May 1, 2002

After a long off-season where buzz about players took a backseat to stadium issues, the Rochester Raging Rhinos can finally buckle down and do what they do best --- win championships. They've brought home a trophy in each of the last four years, and it would be very un-Rhino-like to open a new season without thinking of winning two more (the A-League crown and the US Open Cup, for which the team has already qualified). Diehard fans expect nothing less. Management knows this and spent the winter trying to lure the best players available to Soccertown, USA.

            For the third straight year, Rochester looks to a brand-new forward tandem (Greg Simmonds and returning ex-Rhino Dan Stebbins) to generate an offense that sputtered through the early and middle parts of those same seasons. Long gone are the high-scoring days of Doug Miller, Darren Tilley, and Jimmy Glenn, who were spun through the man-eating, ego-deflating revolving door of strikers to make way for players that were spit out even more quickly than they were thrown in.

            Last year's debacle began with the late Mickey Trotman and the asthmatic Jamel Mitchell, only to degenerate into a mishmash of replacement forwards that included a defender, a benched midfielder's kid brother, and a guy with a face like a Picasso painting who I'm pretty sure had recently escaped from a South African penal colony. (Neathan, if you’re reading this, I’m just kidding. I swear.)

            That said, none of it seemed to matter because the goals came when they needed them, though the majority of those goals were netted by the four midfielders who saw the most minutes. Even if this season's new strikers wash out faster than you can say “Nasho Kirov,” the midfield should be able to pick up the slack, and then some... and then maybe even a little bit more.

            Returning are Rochester's favorite Elvis impersonator Lenin Steenkamp (sans leg brace), floppy-haired free-kick sensation Stoian Mladenov, and occasional Canadian National Team player Martin Nash. But replacing Nate “Every 50-50 Ball Becomes a 20-80 Ball” Daligcon is Temoc Suarez, who, like Mladenov, was selected to the A-League First Team after tearing it up last season with Connecticut.

            Suarez played in MLS for three seasons, represented the US in the 2000 Futsal Championship and, unlike Daligcon (8 assists in 103 games as a Rhino), has mad skills and can flat-out pass the ball. He racked up a league-leading 11 assists in 2000, adding an impressive seven last season with the Wolves. Coach Pat Ercoli could start a basket of kittens at forward and the team would still be considered a favorite.

The Rhinos' defense barely needs mentioning, since it'll be as impermeable as the meetings conducted by the Sports Authority. With Scott Schweitzer foregoing a battering winter of indoor ball, and the return of former Rhino Craig Demmin, you wouldn't be any better off if you built a brick wall in front of the goal.

            Think I'm joking? During the three years Schweitzer and Demmin roamed the field together in Rochester (1998 through 2000 --- both were A-League First Team selections all three seasons), the team allowed an average of 0.70 goals per game. During the three seasons they weren't paired up in central defense, that average more than doubled to 1.43. ’Nuff said.

            The goalkeeping battle between Scott Vallow and Pat Onstad is merely a contest to see who gets to sit on the bench and watch the other guy stand in the goal. Both ’keepers should be able to leaf through a magazine during the match regardless of who starts.

            Granted, you could have been just as upbeat about the team before the 2000 and 2001 seasons, right before the Rhinos went an unchampionshipesque 3-1-3 (win, draw, loss) over both of those Mays. Despite these painfully slow and spotty starts, the Rhinos always managed to gel later in the campaign and somehow managed to peak as the season closed and the playoffs began (although not the best formula for success when it comes to the mid-season US Open Cup tournament).

            This May, however, a slow start could be a bit more detrimental to the team, as it plays Milwaukee (a rematch of last year's semifinal), the extremely high-powered Charleston Battery, and squares off twice against division rival Pittsburgh, who added even more ex-MLS talent this off-season.

            The Riverhounds aren't the only A-League team to beef up its roster. Because of downsizing, newly signed 2002 draft picks, the arrival of a few high-profile international stars, and a handful of 2001 A-Leaguers making the jump to the big leagues, MLS has about 60 less roster spots available in 2002. A lot of those displaced but talented players (including Demmin and Simmonds) are looking to the A-League for work.

