The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

First preseason game of the year in Tulsa will be at TU on Thursday at 7pm.

Should be a fun year! They are letting us tailgate on Elgin right in front of Oneok for all home games this year.

TU?  That will bring back some memories for those of us who used to watch the original Roughnecks play there in the ’80’s.

Preseason. It will be at the soccer stadium if you can make it.

Wish we had a game at Chapman Stadium against the NY Cosmos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3cE9w82Bow
***a few secs into this video, you see the guy who sang the national anthem... none other than Billy Eckstein***

Right Back Where We Started From: A Documentary by Will Gibson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrYUZfF_zCw

That documentary is so bush league.

A Tulsa teenager did it... and I think he did a fine job.

Of course you do.

Scoreless draw at TU tonight. Next preseason game in Owasso against OKWU at 3pm on Saturday.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1695883280692247/ (https://www.facebook.com/events/1695883280692247/)

All of you Tulsa Now folks are welcome to drop by my tailgate for the season opener on March 26th. It'll be at the corner of Archer and Elgin right near the stadium gate.

New kits are sick.

The skull is kinda cool, but I wish they'd stuck with Modelo, an actual good beer that at least started in Mexico, instead of a ABInbev product that is terrible.  I tried it once and it's absolutely terrible.  Wish they'd go back to Modelo as the uniform sponsor.

2-0 win in the season opener. Supporter groups at both ends all season. I'll have a tailgate again this Saturday, feel free to drop by. @TulsaRufnex good to see you were around.

Confirmed awful. I tasted it finally on Saturday.

Tailgate at 4pm tomorrow right at the corner of Elgin and Archer.

Also, USL just signed a contract with ESPN to broadcast games!

Seattle tonight on the road at 9pm. Need points really bad.

Saint Louis tonight. We are miserably bad but drinking is fun?

Team has no heart, no sense of urgency at home, now against their biggest rival... first time I saw that on display was the uninspired effort at home against Portland Timbers 2.
I'd fire that coach so fast he wouldn't know what hit him (except maybe the door on his way out).

Roughnecks FC's next game is a "friendly" at FC Wichita of the NPSL this Tuesday night, June 7th. Tickets are $12 each.
The teams have one common opponent they played last month in the US Open Cup:  the Des Moines Menace.
FC Wichita lost to Des Moines 2-1 on a late goal in Wichita while Tulsa lost to Des Moines 2-0 in Des Moines.
This will be the Roughnecks third exhibition match this season against FC Wichita, playing preseason in Wichita previously on April 9th and in Tulsa March 19th.
Yet they refuse to play across town against the Tulsa Athletics, who happen to be in the same league and conference as FC Wichita.
Pathetic.  Just pathetic.

http://www.fcwichita.com/product/june-7-vs-tulsa-roughnecks-ga/
http://www.tulsaroustabouts.com/event/1166/
http://www.futbolwichitalive.com/2015/04/02/fc-wichita-vs-tulsa-roughnecks-april-9-at-700pm/
http://www.fcwichita.com/2015/04/friendly-tulsa-roughnecks/

Nightmare season.

Yeah, that Energy game was brutal. They're just kicking the ball around to each other until someone from the other team gets ahold of it and makes a shot. A couple flashes of competency here and there from some players, but hardly any teamwork.

The Energy supports once again out-shouted the home crowd, despite now having two separate supporters groups on each side of the field. The supporters didn't have much to say during the match. I am surprised there wasn't more of an attempt to stop the cursing from the Energy section though, you could here the F-bombs pretty clearly all around the stadium. This is a stadium with a splash pad and playground inside and a team that relies mostly on parents of soccer-playing kids, so they really can't let that slide.

I know a lot of people were really upset at both the cursing and poor play. The fireworks were the only saving grace. They are going to loose a lot of support this year if they don't turn things around.

Tulsa Roughnecks FC oddly cancels their scheduled friendly this evening with FC Wichita at the very last minute...

http://www.fcwichita.com/2016/06/fc-wichita-opens-the-door-for-local-players/

"In the wake of Tulsa Roughnecks canceling their trip to Wichita at the last minute, we have an exciting make-up match that is sure to intrigue the local soccer community."

"All Pre-Order Tulsa Roughnecks tickets will be honored as admission and you will also receive a free ticket to the TIGRES U-23 (MX) vs FC Wichita match on June 27."

