Screamin' Seamen Football Club - Season 6

[DataKing]

Screamin’ Seamen Football Club – Season Six

For the first installment of this dynasty report (season 2) click here (http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4766)
For the second installment (season 3), click here (http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7340)
For the (aborted) third installment (season 4), click here (http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11862)
For the fourth installment (season 5) click here (http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16375)

Screamin’ Seamen Football Club Has Sites Set High In Sixth Season

(Chicago, IL) Dat A. King, owner and general manager of the Screamin’ Seamen Football Club, along with several key players and members of the coaching staff, held a press conference earlier today. This press conference has come to symbolize the unofficial beginning of the season for fans and supporters of the Chicago-based soccer team.

Unlike the major upheavals and drastic changes from last year, there were no major changes to announce this time around. The club has remained largely the same as it was at the end of last season, when the team, under the leadership of head coach Ioan Fluieras, earned it’s second consecutive third-place finish in 4th Division play. That finish, though only the result of a 7-1-6 record, was still viewed as a significant accomplishment for a team whose entire midfield, both starters and reserves, consisted of nothing but eighteen-year-old kids.

When asked about the club’s lack of transfer activity during this past off-season, King responded, “We never rule out the possibility of transfers when we feel that a change would make us more competitive in the long run. We’ve actually made a couple of inquiries over the past couple of months, but nothing has come of those inquiries as of yet.” King refused to elaborate further, except to state that “the move we’re considering would give us more flexibility with the formations we play.” Speculation has already begun to run rampant as to what King was referring to, and which player would be “on the block” as a result of such a move.

Aside from transfer activity, the young SSFC midfield seemed to be the most popular topic of discussion during the press conference. “I can’t put into words how proud I am of the job those young men did last season” stated Coach Fluieras when asked to evaluate the play of his teenagers. “Reg [Nichols] continues to shine and Gino [Behling] was everything that we expected him to be and more. And of course, who can forget Javier [Tejeda] and the electricity he brought with him.”

“Our young midfielders showed good poise and good development last season,” stated King later. “They all have a year of experience or more under their belts now, and should perform to an even higher level than last season. In fact, we’re counting on that.”

This season may prove to be a golden opportunity for advancement for the Seamen. With the Big Reds promotion to Division III at the end of last season, and no team coming down to replace them, the Seamen will face only six competitive clubs this season. Granted, they will have to contend once again with the likes of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Sweden Heights, and the hated Croats in Miami, but this season may still prove to be the best chance at advancement the club has enjoyed since their fateful first season in Division IV. All fans of the club will remember the bitter disappointment from that season, as the Seamen fell one goal short (against the Croats no less) of a series title and possible advancement.

King addressed the issue of the team’s goals for the coming season. “We feel that our youngsters still aren’t seasoned enough to expect a division title this season, but we certainly expect to be contenders. In the spirit of continuous improvement, anything less than a second place finish would have to be considered a disappointment.”

The bar seems to have been set high, though not unreasonably so, by King and the SSFC coaching staff. However, it remains to be seen whether or not the Seamen midfield, still wet behind the ears by the standards of many, will be up to the challenge.

Ivan Phillip Freely is an associated press writer for the Chicago Tribune.

[PilotMan]

Go Seamen! The Ice Storm look to make a run for the top this season as well.

[DataKing]

Season Six Roster

Excerpt from the Screamin’ Seamen Football Club Guide…

The SSFC roster remains largely unchanged from the end of last season. Here is a brief glimpse of your Screamin’ Seamen for the coming season.

(Note: Appearance and goal statistics are from competitive (league, cup, and qualification) matches only.)

Head Coach

Ioan Fluieras
-Age: 37
-Hometown: Ploesti, Romania
-Citizenship: Romania

A promising Romanian midfielder whose career was cut short by injury, this is Ioen Fluieras’ first position as a professional head coach. And he has had respectable results in his first two seasons, exceeding expectations in taking the Screamin’ Seamen to two consecutive third-place finishes. He is known to have a stronger presence off the pitch than on it, which suits the club’s ownership just fine given the amount of young talent on the club.

Starters

Goalkeeper

Cornelius “Corny” Jernigan
-Jersey #1
-Age: 27
-Height: 6’1”
-Weight: 190 lbs.
-Hometown: Hastings, NE
-Citizenship: United States
-Career Appearances: 72
-Goals Allowed: 105
-Goals Against Average: 1.46
-Clean Sheets: 27
-Team Match MVP Awards: 5

Cornelius Jernigan is entering his fifth season with the club, and his fourth at the full-time starter in net. He joined SSFC in the middle of their second season, as part of a trade with Middlesex Athletic. He is a solid starter who brings good experience to the back line, and communicates very well with the likes of Lucas, McDonald, and Willard. It is unclear whether his nickname, “Corny,” is a shortened version of Cornelius or a result of his calling Nebraska home.

Central Defender

Cameron “Big Mac” McDonald
-Jersey #2
-Age: 21
-Height: 6’4”
-Weight: 200 lbs.
-Hometown: Chicago, IL
-Citizenship: United States
-Career Appearances: 31
-Goals Scored: 7
-Team Match MVP Awards: 6

A product of the Screamin’ Seamen youth program, Cameron is exactly the sort of “home grown” talent that Chicago fans love. He is an extremely tall defender, and excels at winning headers in the defensive zone. Combined with Arlen Lucas, the duo create an outstanding aerial defense for SSFC.

Wingbacks

Arlen “Headcase” Lucas
-Jersey #5
-Age: 24
-Height: 6’5”
-Weight: 215 lbs.
-Hometown: Trenton, NJ
-Citizenship: United States
-Career Appearances: 77
-Goals Scored: 11
-Team Match MVP Awards: 31

Winner of the club’s Best Defenseman and Team MVP awards for four consecutive seasons, Arlen is by far the most popular member of the club. A “true” wingback, he is talented both as a defenseman and as a winger. A rare combination of size and ability, fans are hoping that he will return to the top form they have become accustomed to this season.

Tyler Willard
-Jersey #22
-Age: 23
-Height: 6’1”
-Weight: 180 lbs.
-Hometown: Plainfield, IL
-Citizenship: United States
-Career Appearances: 52
-Goals Scored: 4
-Team Match MVP Awards: 11

Tyler completes the Screamin’ Seamen “All-American” back line, and is a talented defender in his own right. Though not as big as his two defensive compatriots, Tyler’s unpredictable nature makes him difficult for the opposition to handle. Tyler also has skill as a set pieces player, and often takes responsibility for the team’s corner and free kicks.

Midfielders

Javier Tejeda
-Jersey #8
-Age: 19
-Height: 6’0”
-Weight: 170 lbs.
-Hometown: Antofagasta, Chile
-Citizenship: Chile
-Career Appearances: 12
-Goals Scored: 7

Without a doubt, Javier was the most electrifying of the “young guns” that were brought in by King before last season. Javier shows terrific promise as an attacking midfielder with a definite nose for scoring goals, as witnessed by his seven tallies in only twelve starts last season.

