The Word on the STREET.

Sting Flanagan will not field a team and the D'Feeters 00 Patulea will take his spot in D1 as Sting 00 Patulea (FKA Sting00 Flanagan)

I heard he lost his 01 ECNL team. Anyone know what happened? 00 team was very good when Q had it.

Man Talent, which street were you reading? I must have made a wrong turn and missed it! "Word!"

Hater wrote:I heard he lost his 01 ECNL team. Anyone know what happened? 00 team was very good when Q had it.

Don't know if I'd read too much into the ECNL move. From where I'm sitting, that move was a logical transition waiting to happen, much less to do with Flanny, than with the typical coaching arc of teams at Sting. Tatu's '97's are a few weeks from finishing up their stellar club careers, so it's only natural that he would cycle down and pick up one of the younger teams. Sting typically switches out coaches on it's top teams after about 3 years, and Flanagan has actually had that team for about 6 years, going all the way back to at least U9, so his run with that team has been longer than most at Sting. Plus, my understanding is that Flanny is staying on as the assistant coach with the '01 ECNL team.

Don't know anything about what may or may not be going on with his '00 team, so can't comment on that.

Thanks for the words of wisdom BW!

So where are Flanny's girls going? and is there a Feet team out there to take the D2 bye or will it go to the QT bucket?

D'Feeters 00 Patulea has made the move to Sting. Sting 00 White (Patulea).

Thanks for the update Nonny!

Case of another team getting handed a spot that didn't earn it?

The combination of the remaining Flanagan players and the Feet team will result in a top notch group of girls very capable of competing in D1.

But with the new rule LHGCL put in this year you don't necessarily get into D1 that way anymore...


(2) If 50 percent of the players on a team (based on the roster as
of April 1 of the previous soccer year, rounding fractions up to the
next whole number*) are not retained by the team applying for a bye,
the league bye will remain with the club however the Division
placement in the league will be determined by the LHGCL Executive
Board or designated board committee. Appeals to the division
placement will be heard and ruled upon by LHGCL Executive Board
or designated board committee.
*Examples:
50% of 14 players = 7 players
50% of 15 players = 7.5 = 8 players
50% of 16 players = 8 players
50% of 17 players = 8.5 = 9 players
50% of 18 players = 9 = 9 players

I read the rules . Assuming that Sting Flanagan has broken up . The bye would belong to the club.Appears that the bye can be awarded to the new Sting White.
I believe that the board would approve the D1 spot.
I believe that the only way that the board would disapprove the placement is if they felt that Sting White would not be competitive . I think they will be competitive.

This has already gone through the Sting brass with LHGCL giving the go ahead!

But with a name change -- drop White and add Dallas

Sting Dallas 00

Show me a better local league with better talent and we'll all move to it. LH rules may favor the big clubs, but that because they can attract a pool of talent quickly and easily based on reputation. Wasn't the original Dfeeters team (now Sting (White) Dallas 00) in LH D1 * after Academy, and has remained in LH since*. Meaning, didn't go through QT five years ago?

The Feet team hasn't been D1 since U11. They were D 3 a couple years ago and headed that way again this season but they were saved by the rain and now Sting. Sure they have earned their spot in D1 ( can you hear the sarcasm?) But whatever, next season will be interesting for a lot of teams.

This team has played in Lake Highlands their entire time.
U11 D1
U12 D2
U13 D3 (won the division and EARNED promotion to D2 --along with several others who promoted due to ECNL vacancies)
U14 D2
U15 D2

Very competive with all teams D1, D2 and D3--and did this without ECNL or club pass help - this team deserves this opportunity

Sting brass sees something special in this team----and they are in a position to help.

Why would anyone try to turn this exciting change into something negative (with misplaced sarcasm)?

Here's my issue and really it is a Lake Highlands problem. FWFC and Fever Earned a promotion that they no longer get. Feet earned relagation and they are getting promoted. Feet deserves the opportunity? They won 3 games this year in D2, but they deserve/earned it? Ok. Spin it how you want though.
Best of luck to the team, but don't act like they are more deserving then others. They got lucky this year.

beast wrote:The Feet team hasn't been D1 since U11. They were D 3 a couple years ago and headed that way again this season but they were saved by the rain and now Sting. Sure they have earned their spot in D1 ( can you hear the sarcasm?) But whatever, next season will be interesting for a lot of teams.