            But the A-League shrunk as well, with San Diego and Hershey folding while Connecticut, Long Island, and Nashville dropped to lower divisions. Two new teams are coming into the fold (the Calgary Storm and, after a one-year hiatus, the Hampton Roads Mariners), but it's still a net loss of three squads, or around 60 to 70 fewer roster spots available.

            All of this means three things to the Rhinos and their fans: Stronger opposition from virtually all rival teams, much tougher competition from MLS squads in the Open Cup, and, because of the A-League's seemingly annual realignment and team-shuffling, a schedule dominated by matches against the three teams within Rochester’s new Northeast Division. Hope you like seeing Pittsburgh, Montreal, and Toronto, because the Rhinos will face each four times this season (two times apiece at home). Not a bad prospect, considering none of those three teams finished above .500 in 2001, though each will be significantly bolstered this year.

            More troubling are the home-and-home series with all five Southeast division foes (Richmond, Charleston, Atlanta, and Charlotte had winning records last year and are all improved, too --- Hampton Roads did not play in 2001) and Rochester archrival Minnesota.

            Other than a handful of optimistic opponents, there won't be many people at Frontier doubting this Rhino team's ability to win another A-League championship (it would be its fourth in five years). Still, some relatively large question marks loom over the 2003 campaign.

            A good portion of the team's offensive hopes are riding on the recently repaired and still healing leg of Simmonds, who could very well go the way of two past forwards that came to Rochester via Hershey (Eduardo Sebrango and Jamel Mitchell, anyone?). Can the team get its act together quicker than it has the previous two summers? If it doesn't, how badly will it affect its chances for home-field advantage in the playoffs, where the Rhinos are reduced to a mediocre 6-1-6 away from Frontier in the postseason? Will discarded Rhinos exact revenge against their former team? And, most importantly, who is going to be executing the crowd-pleasing flip-throw-ins now that Mike Kirmse isn't around?

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Around the A-League

MONTREAL IMPACT

Last season: 10-2-14, 45 points; did not qualify for playoffs

Key departures: George Papendreou (9 goals, 1 assist for 19 points), Niall Thompson (4+1=9)

Notable newcomers: ex-Rhinos Dan Annan, Gabriel Gervais, and Eduardo Sebrango, along with Hershey refugees Drew Kopp, Nigel Henry, Ze Roberto, and Scott Schweitzer's arch-nemesis, coach Bob Lilley

Bottom line: Mauro Biello (8+4=20) had a strong season with last year's cast of stooges, so expect a huge year in 2002 now that he has a good coach and decent support.

Rhino killers? It depends on where the match occurs. Rochester is 7-1-2 against the Impact at Frontier, but 1-0-8 up north.

Projected finish: 12-4-12; 3rd place in the Northeast Division and out of playoff contention

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PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS

Last season: 10-4-12, 50 points; lost in first round of playoffs

Key departures: Welton (6+8=20), bruising defender John Jones (3+4=10)

Notable newcomers: Three more ex-MLSers (defenders Tim Sahaydak and Matt Chulis, and Canadian forward Ali Ngon), teen phenom Chuck Kim, and Jeff Houser, the A-League's 4th-ranked scorer last year

Bottom line: The ’Hounds love loading up on past-their-prime MLS refugees but accidentally landed a couple of youngsters this year. This should help offset the typically criminal performance of former Rhino Henry Gutierrez, who once again looks to lead the league in yellow cards.

Rhino killers? Hardly. Rochester is 5-1-2 against Pittsburgh.

Projected finish: 14-5-9; 2nd place in Northeast Division, but bounced in first round of playoffs

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TORONTO LYNX

Last season: 7-3-16, 32 points, did not qualify for playoffs

Key departures: Juan Pablo Arango (4+1=9) and Waldo Sponton (2+3=7), the top two point-getters last year

Notable newcomers: Milan Kojic (Montreal), Irasto Knights (Connecticut), and ex-Rhino Nikola Vignjevic (6+3=15 as a Lynx in 2000)

Bottom line: Toronto had a miserable season in 2001, but the team is relatively young (Robbie Aristodemo was the league's Rookie of the Year) and should be a bit better, especially with the return of Rhino-killer Vignjevic.