Gino Behling
-Jersey #19
-Age: 19
-Height: 5’7”
-Weight: 140 lbs.
-Hometown: Lucerne, Switzerland
-Citizenship: Switzerland
-Career Appearances: 15
-Goals Scored: 2

Much quieter, though equally talented to Tejeda is young Swiss midfielder Gino Behling. Despite his small stature, Gino was the most highly touted of the new players added to SSFC prior to last season, and did not disappoint. He is anything but flashy, but definitely gets the job done in a very consistent manner. Gino is also capable of playing the forward position.

Milan Dufek
-Jersey #10
-Age: 19
-Height: 5’11”
-Weight: 170 lbs.
-Hometown: Prague, Czech Republic
-Citizenship: Czech Republic
-Career Appearances: 13
-Goals Scored: None

Milan Dufek, a 19-year-old Prague native, emerged last season as the club’s number three in the midfield. He proved himself to be the most talented of SSFC’s young midfielders at playing in a defensive role, and does wonders to help plug the gaps that occasionally show up in a 3-5-2 formation.

Wingers

Reg Nichols
-Jersey #16
-Age: 19
-Height: 5’10”
-Weight: 160 lbs.
-Hometown: Wheeling, IL
-Citizenship: United States
-Career Appearances: 30
-Goals Scored: 5

Fans often assume that Reg Nichols is older than his midfield compatriots, but that is a misconception due to his having been with the club since he was seventeen. Another product of the SSFC youth program, Reg had an amazing rookie season, but seemed to dwindle somewhat last season and failed to score. Still, he remains the most talented pure winger on the club, and fans are looking for a return to glory from the young man this season.

Walter Bosch
-Jersey #20
-Age: 19
-Height: 6’2”
-Weight: 180 lbs.
-Hometown: Baden, Austria
-Citizenship: Austria
-Career Appearances: 11
-Goals Scored: 1

Walter’s listing as the starting winger opposite Nichols is a tentative one at best, as fierce competition continues between himself, Ivan Richardy, and Ad Taxwell to lay claim to the starting role. Walter does have certain physical advantages over the other two, as he is quite tall (6’2”) for a winger. Club management is hoping that height turns into more goals for the Seamen in set-piece situations.

Forwards

Fidel Lourenso
-Jersey #25
-Age: 29
-Height: 5’9”
-Weight: 155 lbs.
-Hometown: Antofagasta, Chile
-Citizenship: Chile
-Career Appearances: 87
-Goals Scored: 95
-Career Hattricks: 10

Fidel was added to the SSFC roster very late last season, and as a result fans and supporters don’t quite yet have a feel for the journeyman striker. He has proven to be a prolific goal-scorer throughout his career, and it is hoped that he remains as such with the Seamen. Curiously, he and midfielder Javier Tejeda both hail from the same city in Chile, Antofagasta, in the northern portion of the country.

Guido Metman
-Jersey #12
-Age: 28
-Height: 5’10”
-Weight: 155 lbs.
-Hometown: Groningen, Netherlands
-Citizenship: Netherlands
-Career Appearances: 125
-Goals Scored: 90
-Career Hattricks: 6

Veteran Dutch striker Guido Metman returns for his third full campaign with SSFC. Many fans feel that Metman was overpriced, as he has never proven to be the prolific goal-scorer that many thought the Seamen were gaining. However, his unpredictable manner of play often makes him a handful for opposing defenses, opening up opportunities for his teammates near the net.


Reserves

Goalkeeper

Darryl Read
-Jersey #13
-Age: 30
-Height: 6’2”
-Weight: 195 lbs.
-Hometown: Chicago, IL
-Citizenship: United States
-Career Appearances: 32
-Goals Allowed: 31
-Goals Against Average: 0.97
-Clean Sheets: 16

Darryl Read is one of only two remaining members of the original Screamin’ Seamen squad. The acquisition of Cornelius Jernigan some time ago means that Darryl lost his starting spot. Despite numerous and often very vocal protestations, Darryl has proven himself very loyal to the team, and has remained on as the team’s reserve goalkeeper. He has performed admirably in this limited capacity.

Central Defender

Sven Svensson
-Jersey #24
-Age: 29
-Height: 6’0”
-Weight: 180 lbs.
-Hometown: Skane, Sweden
-Citizenship: Sweden
-Career Appearances: 112
-Goals Scored: 9
-Team Match MVP Awards: 1

Veteran defenseman Svensson was acquired early during last season’s campaign, and has proven to be a very valuable addition to the team. With well over one hundred competitive matches under his belt, Sven provides exactly the sort of experience club management was looking for in a backup role to their talented but relatively young defensive core. Sven has rapidly become a leader with the club, both on and off the pitch, and reportedly has aspirations of one day coaching at the professional level.

Wingbacks

Ben McMahon
-Jersey #3
-Age: 31
-Height: 6’0”
-Weight: 185 lbs.
-Hometown: Skokie, IL
-Citizenship: United States
-Career Appearances: 46
-Goals Scored: 3
-Team Match MVP Awards: 6

The other remaining member of the original Screamin’ Seamen squad, Ben McMahon has moved around quite a bit during his tenure. He began as one of the team’s starting wingbacks, and excelled in that role. However, the development of Arlen “Headcase” Lucas and Tyler Willard necessitated a move to the winger position, where McMahon was decidedly less comfortable but still performed to the best of his abilities. In recent years, though, Ben has returned to his natural wingback position as a reserve, and seems perfectly content to finish out his career with SSFC.

Mattias Leier
-Jersey #17
-Age: 22
-Height: 6’0”
-Weight: 180 lbs.
-Hometown: Parnu, Estonia
-Citizenship: Estonia
-Career Appearances: 13
-Goals Scored: 0
-Team Match MVP Awards: 1

Mattias Leier was a part of the same defensive training program that produced the likes of Arlen Lucas, Tyler Willard, and Cameron McDonald. Though he never had the raw talent that those three possessed, he has still managed to remain with SSFC as a reserve wingback. One of the most soft-spoken members of the team, Mattias seems to relish the relative obscurity of his position, and has made no indications to the public that he wishes to be transferred to a team where he may have a starting role.

Midfielders

Jaimy van de Kerkhof
-Jersey #4
-Age: 19
-Height: 5’7”
-Weight: 140 lbs.
-Hometown: Hilversum, Netherlands
-Citizenship: Netherlands
-Career Appearances: 17
-Goals Scored: 2

Dutchman Jaimy van de Kerkhof was one of the numerous young midfielders brought in during last off-season. He was brought on in an attempt to add some speed to the club. While Jaimy has proven to be very quick, that speed has yet to translate into superior performance on the pitch. According to the club’s coaches, though, it is far too early as of yet to make any long-term determinations about Jaimy or any of the other young midfielders and wingers on the team.

Agustin Alustiza
-Jersey #6
-Age: 19
-Height: 5’11”
-Weight: 160 lbs.
-Hometown: Castillo, Spain
-Citizenship: Spain
-Career Appearances: 6
-Goals Scored: 2

19-year-old Agustin hails from Castillo, Spain on the Portugese border. Like the other midfielders designated as “reserves,” at least for the time being, he has yet to pan out as well as club leadership had hoped, at least not well enough to challenge for a starting spot. Agustin does have superior ability with free and corner kicks working for him though, and the club’s coaches are looking for a way to improve the young man’s midfield abilities to match.

