry leader Opta.

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http://www.dirtysouthsoccer.com/2017/3/27/15070258/we-found-the-greatest-atlanta-united-customized-kit-so-far

We found the greatest Atlanta United customized kit so far

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http://www.phillyvoice.com/miamis-el-clasico-a-blatant-cash-grab-and-everything-thats-wrong-with-american-soccer/

Miami's 'El Clasico' a blatant cash grab and everything that's wrong with American soccer

By Kevin Kinkead

PhillyVoice Contributor

Thursday morning, I went to StubHub to check out ticket prices for the Barcelona and Real Madrid exhibition game taking place this July in Miami.

The most affordable ticket was $540 for the nosebleed section.

Seats behind the goals started at $900 while midfield tickets averaged $1,500.

Ticketmaster, meantime, had a $350 "standing room only" ticket on the upper deck. There was another $450 ticket for an alcohol-free "supporter's section," also on that same level, which is reserved for Barca and Real fans.

If you want to take your kid to see the the legendary Spanish sides play the "El Clasico" rivalry game in the United States, you'll probably pay upward of $1,000, and that's without parking, food, and transportation. That's also assuming you only have one kid.

For that kind of money, you can fly to Spain and watch the teams play each other in a game that actually matters.

I'm not kidding.

I found a flight from Miami to Madrid, with a layover in Lisbon, for $597. I also found a direct flight from Miami to Barcelona for $804. Add two nights in a hostel, a cab to the game, and a ticket that costs around 100 Euros, and you're seeing these teams in Spain for the same price as a corner seat at an exhibition game on this side of the Atlantic.

Let's not be distracted here; this is a straight-up cash grab disguised as a prestigious, once-in-a -lifetime event.

More than 65,000 suckers will pay to watch a few stars and some backups give a half-assed preseason effort. And if the players actually care, then we'll probably see the typical whining, flopping, and play-acting from Sergio Busquets and the like.

The person going to this game is the type that gets up at seven in the morning to watch Arsenal vs. Chelsea at Fado in Center City Philadelphia. He probably has a Theo Walcott jersey that he also wears to the noon pickup game at YSC Sports. This guy is a diehard soccer fan who could give a rat's ass about the Philadelphia Union and probably thinks that "the MLS sucks."

That's the guy. He comes to the Tuesday night futsal game wearing a Barcelona tracksuit, claims to be a striker, then whiffs on his first shot attempt from five yards out.

The people paying $750 dollars for "El Clasico" tickets are not our friends. They don't care about David Beckham's Miami MLS project. They don't watch MLS, NASL, or USL because domestic soccer "isn't as good" as whatever beIN Sports is showing on Saturday morning.

No one is going to sit here and tell you that MLS is better than the English Premier League, but it's our league, and that's what really matters. And God forbid you actually watch top-level foreign soccer while also supporting the fledgling team down the street.

At a time when dedicated American soccer fans are working at the grassroots level in Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and South Florida in general, 65,000 Eurosnobs will be grossly overpaying for tickets to a friendly, and that's disappointing.

As a counterpoint, I do understand the significance of playing this game outside of Spain. Only once has "El Clasico" ever taken place in a foreign country, and that was in 1982 when the sides met in Venezuela for an end-of-season friendly. Only a few thousand people showed up, and the match was not broadcast in Europe. The focus that summer was preparation for the World Cup and that friendly became somewhat lost in the footie annals.

It certainly would be cool to see El Clasico outside of Spain, but who wants to be second to do anything? Nobody says, "I saw the second-ever Bruce Springsteen show in Asbury Park!" This is being billed as the "first 'Clasico' on North American soil," but that doesn't do anything for me.

Do Londoners brag about seeing the second-ever NFL game at Wembley Stadium? No, they don't, and they also weren't charged a thousand pounds for tickets.

I won't necessarily blame promoters for the prices. The clubs charge extraordinary fees for these games, which is why the dollar amounts are so high. It's supply and demand, and unfortunately, Americans still demand meaningless summer friendlies.

The irony is this; if you're a huge Lionel Messi or James Rodriguez fan, you could have paid LESS money to see them play in REAL games just last year. You could have paid for Copa America tickets, which were still expensive but nothing like this. Average ticket prices for the group stage and quarterfinal games were in the $150 range, while the semifinal and final pushed higher. The average ticket price for the group stage game between Argentina and Chile in San Francisco was just $236.

Philadelphia has shown a waning interest in these games for the better part of six years now.

