RHINO DROPPINGS
June 21, 2006
Last time out: Another game, another draaaaaawn. Since the RD staff is concentrating too hard on our prayers for the Mexicans to go down like Paris Hilton in a men’s room bathroom stall, here are some quick thoughts on last Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Portland.
- The Rhinos are the only team that calls PAETEC Park home that hasn’t won at PTP.
- Saturday was the first time Rochester hasn’t beaten Portland, but it was also the first time the Timbers have scored against the Rhinos during the run of play.
- Timber forward Drew McAthy was briefly hospitalized after tasting the delicious underside of Juniho’s boots. X-rays (they were negative) and stitches were involved.
- Three of Frankie Sanfillippo’s four lifetime Rhino assists have come against Portland, as have the two from Aaran Lines, an ex-Timber star.
Portland snatched a 0-0 draw the following afternoon in Montreal, giving them an impressive 2-1-0 road trip. Ahhhhh, remember winning? Remember the good old days of long road trips? Here’s to hoping Coach Calloway knows what he’s doing with the constant lineup juggling, and the benching of players who should be playing every minute of every game. Maybe he’s trying to shake up the minds of the players for this weekend’s big Montreal clash, but that seems a little far-fetched. Calloway’s record against the Impact (with Syracuse and Rochester) is pretty impressive, though, including a 2-2-1 record with the Salty Dogs in 2004.
Everyone seems to be congratulating the front office for the reduction in noise at Saturday’s game, but RD is here to tell you that you’re all on the crack. There were less songs, which is nice but the music is something that needs to completely go away since it serves no practical purpose. But the volume? It’s every bit as loud as it was at Frontier, and the levels got louder and louder (just as the amount of music grew and grew) as the match progressed. Like we’re all too stupid to notice it.
The music and Rockhead Rocky continually approached 100 decibels (dBA), with their quieter moments still registering in the 85 dBA range, which is the point at which OSHA recommends you use earplugs to avoid permanent hearing damage. These readings came from section 108, which is on the opposite half of the stadium from the scoreboard speakers.
In other words, the sound issues we experienced at Frontier – which we were promised would be a thing of the past at PTP – are just as bad as ever. And worse yet – it’s affecting even more people, which could have something to do with the copious amount of complaints the club has taken about the problem. The easily-remedied problem.
Here’s something even more troubling: The noise pollution was just as loud for Friday’s Lady Rhinos game, which seemed even more ridiculous since it was happening for the sake of about 9,000 fewer fans. How is this even possible?
Since the club has been completely mum about the issue (as they were last year, before saying something to the tune of “We can’t fix the problem, but it will be much better in 2006”), RD can only assume we’re going to be in for more of the same. Look for more hard data in this space in coming weeks, including comparisons of the quantity of PA ads at PTP versus Frontier (these were also supposed to be reduced since the team would be receiving a greater revenue stream from other areas at PTP). If you’re interested in looking at some of last year’s data, you can find it here, here, and here.
Next up: This year, RD is proud to partner with soccersam.com to bring you Special New Match Previews, which are going to be the same as the Regular Old Match Previews, only in a different location.
Click here for the match preview (a new window will open)
Where have you gone, Andy Restrepo? Jamel Mitchell took advantage of Harrisburg City’s 11-on-9 advantage over Wilmington and assisted a James Stevens goal shortly after entering the match as a sub. Surprisingly, the depleted Hammerheads managed to pull even in the 2-2 draw after an 85th minute strike from former Charleston forward Boyzzz Khumalo.
Around the (A-)League: Ex-Rhinos were all over the scoreboard in Montreal’s 4-1 win over visiting Atlanta on Wednesday. Gabe Gervais struck first with a goal in the 20th minute, while Mauro Biello, playing in his 300th USL match, came off the bench to assist on the Impact’s fourth goal. David Hayes had an assist on the S-Backs lone goal, which was the first an opponent has scored during the regular season at the Claude since last August.
Vancouver did, twice, what Rochester couldn’t do at all: Score in Virginia Beach. The 2-1 Whitecaps victory on Thursday represented the first home goals the Mariners have allowed since last July.
