2012 Year in Review

It's the end of the 2012 BSL regular season, and what a season it was! Rose City started the season off as one of the new kids and now they're a respected club, vying for the BSL Cup. The club struggled to put points on the board at times but seemed to have it when it counted. A season average of 2.5 points per game is well below the other playoff clubs but the Majors Cup Qualifying standings indicating that the club is inching toward 3 points in the second half of the season. The Flyers ended the season a respectable 13-7-2 with 41 points from regular season play. It's good enough for fourth place in the BSL and that final coveted playoff spot.

Many different players contributed to the success of the club over the long season but several stand out. Both captain Mauro Rosales and standout Marvin Chavez tallied nine points over the course of the regular season. Dan Kennedy provided six during his stint with the club; and Mike Magee, C.J. Sapong, and Darlington Nagbe all added five of their own. Late comer Marco Di Vaio tallied four himself. You'll find the total for all club contributions below. The club would have finished even better but for a few lineup failures throughout the season. Clearly the club's Front Office has some work to do to improve itself in the off season just as much as the players. Speculation is already running rampant in the Pacific Northwest as to who might stay with the club for next season as its first Designated Players.

Marvin Chavez - 9pts

Given point totals and performance when the club needed it the most, the Flyers Front Office as well as the owner and general manager are proud to announce Marvin Chavez as the first Rose City Flyers FC Most Valuable Player this year. Chavez's handiwork at feeding other player for assists made him invaluable to Rose City. His name is being discussed both inside and outside the organization as a possible 2013 Designated Player.

Mauro Rosales - 9pts

The club's captain was hurt for a good portion of the beginning of the year but more than made up for it with his prolific goal scoring and assist creating abilities. Mauro combined with just about everyone else on the Sounders roster it seems to put points on the board. His creativity on the field is a big reason why he ends the BSL regular season with nine points . He holds the captain's armband well and is also in discussion as a potential 2013 Designated Player.

Dan Kennedy - 6pts

Dan spent only part of the season with Rose City, joining the club when Bill Hamid took off for international team duty. With Hamid injured coming back, Kennedy picked up the slack and provided the team quality points when they sometimes were few and far between.

Mike Magee - 5pts

The Galaxy striker was solid if not outstanding for the team the entire season. He provided a boost to the scoreline regularly while not putting up over the top numbers. The front office suspects that Mike would put up bigger numbers on an MLS team that needed him more. The Galaxy simply have too many big names for a solid but not flashy striker to stand out.

Darlington Nagbe - 5pts

Nagbe had a hot and cold season. He started off with a point in week two and followed it up with a brace two weeks later. Then the Timbers striker/midfielder seemed to go cold. His next points come in Week 22 where he managed a goal in both games that week. The front office remains convinced that the young player has a future in both MLS and the BSL. The question remains though, will he meet his potential? The BSL playoffs and potentially next season are the only way to know for sure. 

C.J. Sapong - 5pts

Another young striker who seemed on and off this season. Sapong scored several times in the early going and then seemed to go dead. The front office would like to see Sapong again next year. Who knows whether it will happen or not?

Marco Di Vaio - 4pts

The Italian striker looks to be the real deal in both MLS and the BSL providing four points in a few short weeks for the Flyers. He's currently under investigation in Italy for any part he may have played in the ongoing match fixing scandal. Conviction could result in a one year ban but it's unknown whether that would extend to MLS play or not. If that's cleared up in a positive way, he might also be DP material.

Josh Saunders - 3pts

The club's current keeper came in when it was needed. Here's hoping he adds to his total during the playoffs.

Maicon Santos - 3pts

Santos initially appeared to be the biggest mistake Rose City could make in the early going. He was dropped from the roster in order to pick up a player who made no impact. Scoring a hat trick in his final game, he went on to add several points to games for other teams before seemingly drying up. This might still be the biggest mistake the Flyers front office made all season.

Kosuke Kimura - 1pt

The one time Colorado backline man had more points than this. The coach always seemed to put him on the bench at the wrong time.

Alejandro  Moreno - 1pt

This was the biggest disappointment of the season. The Chivas striker was supposed to be a prolific scorer for the Flyers, driving them past their competition. Instead, he turned out to be a big flop.