During the Union's 2010 expansion season, a friendly against Manchester United drew 44,000 fans to Lincoln Financial Field. The next year, 57,000 showed up for an exhibition against Real Madrid. Friendlies against Celtic, Chivas, and Everton sold out the much smaller PPL Park, and the Union front office complained when U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard didn't make the Toffees' trip. Nevermind the fact that players like Tim Cahill, Leighton Baines, and Phil Neville were actually on the field.

Anyway, that Real Madrid vs. Union game back in 2011 had a totally reasonable ticket structure. Front row tickets were the most expensive at $150 a pop. Club midfield seats were $125 and the sidelines and corners were priced at $60 and $40, respectively.

One Union supporter told me that he paid $215 for four tickets in section 115, which is the lower bowl near the south end zone. That's absolutely fair.

In 2012, the Union hosted a wildly successful MLS All-Star game against Chelsea with ticket prices that averaged under $100. In two other cases, they could not sell out games against Schalke and Aston Villa. Maybe it was a little bit of friendly fatigue, or oversaturation, or the product of playing two teams that didn't move the needle like a Real Madrid or Man United.

Later in 2012, Real played Celtic in front of just 34,000 fans at the Linc. Two years after that, around 5,000 people came out to see Roma play Inter in a flop of a game. Ticket prices for both of those matches started around $75 and went into the $200 range. In Michigan, meantime, 109,000 fans watched Real play United at the University of Michigan's "Big House."

The takeaway for me is that the biggest teams in the world will always draw in America. I'm grateful for the opportunity to see these clubs, but I can't justify spending $1,000 to do it.

Neither can you, it seems.

The Union, to their credit, have steered away from the summer friendly routine and generally now only host one mid-level team per season. Recent years have seen two friendlies against Crystal Palace, and one each against Bournemouth and Stoke City. There was also a strange, late March friendly against Mexican side Pumas.

The most I've ever paid for any ticket was $250, and that was for last year's Guns n' Roses show at the Linc. I felt like that was justifiable, since you never know if Axl Rose will ever show up for anything again. For me, it was a "bucket list" item.

And maybe "El Clasico" is on your bucket list, so go ahead and buy that $750 ticket while continuing to thumb your nose at the American game.

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http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/media/photos-maestro-anton-coppola-celebrates-100th-birthday-with-opera-tampa/2317966

Photos, video: Maestro Anton Coppola celebrates 100th birthday with Opera Tampa and Coppola family

Christopher Spata, Times Staff Writer

Sunday, March 26, 2017 9:27am

Maestro Anton Coppola received a standing ovation Saturday during an Opera Tampa gala celebrating his 100th birthday at the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa. Coppola conducted the world premiere of his revised duet and finale of Puccini's opera Turandot and also selections from Copola's opera Sacco and Sacco and Vanzetti.

The gala was attended by several of Anton Coppola's family members, including the maestro's nephew, director Francis Ford Coppola, great-niece Sofia Coppola and his great-nephew Nicolas Cage.

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https://www.facebook.com/events/892382027568839/

APR13

Night Market St. Pete

Public · Hosted by St Pete Side Lot and 2 others

Thursday, April 13 at 6 PM - 10 PM

St Pete Side Lot
2133 2nd Ave South,
Saint Petersburg, Florida 33712

Details

It's time for the 2nd Night Market St. Pete. If you missed the first one, now is your time to get one more in before the Summer! Some of the best local vendors, DJ, Kids Fun Zone, Food trucks and more. Expect the same fun vibe from the first one with some new and exciting additions.

At this time we are all booked up with vendors! Can't wait to see them all at the market!

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http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/usa-soccer-honduras-world-cup-qualifying-bruce-arena-christian-pulisic-highlights-video-recap-russia-2018-goals-jurgen-klinsmann-032517

The USMNT’s 6-0 win over Honduras showed exactly why Jurgen Klinsmann had to be fired

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https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/wawa-vs-sheetz-gas-station-food

Wawa vs. Sheetz: Behind the Most Heated Food Rivalry in the Country

By Wil Fulton Published On 03/27/2017

Amanda Oakley never thought she'd find the love of her life at her local Wawa, but here she was -- three years after meeting Bobby on a late-night hoagie run, 30 minutes after slipping away from her own wedding reception. Her bouquet grazed the parking lot concrete as Bobby, the newest husband in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, cradled the corset of her wedding dress, dipping her by the waist. As he planted a kiss, their wedding photographer captured the moment in the fluorescent glow of the couple's favorite convenience store.

Dale from Johnstown (as he asked to be called) always thought he'd find the love of his life at Sheetz -- or at least enough love for tonight. He comes here every weekend, in camouflage and Carhartts, smoking cigarettes and sometimes a joint in the parking lot, watching out for cops. If he can't pick up any women there or at one of the outdoor tables, he can at least pick up some mac & cheese bites.

