The best players I ever shared a field with were playing in the APSL in 1995. It was only a couple of times, and just a few of them, but they were gods. Everything was so quick, so accurate, everything in stride. In short, I was way, way, way out of my league. Then I heard one of them talk about getting blown off the field by Cobi Jones (this was before he matured), and that's when it dawned on me quite how good national teamers were, even the bad ones.
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Since then, I've become purely a fan (or if you prefer, "hypocrite") and developed an ambivalent attitude about those APSL guys. Despite being a winning team, most of their players weren't even good enough to play in the first season of MLS.
A few days ago, though, I started learning about the 1992 San Francisco Bay Blackhawks, who gave Club América a run for their money in the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup. These guys were having an 8-8 season in the APSL but held their own against the likes of Zague and Hugo Sanchez. How was this possible? Who were they?
With help from Peter Goldstein, I looked it up ...
http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1992/stats92.htm
Eric Wynalda 106 caps, 34 goals, MLS 1996-2001, '96 All-Star
Dominic Kinnear 54 caps, 9 goals, MLS 1996-2000
John Doyle 53 caps, 3 goals, MLS 1996-2000, '96, '97 All-Star
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and player profiles, plus NHL team matchups and standings, from training camp until the final game and through the match to remember. Game recap. Titanic
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Lawrence Lozzano 7 caps, MLS 1996-1999
Paul Bravo 4 caps, 1 goal, MLS 1996-2001, '96, '98, '99 All-Star
Joey Leonetti 2 caps
Tim Martin 2 caps, MLS 1996-1999
Paul Holocher 1 cap, MLS 1996
Mike Masters 1 cap
Paul Mariner -- ex-England international
Townsend Qin -- ex-China international
Jorge Salazar -- (ex?) El Salvador international
Mark Dougherty MLS 1996-2001
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John Garvey MLS 1996
Danny Pena MLS 1997-2001
Dave Salzwedel MLS 1996-97
Mark Semioli MLS 1996-2001
Peter Isaacs -- ???
Rick Iverson -- ???
Bernie Lilavois -- ???
Anthony Silva -- ???
Derek Van Rheenen -- ex-Cal star
Justin Wall -- ???
(Also, I'm not sure if Troy Dayak had left the team, or if he was still under contract but injured.)
Judging by their stats, this team rarely played at full strength, but when they did, they must have impressed the (few, Kenn?) fans in attendance. Not counting Dayak, 12 players had international experience. What's more, even though MLS didn't get started until four years later, 12 of these guys played in it ... and they weren't all the same 12. Nine of these Blackhawks became full-time starters on MLS teams, and a tenth (Salzwedel) was a part-time starter.
They weren't just a short-term phenomenon in MLS, either. Seven of them were still playing in the year 2000, eight years on. Just how impressive is that? Well, this is 2004, eight years from the inaugural MLS season, and only five players from DC United's championship team have been on a league roster; only four players from the runners-up Galaxy are still around, with Vanney -- a fifth -- in France. League-wide, the average is a little over two survivors from the original MLS teams.
Does this mean the Blackhawks were better than DC United or the Galaxy? No -- they didn't have an Etcheverry or a Cienfuegos. Nonetheless, today's MLS has been built in the image of the Blackhawks, a genuine first division squad with mostly home-grown talent. That team -- defending the 1991 APSL championship -- shouldn't be forgotten.
That team -- defending the 1991 APSL championship -- shouldn't be forgotten.
For what it's worth, they haven't been--the Blackhawks have always received a page in the MLS media guide (in the Clash/Earthquakes section) honoring their significant contribution.
For what it's worth, they haven't been--the Blackhawks have always received a page in the MLS media guide (in the Clash/Earthquakes section) honoring their significant contribution.
The Blackhawks better have been, especially considering that they became (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3442031#post3442031) the Clash/Earthquakes. ;)
-G
I remember watching the Blackhawks play the Salt Lake Sting in 1990. First game ever played by the new expansion Sting. Utah got up 2-0, but during the second half a heavy rain started falling, and the Blackhawks came back to win in OT. A lot of the local fans were chickening out and leaving during the rain. I of course have never ever left any athletic event early due to weather and stayed until the end. A group of about 20 visiting Blackhawk fans were a few rows behind me at that match and were laughing at the fans who were leaving saying that they felt right at home with the rainy weather. (And every one of those visiting fans was there at the finish.)
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