Letter from America......

by John Inglis

I've just finished watching the annual NFL 'Draft' . For those not familiar with this concept let me give you the bullet points.

College 'Football' is really the farm system for the Pro's. A young man can elect to stay in College for the normal four years or, if he has sufficient talent and there is sufficient interest in him from the Pro's he can leave early.

The Draft is a system that allows the Pro teams to pick which players they would like first refusal on . A team can elect to select a player that will fill a need in their organization or a player that another team really really wants thereby aquiring the means to trade multiple players or future Draft picks in return for that player.

The system is based upon a teams record from the previous season. If you have the worst record in the NFL you will get the first pick in the following Draft and so on.

The aim of the NFL is to create parity in their league, keep it as competitive as possible. If a team is lacking horribly to compete because of a lack of talent the situation is addressed at the following Draft by allowing them to choose the best player available to address their needs.

If you think about this system a little, it addresses a lot of what we have all lived with for a lot of years. The OF dominating based on money, outside of that most of our best local talent headed south based on potential income. My belief is that with the correct leadership we could create an enviroment where we had competitive teams not just on a local level but on the International front too.

The starting point would have to be how to fund the venture. I think that if we have buy-in from all the teams we could negotiate a deal with those interested media parties to fund a youth system playing in a league that would establish the farm system from which teams would 'Draft' players.

Revenue sharing is critical in this deal. It's all very well for teams to want to keep the Lions share, what good will it do if there is no-one to play against ? Unilateral co-operation is a fundamental when trying to change the way things have always been.We know what we have done to get to where we are today, if we want something different then we have to DO something different . If you always do what you always did, then you'll always get what you've always got !

Of course, this system would require highly qualified, motivated, talentscouts. Maybe a Pat Stanton for example (had to get that in ) ! Off for another pitcher of Margaritas by the Pool.....…

Sunny San Diego

Mike Inglis here. I received this email recently after Alan Bell had read Issue 22 and he raises some interesting issues -

"My name is Alan Bell and I live in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, US of A.I left Auld Reekie when I was 25 to return to my wife's hometown. I MISS THE HIBBYS!!!

Anyway, I would like to follow up on John Inglis "letter from America" in issue 22 of your fanzine, and give you some inside information into the "Farm" system currently being used in the soccer (man do I hate that word), Fitba (now there is better english for you) leagues over here.

Every summer, I work for a little fitba team called the Cape Cod Crusaders. They lie in the lowly 3rd division of the USISL. I coach at summer camps that are organised by the Crusaders. These camps are 5 days long and last 8 hours a day. Last summer there were 15 weeks worth of camps. The players themselves are the ones who work these camps as well as local coaches from
the surrounding High Schools.

Enter Me !!!  I work for Dennis/Yarmouth High school, one of the nine high schools on this very small island. They employ me to coach Soccer, Basketball and Track & Field. This is a very well paid position and between the school and the Crusaders, it is a year round job.

THIS IS HOW IT WORKS...:

The school get a sports buget from the town, government and sports grants. They set up the sport and pay a coach. The coach sends his best and keenest kids to the summer camps (sometime using school money).

The local semi-pro team (Cape Cod Crusaders) get all the best kids in their camps and evaluate everyone of them. The best of the best are watched by the Crusaders during the school games and all the way through their college games. Eventually bringing them to play for the Crusaders or another
affiliated team.

HERE IS THE KICKER....:

The Cape Cod Crusaders is owned by a company, Soccer Inc, who also own the Boston Bulldogs (USISL 1st division) and the Boston Renegades (Woman's USISL 1st division). This company pay for ALL of the expenses for all three teams (including my wages). They also pay large amounts of money for Sports grants to high schools. In turn, the high schools are able to push the talented kids through the system with ease.

HERE IS THE DOUBLE KICKER....:

Soccer Inc. need to get their money from somewhere. Enter the New England Revolution...!!   The Revolution play in the MLS which, for those who do not know, is the American equvilent to the Scottish or English Permiership. This is where the word "Farm" enters the equation. The revolution pick up the tab of Soccer Inc and several more company's all over New England.

IN SUMMARY..:

All of the big teams in the MLS have DIRECT access to every high school kid in America. Teams like the Cape Cod Crusaders are used to produce talent, whether they are in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th division of the smallest leagues.

That is why I will go out onto a limb with my next statement. The USA beating Germany, Mexico and Argentina are no flukes. Give them two more world cups and they WILL be in with a shout.

WHY OH WHY CAN SCOTTISH TEAM NOT SEE THAT THIS SYSTEM WORKS !!  THE BIG
TEAMS HAVE TO SPEND MONEY WHERE IT COUNTS. FARM THE PLAYERS....!!

Thanks for listening !!

Cape Cod Hibby !!   

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor or of the London Hibs Supporters Club