Bill Hamid - 1pt

A good keeper who's schedule just never seemed to line up with the Flyers. He's done well and the team wishes him all the best.

Steven Beitashour - 1pt

Adam Moffat - 1pt

Justin Braun - 1pt

Week Seventeen Recap

The Flyers were done in by the Battle in week seventeen 3-1. It's a painful score for Rose City who were looking to maybe top the standings again with a win. The only point on the board was a score from Saunders who kept the net clear for his first start. Once again the coach underestimated Kosuke Kimura, leaving him on the bench when he scored for the second time. To make matters worse, he would have come in had he been placed higher on sub list thanks to Bill Hamid's straight red.

The rest of the season is more or less downhill, with Rose City simply defending their playoff position against would-be spoilers like Spartans, Second City, and the CD Gunners for the last five weeks. That doesn't mean the team isn't taking the end of the season seriously though. A string of well placed wins here, paired with a few lucky shots to the Battle and Stoners could still hand the Flyers the Honors Trophy. Come back for all the rest of the action.

Week 10 vs. Alliance

The boys from Vegas are in town this week to face down Rose City who currently has more wins than any other team in the BSL. However, Alliance is currently 10th in the standings and only a touch higher on the Power Rankings. Can they shake up a Flyers team that looks to be rock steady? Only time will tell.

"We're doing pretty well right now," the Flyers coach admitted when talked to during a mid-week practice. "Most wins in the league isn't something to sniff at, but we still have room for improvement. We'd be in first but for our APG. That's where my concern is right now."

The concern is warranted as Rose City is currently only averaging 2.4 points per game. That's not as many as a team that'd be capable of staying at the top of the standings should be putting out. However, help is on the way. The team played without Mauro Rosales until last week and Italian Marco Di Vaio should begin making an Impact (pun intended) in the next week or two himself. With their newfound firepower, can the Flyers keep their grip on a playoff spot? What's to come with Majors Cup qualifying just around the corner?

Starters
Justin Braun
Marvin Chavez
Dan Kennedy (Keeper)
Kosuke Kimura
Mike Magee
Adam Moffat
Alejandro Moreno
Mauro Rosales (Captain)
C.J. Sapong

Subs
Bjorn Runstrom
Darlington Nagbe
Marco Di Vaio

Bill Hamid was dropped this week for the incoming Di Vaio. The captain's band has been captured by Rosales after poor performance by Alejandro Moreno.

Marco Di Vaio - Bidding War

Marco Di Vaio, currently with Bologna in Serie A is coming to MLS with the Montreal Impact and that means, Rose City is bidding on this prolific scorer. With discovery rights turned in, the club has found itself in a bidding war with Burud Town and CD Gunners.

"This is a bidding war I think we can win," the head of Rose City's front office said. "We're a young club putting up points and it's an opportunity for Marco to come in and be the key man of the franchise. It's something a lot of players of his calibre dream of but it's much harder to achieve in Europe. He can do that here and we want it to be as a Flyer."


Bill Hamid, who hasn't seen a start since the first week of the season, is currently on offer for the  bidding war. Bidding ends a 5pm PST on Sunday, the Sixth to find out where this keepers' menace will land. Look for it to be with Rose City.

Week Nine Lineup

Week 9 is here and boy is it a doozy. Rose City will be facing the ever-strong Alamo City Battle in the Match of the Week. But how strong are they really? They're coming off of a two game losing streak which is sure to give them a reason to fight. But how hard a fight will the team give without the steady presence of captain Thierry Henry? In any case, the Flyers look to make Henry's absence a moot point this weekend.

Mauro Rosales got almost an hour of playing time last week and should be up for a more complete performance than that this time around. Bill Hamid is in fine shape, but continues to warm the bench as Joe Willis does all the work in DC. Still, this is a club that's in better shape than it has been in several weeks.