Rune Kolberg
-Jersey #7
-Age: 19
-Height: 5’11”
-Weight: 160 lbs.
-Hometown: Bergen, Norway
-Citizenship: Norway
-Career Appearances: 6
-Goals Scored: 0

Rune Kolberg has thus far been the biggest disappointment of the club’s midfield training program thus far, though it is still far too early to tell if the young man has a future with the club or not. Conditioning appears to remain at least a small problem for the young Norwegian, who also suffered from substandard form for nearly all of last season’s campaign. Still, club ownership and the supporters as well hope for a turnaround in the young man, who could prove to be a very good two-way midfielder.

Wingers

Ad Taxwell
-Jersey #9
-Age: 19
-Height: 6’1”
-Weight: 175 lbs.
-Hometown: London, England
-Citizenship: England
-Career Appearances: 7
-Goals Scored: 0

This young Englishman spent a large portion of last season buried in the depth chart behind both Walter Bosch and Ivan Richardy. However, some superb play on his part late in the season earned him a pair of starts with the starting squad. While he appears to have a slight edge over both Bosch and Richardy in his ability to deliver on-target cross-passes, he has also proven to be rather inconsistent and has yet to display some of the other intangibles that the club’s ownership seeks.

Ivan Richardy
-Jersey #23
-Age: 19
-Height: 5’10”
-Weight: 160 lbs.
-Hometown: Copenhagen, Denmark
-Citizenship: Denmark
-Career Appearances: 15
-Goals Scored: 1

Yet another of the young players brought in by the club last season, Ivan started four league matches with the starting squad last season, as well as appearing in a number of U.S. Open Cup matches. Perhaps the best pure passer on the squad, it remains to be seen whether he will earn a regular starting role, or will be relegated to permanent duty as a reserve.

Forwards

Johannes Henriksson
-Jersey #11
-Age: 29
-Height: 6’2”
-Weight: 180 lbs.
-Hometown: Avesta, Sweden
-Citizenship: Sweden
-Career Appearances: 77
-Goals Scored: 78
-Career Hattricks: 5

A long-standing member of the Screamin’ Seamen, Johannes Henriksson was a starting striker for the club until the acquisitions of German Galvez and Guido Metman. He remains a valuable member of the club and the undisputed leader in the locker room, even if his skills have been surpassed by other members of the team. In addition to his leadership abilities, Johannes also remains the most decent set-pieces player on the SSFC roster.

German Galvez
-Jersey #14
-Age: 25
-Height: 5’8”
-Weight: 150 lbs.
-Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina
-Citizenship: Argentina
-Career Appearances: 40
-Goals Scored: 22
-Career Hattricks: 1

Until recently, Argentinean striker German Galvez was a regular starter for the Seamen, until the acquisition of Fidel Lourenso towards the end of the season. This acquisition was at least partially spurred by the horrible slump that Galvez suffered during the second half of the season. Still, the 25-year-old is talented enough that he could regain his spot with the starters if he is able to improve his game.

[DataKing]

First Annual SSFC Nickname Competition

In the spirit of my old Kansas Jayhawks College Football Dynasty, and because I love having nicknames for my players, I am pleased to announce the first annual (in Hattrick terms) Player Nickname Competition. Each season from now on, we’ll be holding a contest to determine a nickname from one of the fan favorite members of the Screamin’ Seamen. The rules are pretty simple.

1. If you wish to participate, submit one (and only one) suggested nickname for the player involved. This submission period will be open through the end of the week.

2. After the submission period is over, I will run a poll where everyone will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite suggested nickname. I ask that no one vote for their own suggestion. There’s no way to monitor this, obviously, so we’ll use the honor system.

3. The person who made the winning suggestion will receive the official support of the Screamin’ Seamen for the remainder of the season.

4. Members of the FOFC Community who already enjoy the support of SSFC (Raven Hawk, Coffee Warlord, and Ardent Enthusiast) are still eligible to participate. If one of them should be the winner, they will have the right to determine which club from the FOFC Community will receive the support of SSFC for the remainder of the season.

So put on those thinking caps and get those creative juices flowing. This year’s participant in the Player Nickname Competition is…

Reg Nichols
-Jersey #16
-Age: 19
-Height: 5’10”
-Weight: 160 lbs.
-Hometown: Wheeling, IL
-Citizenship: United States
-Career Appearances: 30
-Goals Scored: 5

Reg is easily the most talented winger on the club’s roster, now or ever. A product of the club’s youth squad program two seasons ago, he burst onto the scene and became an immediate starter at only seventeen years of age, and has the most raw talent of any of the club’s “home-grown” players. He tallied five goals during that memorable rookie season, including a pair of game-winners (one during the U.S. Open Cup and one during league play), and specializes in combining superior technique with his natural abilities.

This past season, however, was a bit of a disappointment for Reg. Though he continued to start regularly with the team, he did not have the same success that he had right out of the gate, and failed to score a goal during last season’s campaign. Over his first two seasons he has also proven to be a bit of a hot-head on the pitch, having received six bookings and two suspensions during that time.

Despite some of his on-the-field antics, Reg is a very pleasant and balanced individual off the field. Despite the media’s best efforts to dig up some dirt on the young SSFC star, they have found precious little, and have been able to validate even less. The latest rumor is that he is dating one of the “entertainers” at The Admiral, a Chicago-area gentleman’s club. But even this rumor has as of yet not been substantiated.

Up Next: The Screamin’ Seamen kick off U.S. Open Cup play with a trip to Reno, Nevada. Stay tuned!

[robbgmaier]

In honor of your temperament, I dub thee, Reg "Saint" Nichols.

[Fonzie]

I have to go with the obvious nickname: Reg "Wooden" Nichols.

[Poli]

I'll go for one without the pun on his last name.

"The Magician"

[Raven Hawk]

I've got two, but as I am reminded of the KU dynasty I only get to pick one of my suggestions as my horse. If somebody else wants to nominate my backup suggestion, please feel free to.

"Red" Nichols (named after his favorite card from the ref)

or for a backup . . .

"Tech" Nichols (check out his specialty . . .)

[GoldenEagle]

DK - the idea of hometowns is great. It really adds to the game.

[DataKing]

Season 6 – U.S. Open Cup – Round 1

Nevada Gurus vs. Screamin’ Seamen

Date: March 3rd, 2004
Venue: Nevada Lane (Reno, NV)
Attendance: 6,792 (7,000)
Weather: Overcast

Freely: I’m Ivan P. Freely here on Radio 670 The Score, welcoming all of you screaming faithful to another season of Screamin’ Seamen soccer. It’s my pleasure to announce that we have a special treat for all the SSFC fans out there. We’ve added a new member to our broadcast team. One of the original Seamen and the original bad boy of Chicago soccer himself, Pete “The Old Goat” Tomlin. Welcome to the team, Pete

Tomlin: Thanks a lot Ivan. It’s a pleasure to be here. Now where the hell did I put my drink?

