Sigh.
You would think those of us who have been around for a while would be used to this. “Fool me twice shame on me” and all that. Over the last five seasons the Hounds have consistently started in the hole. They never had more than 2 wins in the first seven games, and never more than 8 points.
2014: 0-4-3
2013: 0-4-3
2012: 2-5-0
2011: 2-3-2
2010: 1-3-3
2011 is the exception, but even then it was mediocre at best. In the past when the league was smaller you could get away with crap starts. However, as USL PRO grows and becomes more competitive it’s no longer acceptable.
Yet even with this history every year we come into the season thinking it’ll be different. Every year we give it our all in the way only passionate die hard’s do. And every year a quarter of the way into the season we’re sitting here thinking “what the hell?”
To say it’s frustrating may be an understatement.
This year especially so. This year was supposed to be different. The Hounds spent money in the off season with some big signings. They retained the league MVP and Golden Boot winner, the league Assist leader, and most of the team from 2013. They started preseason training weeks earlier than usual in warm weather at a first class facility. All this talk about getting off to a good start and eyeing a championship. The hype was there. Expectations were the highest in years. We bought it hook line and sinker.
The Hounds are at the bottom looking up.
Winless in seven.
To say it’s deflating isn’t an understatement.
I feel the worst for the new supporters who are experiencing having their tires slashed for the first time. These are the people a team in financial trouble like the Hounds need in the seats. The ones who are on the verge of or just started to make coming to games a re-occurring thing and not just a one off curiosity. If I had to guess they’re probably having serious thoughts on how they want to spend their summer after another lousy start. I can’t say I blame them. After all why bother when the team can’t even muster the effort to score a goal in three home games. It’s been mentioned several times in the off season by members of the Hounds FO that the allure of the new stadium is over. That to get butts in seats in this town you need to win. I guess they decided being the Pirates of USL PRO was easier. If we’re lucky we’ll at least get a bobble head at some point.
No Weekend Recap this week. I was mostly doing those so that we could see how the Hounds were shaping up compared to the rest of the league. I think we all know where they stand for the foreseeable future.
#UNLEASH