Starters
Justin Braun
Marvin Chavez
Dan Kennedy (Keeper)
Kosuke Kimura
Mike Magee
Alejandro Moreno (Captain)
Darlington Nagbe
Mauro Rosales
C.J. Sapong

Subs
Bjorn Runstrom
Bill Hamid (Keeper)
Adam Moffat

Week Eight Lineup

Well, it's week eight and after an 8 - 0 showing versus Pennsylvania last week, Rose City is happy to see it. They're still only a point out of fourth place (and a playoff spot) and we're still four weeks from beginning Majors qualifying. Anything can happen. This week the Flyers face Burud Town who have only one win in seven games. If there's a match that a playoff type team should win, this is it.

By now, Rose City is starting to feel the bug that is injuries, players being missing and so forth. It is however looking like it's about time for Mauro Rosales to be making his big return. He's listed as probable by the Sounders. Bill Hamid on the other hand is match fit, but it seems that DC United feel more comfortable with Joe Willis in the net.

Starters
Justin Braun
Marvin Chavez
Dan Kennedy (Keeper)
Kosuke Kimura
Mike Magee
Adam Moffat
Alejandro Moreno (Captain)
Darlington Nagbe
Mauro Rosales


Subs
Bjorn Runstrom
C.J. Sapong
Bill Hamid (Keeper)

Week Six Results

Rose City 2 - 0 Second City

Rose City got it done once again with some quality from both inside and outside the net. They were aided by a Lineup Failure on the part of Second City, but didn't need it as they shut out Stars. Points came from Kennedy's clean sheet as well as an assist from Darlington Nagbe.



"I'm very happy with where we are at this early point in the season," the Flyers coach said. "We're an expansion club that's getting points both at home, and on the road and that's a big deal. We're averaging 2.5 points a game. That's what I'd like to improve on. All the top clubs average four to five and that's where we need to be if we really want to be considered one of the big boys. We're working on it, and it should improve on its own somewhat as we get Bill Hamid and Mauro (Rosales) back into the lineup. These guys can both bring down multiple points each game. It should help."

Rose City improves to 4-2-0 and sits in fourth place in the standings and fifth place in the Power Rankings. Next week will tell a story as the Pennsylvania Stoners come to town. The Stoners are nipping at Rose City's heels in the standings and actually sit fourth in the Power Rankings.

"It's an opportunity for us to go out there and look good and get a win against a quality opponent," the manager said. "And maybe to show whoever does those rankings how wrong they are."

Week Six Lineup, Second City

Last week was a tough loss for the Flyers, but they expect to perform well against Second City and get three more points. The good news is that Bill Hamid is back in shape though he will be warming the bench for one more week just to make sure he's healthy. Mauro Rosales looks to be on his way back to play in the next week or so as well, and Bjorn Runstrom has joined his new team in New England. Things are looking up in the Rose City and this week can only make things brighter. Join us for hot Week Six action.

Starters
Justin Braun
Marvin Chavez
Dan Kennedy (Keeper)
Kosuke Kimura
Mike Magee
Adam Moffat
Alejandro Moreno (Captain)
Darlington Nagbe
C.J. Sapong

Subs
Bjorn Runstrom
Bill Hamid (Keeper)
Mauro Rosales

Preliminary Lineup, Week 4

Week four is nearly upon us and that means it's time for another lineup. There's good news and bad new for the Flyers and a couple of players that will be evaluated right up to kick off. Bill Hamid is back with the team after the heartbreak that was the US U-23 performance in Olympic Qualifying. He did however suffer some injury in the final game against El Salvador. It currently appears to be nothing to major, either a bone bruise or a sprain, but he will most likely be sitting on the bench for his first game back with the team.

Mauro Rosales is still being patched up by team doctors as well and will be evaluated day to day. That said, the Flyers got the job done last week with just the starting XI and expect that they can do it again. "Oh yeah. We take the Blues very seriously," a rain soaked coach said when asked during weekday practice. "Their record may not show it right now, but they'll put up a fight. The fact is, they've simply been massively out scored for several weeks while putting up quite a few points of their own. We think we can win, but we don't expect a walk in the park."


Starters
Justin Braun
Marvin Chavez
Bright Dike
Dan Kennedy (Keeper)
Mike Magee
Alejandro Moreno (Captain)
Darlington Nagbe
Maicon Santos
C.J. Sapong

Subs
Bill Hamid (Keeper)
Mauro Rosales
Adam Moffat

Roster could change until kickoff.