True Feet has not been in D1 since U11, I think they were in D1 after QT and have been in LH since U11

Feet aren't getting promoted to D1, the Feet team is moving to Sting which has a team that has a bye.

scoobysnacks wrote:

beast wrote:The Feet team hasn't been D1 since U11. They were D 3 a couple years ago and headed that way again this season but they were saved by the rain and now Sting. Sure they have earned their spot in D1 ( can you hear the sarcasm?)  But whatever, next season will be interesting for a lot of teams.

True Feet has not been in D1 since U11, I think they were in D1 after QT and have been in LH since U11

Feet aren't getting promoted to D1, the Feet team is moving to Sting which has a team that has a bye.

Ok, more spin.

How many Flanny girls are staying put? Anyone know?

Like I said it is a Lake Highlands problem. Teams that don't earn their way can find a way. Big clubs can manipulate the system. It is what it is, but don't sugar coat what is going on again. Happens nearly every year. Few more years of this insanity. I am going to sit back and enjoy watching my DD.

On any given day the match is your team's to win. Let me spin it this way. Not every club retains their bye, some teams disband and the bye is lost. The "realsville" dude

Sting had the bye and selected Feet to step into this spot. Sting feels like they are ready and will maintain the good work started by Brian Flanagan and his players. This DFeeters team must be doing something right (because we already know that the best team does not always win and quality soccer is not judged totally on wins/losses)!!!!
There were plenty of other choices---but Sting felt that this team was the best choice for this bye.

a-nonny-moose wrote:Sting had the bye and selected Feet to step into this spot.  Sting feels like they are ready and will maintain the good work started by Brian Flanagan and his players.  This DFeeters team must be doing something right (because we already know that the best team does not always win and quality soccer is not judged totally on wins/losses)!!!!  
There were plenty of other choices---but Sting felt that this team was the best choice for this bye.  

I think that with some Flanny help, they could be pretty good...but who else does Sting have in the running? Sting Bruno? I wonder if they will continue to exist...Who else? I don't know of another Sting team that could have gotten it...

I have no malice towards them, and I personally thought Feet was a lot better than their record this year. They played a ton of close games with everyone, but they got some help to get there...Many teams have gotten that same help, and how can you fault someone for taking advantage of it. Sting did it with Bruno last year. DTFW did it. SWW did it. FCDE did it. I don't have a problem with a legit top of PPL team taking a bye from a club into D3 rather than D2...If there is a team in the club ready for that...and top of PPL IS ready for D3 IMO...It would have protected a couple of those teams to go into D3 instead of D2 IMO. Then if they went back into the QT, well, that is what it is. I would have given the Fever the bump last year.

I think that with some Flanny help, Feet could be pretty good...look at SWW with Richardson help. They got club help to get into D2, added some players and were quite competitive. It is what it is. Feet didn't earn this one, but they can make the most of the chance...

I agree with the mob...adding good players makes you a better team, but doesn't mean you get to promote. If it didn't then there would be a letter you could write that would qualify you for LH on paper...Want to measure whether I am right?? Ask those Flanny players if they would have stayed with Feet in D3 had they relegated...my guess is that Flanny wouldn't have been relegated form D1, and LH would have had to look at their rule and made Feet/Sting a D2 team (if there were the 3 divisions).

Good luck, again, I do think the team has a chance to be significantly better with relatively few additions.

It's not about the teams anymore. These kids are in high school. A few short years away from college soccer. I am sure that Sting has organized a more competitive team van any random Joe blow coach could assemble off the street. Your kid gets better by playing against better competition. Every June all of these teams have open tryouts. If your kids can play for one of these advanced teams.

If your kids can play for one of these advanced and you should go for it. Personally I am glad that they are really good teams out there for our kids to go against. It only makes them better.
Don't make these kids feel as though they are part of some evil Empire. They have worked hard. They have paid their dues. I wish the new Sting White the best of luck.

MrMiyagi wrote:If your kids can play for one of these advanced and you should go for it. Personally I am glad that they are really good teams out there for our kids to go against. It only makes them better.
Don't make these kids feel as though they are part of some evil Empire. They have worked hard. They have paid their dues. I wish the new Sting White the best of luck.

I agree, it isn't the kids fault. I hope my post didn't come across that way. I was only pointing out that Sting didn't have a big decision to make. They absolutely SHOULD form an excellent team from those two groups-they were both already strong squads...AND I have NO problem with that group being in D1...Just call them a reformed Flanny with some Feet addition, and there is NO issue...they keep the Sting D1 Bye and give back the Feet D2 bye to the QT. I personally don't blame the kids or the club for making the best of the situation.