National Cup 2002 Pool of Death (Group E)

Victoria Quinn said:
Most referees are not crap and very knowledgeable at National Cup. But refs are only human. We have all made our mistakes on and off the field. I’m not begrudging any ref out there on the field...It’s a thankless job, pay is insulting. It’s soccer...you win some you lose some...Get a perspective!!!
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Victoria Quinn said:
Most referees are not crap and very knowledgeable at National Cup. But refs are only human. We have all make our mistakes on and off the field. I’m not begrudging any ref out there on the field...It’s a thankless job, pay is insulting. It’s soccer...you win some you lose some...Get a perspective!!!
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Then stop making excuses for why your team lost!
 
No excuses. As many who watched some of our games, all three could have gone either way. Very tough pool as this thread was started with the heading of “Death Pool 2002” only one came out on top, I wish only the best to Westside Breakers 02!
 
Since we are talking about Group E, it was unlikely the Pats would have advanced via a wild card, even if they squeaked out a win against one of the other teams. They would have needed 6 points and a goal differential of at least +2 to get a wild card. They finished their bracket with a goal differential of -2. Based on their performance and league record, the team (on paper) does not have the offensive power needed to compete with the higher level teams.

In looking at the 2017 Pats DPL record they finished last in league play with a record of 1-6-2, 7GF and 17GA. See, http://primetimesportz.bonzidev.com/sam/standings/ss/schedule.php?v=3&divisionID=MTU4MTMx. Quite frankly, the National Cup result was not surprising, unless they attempted to bring in some ringers for the National Cup run and they would have likely missed out on a wild card in any of the other brackets.

That said, other than the class of the DPL (Legends, Real So Cal and Eagles) the other DPL teams in National Cup are struggling and not at the top of their brackets. The top DPL team for this age was the Legends FC DPL/Academy II team, which ironically plays Westside this week. So far, Westside is rolling through the competition, which is what you would expect from a strong SCDSL girls team (note, is CSL on the boys side). The Legends DPL/Academy II team tied the Spartans, whereas Westside spanked them 4-1. The other DPL teams that were stronger than the Pats DPL team, LA Premiere Academy II and LA Galaxy Academy II by their slightly better losing records, also didn't make it out of round 1.

All-in-all, it looks like most of the teams that are legitimate contenders remain in the tournament and all of the SCDSL, CSL, SDDA, and DPL teams that entered with losing league records are out.
 
MWN said:
Since we are talking about Group E, it was unlikely the Pats would have advanced via a wild card, even if they squeaked out a win against one of the other teams. They would have needed 6 points and a goal differential of at least +2 to get a wild card. They finished their bracket with a goal differential of -2. Based on their performance and league record, the team (on paper) does not have the offensive power needed to compete with the higher level teams.

In looking at the 2017 Pats DPL record they finished last in league play with a record of 1-6-2, 7GF and 17GA. See, http://primetimesportz.bonzidev.com/sam/standings/ss/schedule.php?v=3&divisionID=MTU4MTMx. Quite frankly, the National Cup result was not surprising, unless they attempted to bring in some ringers for the National Cup run and they would have likely missed out on a wild card in any of the other brackets.

That said, the other than the class of the DPL (Legends, Real So Cal and Eagles) the other DPL teams in National Cup are struggling and not at the top of their brackets. The top DPL team for this age was the Legends FC DPL/Academy II team, which ironically plays Westside this week. So far, Westside is rolling through the competition, which is what you would expect from a strong SCDSL girls team (note, is CSL on the boys side). The Legends DPL/Academy II team tied the Spartans, whereas Westside spanked them 4-1. The other DPL teams that were stronger than the Pats DPL team, LA Premiere Academy II and LA Galaxy Academy II by their slightly better losing records, also didn't make it out of round 1.

All-in-all, it looks like most of the teams that are legitimate contenders remain in the tournament and all of the SCDSL, CSL, SDDA, and DPL teams that entered with losing league records are out.
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@MWN First year for many of these teams...competing against teams that have had core together for many years. (In the case of Westside Breakers info coming directly from WB02 Goalie’s Father) Give the DPL a few years...IMHO I think most of the DPL teams will become even stronger. Only time will tell!
 
MWN said:
The retort to this is CRL is the league to play in if you want to get a buy and be seeded. SCDSL, DPL, CSL, Presidio/SDDA, teams that don't play in CRL know they are going to be dropped in to National Cup brackets based on the luck of the draw.

Note, the DPL encourages its teams to also play in CRL, National League and the National Cup ... why? It bolsters their value proposition. When you are asking parents to pay an amount close to the same amount as the DA teams, you damn well better provide a good value proposition.
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Thank you @MWN. That's the type of knowledgeable response I was looking for. Makes a lot more sense now.
 
SocalPapa said:
Thank you @MWN. That's the type of knowledgeable response I was looking for. Makes a lot more sense now.
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@SocalPapa
Even with record, I truly believed even some of the lower bracket DPL teams would have done just fine in second round. Certainly better than several teams that ended up there this last weekend and could have beat some of the lower level CRL teams. Luck of the draw at NC! In the end however, Semi Finalists are always top level teams usually from a few different leagues. Always has been...always will be!
 
Sheriff Joe said:
The pool of death died yesterday.
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?? Not sure what you mean there, pardner.

If anything, this weekend's results strengthen SoCal Papa's argument that the first round group was unusually stacked. Perhaps you're looking at Pool E in the second round rather than first???
 
Victoria Quinn said:
@SocalPapa
Even with record, I truly believed even some of the lower bracket DPL teams would have done just fine in second round. Certainly better than several teams that ended up there this last weekend and could have beat some of the lower level CRL teams. Luck of the draw at NC! In the end however, Semi Finalists are always top level teams usually from a few different leagues. Always has been...always will be!
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More excuses....
 
Victoria Quinn said:
@SocalPapa
Even with record, I truly believed even some of the lower bracket DPL teams would have done just fine in second round. Certainly better than several teams that ended up there this last weekend and could have beat some of the lower level CRL teams. Luck of the draw at NC! In the end however, Semi Finalists are always top level teams usually from a few different leagues. Always has been...always will be!
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I disagree. The other two DPL teams that played in Round 1, were LA Premier FC DPL 2002 (2nd place, no wild card) and LA Galaxy DPL 2002 (3rd place). Like the Pats, both finished with a negative goal differential in the Cup and League (LA Premier = -21, and LA Galaxy =-19). On paper, the Pats DPL, LA Premier DPL and LA Galaxy DPL, should not have survived Round 1 bracket play and none did. And while, some of the lower level CRL teams may have lost to some of the lower level DPL teams, and vice versa, its academic and irrelevant.

The Cal South National Cup tournament is designed to pick teams that Cal South will send to the Far West Regional, and then hopefully those teams will find themselves in Fisco, Texas at the USYS National Cup. Its not a showcase, although it is scouted by many college coaches.

LA Premier DPL won both of its games against a CSL gold team (with a winning record) and a SDDA F1 team (with a losing record) by a margin of 1 point and lost to a strong undefeated SCDSL, Flight 2 team by 3. None of these teams had any business playing in the CRL and arguably the So Cal Blues should not have been in the CRL either (1 win).
 
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