"There's not much else going on," he said of Johnstown, a dying town an hour and a half east of Pittsburgh, best known for its catastrophic 1889 flood. "Sheetz is really all we have here right now," he added, gesturing to the dark expanse of town with one hand and taking a long drag of his No. 27 with the other. People around here will say that every Sheetz parking lot is like a high school reunion: If you wait around long enough, the entire town will show up.

"High school reunion? Dude, this might as well be City Hall," he corrects me with a half-stoned drawl.

On any given night, thousands of people will pass through these 24/7 meccas: post-bar crowds, post-wedding couples, truckers, rappers, students, cops, touring bands, retirees who drink coffee at midnight, and every other type of person you could imagine being alive and hungry in this pocket of the United States.

While traditional convenience stores are content with rubbery hot dogs sporting expiration dates from the George W. Bush administration, Sheetz and Wawa strive to be restaurants first -- they just so happen to serve gas and cigarettes, too. While Wawa is keyed in on regional Philly and Southern New Jersey classics like hot and cold hoagies and soft pretzels, Sheetz is full-blown deep-fried hedonism. The latter menu is topped with an appetizer sampler (mozzarella sticks, jalapeño poppers, and French fries), burgers, BBQ sandwiches, and pretty much anything else you can dredge in breadcrumbs.

"Wawa and Sheetz represent the best of the best in the convenience store world. They're a notch above the rest of the pack. Several notches, really," said Donald Longo, who would know: He's been the editorial director of the incredibly niche but very informative Convenience Store News for the past 11 years. "Everyone else is playing catch-up."

But calling these spots convenience stores is like calling Michael Jordan a sneaker salesman. For locals, they are sacrosanct. Wellsprings of regional pride. And somewhere around Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, the flying geese of Wawa turn into the proto-futurist Sheetz logo. This is the Sheetz-Wawa line: where the rivalry ends, and where it all began.

Both Wawa and Sheetz have roots as old-school dairy farms dating back to the late 19th century. Wawa started as a small dairy-processing operation (in Wawa, Pennsylvania, of course, outside of Philly) and the first Sheetz sprung from a family-owned dairy store in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 20 miles northeast of Johnstown and three and a half hours from the city of Wawa. But as the home delivery of milk was left in the Leave It to Beaver era -- thanks to pasteurization laws enacted in the late '40s to prevent foodborne illnesses and lengthen the shelf life of milk -- both stores pivoted to brick-and-mortar food outlets, focusing on quality products that catered to local palates.

These days, both stores have 646 locations. For Wawa, nearly half of those have gas pumps and 100% have sandwiches, both introduced in the early '00s. Sheetz, now replete with 17,000 employees, plus two large-scale bakeries, always kindled a friendship with its neighbor to the east, who was basically doing the same thing.

"Our families started out as really good friends," said Ryan Sheetz, director of brand strategy for the company, as well as a third-generation family member. "My uncle Steve [ex-president of Sheetz] served on the board of directors at Wawa, and Rich Wood [of Wawa] served on our board of directors. Early on, I think they really helped each other out a lot. The similarities aren't accidental. We shared a lot of our good ideas with each other. We are definitely from the same mold."

People consider the brands to be part of their identity.

Fitting, then, that Central Pennsylvania -- the bucolic land of Amish crafts and wide-open spaces -- serves as the Sheetz-Wawa battleground. But the eastern half of the United States, inching further south and into the Midwest, is littered with stores that have claimed their respective turfs. During an expansion phase in the early '70s, Wawa pulled a George Washington and crossed the Delaware River, taking New Jersey. Sheetz went west and conquered Ohio. Delaware and Florida are Wawa-exclusives; Sheetz runs solo in North Carolina and West Virginia. Virginia and Maryland have both.

People with access to Sheetz or Wawa don't just casually enjoy these brands. They're the subjects of countless gushing listicles, several of which appear on this very site. There are highly active YouTube channels based around the menus. They don't have cult followings -- they have people who consider the brands to be part of their identity. Each store has carved out a bedrock of regional fandom in the Northeastern United States. So in the land where territories bleed into one another, the debate runs hot: Wawa or Sheetz?

You have to be careful with that question. Especially in Pittsburgh.

Bringing a sign that reads "Wawa Is Better Than Sheetz" to a hockey game should be an innocuous gesture, a cute stab at jumbotron fame. But when diehard Flyers fan Alec Lessner broke out his hand-Sharpied battle cry at an NHL game against rival Penguins in Pittsburgh -- deep into Sheetz territory -- he had waltzed over the Wawa-Sheetz line bearing a sigil of war. Grown women told him they wanted to punch him in the half-joking manner that barely hides the truth. A police car pulled up alongside him, flashed its lights, and told him he was dead wrong over the squad car's megaphone.