If you don't like cussing then soccer games might be a bad idea. Support groups are the lifeline to any successful club, not a family that is offended by a word they give power to.

Weird.

It doesn't bother me either way, but myself and the support groups are hardly the bread and butter of this production. There's no way you can argue that families don't represent the vast majority of their income. Not to mention being able to bring in the big group sales and renting out the pavilion for corporate dinners.

I know soccer fans like to defend bad behavior at all costs, like somehow the ball being kicked around makes it all OK, but they don't control anything here. As a business they have to pick one or the other and the choice should be obvious.

I know that's why there's a big rift between the FO and actual soccer fans. The way this club has been inserted into OneOK stadium makes it more of a production event than an actual soccer club. That's a whole other tangent though, but that's just the way it is.

Spot on outside of something being labeled bad behavior. The last part will kill the franchise.

No, great play and entertainment is the lifeline of any successful club.  When did hooliganism, bad sportsmanship, and profanity make sports teams sustainable?

Were you even alive when the real Roughnecks packed them in at Skelly Stadium?

No but I've seen enough lower division soccer games along with the national team to know what the lifeline is.

Go to a Sporting game and tell me what the lifeline of that club is. Go to the US and tell me the Outlaws aren't the lifeline of that team. Go to Portland and tell me the Timbers Army aren't the lifeline of that club. Go to Detroit and tell me the Northern Guard aren't the lifeline line of that club.

Nobody at these games is a hooligan. Profanity is passion. Tulsa doesn't get it.

Actually, some Tulsans get it. Just not the ones operating Oneok. They get only the entertainment part, not winning or supporter culture.

Personally, I could care less what is said.  However, this team is located in the absolute most red and fundamentally Christian state in the union.  Remember who the bulk of the audience is.  Most people may not share our indifference to the F-bomb.  If people with small children have an issue with it, they won’t buy tickets. 

A pro soccer team will fail without youth league kids bringing parents to games.  Ever since the real Roughnecks left, there has been one failed venture after another.  It’s not the 1000 or so really dedicated adult fans who float a team.  It’s not even the other 1000 or so occasional fans like CF and myself who will help float a team.  It’s all those Bible thumping families from Owasso, BA, Jenks, etc. who will buy the majority of the tickets.

Profanity shows lack of serious thought or creativity.  True passion can be expressed without it. 

All I’m pointing out is the real Roughnecks of the 1970’s and 1980’s easily pulled more than double the numbers this team has mainly by playing really great soccer, winning, or at least making it a close game and creating a family atmosphere.  I played in Green Country Soccer back then and were it not for the family support of the sport and youth league soccer’s overwhelming support, it may never have achieved quite the popularity it did.

In addition, that club had recognizable heros like Alan Woodward, Billy Caskey, Charlie Mitchell, and others.  Even the Oilers revival in the early 1990’s knew and appreciated that formula.  Even though the athletes were only making $400 a week, they were still recognizable people in the community due to great marketing.  Every casual sports fan would recognize Luc Beausoleil or Tom Karalis out and about town.

That’s another failing of not just the pretend Roughnecks, but the Athletics as well.  They need to do a better job of creating recognizable heros in the community.

Again, the success of a pro sports team is not owed to the mosh pit of people who refuse to grow up.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2016/05/20/detroit-city-fc-moves-new-home-faces-new-challenge/84540324/ (http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2016/05/20/detroit-city-fc-moves-new-home-faces-new-challenge/84540324/)

I think it's different now than it was back then. I think you misunderstand supporter groups though.

Why do supporters have to resort to foul language to support their team?

As a father of three I'm pretty particular about those types of things and won't attend a Roughnecks game in seats that are close to your supporter group.

The only thing worse than drunk European Soccer Hooligans are drunk Americans pretending to be European Soccer Hooligans.

Few responses to that...

1. Your kids aren't a supporters responsibility.

2. Support group at Oneok should be not in 101 & 102, they should be isolated in the terrace for both sides of the argument. Both are entitled to their opinion and that's just fine.

3. Profanity isn't a big deal. Ever listen to a coach or player on the field?

I no longer go to Roughnecks games because of how the team is operated but #2 is the best solution to your post.

Which is nobody in any of these groups. Ignorant post.

1 & 2:  Yes, which is why I take responsibility for my family and won't attend games in seats that are close to the supporter group.