Rhino killers? Didn't we just mention Vignjevic was a Rhino killer?

Projected finish: 7-5-16; 4th place in Northeast Division and out of playoff contention

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RICHMOND KICKERS

Last season: 16-3-7, 76 points, lost in second round of playoffs

Key departures: goalkeeper Mike McGinty, Kevin Alvero (5+3=13)

Notable newcomers: Forward Ihor Dotshenko (Atlanta), midfielder David Hayes, and defender Khary Stockton (both from Milwaukee)

Bottom line: With a deadly pair of strikers (Kevin Jeffrey and Josh Henderson were 6th and 15th in scoring last year, respectively) and most of 2001’s starters returning, Richmond should be one of the most dangerous A-League teams.

Rhino killers? Rochester is 3-0-2 against the Kickers and still very, very thankful Milwaukee beat them in the playoffs last season.

Projected finish: 15-4-9; 2nd place in Southeast Division, losing in the conference final

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CHARLESTON BATTERY

Last season: 16-1-9, 73 points, lost in first round of playoffs (for the fourth year in a row)

Key departures: Gilbert Jean-Baptiste (A-League First Team), ex-Rhino John Ball (A-League Second Team)

Notable newcomers: Hershey's Steve Klein and Kyle Swords, Canadian Mark Watson (D.C. United), Raul Diaz Arce (Colorado, the second-leading goal-scorer in MLS history), Justin Evans (Dallas), Andrew Lewis (Chicago), and Eric Wynalda, the all-time leading scorer for the US Men's National Team.

Bottom line: A very strong team made even stronger by its off-season acquisitions. The Battery would have been favorites to win it all, were it not for Wynalda's preseason knee injury, which will sideline him for all of 2002. Then they signed Diaz Arce, and now they’re favorites again.

Rhino killers? They haven't faced each other in the regular season since 2000, but Rochester is 4-0-1 against the Battery. The Rhinos are also 3-0-0 when playing Charleston in the playoffs.

Projected finish: 17-5-6; 1st place in Southeast Division, losing in second round

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CHARLOTTE EAGLES

Last season: 14-2-10, 66 points, lost in first round of playoffs

Key departures: Captain Ryan Leib and goalkeeper Dwayne Adams

Notable newcomers: Carlos Calderson (San Diego), Indiana deportees Dwayne Demmin and Andy McDermott, and Canandaigua's Andy Guastaferro

Bottom line: The Eagles surprised everyone last year when, instead of being D3-turned-A-League whipping boys, they made the playoffs and won the slightly prestigious and completely informal Southern Derby. Striker Dustin Swinehart is one of the league's best, and has a very funny name.

Rhino killers? The data available to date is inconclusive, but Charlotte beat Rochester in its only meeting.

Projected finish: 10-5-12; 4th place in the Southeast Division, losing in the first round

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ATLANTA SILVERBACKS

Last season: 13-1-12, 59 points, lost in first round of playoffs

Key departures: Too many to list here, as Atlanta got rid of most of the 2001 edition. One of the few holdovers is ex-Rhino Carlos Parra.

Notable newcomers: There are plenty, highlighted by two A-League First Team selections (Gilbert Jean-Baptiste and Philippe Godoy) and two Second Team picks (Jason Annicchero and James Wall). Among the slew of new S’Backs are Jamel Mitchell and Carl Fletcher, both members of last year's championship Rhinos squad.

Bottom line: This is the A-League version of the 2002 New England Revolution, with a whole bunch of new players ready to battle for recognition. Trouble is Atlanta was in pretty much the same position last year, and barely finished with a winning record.

Rhino killers? Not at all. Rochester is undefeated against Atlanta in six matches (one as the Silverbacks and five as the Ruckus).