"Really, the only time I felt like I was in real danger was when I had this massive, blacked-out dude who ran up to me and screamed in my face, calling me a f*ggot," Lessner said. "I never thought it would get the kind of attention it did. But yeah… it did."

Obviously, this rivalry strikes a chord with fans in and around the Keystone State. If you ask someone in Pennsylvania to compare Wawa and Sheetz, expect enough vitriol to stuff 1,000 pierogies or cheesesteaks, depending on your regional preference.

"Sheetz is really just disgusting food. It's like fried garbage. You know Wawa has some good, fresh hoagies and genuinely good food," said Aaron Out, a Philadelphia-based rapper who recently found local fame with his hazy ode to Wawa and its hoagies.

"I did go to Wawa once. I had a funeral to go to in Philly," Dale from Johnstown said. "I didn't like it. Basically, Sheetz has everything Wawa has, plus more. [Wawa] is like Sheetz-lite. It's pretty much shit. I know people make the comparison a lot, but I can hardly see any similarities. It's like the Hatfields and McCoys. It's the most heated rivalry in Pennsylvania. There's no love here."

Though Dale has honed in on the divisiveness that Sheetz and Wawa people take to, he's wrong in at least one way.

"We do know about the rivalry, of course. But it's more of a fun thing than anything else. And we have our differences. We have our own customers and we cater our food, and our whole brand, to what they expect and want," Sheetz said. "For our customers, Sheetz is part of home. And the same goes for [Wawa]. We have a ton of respect for them. And to be quite honest, I'll sneak a Wawa hoagie when I'm on vacation at the Jersey Shore. I'm not ashamed. They're good… but ours are better."

That's the thing about rivalries: They're often founded out of similarities. For Wawa and Sheetz, their fans' red-hot feud was born out of common roots, shared territory, and -- most importantly -- two bewilderingly passionate bases. Passionate enough to eat deconstructed hoagies off of a stripper's ass, for example.

"Why did I want my first recorded song to be about Wawa?" Out asked, genuinely pondering the question for a second. "People fucking love Wawa, so I knew they would like this song." Out traces his adoration of Wawa back to late-night hoagie runs that will forever remain part of his youth, and his identity. "Really, not everyone in this country knows about Wawa. It's not something you can just Google and then think you understand. It's a lifestyle. It's home. I hope my song conveys some of that message. This is what Wawa is all about."

Rozwell Kid -- a band from West Virginia where "the hills are peppered with Sheetz locations," according to frontman Jordan Hudkins -- wrote their own (unsolicited) jingle for Sheetz, "I Pledge Allegiance to Sheetz." A cheery, cheeky single, it was adopted by many as a battle cry for late-night Sheetz runs and served as a callback to the band's own late-night stops.

This type of fanaticism simply doesn't happen for convenience stores. It's not something that just springs up when sandwich places are open late. This is the kind of devotion that only occurs when a chain not only embraces, but embodies its region's tastes, and develops an unwavering rapport with its customers. It's a product of food facilitating weepy, oft-intoxicated nostalgia, and, ultimately, inspiring love. At their best, they are living examples of why we are a nation obsessed with what we eat… especially when it reminds us of home.

So it's no secret why the stakes in this fight are high between fans of each brand. It's who they are.

Amanda and Bobby Oakley (the couple who left their wedding reception to pose in front of a Wawa) actually did meet each other in a store, late one night. Now, their 1-year-old son (who, frankly, wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Wawa) rides with them on their runs -- usually not that late though, with bedtimes and all.

"We're starting him off early," Amanda said. "He can really only eat the mac & cheese right now. But trust me, the second he's old enough, we're going to get him a Wawa hoagie. We need to raise him properly, right?"

Right or wrong, I know about 1.3 million Sheetz fans who would probably disagree.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://patch.com/florida/stpete/genaro-coffee-new-coffee-shop-brewing-on-central-avenue

New Coffee Shop Brewing on Central Avenue

The revitalization of Central Avenue continues as Genaro Coffee Co. opens.

By William Mansell (Patch Staff) - May 8, 2013 4:41 pm ET

The good news keeps coming for the Central Avenue corridor in the Edge Business District and the Grand Central District as food and drink options continue to increase.

Genaro Coffee Co. opened this week at 1047 Central Ave. near Tropicana Field.

"We are definitely about community," said co-owner Preston Johnson. "We don’t want to come here, set up shop and stick our hands out and just say ‘come buy our coffee.' We want to become part of this community."