3:  Profanity is a) defined subjectively and b) subjectively a "big deal."  Thankfully the layout at ONEOK Field keeps us so far from the field you can't hear the banter on the field.  :)

My question still remains for all supporters of all teams.  Why must a fan resort to foul language to support their team?  Is it possibly just an illustration of the vitriol that seems to be boiling over in many parts of our society? 

Is this because the team stinks, or is there something else going on that I'm not aware of?  I only made the first two games and hope to make some later this month.  It sucks that they aren't any good though, it seems.

This Friday the first 1,500 fans get a bobblehead. It will also be televised on ESPN3 and all games are broadcast on live on the USL league website and youtube.

They don't invest in soccer at all past the head coach unless it's marketing. Friday will be the first home game I've ever missed for the franchise and I've traveled across the region to see them. It's a systematic problem from the ownership and front office. Unfair to the players and fans so I've decided to just support the local club in town. I could go in a lot of detail but what Rufnex says has a lot of validity. He seems crazy because it is crazy.

Not going but there are a lot of good youth players that will one day play for the US on the Galaxy II.

Honestly, it's alcohol usually. But also nobody really cares about the words. People give them too much power. I cuss usually when I'm frustrated at a play.

No, I understand them quite well.  It’s a booster club.  They still don’t buy the majority of tickets if you look at the percentage of those sitting in their section vs. the rest of the stadium.

Majority of ticket holders appreciate them though. Booster club sounds weird.

That’s what they were known as back in my day, sonny. 

Now get off my lawn!

(https://i.imgflip.com/9z811.jpg)

It still sounds kinda weird, even though I was a member of the Oiler Boosters until that organization got disbanded.  It turned out being a contest for all the women to see how many of the players they could bed.  Pretty disgusting stuff.  Before that it served a purpose.

Hilarious

The Roughnecks are horrible.

Only had a draw tonight because of a bad PK call and an own goal. Plus Los Dos playing their bench. Moves them to a record of 2-10-2 on the season. Worst franchise ever.

Yeah, it was brutal again. They aren't good this year and don't seem to be getting much better, no way around it.

I will say though, at least they got better as the game dragged on. They went from looking like a bunch of rookies who had just had just walked onto the pitch for the first time to a half-way competent team by the end of the match. It's almost like they don't practice at all during the week and this is the only play they get. Maybe that's true.

I mean the start of the game was just silly. They were basically passing the ball to the other team most of the time. There's no strategy, no teamwork, no real effort to do anything but run around for 90 minutes. I think they got better just by observing some general patterns that worked better than shotgunning the ball around.

I just don't get why they suck so bad. I didn't necessarily expect greatness, but you'd think the team would be actually be competent considering the big pageantry all around them. They seem to have everything working for them off the pitch, and I know some of these players are very talented individually. Don't tell me it's because the supporters section isn't cursing loud enough.  ::)

It will be really interesting to see what happens after this season. If we lose Ochoa, Ballew, and Mata then that's probably the end for this attempt at professional soccer in Tulsa.

It's because there isn't a single person past the head coach dedicated to soccer. It's just a money grab by the Drillers owners and Prodigal in OKC.

Another terrible showing last night. I went out there because I wanted to see the fireworks, but after waiting an extra hour for the game to start after the rain delay they announced they wouldn't be doing them after all. I know that PO'd a lot of people, especially those waiting outside the stadium who never got the memo. There was just one or two announcements before the game started, and nothing on their facebook or twitter feeds about it.

The only thing going for the roughnecks at the moment is the keeper, Mangles, is doing well. Could have been a 10-1 blowout if not for his efforts.

Say what you want about the FO and all the supposed issues with ownership, but this team just plain sucks. Every team in the country is apparently able to come into our stadium and control the game for basically the full 90 mins. It seems like every pass just ends up going to the other team, and our guys spend most of the match just running around trying to provide a bit of resistance for them rather than actually playing. They do seem to get better as the games drag on - as if they are learning how to play from the other team over the course of the game.

It's like they don't prepare or practice at all. I don't know much about this sport in general, but I'm starting to assume it comes down to coaching. It seems like there is enough talent all around, but perhaps the coach just doesn't want to be here.

I don't think the ownership matters, otherwise the Energy would be in the same boat. How many other teams in the USL play in parks or high school stadiums and have only a few hundred show up for most games?