Freely (chuckling): Oh it’s gonna be an interesting year, I can tell already.

Tomlin: What? What the hell you mean by that?

Freely: Uhh…nothing Pete…no need to get up.

(silence)

Freely (nervous laughter): Well…uhhh…where was I? Oh yes…we’re here in beautiful Reno, Nevada for the first round of the U.S. Open Cup, where the Screamin’ Seamen will be taking on the Nevada Gurus. Pete, it’s great that the Hattrick league has permitted these small, local teams to participate in the cup, but this has really got to be nothing more than a little warm-up for the Seamen, don’t you agree?

Tomlin: Absolutely. These scrubs don’t stand a chance against King’s boys. Naturally, they’d stand even less of a chance if I was still out there playing, but…

Freely: And how is retirement treating you, Pete?

Tomlin: I’m bored. Bored out of my (bleep)ing skull. Why do you think I’m here?

Freely: Umm…Pete…

Tomlin: WHAT?!?!

Freely (meekly): Nothing…let’s take a look at the starting lineups. First, the home team.

Nevada Gurus

Formation: 4-4-2

G – Felix Evans

WB – Brice Titus
CD – Nicolas Ferreira
CD – John Shelley
WB – Teodovico Blanco

W – Aristeo Alegre
M – Zane Gamez
M – Lewis Hatcher
W – Otis Thao

F – Jonathan Brooks
F – Phillip Squires

Freely: One good thing about the U.S. Open Cup is that some of these local players get some exposure that they might not normally receive. A chance for them to shine, if they can take advantage of it.

Tomlin: Whatever, man. These guys are a bunch of scrubs. There’s a reason they’re playing for the Gurus, y’know.

Freely: Now let’s take a look at the starters for the Screamin’ Seamen.

Tomlin: Now we’re talkin’!

Screamin’ Seamen

Formation: 3-5-2

G - #1 Cornelius Jernigan

WB - #22 Tyler Willard
CD - #24 Sven Svensson
WB - #5 Arlen Lucas

W - #20 Walter Bosch
M - #19 Gino Behling
M - #10 Milan Dufek
M - #8 Javier Tejeda
W - #16 Reg Nichols

F - #12 Guido Metman
F - #25 Fidel Lourenso

Freely: For the most part it looks like Mr. King has elected to go with the usual suspects today, no doubt in an effort to make sure they’re match fit for the start of league play this weekend. But I’m a little curious why he elected to suit up Svensson as the sweeper instead of Cameron McDonald. Any ideas there, Pete?

Tomlin: I talked to the boss earlier today. Turns out Big Mac missed the team plane, and had to find his own way out here. Now he’s paying the price for bein’ late. He will be dressing, though, but only as a reserve.

Freely: Well, the players are coming out of the tunnel and it looks like we’re about ready to go. Boy, time sure flies when you’re being threatened with bodily harm…

Tomlin: Watch your mouth, pansy-boy…

Game Time

Freely: And we’re underway. Behling takes the ball and makes a lazy little pass over to Tejeda, but a good tackle by Gamez knocks the ball loose. Hatcher picks up the loose ball and knocks it over to Alegre on the wing.

Tomlin: Well that could have gone better.

Freely: Alegre makes a speedy charge up the right side…wow this guy’s got some speed.

Tomlin: CATCH HIM YOU STUPID (BEEP)ERS!

Freely: Alegre takes the ball into the zone, where he’s finally marked by Svensson. He drops the ball to the trailer, Brooks…he shoots…he scores!

Tomlin: WHAT THE (BEEP) WAS THAT?!?!

Freely: “Corny” Jernigan looks stunned as he pulls the ball out of the back of the net. Less than a minute into the match, and the Gurus have a one-nil lead! Who would’ve guessed that?

Tomlin: Stupid…stupid…stupid…

Freely: Well let’s hope that little event serves as a little wake-up call for our boys in red and black.

Tomlin: It damn well better, or heads are gonna roll back in Chicago.

14th Minute

Freely: The Seamen certainly seem to have calmed down after that early score. Nice steady buildup here…Lourenso has the ball down low but is quickly double-teamed…he passes back to Behling who’s up on the play…plenty of space there…he fires….GOOOOAAALLLLLL!

Tomlin: YEAH! Now that’s more like it.

Freely: Good power on a pretty long shot there by Behling, leaving the keeper little chance to get over in time. And with that, we’re tied at one.

29th Minute

Freely: Nice little give-and-go there between Lourenso and Bosch on the right side…Walter gets a good run down the right side…lobs the ball back into the middle towards a waiting Lourenso…the keeper’s out of position…GOOOAAALLLL!!

Tomlin: Crappy defense there, I tell ya.

Freely. It looked like the defense has never seen a give-and-go before…that defender got caught flat-footed.

Tomlin: And now we’ve got the lead…the way it should be.

35th Minute

Freely: The ref blows the play dead…Shelley’s not getting up…boy that was a really ugly collision.

Tomlin: That’s right…hurt the bastards!

Freely: Umm…

Tomlin: Getting’ what they deserve for scoring on us…

Freely: The trainer runs out onto the field…and he’s not wasting any time…they’re bringing out the stretcher…

Tomlin: Woohoo!

Freely: It looks like Fredric Byers is warming up on the sidelines to replace Shelley.

Tomlin: Fresh meat.

36th Minute

Freely: And the Seamen aren’t wasting any time, they’re going right after the Gurus defense after the substitution. Obviously they want to test out Byers and see what he can do.

Tomlin: Not much, from the looks of it.

Freely: Tejeda with a deep pass forward…Lourenso catches it in stride…he’s got a step on Byers…he shoots…GOOOAAALLLL!

Tomlin: Like I said…

Freely: You’re right there, Pete. Byers got just a bit out of position and that’s all she wrote. That’s two now for Fidel Lourenso

Tomlin: And it’s not even half-time.

41st Minute

Freely: The Gurus’ speedy winger Alegre obviously wasn’t pleased with that call…looks like he’s having words with the referee.

Tomlin: Not smart, boyo.

Freely: Alegre’s teammates move in to escort him away from the ref but…yep there it is…a yellow card…

42nd Minute

Freely: Walter Bosch makes another beautiful run down the right side…lobs a high floater towards the middle…

Tomlin: Get under it!

Freely: Lourenso moves in…he’s got position on the defender…he gets a boot to it…GOOOOAAAALLLLL!!

Tomlin: Hattrick time. Yeah!

42nd Minute (cont’d)

Freely: Good tackle there by Dufek…Tejeda snatches up the loose ball…let’s a long pass go forward…looks like Metman’s got some room…GOOOAAALLLLL!

Tomlin: Looks like Guido was getting tired of letting Fidel have all the fun.

Freely: Beautiful little volley shot by Metman there, and now he’s on the board.

43rd Minute

Freely: Some nice maneuvering on the left by Tejeda and Nichols…Nichols pushes the ball towards the middle…Lourenso’s made some space for himself again…he fires….GOOOAAALLLLL!

Tomlin: This is beyond ugly….this is geeting ooooogly!