Genaro had its soft opening Monday and will have its grand opening May 18.

The coffee shop menu will feature wraps, salads, paninis, croissants, bagels and pastries. After its grand opening, Genaro will have local art shows, poetry nights, Latin night and live entertainment.

Genaro Coffee, named after co-owner Patricia Francati's late father, is open seven days a week from 5 a.m. - 1 a.m.

Johnson said it is important to have the shop named Genaro because it will make himself and Francati more committed to Genaro Coffee Co.

"People will work harder for something that we are emotionally tied to," Johnson said. "When it's named after something you care about and love, you’re going to work a hell of a lot harder to keep it open than if it was some made up name."

Francati said her father grew coffee beans in Colombia and the family still owns the land today.

"In six to 12 months we hope to be brewing that coffee here," Francati said. 

"He actually planted coffee beans in Colombia," Johnson said. "The coffee shop is definitely dedicated to his name. It's a good tribute, especially to somebody with a history in coffee making."

Francati said Genaro would be filling in a need in St. Pete by having early and late hours for coffee lovers, including her.

Often craving coffee past 9 p.m. Johnson and Francati said options for java at night, or really in the morning, are very limited.

"We use to go out 9 or 10 at night to get a cup and coffee and there was nothing," Francati said. 

"Our sense of community is really important," Johnson said of Genaro's mission. "People can get coffee anywhere (in St. Pete) … unless of course it's after 9 p.m."

Brew and BBQ in the Burg

Another new restaurant, Urban Brew and BBQ, will be opening near Tropicana Field soon at 1939 Central Ave.. 

You can follow along on the construction progress of Urban Brew on its Facebook page.

"Urban is a fast casual restaurant that serves a variety of BBQ dishes, big and small, that are made from scratch and made fresh," according to the restaurant’s Facebook page. "Perfect for quick lunches, pints after work or before a Ray's game. Come in and experience the only place in town serving craft beer with craft BBQ."

One Night Stand the Club Detroit Open

The last week of April and the first days of May saw Club Detroit and One Night Stand open in downtown St. Pete.

One Night Stand, which replaced Durty Nelly's, opened May 1 as downtown St. Pete's only country bar.

The country bar even features a mechanical bull named "mustache".

Club Detroit held its soft opening April 23. The music venue, which replaces Vintage Lounge, will focus on up and coming bands and musicians. Thursday, professional wrestler Chris Jericho's band, Fozzy, will be performing.

For a full music schedule at Club Detroit, click here.

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    Square 1 Burgers & Bar Coming to St. Pete
    Bodega on Central Set to Open
    Neighborhood Coffee Shop Comes to Downtown

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http://fox2now.com/2017/03/27/mls-commissioner-visits-st-louis-to-support-stadium-tax-vote/

MLS commissioner visits St. Louis to support stadium tax vote

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http://www.bta.bg/en/gallery/image/4027816

Paul Edgerely, Don Garber

28 March 2017 / 00:40

Paul Edgerely, chairman of the group trying to bring a Major League Soccer team to St. Louis, listens as MLS commissioner Don Garber speaks during a news conference Monday, March 27, 2017, in St. Louis. City voters will head to the polls next week to decide on a ballot measure that would provide public funds to help pay for a new soccer stadium in downtown St. Louis with the hopes of luring an expansion MLS franchise. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

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http://www.bta.bg/en/gallery/image/4027815

Don Garber, Jim Kavanaugh

28 March 2017 / 00:40

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber, right, speaks along side Jim Kavanaugh, vice chairman of the group trying to bring an MLS team to St. Louis, during a news conference, Monday, March 27, 2017, in St. Louis. City voters will head to the polls next week to decide on a ballot measure that would provide public funds to help pay for a new soccer stadium in downtown St. Louis with the hopes of luring an expansion MLS franchise. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

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http://www.bnd.com/news/local/article141149678.html

Pass the proposition and get an MLS team, commissioner tells St. Louis voters

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http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/mls-commish-confident-st-louis-will-get-a-team-if/article_0b9a2a2c-5085-5b13-b039-0e5fcd5fc6a6.html

MLS commish 'confident' St. Louis will get a team if voters approve stadium funding

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/03/27/jake-edwards-became-key-figure-us-soccer-help-saint-greavsie/

How Jake Edwards became a key figure in US soccer - with help of Saint and Greavsie

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http://www.malaysiandigest.com/frontpage/29-4-tile/665950-18-year-old-malay-boy-makes-history-with-united-soccer-league-debut-appearance.html

[Video] 18-Year-Old Malay Boy Makes History With United Soccer League Debut Appearance

Published on Tuesday, 28 March 2017 09:32

18-year-old Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal made history recently as he becomes the first Malay to compete as a professional footballer in the United Soccer League (USL) following his appearance with Swope Park Rangers (SPR).