Most of the MLSII teams average way less in attendance but it's getting close in Tulsa. OKC ownership would never want Tulsa to be good. It's minority ownership so they can push MLS in OKC. Coaching isn't the issue. Irving had 14 very successful years at the Wilmington USL franchise. There is literally no one on the payroll for soccer above the head coach and no GM/technical director to make loans or do analysis. Tulsa also has one of the lowest payrolls in the league.

Athletics are in the playoffs on Saturday. Hope to see you there.

Hitler reacts to Tulsa Athletics hosting NPSL Playoffs   ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij85dk3mMFA

Too funny.

Awesome!

http://roughnecksfc.com/

***and no, this isn't me***

Franchise is dead. What a waste.

I kinda tuned out a couple months ago when it was clear what this season was going to be. I tried to become a fan even though soccer still isn't as compelling to me as other sports, but man what a train wreck. Even if I did love the sport I don't think I could bear to keep watching at this point. I've still got a free ticket because of the rain delay from the last match I went to, but I doubt I'll use it.

Apparently I'm not the only one. Based on my rough survey of their social media and the latest attendance numbers, everyone else is feeling the same way. From the sounds of it the latest OKC match @ Tulsa only brought in a couple thousand people? That was a near sell-out match last year (the first game was a sell-out, but it was the first ever game). At this rate there will be more OKC fans traveling to Tulsa next year than Tulsa fans showing up to their home pitch. Their social media followers seem to be collapsing as well...

So they have to know that the ship is sinking by now. I can only assume that there will either be massive changes for next year, or they will simply cut losses and give up.

As for the roughnecksfc.com complaints, first of all how did they not control that domain name?  ::)  I don't know enough about soccer to critique their player complaints, and I don't know where they can get a better coach, but I definitely do agree with the points about penalties. The team this year has a lot of thugs on it. Remember when they almost beat up a bunch of christian school kids in the pre-season friendly? Call me crazy but I think the site-lines are OK at the ball stadium for the price. Maybe they could come down a little bit on the seats behind the pitcher's mound, but for $10-24 you can get some decent seats. And the merchandise is the same price as everywhere else too...

It sounds like OKC is about to build a big new soccer stadium on the site of the old CO-OP plant south of downtown. So it looks like David's conspiracy theories may be playing out after all...

Sprawling Producers Coop in Oklahoma City to be purchased by soccer team owner Bob Funk Jr.
by Steve Lackmeyer Published: August 27, 2016
http://newsok.com/article/5515660

Unreal.

That really cleans up the south side of I-40 near downtown.  It kind of makes you envision the old brownfield sites in the northeast part of downtown north of I-244 with a far better purpose than sitting idle.

I got an email from the Roughnecks that David Irving was "reassigned" to the front office and that they'll be hiring a new coach.  Also saw that Ottawa and Tampa Bay moved from NASL to USL.  With Rayo OKC folding is the NASL dead?  Could the remaining teams merge into USL and the league move to Tier 2?  It would make sense, in my opinion, for the USL teams that are alone in their markets (Tulsa, OKC, St. Louis) to be in a Tier 2 division, and for the farm teams that share their MLS market (Portland, Seattle, Vancouver) to their own Tier 3 division.  Those teams get very low attendance since they are in MLS markets.

NASL will struggle, it's a cycle. They have a new team in San Francisco and another one likely coming in Chicago.

Regarding the Irving move, who promotes a terrible head coach? The Roughnecks. That's who.

http://www.chicago-fire.com/post/2017/02/15/chicago-fire-announce-tulsa-roughnecks-fc-new-usl-affiliate

This looks promising

Problem is, the Fire have been horrible for nearly the past decade, and it was St Louis who terminated the affiliation with Chicago, not the other way around.
Meanwhile, Orlando opens at their new soccer specific stadium this weekend....

(https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/836336073265446914/KtVHL1Nc?format=jpg&name=600x314)
This new stadium has an upper deck twice as big as the lower... reminds me of a certain soon-to-be-torn-down stadium at the fairgrounds which could have been remodeled for a fraction of the cost Tulsa county taxpayers will cough up to tear it down and replace it with a BMX facility.

Sad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WGCe9_Jj7s

Orlando is a very large and wealthy area. It is also one of the most international cities in America.

The Orlando soccer crowd and Tulsa soccer crowd are not the same.

