You Would Think

You would think we would have lots to talk about. An exciting week in the Champions League. The sensational upsets of World Cup Qualifying. Even the impending visit of Miami FC to Fort Lauderdale is newsworthy. But for some reason the words are escaping us. That may be the curse of this place. 

The weather is wonderful. Spring Break excitement is in the air. But there is an emptiness. A sports emptiness. The entire world is full swing into soccer and yet, we, here in Fort Lauderdale, have nothing to look forward but the fever of Baseball season. The Heat and the Panthers seem to be ignored. The Dolphins also are still in the cobwebs of the mind. And the Marlins, well, the highlight of their season already occurred. They got a new stadium. Let's celebrate (insert sarcasm).

OK, enough of the depressive attitude. Miami FC is coming to Lockhart. So dig up your best Striker Liker gear and make a presence. If the person writing this post is the only one wearing a Striker shirt, then at least that makes one.

Let the movement begin.

It's Just Not the Same

Take a good look, the site looks familiar because it's Lockhart Stadium!

In a few weeks it will host some pro soccer games. But it won't be the Strikers you'll be seeing. It will be the Miami FC. Such a double-edged sword this is. On the one hand, it's pro soccer in South Florida. It's all we've got. But on the other hand, it ain't the Strikers, and if the FC fail so does any hopes of seeing the Red and Yellow ever again.

Anyways, I might be there. But if I show, I'll be sporting a Striker shirt and I'll be singing Zigga Zaggy Zigga Zaggy, Oi Oi Oi! Just for old times.

All I really have to say is, "Miami FC, don't rub your stink on Fort Lauderdale"

I'm So Excited..I'm So Scared

There it is ladies and germs. The new Florida Marlins stadium. It is exactly what we need. A Baseball stadium. A place where they can play baseball. Professionally. I guess if you are a baseball fan this is kind of cool. And hey, I am a sports fan and I love stadiums, but seriously. Thank you MLS. Thank you Barcelona FC. Thank you John Stamos. And most importantly, thank you Mom and Dad for taking me to Striker games and enlisting me in Thomas Rongen's Soccer Academy year after year. I'm not sure why I live down here anyway. I should move to Philly.

Thank you soccer world for making South Florida the black hole of Pro Soccer.

Where Is The Bad News?

• Over 20,000 season tickets sold
• An opening day attendance of over 30,000
• A 3-0 victory on opening day

All of us here in South Florida know the pain. Our MLS franchise fizzled out after 4 years. Our USL-1 team almost folded (they sold around 1,200 season tickets by the way). We couldn't even land a team with the backing of Barcelona.



There has to be something wrong with Seattle. There must be a deal with the devil. It is either that, or we down here are so envious and pessimistic that we can't picture what Seattle has.

Maybe if we are positive enough, good things will happen. Close your eyes everyone, Fort Lauderdale will have the Strikers again!

A Model Switch

So we're swapping chiseled chests are we?


David Beckham goes to AC Milan and Freddie Ljungberg comes to the States (well, officially Seattle).


I'm not sure who got the better deal; the MLS? Seattle? Becks? AC Milan? The Sounders? Arsenal fans? Posh? Tom Cruise?

Tom Cruise always wins. Thank you MLS.

A Bright Idea

This week, MLS announced a list of prospective parties trying to get a franchise. That list included a team for Miami with a management group consisting of FC Barcelona and Marcelo Claure.

Marcelo Claure is the CEO of Brightstar, a wireless solutions company in Miami that specializes in customizing mobile technologies (mainly cell phones and related accessories).

Their proposed plan uses FIU's new "The Cage" stadium, which according to reports is "soccer ready".


Any hope this new team will be called the Strikers and completely overshadow the recent rebirth of the Tampa Bay Rowdies? Not likely. Marcelo Claure has a background working with the Bolivian National Team and FC Barcelona may want to open up their brand here ala Chivas USA.

But look closely, the FC Barcelona crest has Striker Stripes (see upper right hand corner of logo). That is enough hope for me to start digging out some Striker Liker bumper stickers.

Good luck, gentlemen and give a Striker Liker a chance.

103 British Pounds

Yeah, that's right. Some guy out there (okay, it might have been a lady) outbid me for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers Subbuteo team set (seen pictured here - if you don't know about Subboteo, get knowledge).

What is going on here? Am I safe in assuming, that if someone wouldn't mind shelling out some sterling silver for a replica of the best soccer team in South Florida, that maybe sometime soon the real thing could appear?

Don't call me a dreamer. Don't call me at home either. But I wanted that set. Unfortunately, we are in a bad economy right now and I don't think this set would make a good investment. It doesn't help with the ladies either.

So way to go "kneecaps233" you must be a George Best fan. Now come over here and join the Striker Likers! We love supporters like you. Keep the dream alive!