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http://collinsvillepress.com/2017/03/tulsa-booters-score-four-times-in-season-opening-win-and-vaudreuils-usl-debut/13653/

Tulsa booters score four times in season-opening win and Vaudreuil’s USL debut

TULSA, Okla., March 25 – The Tulsa Roughnecks, who scored a season-low 25 goals a year ago when they finished last in the United Soccer League’s Western Conference, scored four goals to give new head coach David Vaudreuil his first USL coaching win with a 4-1 decision over the Colorado Springs Switchbacks on Sunday.

The Roughnecks, 5-21-1 a year ago, scored four unanswered goals to erase an early Colorado lead and win the season opening contest before nearly 5,000 fans. Ian Svantesson had two goals while Juan Caffa had a goal and an assist for the Roughnecks.

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http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/footy-mcfooty-face-leading-name-for-san-diego-mls-club/425929202

'Footy McFooty Face' leading name for San Diego MLS club

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https://mlsgb.com/2017/03/27/orlando-city-star-linked-with-2m-move-to-everton-to-replace-lukaku-this-summer/

Orlando City star linked with £2m move to Everton to replace Lukaku this summer

Everton eyeing up move for Orlando's Cyle Larin with Romelu Lukaku's future in limbo

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http://www.citypages.com/news/four-games-in-minnesota-united-looks-historically-bad/417192193

Four games in, Minnesota United looks historically bad

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http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/story/3090261/romain-alessandrini-hopes-to-make-history-with-la-galaxy

Romain Alessandrini hopes to make history with LA Galaxy

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http://www.sportsvideo.org/2017/03/27/d-c-united-broadens-reach-of-shoulder-programming-by-simulcasting-it-to-facebook-live/

D.C. United Broadens Reach of Shoulder Programming by Simulcasting It to Facebook Live

Telestream’s Wirecast solution helps club leverage linear assets on the social platform

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https://ussoccerplayers.com/2017/03/mls-needs-to-stop-playing-during-the-international-window-soccer.html

MLS needs to stop playing during the international windows

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http://www.givemesport.com/1016123-twitter-reacts-after-mls-release-truly-terrible-viral-video-featuring-kaka

Twitter reacts after MLS release truly terrible viral video featuring Kaka

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http://www.breitbart.com/california/2017/03/27/footy-mcfooty-face-leads-online-voting-to-name-san-diego-mls-team/

‘Footy McFooty Face’ Leads Vote to Name San Diego MLS Team

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http://www.espnfc.com/story/3090217/franck-ribery-says-he-could-move-to-mls-after-bayern-munich-stay-ends

Franck Ribery says he could move to MLS after Bayern Munich stay ends

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http://www.kmov.com/story/35002325/mls-commissioner-in-town-monday-for-fan-rally-at-ballpark-village

MLS commissioner in town Monday for fan rally at Ballpark Village

ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) – The commissioner of Major League Soccer will be in St. Louis for a second time Monday.

While in town, Don Garber plans to attend a MLS2STL fan rally at Ballpark Village at 5:15 p.m.

On April 4, St. Louis City voters will decide if tax money can be used to build a $200 million soccer stadium. Voters will see two propositions on the ballot, one called Proposition One and the other Proposition Two. Both of the propositions must pass for the soccer stadium funding to move forward.

Proposition One is a half-cent sales tax increase for things like the MetroLink expansion, if it passes it will increase the use tax that businesses pay on out-of-state purchases. Proposition Two asks if part of that money could be used to build the stadium.

If both pass, taxpayers would put up to $60 million towards the project.

Supporters of the soccer stadium have agreed to invest in youth and job programs in the city if voters approve both propositions.

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/774684

USL Power Rankings – Week 1

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http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/community/boise/article141057353.html

Boise & Garden City

March 27, 2017 1:45 PM

Deal paves way for attempt at new Downtown Boise stadium

By Sven Berg

St. Luke’s Health System has agreed to terms to sell 11 acres on the corner of Americana Boulevard and Shoreline Drive in Downtown Boise to Greenstone Properties, a development company whose managing principal, Chris Schoen, is the managing partner for the company that owns the Boise Hawks, the team announced Monday.

The parties didn’t release the terms of the deal.

Greenstone hopes to build a stadium on four of those acres and residential, office, retail and parking space, as well as, potentially, a hotel on the other seven. The Hawks, the Treasure Valley’s only minor league baseball team, would be the stadium’s primary tenant. A minor-league soccer team also might play there, as could Boise State University teams. The stadium also could serve as a venue for events such as concerts and festivals.