The Orlando stadium was financed very interestingly. A guy in Brazil financed the stadium offering investors who had $500,000 to be a partner. Each partner from Brazil and others from China each got annual dividends, two season tickets, and a United States green card.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/17/sports/soccer/orlando-soccer-stadium-foreign-investors-visas.html?_r=0

Orlando's a bit Mickey Mouse for my tastes.
Would be nice to see Tampa Bay return to MLS as the Rowdies.

I believe Tulsa's fanbase would respond and wholeheartedly support a competitive local MLS team in surprisingly good numbers if ever given a fighting chance.
To this day, I believe Tulsa is a better soccer town than Denver (Commerce City), KC (Johnson Cty KS), Dallas (Frisco, TX) and that team in Houston currently playing in front of tons of empty seats in its own downtown soccer specific stadium.

Problem is, ONEOK was NOT built to accommodate professional soccer in any meaningful way.
Having to sit on the third baseline is a total slap in the face for any Roughnecks FC season ticket holder.
The sooner soccer is no longer played at the baseball park at ONEOK the better.

(http://media2.kjrh.com/photo/2015/03/27/ONEOK2_1427508983684_15705155_ver1.0_640_480.jpg)

Agree with TulsaRufnex that Tulsa's fanbase would support a competitive local MLS team if given the chance.   You had decent attendance numbers considering the dismal performance of the Roughnecks.  Keep in my that the Athletic fan base pulled from the soccer community.  

It not far-fetched to think that an MLS franchise in T-town would be that big of a risk.  Factor in that the Roughnecks & Athletics combined probably draw close to 10,000.  

Now, good minor league attendance isn't always a great gauge; however it does indicate that potential exists.

Unfortunately OKC is already beating us to the punch as usual. They are preparing to build a big new soccer specific stadium right in their downtown area. They will get the MLS expansion - and Tulsa will be expected to be part of OKC's fanclub as usual.

But at least the Roughnecks are poised to do better this year. New coach, new players, and new affiliation to work with. At least it will probably be watchable this year.

(http://cdn2.sportngin.com/attachments/news_article/6886/9065/slider_coop_828_v2_small.png)

Nothing concrete yet with OKC Energy FC's purchase of the Producers Cooperative Mill's toxic 31 acre site which will require some major clean up. They are exploring TIF (Tax Increment Finance district) funding to help develop office & mix-use residential on the site.  

Now, that Rayo OKC is out of commission, Energy FC's ownership will examine the potential stadium construction which is 7 to 10 years away.  Funk-McLaughlin wants to see if the fan base maintains stability.  NASL Rayo OKC & USL Energy both televised all home & away games in 2016.

OKC will not likely get expansion unless MLS goes beyond their targeted 28 teams; relocation looks like their only option.

2016 Soccer Attendance:  https://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?tag=soccer-attendance (https://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?tag=soccer-attendance)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C8frnUiXkAE1YhO.jpg:large)

What constitutes an ineligible player at this level?

International clearance which can take awhile...

USL Rewind: Roughnecks forced to forfeit game
by Ridge Mahoney, April 4th
https://www.socceramerica.com/article/72900/usl-rewind-roughnecks-forfeit-game-because-of-ine.html

The Transfer Process
http://www.ussoccer.com/About/Federation-Services/Intl-Clearance.aspx
Below is the applicable regulation, since this Canadian player played in Croatia before playing for Roughnecks FC.

4. ITC Request – Any player over the age of 18 who has been previously registered to a club in another country cannot be registered to a club in the United States until U.S. Soccer has received an International Transfer Certificate (ITC) from the player's former association. To initiate this process, the player must complete and submit an ITC Request form to U.S. Soccer, who will then request the ITC from the national association with which the player was most recently registered.

Today will decide if St. Louis builds a soccer stadium (and gets an MLS expansion team)
Ryan Rosenblatt @RyanRosenblatt
Apr 4, 2017
http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/mls-expansion-st-louis-soccer-stadium-vote-040417?sf67841717=1

St. Louis Stadium Ownership Group Has Big Money — and No City Residency
by Caitlin Lee March 30, 2017
http://m.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2017/03/30/st-louis-stadium-ownership-group-has-big-money-and-no-city-residency

Source: Louisville City FC stadium will be built in Butchertown
Danielle Lerner , @Danielle_Lerner Published 6:05 p.m. ET April 11, 2017
http://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/soccer/louisville-city-fc/2017/04/11/source-louisville-city-fc-stadium-built-butchertown/100341300/