Quality of Life: 2011... This is the end... 2 Part Special

PART I-2011 Last 25%

The Season

Tie vs. LA Galaxy
Win vs. DC United
Tie vs. Portland
Tie vs. Vancouver
Loss vs. Real Salt Lake
Loss vs. Houston
Win vs. Sporting KC
Loss vs. Chivas
Tie vs. Colorado
Win vs. Vancouver
Loss vs. San Jose
Loss vs. Sporting KC
Loss vs. LA Galaxy
Loss vs. Dallas
Loss vs. NYRB
Tie vs. Toronto
Tie vs. Chicago
Loss vs. Seattle
Tie vs. Salt Lake
Loss vs. Philadelphia
Win vs. DC
Tie vs. Colorado
Tie vs. Sporting KC
Loss vs. Chivas
Loss vs. Crew
Tie vs. Houston
Tie vs. NYRB
Tie vs. Philly
Win vs. FC Dallas
Loss vs. Portland
Loss vs. Chicago
Loss vs. Seattle
Loss vs. San Jose
Loss vs. Columbus
Tie vs Toronto FC

One win in 7 games since our last QoL... What do you want to us to say... it's a travesty, it's deplorable and well just a plain disappointment... at least it matches the season... MINUS 33



Fagundez Starts

So the boy wonder that is Diego Fagundez finally gets his first career start against Seattle, and scores a header on top of that. For a kid that wasn't supposed to see the field at all this season he's made a quite an impression this season and has truly been a bright spot in a miserable shit storm of a season. PLUS 10

Revs Fail To Make Playoffs... Again...

Ugh. why bother? MINUS 50

Final Thoughts

This is our shortest QoL ever so far... but well there isn't really much to talk about for the season end.  Seriously... there is nothing to talk about, and frankly it seems like everyone, the team included, just gave up and stopped caring.  Honestly, I was trying to find more to put in this one but there just wasn't anything really worth talking about, and for that we are going to assign a point value to our 'Final Thoughts' for the first time because the fact that the team has been uninteresting and totally lacking buzz. MINUS 20

OVERALL: MINUS 93
Last QoL: MINUS 16 + LAME 

PART II-2011 OVERALL

So we are going to take look at the biggest stories in our QoL posts throughout the season and add some parting thoughts...


B-B-B-Bennny, Beeeeeeenny, Beeeeennnyy and the Reeeevvvvvvsss

What can we say that hasn't already been said?  The Revs finally lucked out and didn't get screwed over by the returning US National Player Allocation Order.   We all were on the edge of our seats for a  few days while we waited to hear if Chivas would take him or pass, then Philly was up.  Philly and Chivas both passed and Benny landed squarely in lap of the Revs.  This was a no-brainer decision, we had to take him, he helps fill a need and really got the Revs fan base fired up.  While he hasn't totally wowed us yet with the few games he has under his belt we're still excited.  PLUS 20  

We are still feeling good about Benny but we still think that he needs to have a stronger team around him to really see him flourish... hopefully that happens next season.

Wait... The Front of the Jersey Doesn't Say 'Revolution' Anymore?

Well well well, looky what we got here the Revs finally picked up a sponsor.  About damn time.  It's not a flashy brand or anything but we got it.  This basically means money for almost nothing and if what we have speculated in the past about the budget His Royal Highness Kraft bequeaths on the lowly soccer playing peasants, we need it.  Now the question is how much and what will it be used for, better marketing? a Designated Player? orange slices for everyone? PLUS 10  

Woo! shirt sponsor...not sure what it's done for us yet but it is one less thing to complain about.



Fortgate

Well we hopefully don't need to go into this one too much (if we do, shame on you, but you can update yourself here).  This has been a PR disaster for the Revolution and has surely set back supporters culture in New England quite a bit.  Now over a week out from the incident we are seeing that this isn't just about one event but has become a tipping point for fan frustrations with the Kraft family and the running (ruining?) of soccer in the region.  We still have a few varying reports on arrests but it seems that there were less than originally reported, that being said we still witnessed multiple people being taken away by Foxborough Police than COO Brian Bilello reported in his post on the teams Facebook.  The silver lining? The amount of support that has come out for The Fort from around the world, one should never underestimate the power of soccer supporters. MINUS 1500 (approximate seats of The Fort)  

It seems as though this truly has been the straw that broke the camels back.  While Fortgate has mostly faded away the damage it has done has certainly been severe.  In a season where the team was really embarrassing, this did not help. Through Fortgate and among other things the supporters are really feeling disenchanted about the team and are questioning their support.  Sadly the 'orange slices for everyone' crowd may be winning in New England and our supporters culture may be on it's last legs.  Supporters who feel as we do, which seems to be the majority, are not going to create or be willing to create the atmosphere that we aspire to have... i.e. Portland, Seattle, Toronto, KC.

Wait... we actually signed a DP?

Yessssirrrrieeee Krafty Bob....  Milton Caraglio.  In what we've seen of Milton so far we like... despite coming off of a large break in playing due to injury he actually looks like a decent signing.  However let's not fool ourselves, because he only is technically a DP due to a transfer fee.  The transfer fee appears to have been paid to his 'agents' however  in an article in the Boston Globe it was noted that he was here on loan... the deal is really fishy but in the long run if he turns out to be a great player for us, then who really cares? As long as we can keep him  here that is... PLUS 20  

It will be nice to see what Caraglio can do with a full preseason and better conditioning.  We're still happy to have him here, but he isn't really a DP and the circumstance of his DP status are still fishy.  We'll be interested to see if he is still here next season and whether he still counts as a DP. He has potential and hopefully it will be realized in New England.

Did We Really Cut Our MVP?

Well it all depends on how you want to look at it but in a story that seems to have multiple sides the Revolution parted ways with Marko Perovic and left a good smoke screen to retreat back behind the Iron Curtain of information.  The Revolution really should have found some way to make things work and keep him around here, many thought that he was a key player in building a new core for the Revs.  Just add this to the many mistakes our FO and Burnsie et al have made... Good job guys... Seriously, super fantastic and awesome.  MINUS 25 

 Arrrrggggggh still angry about this.  Unsubstantiated rumors are out there that he may be back next season but we don't believe it, it would be nice however.


Final Thoughts

Tough season for the team and tough season for the fans and supporters, sadly I don't think we've seen rock bottom yet.  While I hope that the team can get their collective shit together on and off the field I am very worried and very skeptical of this happening. These are scary times for top flight soccer in New England.

Season QoL Rating: Minus 1653