When the US Open Cup had Eastern & Western brackets, those started from the 2nd round till the final. The first round had four clubs battle for two positions in both brackets that was between the PDL and the USASA. So why not make this Qualifying Round renamed the first round and continue on till the fifth round making the Quarters, Semis & Finals Rounds six thru eight.
Each club in the PDL (with the exception of the Canadian clubs) goes thru four qualifying matches on their regular season schedule that doubles as US Open Cup qualifying matches. They are grueling enough as it is. The USASA has all their Amateur clubs go thru regional qualifying tournaments and even those get very taxing as well. Doesn’t the amateur sides go thru enough as it is with all their matches on their regular season schedules, just waiting for their calendars to turn to a mid week matchup in the US Open Cup hoping and dreaming to knock out a top quality side in a higher division.
Someone blasted me on the popular posting soccer boards website “Big Soccer” saying that I am intentionally destroying the current structure of US Soccer from MLS to USL to USASA in part 2 of this particular and popular article. Well all I am doing is just putting my two cents worth about how this tournament can be better, just like everyone else is doing. Some people wanted to make the US Open Cup into the popular NCAA Final Four College Basketball bracket tournament. Some wanted to have rounds 1 thru 20 or more going from every single USASA club all the way to the top. I haven’t counted how many clubs are in each Region, but all I know is that there are 50 States in our country and there are too many clubs per state as well as too many states per region. There has to be these qualifying tournaments in all the state regions of the US Adult Soccer Association because if the actual tournament started in February we would probably be going on till Thanksgiving. The idea is to make it as exciting as possible, not to have it hang around for the hell of it. While it’s nice to be hanging around with Baseball during the summer we all have to remember that competing with the NFL as well is to dangerous to tackle. Look at the MLS Cup Playoffs as well as the ending of the MLS regular season. They have to compete heavily and those clubs that share the stadiums with the NFL teams have to endure the gridlines from beginning of August till the beginning of November and that also would mean forcing important US Open Cup matches into smaller venues and possibly losing supporter’s interests. Not the hardcore supporter’s but those who are trying to learn about the sport as well as this cup tournament.
Would I believe it would be beneficial for US Soccer to have four divisions of pro soccer and two divisions of amateur soccer? Unless there is a subtraction of the number of PDL clubs in that amateur division then yes I do. I’m not saying to blow up the structure for the hell of it, but since there are too many clubs in the Premier Development League and everyone else believe that there idea is much better than the current structure then all I am doing is just adding to the sketch book for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup suggestion box. FIFA has asked US Soccer as well as MLS to cap the first division side to eighteen clubs. I believe there can be twenty, but for this to happen like I have said involves the financial stability for all levels of US Soccer as well as adding the promotion/relegation argument also the construction of stadiums for all clubs that are sanctioned members of US Soccer. You know I was chatting online once with an Atlanta Silverbacks supporter and his suggestion is to have the US Open Cup Final on the same day as the MLS All-Star Game. A big festive afternoon of a US Soccer doubleheader, but we can all honestly say that having it in late July, beginning of August is not a good idea. I give him credit for this idea, but I believe shortening the amount of time for the cup isn’t healthy and you also have to consider mid-week matches early in the MLS regular season as well as the official international dates.
Am I beating a dead horse right now, yes I admit it. My baseball bat is smacking that dead horse silly and I keep dragging it back from the knackers yard, but till there is a comfort in the financial department in US Soccer, MLS, United Soccer Leagues & the US Adult Soccer Association this is what we have to endure for now. I am against this qualifying round that US Soccer has created. I honestly wish they would call it something else or just add a fifth round and move everyone back. But I am just like every other dreamer that goes on Big Soccer’s website. Just adding my two cents to the continuing arguments, like everyone else I am beating a dead horse.