Freely: No doubt about that! The Gurus defense is obviously in shambles, as the Seamen have piled up a six-to-one lead.

Halftime

Freely: And there’s the whistle. After sputtering early, the Seamen are really laying it on now.

Tomlin: They’re taking these guys behind the woodshed, no doubt.

51st Minute

Freely: Behling brings the ball up the right side…nice little head fake there…he lobs the ball towards the middle…Metman lets it bounce and fires….GOOOAAALLLL!!!

Tomlin: That’s two for Guido.

Freely: Looking for a hattrick of his own, no doubt. It’s now seven-to-one SSFC.

56th Minute

Freely: Dufek passes the ball forward to a streaking Gino Behling, who catches it in stride…he’s got options here…looks like the defenders are concentrating on the options rather than taking the man…he’s got some space…he shoots…HE SCORES!

Tomlin: Good recognition by the kid there…when in doubt, fire away!

Freely: Well it’s too bad no one got to see it. The place is pretty much deserted at this point.

Tomlin: Yeah. About the only people left are the ones wearing red and black.

59th Minute

Freely: Bosch drops the ball to Lourenso…he’s pretty deep on the right side but fires anyway…Ooooo! Just missed on that one.

Tomlin: The angle was a little too sharp there, but the way things have been going for him so far today, you sure can’t blame a guy for trying.

69th Minute

Tomlin: No doubt, Byers was definitely late on that tackle…dirty (beep)er.

Freely: The Gurus have the wall set up…four across…the Seamen are in position…Willard steps into it and lets it fly…nice curve there….GOOOAAALLLLL!!

Tomlin: Man, that keeper just stinks! You see how late he was on his jump?

Freely: Some definite indecision on the part of Evans there, though the way he’s been getting shelled today you can hardly blame him.

Tomlin: Whatever! He sucks!

71st Minute

Freely: GOOOAAALLLL! Another blunder by the Gurus defense there, and Gino Behling has his first career hattrick!

Tomlin: Great knack for finding the twine on that kid, especially for a midfielder.

Freely: Did you ever get a hattrick, Pete?

Tomlin: No…thanks for bringing that up (beep)hole.

Freely: Sorry about that Pete…no please…don’t get up…

Match End

Freely: And the final whistle blows, mercifully for the Gurus.

Tomlin (muttering): Never scored a hattrick…(mumble) (mumble)…did you ever score so much as a score a goal you (beep)ing (beep)…(beep) (beep)…worthless…

Freely (hurriedly) So today’s final score is the Screamin’ Seamen ten and the Nevada Gurus…

Tomlin (muttering): (mumble)…(beep)sucker…(mumble).

Freely: Be sure to tune in on Sunday when the Seamen open up league play as they host the Ramblers…good night everybody.

Final Score: Screamin’ Seamen 10, Nevada Gurus 1

Goals

Behling (14, 56, 71)
Lourenso (29, 36, 42, 43)
Metman (43, 51)
Willard (69)

Bookings

None

Up Next: League play starts with a game at The Docks against the Ramblers. Stay tuned!

[The Afoci]

'I am' Reg Nichols

I got nothing. Really.

[Fonzie]

Tomlin needs to drink either more or less. I'm not sure which would be better, but he's clearly surly at the current dosage. ;)

Nice writeup DK!

[DataKing]

Goldeneagle: Thanks. I was bouncing around the Chicago Fire web site, just to get some ideas, and saw that they included home towns and citizenship. I figured those would help add a little color to things.

To determine the hometowns, I looked at the Hattrick regions for the players' original teams. Sometimes cities are listed, but sometimes it's just a region. A little internet searching though and, voila, player hometowns.

Original Seamen and players from the youth squad I figure are locals, and so are either from Chicago or one of its suburbs.

Fonzie: The Old Goat's never been the most stable of individuals. He was once ejected from a match for a head-butt. Unfortunately, as he is no longer in the employ of SSFC we have no say over any dosages he may be taking. Should make for an interesting season. The big question is whether or not Ivan will survive it. :D

Glad you enjoyed the read. I certainly enjoyed writing it...a lot more colorful than the ol' "here are the stats" format I was using before.

Everyone: Good nickname proposals thus far. I'll leave this stage of the competition open until Monday, most likely, then put up the poll and go to the voting stage.

[PilotMan]

Well Dk, I think I am going to have to weigh in on the Nickname for Nichols.

How about "Twinkie" Nichols. He came up so fast that he was the kid on the team. The press dubbed him Twinkie. Even through his struggles last season his teamates used it to keep him loose. It stuck, he ain't thrilled about it but it stuck. Oh, and the ladies think it is endearing.


Just a thought.

[DataKing]

Submissions are closed. I've started a poll up in the polls section for voting. More later.

-DK

[DataKing]

Galvez Earns Hattrick as Seamen Win Season Opener

March 7th, 2004

(AP – Chicago) Argentinean Striker German Galvez started the season off with a bang on Sunday, tallying all three of the Screamin’ Seamen goals as SSFC defeated the Ramblers 3-1 to open the season. Galvez, who lost his starting job late last season when Fidel Lourenso was added to the roster, wasted little time in the match, firing the ball into the twine from a sharp angle only thirteen minutes in.

Ramblers’ winger Philip Gallo, who for some reason always manages to score against the Seamen, did so again in the 29th minute, knotting the game at one a piece. But after that, it was all Galvez. Only four minutes after the Gallo equalizer, Galvez worked his way through the central line of defense and put his club up by one goal again, this time for good.

Fourteen minutes into the second frame, the Argentinean striker struck gold once again, as he pounced on a loose ball in the opponents’ defensive zone and beat the keeper to the far post. This marked Galvez’ second career hattrick, as well as his second in two consecutive appearances (dating back to last season). That would be all the scoring that the Seamen required, as the defense took over at that point and preserved the 3-1 victory.

“The funny thing is, we almost started Guido [Metman] instead of German [Galvez] today,” stated team owner and GM King after the match. “But we decided we wanted to go after the Ramblers on the flanks more than right up the gut, so German was the obvious choice due to his passing skills. Looks like he didn’t really need them today, though.”

“I was just feeling things today real good, you know?” Galvez commented on his noteworthy performance. “I was seeing the field real good…seeing the defenders and the keeper real good…and when I felt it was right, I made my move.”

The Seamen travel to Mobile on Wednesday to take on the Alabama Wizards in the 2nd Round of the U.S. Open Cup.

Ivan Phillip Freely is an associated press reporter for the Chicago Tribunal.

[DataKing]

Seamen Win Ugly in U.S. Open Cup Play

March 10th, 2004

(AP – Mobile, AL) The heavily-favored Screamin’ Seamen Football Club advanced past the Alabama Wizards in U.S. Open Cup play on Wednesday, as expected, but they did not do it in pretty fashion. In what turned into a very physical, and at times downright ugly match, the Seamen racked up four bookings, a suspension, and an injury while emerging victorious 6-1.