The St. Luke’s-Greenstone deal isn’t final. St. Luke’s spokeswoman Anita Kissee described it as a “non-binding letter of intent.” A lot of details, such as the fine print of the land acquisition, which government bodies would invest in the stadium and the exact shape and location of each piece of the project, have to be worked through.

But the agreement is a big step toward getting a stadium built, because it appears St. Luke’s has chosen Greenstone over other groups, including the state of Idaho, that were interested in buying the property the hospital group owns. City Councilman Scot Ludwig, who has acted as a go-between for the parties, told the Idaho Statesman in February he hopes Greenstone breaks ground on the stadium next summer.

Efforts to contact Schoen on Monday were not immediately successful.

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http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2017/03/27/usl-eastern-conference-digest-week-1-new-beginnings-a-lot-of-penalties/2686

USL Eastern Conference Digest Week 1: New Beginnings, A Lot of Penalties

March 27, 2017

by JAKE NUTTING

A new attendance record at Al Lang Stadium and a 1-0 win over Orlando City are about as good as the Rowdies could have asked for to kick off their first season in the United Soccer League.

Facing off with Orlando was an easy adjustment from the North American Soccer League for Tampa Bay’s supporters. It’s simple, really. It’s Orlando and they wear purple, that’s all you really needed to grasp to get into Saturday’s match.

However, there’s a whole host of newer, more unfamiliar teams in the USL. The league has over two times more teams in it in than the NASL did last year, and the Eastern Conference where the Rowdies reside has 14 other teams for them to play.

This regular feature on our site will focus specifically on the Eastern Conference in an effort to hopefully keep Rowdies supporters better informed and more engaged when it comes to the new home we all find ourselves in.
Results

    Tampa Bay Rowdies 1-0 Orlando City B
    Louiville City 0-0 Saint Louis FC
    Richmond Kickers 1-0 Harrisburg City Islanders
    Pittsburgh Riverhounds 3-3 New York Red Bulls II
    Charleston Batter 2-1 FC Cincinnati
    Phoenix Rising FC 0-1 Totonto FC II

Hertzog and the Ball Boy

If you were looking for goals in week one, Pittsburgh’s waterfront was the place to find them. The six goals between the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and New York Red Bulls II matched the total scoring output of every other Eastern Conference team combined over the weekend.

A few former Rowdies were on the field for the Riverhounds’ opener. Rich Balchan and Gale Agbossomounde got the starting nods on the back line, while ex-Rowdies forward Corey Hertzog earned the team’s Player of The Match honors for a brace, including the tying goal five minutes after Red Bulls II had equalized late in match.

Hertzog deserves a special shout out, not just for the poise he showed along the endline to tally his first, but for following through on his promise to include a ball boy he coaches every week in his celebration.

The 3-3 scoreline was a notable change up for both teams. Red Bulls II allowed three goals in a single macth just once during last year’s championship season in which the team conceded a league-low 21 goals. On the opposite end, Pittsburgh only managed three or more goals in a match twice last year. The Riverhounds finished second from last in the conference standings, scoring just 31 goals in 30 matches.
Richmond Celebrates 25 Years and a Clean Sheet

The Rowdies weren’t the only ones to draw a record crowd for their home opener on Saturday. 8,021 strong showed up to help the Richmond Kickers launch their 25th season, helping the team finish number one at the gate in both the NASL and USL this weekend.

Richmond’s supporters group River City Red Army marked the milestone with a gorgeous tifo that took up multiple sections of City Stadium.

D.C United loanee Travis Worra kept the festive atmosphere alive for the Kickers with an outstanding kick save to deny a penalty driven straight down the middle by Harrisburg City’s Aaron Wheeler in the 13th minute. With Worra’s stop, the Kickers were able to carry over the stout defensive form they showed at home last year where they posted 11 shutouts.

Paging PRO

If this weekend was any indication, the Video Assistant Review system might get a workout in as the USL expands its use to 25 games throughout the season. Referees whistled for five penalties in the conference in week one, an uneasy note from last year when it seemed as if the Rowdies had over a dozen penalties go against them (the real number is probably around half that).

Three out of five keepers actually managed to block the initial strike from the spot, but only Worra was able to avoid seeing the rebound chance cross the line.
Late Penalty Sinks Cincy in Charleston

A penalty that never in a million years wold require the VAR system cost FC Cincinnati a point on the road. With 20 minutes left to go, Cincinnati’s Captain Austin Berry took out forward Romario Williams from behind with a challenge so blatantly reckless that Williams didn’t even bother lingering on the ground to make sure the whistle came. Justin Portillo made easy work of the penalty to put the Battery out in front. The USL, Charleston and Cincinnati don’t seem to have posted highlights of the match yet, so this screenshot of a disgusted Jimmy McLaughlin after witnessing the sequence will have to do.

