Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Philadelphia Union Inaguaral Season 2010

I don't know much about the MLS, but I am now interested because of the Philadelphia Union.  They Union will be playing their home games in Chester, PA, not far from my home.  The combination of cheap tickets, nearby location, and soccer played in our time zone makes me think I will be a fan of this team.  I don't much about soccer players so I won't comment on any predictions for the team.

Having lived near Chester most of my life though I have some doubts that the stadium and infrastructure within and around it will be fully prepared for the season.  I wish no injuries, robberies, or poor service to anyone, but I do hope all fans and the city is preparing for the situation.
The stadium holds up to 18,500 for soccer games. There is also a $500 million waterfront revitalization project called "KickStart Chester".

The first game is this Thursday, March 25th at Seattle Sounders on ESPN2 at 9:30pm.
The home opener is Saturday, April 10 against DC United at The Linc at 6:00pm.
The first home game in Chester is expected to be Sunday, June 27 at 5:00pm against Seattle Sounders.
Here is the full schedule.

Also, check out the team's Facebook page. It has been full of a lot of useful information since the team's inception.

Sports Illustrated Steve Davis predicts the Union to finish last (8th) in the Eastern Conference and says to expect "some lumps along the way" as the Union build up with talented youth.

I'm not sure where the best place will be to stay up to date with the team will be, but Philly.com isn't a bad idea.  I imagine they will have the best "traditional" coverage.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/soccer/

As for blogs, I don't know of any specific blog that plans to cover the Union in depth, so let me know if there are any and I will list them here. Otherwise don't forget to check out these guys:
The 700 Level
Phinally Philly
Goal.com

edit: found some more info
Just found a much better preview for the team at Goal.com.MLS 2010 Team Preview: Philadelphia Union 
That preview highlights the possible starting lineup, gives some info about many of the players and the coach, and also says the team has a chance to sneak into the playoffs.  Read it as you are wondering who each of the players are. 

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