Veteran Dutch striker Guido Metman got things started for SSFC in the 10th minute with some nifty footwork that left him open for an early goal. However, Alabama striker Hud Thorpe quickly equalized a scant two minutes later. This marked the second time in as many weeks that the Seamen yielded a goal to a “substandard” team like the Wizards, and the SSFC players seemed to take offense to this. A minute after his goal, Thorpe was subjected to a rather savage tackle by Seamen wingback Ben McMahon, which signaled the beginning of an avalanche of bookings for the boys in black and red.

Swedish striker Johannes Henriksson gave the Seamen the lead for good in the 23rd minute after an elegant combination up the middle of pitch. Shortly thereafter, winger Ad Taxwell exchanged words with Alabama players and the head referee, and was promptly carded.

Metman broke through on the right side of the pitch in the 61st minute and knocked one home, upping the SSFC lead to 3-1 and apparently putting things out of reach for the Wizards. But the physical play continued, and 19-year-old Spanish midfielder Agustin Alustiza was booked for a nasty challenge shortly thereafter.

In the 68th minute, Metman concluded the trifecta with a brilliant scissor-kick strike that made the score 4-1, and marked the 7th hattrick in his career. But the celebration was tainted somewhat a few minutes later. Winger Ad Taxwell subjected Alabama wingback David Knox to a savage challenge that resulted in Knox being unable to continue the match. The head referee was obliged to book Taxwell for the second time in the game, and sent him to the showers.

Playing with only ten men did not seem to slow down the Seamen, however. The next three minutes would see the onslaught continue as Henriksson added his second goal of the match by virtue of a superb free kick, and Reg “Wooden” Nichols took advantage of a defensive error by the Wizards to add a goal of his own.

Now leading by an embarrassing 6-1 margin, the Seamen seemed content to hang back and play defensive soccer. However, goalkeeper Darryl Read was on the losing end of an unfortunate collision with Hud Thorpe and was unable to continue the match.

The match ended 6-1, with numerous shouts of “Thugs” and other unpleasantries from the Alabama home crowd. Players and team leadership refused to comment after the match, and headed straight to the airport for the flight home to Chicago.

Read’s knee injury is expected to keep him out of action for approximately one week.

Ivan Phillip Freely is an associated press writer for the Chicago Tribunal.

[DataKing]

Fonzie Wins 1st Annual Player Nickname Competition

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Fonzie on winning the inaugural Player Nickname Competition. His suggestion of won nine of the twenty-three votes placed by SSFC fans and supporters. Let it be known that Reg Nichols will hereafter be referred to as Reg ‘Wooden’ Nichols.

Unfortunately Reg couldn’t be here to join the celebration. Apparently he’s out with some friends, drowning his sorrows. :)

Fonzie’s team, the Gasmasters, will now enjoy the official support of the Screamin’ Seamen Football Club for the remainder of the season. (Speaking of which, anyone know where we can get a good deal on gas masks?) :D

Congratulations, Fonz!

[Poli]

Ping.

DK,

I'm not going to be in until Tuesday thanks to a hook up at my command.

[Fonzie]

Woohoo! :)

[sterlingice]

Woohoo! :)
Good nickname, too. I know I voted for it :)

SI

[vex]

I did too.

[DataKing]

Horoscope Outlook Good: Seamen Smash Zodiac FC

March 14th, 2004

(AP – Greenville, SC) The Screamin’ Seamen Football Club proved on Sunday that they don’t put much stock in astrology or horoscope readings, as they smashed division-newcomers Zodiac FC on the road, 6-nil. This marks the first time the Seamen have started the league season with two wins since four years ago, during their first season in Division IV.

It was obvious from the early going that the Zodiac were outclassed, and did justice to all of the experts who have selected them to finish at the bottom of the barrel and relegate back to Division V at the end of the season.

Austrian winger Walter Bosch got things started for SSFC in the 16th minute, when he headed in a beautiful corner kick from wingback Tyler Willard. The Seamen would then add back-to-back goals near the end of the half, as both Fidel Lourenso and German Galvez found the back of the net, giving the visitors a healthy 3-nil lead at the break. The goal by Lourenso was a significant milestone, marking the 100th tally of his career and earning him membership in the exclusive “Century Club.”

Club leadership was apparently unsatisfied with a three goal lead, because the team came out firing again in the second half. Ten minutes into the second frame, Chilean midfielder Javier Tejeda finished off an attack on the left with a marvelous scissor-kick that’s bound to find its way onto some highlight reels. After that, the club seemed to slow things down a bit and concentrate on finishing things off defensively.

This did not mean that SSFC wasn’t opportunistic, however. Czech midfielder Milan Dufek would score the first goal of his professional career in the 74th minute.

Zodiac FC seemed to finally come to life after that, though it was far too little and far too late. The home side did manage to test SSFC keeper Cornelius “Corny” Jernigan twice towards the end of the match, but the Nebraska native was more than up to the challenge, making a pair of spectacular saves to preserve the shutout and record the 29th clean sheet of his career.

Argentinean striker German Galvez, who has been red-hot as of late, would add his second goal of the match, and fifth in the past two weeks, during the closing minutes.

“Any time you can earn three points on the road, it’s a solid victory,” stated team owner Dat A. King after the match. “The ball was just rolling our way all day today. Certainly we didn’t expect to put up six on the Zodiac, especially on their home turf. They’re better than that.”

The Seamen will return to the east coast on Wednesday, as they travel to Boston to take on JEDNOROZEC in the 3rd Round of the U.S. Open Cup.

[DataKing]

Sapp Enjoys “Miracle Minute” In Showcase Match As Seamen Advance

March 17th, 2004

(AP – Boston) The Screamin’ Seamen camp has been positively abuzz for the past few days, as word has gotten around about the latest “phenom” to emerge from the SSFC youth program; Wallace Sapp. A remarkably gifted and technically sound 17-year-old striker, Sapp has garnered a great deal of interest from other clubs since the team’s announcement that he would be transfer listed. No doubt in an effort to showcase the young man’s talents, GM King and Coach Fluieras elected to play Sapp in the club’s third round U.S. Open Cup match against JEDNOROZEC.

If King and the club leadership were hoping for a good showing from Sapp in front of the eyes of numerous scouts, then they must have been positively elated with the results. Twenty-five minutes into the scoreless match, 17-year-old Wallace Sapp accomplished what few players of any age could even dream of: scoring a hattrick not in a full match, and not even in a half, but in a single minute.

The referees and scorers would, during halftime, confirm that young Mr. Sapp did indeed score three times in a single minute of play; once at :01 after the minute, once at the :32 mark, and again at the :58 mark. Not only did the young man obviously enjoy enormous success, but was also little for celebrations, lining up immediately and not wasting time.

The “miracle minute,” as it has come to be referred to by SSFC players and coaches, marked the only scoring in the half. The Seamen would add to their lead in the second half, as winger Ivan Richardy and forward Guido Metman added goals of their own, to give the Seamen a more-than-comfortable 5-nil lead over an outmatched JEDNOROZEC squad. Sapp would later add to the magic of the afternoon, scoring his fourth goal of the day in the 84th minute.

The Screamin’ Seamen were victorious, 6-nil, and advance to the 4th Round of the U.S. Open Cup.

