On Saturday, more than twenty-thousand were on hand at Providence Park for a potentially Shield-deciding match versus OL Reign. The full pageantry and noise of such an occasion echoed through the night…
On Saturday, several hundred angry, sick-at-heart Thorns fans gathered at the stadium plaza to demand change. There were dozens of creative signs, dozens more direct-to-the-point signs, the new #NoMoreSideHustles scarf by the players’ association made its debut, silk-screened prints of protest art were handed out, chalked messages and demands and mockery adorned the sidewalks, there were drums and chanting, there was an around-the-block parade. And there was smoke, OMFG was there smoke! 18 Goals Beyond?
Checks out these images from the day:
Today nobody can say what effect all this will have. Merritt Paulson clearly feels that we fans get hysterical about issues and if he just waits it will go away. That strategy has sometimes worked for him but this time it feels different. At a bare minimum, the Thorns organization committed evil sins of omission which can no longer be pretended away. And if the crowd on Saturday is to be believed, they will never be forgotten on the terraces.
- The Thorns Prediction Game - November 14, 2021
- The Thorns Prediction Game - November 12, 2021
- The Thorns Prediction Game - October 28, 2021
I hope the USSF investigation is quick and thorough. The bottom line is that we need answers; who knew? What did they know? What did they do?
Right now I’m afraid that the Peregrine FO has zero credibility. That’s not a functional relationship for the club and it’s fans. I don’t see the club voluntarily coming forward – that secrecy is deep in the club DNA – so the best hope is that the outside investigation clarifies these issues so we can all move forward.
Here’s an interesting note.
Both the league and US Soccer have picked attorneys to investigate the league, including 2015.
USSF has tapped Sally Yates, former federal AAG who’s c.v. includes being perhaps the first honest, upright federal employee that Trump fired for being inadequately ass-kissing, corrupt, and/or sleazy (she told him where to stuff his “Muslim ban” back in 2017…)
The NWSL’s choice is Amanda Kramer, former AAG for the SDNY, who is perhaps best known for her involvement in the immunity deal/failure to prosecute sex predator Jeffrey Epstein.
Hmm.