Preki’s New-Look Saint Louis Holds in Louisville

Louisville barraged Saint Louis with 21 shots on Saturday only to end in a scoreless stalemate. New Saint Louis Head Coach Preki’s revamped defense put in a decent shift for the first week of the season, though Louisville helped the visitors out by firing less than a third of its shots on frame.
TFC II Spoils the Party

Based on Saturday’s performance, Phoenix may have to increase its reported offer to Ivory Coast international and Chelsea great Didier Drogba.

Phoenix focused on bringing firepower into the fold this offseason, but none of it amounted to goals in the opener. In front of a record home crowd, Mexican forward Omar Bravo was kept completely off the board, finishing his 90-minute shift without a single shot taken in his first match for the team. Phoenix and Toronto both maxed out on two shots on net, but the Canadian side slipped one of theirs by Phoenix in the 8th minute and coasted from there.

Bye Week Blues

The Rochester Rhinos, Charlotte Independence, Ottawa Fury FC and Bethlehem Steel FC all drew the short straws and sat out the USL’s kickoff weekend, but that doesn’t mean they all sat on their hands all weekend. Bethlehem fell 3-1 in a scrimmage with its parent club Philadelphia Union. Ottawa faced off with an MLS squad too, beating out the Montreal Impact 2-0 from goals by Jose Sito Seoane and Steevan Dos Santos. Meanwhile, Charlotte closed out its preseason by battling to a 2-2 result with the NASL’s Jacksonville Armada FC.

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http://fox2now.com/2017/03/27/mls-commissioner-visits-st-louis-as-election-approaches/

MLS Commissioner Visits St. Louis as Election Approaches

Posted 11:31 pm, March 27, 2017, by Dave Jobe, Updated at 11:41PM, March 27, 2017

MLS (Major League Soccer) Commissioner Don Garber visited St. Louis on Monday and participated in a press conference that featured many of the investors in the SC STL group that wants a team here in St. Louis. Commissioner Garber all but assured our city that the MLS will come here if the proposition on next Tuesday's city election passes. That proposition is asking taxpayers for 60 million dollars to help build the all soccer stadium in downtown St. Louis. Former MLS star and St. Louisan Taylor Twellman was the most outspoken at the press conference. Twellman urged voters to not let this chance for pro soccer and becoming a major player as a city pass them by. He pointed out examples in Atlanta and Orlando, where expansion MLS franchises have spearheaded those cities economic come backs.

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http://www.101sports.com/podcasts/mls-commissioner-don-garber-discusses-why-st-louis-is-such-a-strong-candidate-for-expansion/

MLS Commissioner Don Garber discusses why St. Louis is such a strong candidate for expansion

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https://www.footballfancast.com/football-virals/five-man-united-players-who-could-move-to-the-mls-in-the-summer

Five Man United players who could move to the MLS in the summer

While Manchester United broke all kinds of transfer records over the course of the summer, it’s clear their team isn’t yet balanced enough to realistically compete for the Premier League title. As important as the next summer transfer window is for Jose Mourinho in terms of who he brings into United, deciding who can leave is just as important.

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/61sha4/gm_1_rowdies_home_attendance_thread_325_vs/

Gm 1: Rowdies Home Attendance Thread [3/25 vs. Orlando City B] (self.TampaBayRowdies)

I mean, come on...you couldn't have had a more perfect night...weather was great, hype was huge, hated rival, lion cage with extra seating...everything was coming up Rowdies. And because of all of that we put in our biggest number in Al Lang. That put us well ahead of last year, where we had one of our most disappointing openers at only 5,740 (I think we had rain???). Also put us second in the USL table to Richmond who had a killer opener themselves...

Gm     Date     Opp     '17 Attn     USL Avg     % vs USL     '16 Attn     % Cml Growth
1     3/25     OCB     7,710     *4,473     +67.3%     5,740     +34.3%
                       
Avg             7,710     4,608         5,740    
Total             7,710     18,432         5,740    

% Cml Growth: Year-over-year running season total growth (cumulative)

*Average-to-date, not all teams have played comp home games

Perfect conditions for a sellout (playing against rivals in home opener on backs of MLS movement), so I'm glad we got the sellout. Hopefully the momentum can continue.

Hoping the same...I'd love to see our average get into the mid-high 6k range!