Team owner and general manager Dat A. King refused to allow the press access to Sapp after the match. “This was the first match for Wallace in what I’m sure will be an impressive career,” stated King, “so let’s just let him enjoy today, shall we?”

Later in the day, team officials reported that SSFC had indeed sold the rights to Sapp. The winning bidder was BELEAdeEKIPA, a Romanian 3rd-Division side from Bucharest. “As much as we loved having Wallace [Sapp] around, it just wouldn’t have been fair to keep him around. We’re not set up to give him the type of training he needs and desires, so he would have just withered on the vine,” stated King during a brief press conference. “But rest assured we’ll be keeping in close contact with Wallace, and will keep a sharp eye on his development as a player over the coming years.”

The transfer netted SSFC just under $2 million, the largest transfer fee the club has ever been involved in. King refused to comment as to whether or not this money would be released to Coach Fluieras for transfer.

[DataKing]

Season 6 – League Match #3

Screamin’ Seamen vs. Neon Genesis Evangelion

Date: March 21st, 2004
Venue: The Docks (Chicago, IL)
Attendance: 43,750 (43,750)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

Freely: Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to another edition of Screamin’ Seamen soccer. I’m Ivan P. Freely for Radio 670, The Score, and with me as always is everyone’s favorite hothead, Pete “The Old Goat” Tomlin…

Tomlin: What the hell you mean, hothead?

Freely: Feisty as always today, eh Pete?

(silence)

Freely: Aaaaanyway…looks like we’re in for a heck of a match today folks. Neon Genesis Evangelion are in town, which is always a good test for the Seamen, wouldn’t you say, Pete?

Tomlin: They suck.

Freely: Well, I feel obligated to point out that NGE really gave the boys in black a hard time last season, handing them a pair of shutouts and a combined score of 6-nil.

Tomlin: We used to beat the crap outta these guys on a regular basis. Trust me…they suck.

Freely: Well, Neon may be sucking a little less these days, my friend. I realize it’s early in the season yet, but they’ve earned six points as well so far this season, and are right behind our beloved Seamen in the standings. And they haven’t been sitting idly by either. The recent acquisition of Czech defender Cenek Vecera has certainly beefed up what has been a suspect defense in the past.

Tomlin: Vecera’s a good young defender, I’ve got to give him that. Now, he’s no “Headcase” Lucas mind you, but he’s pretty good in his own right.

Freely: Well folks, I think we could be in for a doozy of a match today, as the top two teams in the standings go head to head here at The Docks. It’s as beautiful a spring day as you can expect here in Chicago, and the fans appear to have come out in droves. I doubt there’s an empty seat in the house….

Tomlin: As it should be.

Freely: The teams are walking out onto the pitch now. Let’s take a look at the starting lineups.

Screamin’ Seamen

Formation: 3-5-2

G - #1 Cornelius “Corny” Jernigan

WB - #5 Arlen “Headcase” Lucas
CD - #2 Cameron “Big Mac” McDonald
WB - #22 Tyler Willard

W - #20 Walter Bosch
M - #19 Gino Behling
M - #10 Milan Dufek
M - #8 Javier Tejeda
W - #23 Ivan Richardy

F - #25 Fidel Lourenso
F - #14 German Galvez

Freely: Starting in the back of the formation, we see that “The Usual Suspects;” Corny, Headcase, Big Mac, and Tyler will be playing today. No real surprise there, though. NGE has an offense that you have to respect.

Tomlin: Respect? (snort) Neon’s gonna have a hell of a time getting one past these four, mark my words.

Freely: And it looks like King and Fluieras are going with the usual three in the middle as well. Behling, Dufek, and Tejeda have proven to be a lethal combination thus far this season in the midfield.

Tomlin: Great chemistry between those three, no doubt.

Freely: Kind of a surprise on the wing, though. Reg “Wooden” Nichols will be available for emergency duty, but they’ve elected to start Bosch and Richardy instead.

Tomlin: Word is that the staff has not been at all pleased with Nichols’ performance on the practice field the past few days. Can’t say as I blame the kid, though. He’s probably still getting over being saddled with a nickname like “Wooden” though.

Freely: No comment there, big guy…

Tomlin: Smart move, pansy…

Freely: Ahem! I see that King has elected to go with German Galvez again today as well, instead of Dutch striker Guido Metman.

Tomlin: German’s been absolutely red-hot as of late. You just don’t bench a guy who’s scored five times in his last two matches.

Freely: And now let’s take a look at the starting lineup for Neon Genesis Evangelion

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Formation: 3-5-2

G - #12 Erik Akesson

WB - #2 Cenek Vecera
CD - #4 Marcel van der Tempel
WB - #6 Soren Runesson

W – Jon Martensson
M - #19 Jorgen Andersson
M - #18 Thijs Bloch
M - #16 Steven Fortune
W - #22 Guntademaro Tudela

F - #9 Huey Kowalski
F - #8 Stanley Lachance

Freely: NGE certainly boasts a better defense than they’ve had in the past, and the recent acquisition of Czech defender Cenek Vecera certainly solidifies the back line for the opposition.

Tomlin: They’ve gotten better defensively, I’ll give them that. But I’d still take our defensive four given the choice, hands down.

Freely: In the middle, obviously the man to watch is Steven Fortune. Fortune is, without a doubt, one of the best midfielders in the series, and always a threat to jump up on the play.

Tomlin: Bah! Pansy!

Freely: Completing the lineup for NGE are veteran strikers Huey Kowalski and Stanley Lachance. Neon is certainly similar to the Seamen in the respect, with experienced strikers they can rely on for goals.

Tomlin: Yeah, whatever. Where’s my drink?

Freely: Well, it looks like the teams are about ready to take the pitch. We’ll pause for a quick commercial break, then bring you back for kickoff…

Game Time

8th Minute

Freely: Milan Dufek brings the ball across the mid-line…dishes off to Gino Behling moving up the left-hand side…he passes across to Tejeda…and his pass is intercepted by Steven Fortune for Neon.

Tomlin: Dammit!

Freely: Well, it certainly looks like NGE have decided to play it close to the vest here today. They’re doing a fine job of pressing the Seamen and getting feet into the passing lanes.

Tomlin: The bastards.

11th Minute

Freely: Dufek brings the ball forward again…a little give and go with Tejeda…Dufek lobs the ball forward and hits a streaking Gino Behling in stride…he’s got a little space…nice ball fake there…he fires….GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!!

Tomlin: Yeah! Woohoo!

Freely: Some really nice footwork there by Gino Behling to make some space for himself.

Tomlin: Damn!

Freely: What? Is the flag up?

Tomlin: No…I spilled my drink…

12th Minute

Freely: Nice win on a good clean challenge by Richardy there…he pitches the ball forward to Galvez who’s marked closely…obviously Neon’s well aware of what a tear he’s been on lately.

Tomlin: Well, I guess they’re not complete idiots.

Freely: Galvez fends off the defender…nice little lob there to a streaking Fidel Lourenso…he’s got a step on Tempel…he’s running out of room…he shoots…GOOOOAAAALLLLLL!

Tomlin: Yes!