Lineup Week 3

It's week three and, like many other football teams, Rose City is trying to dodge injuries, players with National Team duty, and the MLS schedule which can leave key players on your roster without an opponent on any given week. Those players are, Mauro Rosales, Bill Hamid, and Mike Magee respectively. The team will just have to make do with its starting XI to get the job done.

The match is against fellow expansion side the KC Quest, and, after a stunning beating of the defending champion CD Gunners, the Flyers seem to be flying high, on top of the world. Will they end KC's Quest? Or will they get pull back down to reality? Tune in, to find out.

Starters
Dan Kennedy (Keeper)
Justin Braun
Marvin Chavez
Bright Dike
Adam Moffat
Alejandro Moreno
Darlington Nagbe
Maicon Santos
C.J. Sapong

Subsititutes
Mauro Rosales
Mike Magee
Bill Hamid

Week 2 Gets Results

Rose City 3 - 0 CD Gunners

Rose City dropped the defending champion CD Gunners in week two, 3-0. It what was sure to be a tough match, but the Flyers put things together to grab the points they needed while the Gunners struggled to find the net.

"This is the result we've been looking for", the Flyers captain Moreno said. "We got on the board last week and, leaving front office issues aside, didn't put up the numbers we needed. This week, things looked much better."



CJ Sapong is looking to be one of Rose City's MVP players with two goals in two games. Darlington Nagbe followed up with a goal of his own off of a bad clearance, and the assist from Mike Magee cleared things up for good. Asked about how the club was forming up, the coach had this to say.

"I think we're coming along nicely. Even with the loss last week, we put points on the board and knew we had a team that could get things done. We're a young team with a lot of talent and I think that talent showed this week with the scores from Sapong and Nagbe. We're in a good position for the next two weeks because our roster is quite spread out in regards to which MLS teams players belong to. We're not going to get burned by the Galaxy's two week bye. We're looking forward to our meeting with the Quest next week. We're both expansion franchises trying to find our footing and I think we can get the jump on them with a little hard work."

Rose City is now 1-1-0 all time in the BSL and have scored five points total. Bill Hamid will remain on National Team duty for the next two weeks most likely.

Week 2 Lineup

In an effort to fix what was broken last week, the front office for Rose City is posting their week two lineup a day early.

"We know who we're starting already. We've taken a look at who's playing who, what's going on around the league, and we want to do everything we can to support our boys. Here it is."

With Bill Hamid out of the picture on National Team duty with the U-23s preparing for Olympic qualifying, Dan Kennedy has signed a temporary deal with the club to hang out in the net. "We have every confidence in him and are glad he could help us out in a pinch," the Flyers general manager said. "This week's a big game. The Gunners are a serious team and for that, you need a serious keeper. Dan Kennedy can be that keeper."

Starters
Dan Kennedy (Keeper)
Justin Braun
Bright Dike
Mike Magee
Adam Moffat
Alejandro Moreno
Darlington Nagbe
Mauro Rosales
C.J. Sapong

Subs
Marvin Chavez
Maicon Santos
Bill Hamid (Keeper), out with National Team Duty

EDIT: Sammy Ochoa has been dropped from the roster.

BSL Draft 2012

The BSL 2012 Draft is officially underway with a mix of solid players, newcomers, and speculation going in the early rounds. Rose City traded their first round pick a few weeks ago along with their 7th round pick in the acquisition of CJ Sapong and picked up a second 5th round pick as well. Look for those in a while.

We're currently in the second round and Rose City has officially added more fuel to the "Keepers Matter" fire that was discussed on the league's main page earlier in the week. With their second round pick, Rose City took Bill Hamid (DC) who's one of the league's top keepers and a regular for the USMNT as well. Check this page to stay up to date.

Justin Braun joins the Flyers in Round three, though the coach admitted that she had her eye on several players and that it was a very tough decision.

The Draft is now complete with all of Rose City's picks listed below. It looks like a good crew.

Second Round: Bill Hamid
Third Round: Justin Braun
Fourth Round: Darlington Nagbe
Fifth Round: Mike Magee, Marvin Chavez
Eighth Round: Sammy Ochoa
Ninth Round: Bright Dike
Tenth Round: Josh Wolff
Eleventh Round: Maicon Santos