120 Fahrenheit: The Republic of Texas Team
September 19th, 2007 . 11:32 am . By: Buzz Carrick120 Fahrenheit: The Republic of Texas Team A.k.a., Ives Stole my Bit.
So yesterday I notice that Ives Ok, so I don’t actually think Ives stole my bit, Brilliant minds think alike eh Ives? Besides, about 5 people probably read 3rd Degree back then. Anyway it’s a fun exercise, so I thought I would share the team I had back then, and then give you a team now. I think it will go to show you how far the game has come since MLS was founded. 1998 Republic of Texas TeamI opted for a 3-5-2 back then because of the abundance of quality midfielders.
Bench: That was a pretty solid team for 1998 as the midfield is very good. The defense while young is led by a proven winner in Agoos and I’ve got some serious pace up top. Notice my poor research in thinking Tom Sohen was from the Dallas area because MLSnet listed his home town of Frisco. He was born in Chicago so in hind sight he shouldn’t have counted even though I just had him on the bench. 2007 Republic of Texas TeamI’m gonna go back to a 4-4-2, just cause I like that shape better and the defenders have vastly improved.
Forward: Kyle Brown (RSL, Southlake), Jamie Watson (RSL, Coppell), Mike Sambursky (ex-Houston, Katy), Andre Akpan (Harvard & US U20, Grand Prairie), Coach: Jeff Agoos We’ve got some sick pace in the back so I went with Garcia’s experience over Moor in the middle. The midfield on the flank is scaring as hell getting forward, but the central midfield options are all very young so I stuck with Hernandez who was just waived by NE this year mainly for his high cost. Up top we have the gritty Cooper, who I am claiming as Texans for his lifetime of living here and the fact he considered himself a Texan, and the enigmatic game changer Clint Dempsey. Where Texas is hosed is in net. The best I can come up with it hard working sometime temporary FCD reserve and occasional practice player out of SMU, Matt Wideman. Here are some other Texas players who might be in out state pool: Jordan Stone (ex-FCD), Philip Salyer (ex-FCD), Tony Soto (ex-MLS), Paul Broome (RSL), Esmundo Rodriguez (ex-FCD), Dominic Schell (ex-Clb sometimes FCD reserve), Carl Bussey (ex-FCD), Trevor Perea (ex-MLS), Dominic Mediate (DC United), Brad Napper (ex-FCD draft pick out of Northwestern), Josh Smith (Trinity, USL), Corban Boone (Wake Forest, US U18), Cameron Brown (UNC, US U18), Scott Jones (FCD), and a bunch of SMU kids like Adrian Chevannes, Scott Geppert, Ryan Mirsky, and Jeff Harwell You will notice I didn’t claim Ramon Nunez, Chris Gbandi, or Alejandro Moreno. I figure since, except for Gbandi, they are not American citizens, it wouldn’t be fair to claim them as I did with Cooper. Gbandi has at least become a citizen, but it was so recently I didn’t want to claim him either. If this were real we’d get them naturalized and playing for Texas… but it’s just a bit. Also Gbandi has been capped for Liberia, so that kinda puts him as “capped’ for this. Edit: I did claim Stuart Holden, who while born in Scotland is a former US U20 and claims Houston as home. He falls in the Cooper category. Did I miss anyone? 12 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No, but you did claim Stuart Holden who was born and raised in Scotland. Not sure if he considers himself Scottish or Texan… seems to be up for grabs.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/s...%26siteID=66633-name_page.html
He claims Houston as home town and was a US U20. That makes him like Cooper. I will add a note.
If we’re naming suburbs in Dallas where players are from, you can put Coppell for Jamie Watson. Gotta represent the local kid, even though I hated him growing up.
The only other Texas goalkeeper I can think of is Martin Hutton (former Houston Dynamo #3 keeper). Maybe dig through the USL a bit?
*salutes*
So would we beat New Jersey in your opinion? That’s a pretty strong Texas lineup. What, no Mia Hamm? LoL.
I thought Arturo was from Houston? Or did I miss that?
Oops, now I see his name.
Buzz, you gotta count Mia Hamm since she’s got the most goals scored in International history.
Mia could be trainer or for the europosers out there the physio.
Don’t forget the Columbus “crew” of Nelson Akwari, Rusty Pierce, and Jacob Thomas.
[...] I last looked at the team two years ago and things have changed a bit since then. Rather than make you go back and read it, I’ll recap most of it again. [...]