Freely: A beautiful strike there by Lourenso, his second of the season. And just like that, the Seamen are up 2-nil and the Docks are rockin!

Tomlin: Van der Tempel is screaming at the newcomer, Vecera. It looks like he was expecting some help there, but didn’t get it.

Halftime

Freely: Well, it looks like Neon have recovered from that early scoring blitz by the Seamen, as their defense has been rock solid for the past thirty minutes or so.

Tomlin: Hopefully the damage has already been done. They haven’t been able to mount any real offense of their own.

Freely: It’s time now for the halftime break. We’ll see you all back here in fifteen, where the Screamin’ Seamen lead Neon Genesis Evangelion, 2-nil.

62nd Minute

Freely: It looks like NGE found their offense in the locker room during the break, as they’re putting some pressure on the defensive four for SSFC now…some nice triangle play between Andersson, Fortune, and Bloch to keep the ball away from Big Mac McDonald…

Tomlin: Watch the edges, boys…

Freely: Fortune dishes the ball forward as Martensson slips in from the wing…he splits the defenders and fires….GOAL!

Tomlin: Sons o’ bitches!

Freely: And just like that, the Seamen lead is down to one.

77th Minute

Tomlin: Time is running out on Neon, and they know it.

Freely: Absolutely right, Pete. Neon Genesis Evangelion are really putting the pressure on, desperately trying to find an equalizer…here’s a good effort by Jorgen Andersson as he pushes the ball up the right side…he fires into the middle…Oooo! Great job by Big Mac McDonald to ward that one off for a corner kick.

82nd Minute

Tomlin: Booo! Booo!

Freely: Not a popular call there, for certain, but the referee has whistled Milan Dufek for a tackle in the penalty area.

Tomlin: Somebody get me that ref’s home address. I want to pay that (beep)er a little visit!

Freely: A hush falls over The Docks as Soren Runesson lines up the penalty…he fires…

Tomlin: Holy (beep)!

Freely: He missed! He missed! The crowd goes bonkers as Runesson shakes his head in disbelief.

Tomlin: Mwahahaha! I told you they suck!

84th Minute

Freely: Oooo…rough tackle there by Galvez on Neon defender Cenek Vecera…Vecera’s not getting up and the referee blows the play dead.

Tomlin: Yeah! Hurt the bastards!

Freely: The trainers rush out onto the field, but things don’t look good for NGE’s recent acquisition…let’s watch the replay.

Tomlin: Oh man, that’s gotta hurt!

Freely: You can see there Vecera’s foot get tied up and his ankle twisted…he’s being helped off the field but obviously can’t put any weight at all on that foot.

Tomlin: You come to The Docks, you pay the price. Just ask Mattias Obratt.

Match End

Freely: And there’s the final whistle. The Screamin’ Seamen hold off a second-half charge by Neon Genesis Evangelion to earn a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

Tomlin: Big win here today for King’s boys…huge win.

Freely: Big indeed. Though there’s still a lot of soccer to be played, the Seamen have laid sole claim to first place. Let’s take a quick look at the standings.

<pre><font face=courier>
No. Team Played Goals Pts.
1. Screamin’ Seamen 3 11-2 9
2. Croats in Miami 3 9-3 7
3. ShockerZ 3 11-4 6
4. Neon Genesis Evangelion 3 9-2 6
5. Sweden Heights 3 7-2 4
6. Ramblers 3 4-6 3
7. Zodiac FC 3 1-18 0
</pre></font>

Freely: This loss drops NGE back to fourth, while the Croats in Miami move into second place after a 3-2 victory earlier today over the Ramblers.

Tomlin: (Beep)ers!

Freely: No love lost between you and the Croats, eh Pete?

Tomlin: You can say that again, you (beep)ing (beep)face! Oh man, just thinking about those (beep)ers makes me want to…WANT TO…(cough) (gasp) (thud)

Freely: Pete? Pete! Oh my god…somebody call an ambulance!

Final Score: Screamin’ Seamen 2, Neon Genesis Evangelion 1

Goals

*Behling (11)
*Lourenso (12)
Martensson (62)

Bookings

None

Up Next: Team owner and general manager Dat A. King doesn’t sit on the Wallace Sapp transfer money for long…stay tuned!

[Alf]

Go Seamen Go !

[Raven Hawk]

Tomlin: You come to The Docks, you pay the price. Just ask Mattias Obratt.

Mattias Obratt sends his love to Gino "The Pizzaboy" Behling, in the form of two middle fingers pointed sky high. :D

Eigil Slyngen says that if Obratt doesn't 'Take Care of Business' next time the Gargs and the Seamen meet, then HE WILL!

behLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DataKing]

Them's fightin' words, boyo. Sounds like we're on for another off-season grudge match. Savy?

[Raven Hawk]

Savy! :D

I thought that the Cross-Town Classic was a given. The Gargs are just hoping that Obratt's old bones make it to next season.

[DataKing]

SSFC Breaks Bank, Ink Danish Striker Kindner

March 24th, 2004

(AP – Chicago) Less than a week after selling the rights to youth squad promotee Wallace Sapp for a club record $1,986,000, Dat A. King, owner and general manager of the Screamin’ Seamen Football Club set another record. This time the record was of the acquisitions variety, as SSFC spent a team-record $2.5 million to ink 22-year-old Danish striker Emil Kindner.

Kindner, a 5’9” 150 lb. forward hails from Frederiksberg, Denmark where he was born and raised. He is remarkably quick and excels at beating defenders down the pitch, even when he has the ball. This speed and his natural striking ability have earned him 59 goals already in the first 60 appearances of his young career, and is obviously one of the primary reasons he was so highly sought after by King and the Seamen. A lack of speed and pace on the pitch has been a concern for the club for many seasons.

Kindner’s career began with 5th Division side AC KOLLE in his native Frederiksberg, but he has spent the last few seasons playing in eastern Europe. Specifically, he was an integral part of Moscow-based School2’s rise to the 2nd Division in Russian. Most recently he has played with another 2nd-Division side, TheDreamTeam from Bucarest, Romania.

“It has always been a dream of mine to come to the United States,” stated Kindner, with the aid of a translator, at a brief press conference, “but always I imagined I would come as a visitor, not to play. And not only do I get to play in America, but in the best city in the country, Chicago. Go Cubbies!”

While Kindner’s affinity for the Chicago Cubs, something he has had since childhood, has already endeared him to some of the fans in Chicago, expectations are still high. Given the fact that King and SSFC pretty well broke the bank to get him, Kindner will be expected to produce results immediately and consistently. He is expected to see action in Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup match against the Rocky Mountain Fires.

[RPI-Fan]

From the IV.49 Conference...

(by Shockerz)

im playin the frekin Munchers....gona get wooped.......lol dont be scared CIM....im not that scary......and cmon man...a bum!? hurts my feelings!.....not really but....in our game.....if u want.....ill put all scrubs in....and take out my scoreres.....i want u to win the division and get the hell outta here!......gl to everyone else in the cup!

:rolleyes:

[DataKing]

You see what I'm dealing with. :p

[vex]

What happened?:(

[Alf]

It takes too much time writing in details reports.