Miami FC is getting tougher and tougher to figure out, with the latest proof coming from a 2-2 home draw against Toronto. That’s right, they let the Lynx (one goal in eight games) score twice. Maybe it had something to do with 2006 draft pick Hunter Gilstrap making his first start between the pipes, ahead of ex-Battery keeper Chris Doyle. All RD knows is Romário scored again, and that all four goals in this game came in the first 30 minutes of play.
Toronto managed to get another goal on Sunday against host Puerto Rico…but they still lost to the 6-2-3 Islanders. Puerto Rico hasn’t lost in their last four matches, and they just picked up Portland castoff Edwin Miranda.
Atlanta improved to 2-1-0 at the brand spanking new ASS after a 2-2 draw against Vancouver. Forward Jason McLaughlin added another goal, giving him four goals and two assists in the three games at the S-Backs’ new house. Former Salty Dog Machel Millwood scored Atlanta’s other goal, and Martin Nash netted one for the Whitecaps.
Greg Simmonds had a goal and an assist as Virginia Beach toppled host Minnesota, 2-1. Chad “I’m Neil’s Brother” Dombrowski had the Thunder’s only goal. In case nobody was looking, the Mariners are now 4-4-2.
Poor Seattle. They lost every single match of their five-game road trip, during which they were outscored by a whopping 17-6 margin. Two players were ejected, and the Sounders racked up even more injury trouble. At 2-3-7, Seattle might be the worst-ever defending champions.
Yeah, Romário had a hat trick, but not only was it against flailing Seattle – it was against a 10-man Sounders squad, following Andrew Gregor’s 26th minute ejection. And one goal came from a penalty kick. Get that result against a real side, and RD will be impressed. Or draw more than 1,700 fans when you do it…
This weekend’s action: The big one will be happening right here at PTP, but there is other action to keep an eye (or two) on. Seattle plays two more times on the road (Thursday vs. Virginia Beach; Saturday vs. Minnesota), and it will be interesting to see if Puerto Rico (averaging two goals/game over their last three) can light up the suddenly not-unstoppable Vancouver defense at Swangard. RD can guarantee there won’t be any goals from Romário, because Miami FC isn’t playing.
The Fox Soccer Channel Game of the Week is Atlanta at Charleston.
MLS Update: Colorado is feeling the giving spirit of the season, loaning three of their players (Sasha Gotsmanov to Minnesota; Stephen Keel and Jordan Harvey to Seattle) to USL-D1 clubs. Gotsmanov, who was actually drafted by the Thunder this year, will replace the injured Nathan Knox (two TOWs in 2006). Keel and Harvey will attempt to shore up the Sounders’ beleaguered back line, which has allowed 17 goals in their last five games following another slew of injuries.
We’re just saying:
CD Chivas USA before Preston Burpo became a starter: 1-1-4
CD Chivas USA after Preston Burpo became a starter: 4-0-1
Columbus signed their seventh goalkeeper of the season in Dominik Jakubek, who played in the MISL with the California Cougars. The Crew are 1-0-3 since John Busch went down with an ACL injury.
Pittsford’s Jamil Walker saw his first action in six games following a hamstring strain in DC United’s 1-1 draw against the Revolution. DC hasn’t lost in seven matches, and New England hasn’t won in five. Former Rhinos draft pick Sharlie Joseph earned his fourth yellow card.
Los Angeles is now a laughable 2-2-10 and winless in their last nine games. They’re missing Landon Donovan, Chris Albright and Cornell Glen because of World Cup action, but the Galaxy are also without starters Cobi Jones, Kyle Martino, Peter Vagenas and Kyle Veris because of injuries. Ouch!
Pat Onstad picked up a rare yellow card in Houston’s 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake. He wasn’t alone – there were a total of seven cautions in the match, which would seem higher if it didn’t follow the US v. Italy refereeing nightmare. For the record, Onstad had a total of six yellow cards in 92 games as a Rhino.
US Open Cup: Upsets all over the place in the first round of the 92-year-old competition, with three USASA clubs advancing past PDL teams, and the always exciting Michigan Bucks (PDL) taking down the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL-D2).
Odds are the Rhinos will be playing a club they’ve faced before in Cup action. Unless they’re upset by USASA’s Milford International (which sounds more like an airport than a football club), Rochester’s July 12 opponent to be the New Hampshire Phantoms, whom the Rhinos throttled 4-1 in the 2003 Cup (and 2-1 and 4-0 during Cup qualifying in 2001).
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