How 'bout them RailHawks?!?

[Jonathan]

First win tonight, against the Atlanta Silverbacks. 2-1, and we played a man down for the last 30 minutes because of a bullshit sending off.

I was going to go to that match, too. Oh well. Glad to get the three points in the bag, especially on the road. Brings the team's record to 1-1-3 (6 pts.).

[Ella Minnow Pea]

Yay! Doesn't look like I can go next week, but I hope to take in some of the June games.

(Although I could try to wander down to the Crystal Palace Baltimore at Wilmington Hammerheads game - with potential sibling rivalry at stake.)

[Jonathan]

You should - the Hammerheads are a first-class organization and I think you'll be impressed.

[Ella Minnow Pea]

And by wander down, I mean it's 6/10 of a mile from va_vacious's front door to the entrance to the Legion Stadium stands.

[slow-dog]

I may actually see a Railhawks game, now that the California Victory has started playing in SF. 

[Jonathan]

I think they come there sometime in August. Just came off of a "three games in five days" road trip to Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. Adding a game in SF to that would have been a bit much.

[rva]

meh.  They're alright.  I could see them maybe hanging in there against Richmond for about 20 minutes or so.

Kickers- 6, Railhawks - 0

Sseejjeemmbbaa 2, Watson 4.

[Jonathan]

You're funny.

Although, with all the injuries lately, Richmond has every chance of winning the match. Winner goes to the semi-finals of the Open Cup!

[rva]

I secretly hope the RailHawks win, as it would at least show that US soccer isn't a total joke.  It might even make me care.

The Kickers voluntarily relegated themselves to USL-2 after a season in which they should have been promoted to MSL.  And why are the expansion RailHawks in USL-1, instead of the lowest division?  If Richmond wins it will be an "upset."  But if the US soccer system didn't suck balls, this would be an MLS team vs a USL-3 and Richmond should be heavily favored.

Even as it is, Carolina is in the fake relegation zone.  Richmond is in the promotion zone, having already won USL-2 last year and not getting promoted.  The reason Richmond might beat Carolina is because the talent level between the two teams is distressingly close.  If Richmond goes on to beat Carolina and win the Lamar Hunt Cup and USL-2, what happens?  Jackshit.  They play in USL-2 again next year and stay there until finally they become just another USL-2 team.  It's not like the Kickers haven't already won the US Open Cup.  They have, and what did it get them?

The worst thing that could happen is for some lower division team to win the Cup.  Fans are not going to think it's a Cinderella story, but rather that MLS and soccer in general is pretty lame.

[Marlowe]

what exactly is a 'railhawk' anyway?

[rva]

They just made it up, although I kind of like it.  I just think it should either be "Rail Hawks" or "Railhawks," not "RailHawks."

It still beats the crap out of most USL team names, including "Kickers."

[Dan]

I get these visions of hawks that have befriended the hobos that ride the rails of America.

[Jonathan]

They just made it up, although I kind of like it.  I just think it should either be "Railhawks"

It was supposed to be *sigh*

[Jonathan]

what exactly is a 'railhawk' anyway?

To quote my friend (and co-creator of the name) Jarrett:

"IT'S A FUCKING BIRD!"

(We kinda got tired of opposing fans chanting "What's a RailHawk?" all the time so we decided to fight fire with profanity)

In all seriousness, it's a name that comes from the fact that Cary was originally a railroad town, and the train tracks run right be the stadium (indeed, there's usually at least one train going by a game, including when we made the announcement of the team name - very cool). The "Hawks" part comes from - and this is my dirty little secret - the Miami RedHawks. I like to honor my roots.

There also happen to be red-tailed hawks living in the woods around the stadium, but I didn't know that at the time. That's the "official" explanation, anyway.

[rva]

Wait a minute... I thought the team name was chosen via fan contest.  Are you telling me the contest was rigged? 

That's bullshit.  I spent a lot of time coming up with "Carolina Cracker-ass Crackers" too.