Projected finish: 13-4-11; 3rd place in the Southeast division, losing in the second round of the playoffs

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HAMPTON ROADS MARINERS

Last season: Did not compete

Key departures: n/a

Notable newcomers: Ummm... everybody is a newcomer, to a certain degree. The Mariners are highlighted by high-scoring midfielder Mark Rowland (El Paso) and the one-two striker punch of Mexican Marco Sanchez and ex-Rhino Steve “I'm Going To Make You Regret Letting Me Go” Butcher.

Bottom line: The Mariners should be a bit of a wildcard in the Southeast Division, with inconsistent results. If forward Rich Hansen fights like any of his hockey-playing brothers, Scott Schweitzer should have his hands full.

Rhino killers? Rochester has only played Hampton Roads once, losing in 1999.

Projected finish: 6-7-15; 5th place in the Southeast Division and out of playoff contention.

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MINNESOTA THUNDER

Last season: 9-2-15, 41 points, did not qualify for playoffs

Key departures: Amos Magee (3+4=10), defender Morgan Zeba (3+3=9), 1999 League MVP John Swallen

Notable newcomers: Goalkeeper John Lowery (Tampa Bay), midfielder Johnny Torres (Miami), and the A-League's third-leading scorer last season, Jakob Fenger (Nashville)

Bottom line: Minnesota had an awful 2001 and jettisoned a lot of starters (including Stoian Mladenov --- thanks, guys!) yet looks to rebound in a big way this year. The team probably won't be able to keep up with Milwaukee in the Central Division, but should give the Rhinos trouble, if only because of their shared history (three straight A-League title clashes from 1998 to 2000).

Rhino killers? They've only played twice in the regular season (both matches in 1999), with Rochester winning in Minnesota and the Thunder dampening the opening-day festivities after what has been dubbed “The Great Ring Debacle of ’99.”

Projected finish: 12-7-9; 2nd place in the Central Division, losing in the playoff semifinals

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Meet the new Rhinos

Greg Simmonds, Forward

2001: Miami Fusion, MLS

9 games, 415 minutes, 2 assists

City: What's it like playing against the Rhinos at Frontier?

GS: For me it was fun. I always looked forward to coming to play against the Rhinos. It's such an environment where you've got to be at your best or you're going to hear it from the fans. For me, it was a real boost to come out and show what I could do.

City: Have you ever seen a real rhino before?

GS: No.

City: Who do you think is going to win the World Cup?

GS: Argentina.

City: What do you like on your pizza?

GS: Pepperoni and pineapple.

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Temoc Suarez, Midfielder

2001: Connecticut Wolves, A-League

7 goals, 5 assists

City: Does your name mean anything cool?

TS: Actually, it means “warrior.” It’s Aztec Indian.

City: What's it like playing against the Rhinos at Frontier?

TS: It's a great atmosphere. Obviously, every time you come here, with 10,000 to 12,000 people on their side, it's intimidating from the start. I think if you've been around and played in front of crowds, you can feed off it as well. I'm looking forward to playing with the side instead of against the side. It will be a whole lot more fun.

City: Have you ever seen a real rhino before?

TS: No.

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Craig Demmin, Defender

2001: Tampa Bay Mutiny, MLS

19 games, 1702 minutes, 1 assist, 7 cautions

City: Can you compare the fans in Tampa Bay to the fans here in Rochester?

CD: I would say no, but I shouldn't say no. The fans here are closer to you, where they sit on the field and are closer to you personally.

City: Have you ever seen a real rhino before?

CD: I've seen one.

City: Who do you think is going to win the World Cup?

CD: Brazil.

City: Is Scott Schweitzer a total psycho or just a misunderstood rebel?

CD: A little of both. He's very passionate about playing.

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Dan Stebbins, Forward

2001: Milwaukee, Wisconsin chicken farm

5,000 pounds a week processed

City: Some people think you're too old to play competitively. Does that bother you?

DS: No. I've had a lot of people tell me I suck when I play. It doesn't really matter what other people think --- it's a matter of what I believe.

City: What about when they call you “Father Time” or “Chicken Man?”

DS: They can call me whatever they want. [laughs]

City: Have you ever seen a real rhino before?

DS: In person? I don't think I have.

City: Now that Mike Kirmse is gone, will you be taking over the flip-throw-in responsibilities?

DS: No. [laughs]

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