Strikers Derailed by Carolina, Tampa on the Horizon & Strikers Open Online Shop

We are just days away from the biggest rivalry in sports! Okay maybe not really, but who here isn't pumped to see the Fort Lauderdale Strikers take on the green and yellow puke from Tampa Bay?

First things first. The loss last night to Carolina may have been demoralizing after a decently successful road trip, but the announced crowd of around 2,000 makes it even worse. Carolina has a great team and it seems no one cares. But we care and this Saturday will be huge, we're hoping to see at least 10,000 fill Lockhart Stadium. Whispers have been flying around that the crowd will sing the national anthem, but as long as we just chime in at the end with a "HOME OF THE STRIKERS!", this Striker Liker will be one happy camper.

Also of note, you can shop for your favorite official Striker gear here. There are only a few items available but come on people! If you're a Striker Liker there isn't one thing on the site you shouldn't have.

If you want to be a hardcore Liker, visit the Football in Miami and Beyond here for a laundry list of the necessary items it takes to look the part of a real Striker Liker.

P.S. - A reliable source has confirmed that magicjack's owner has decided to coach the team himself.

As One Sun Sets, Another Rises

The dark ages are finally over. The Fort Lauderdale Strikers have returned. They've eaten up completely what was Miami FC and have reinvigorated a market starving for professional soccer. And although it began with a loss, there was a feeling that everything was good in the world. The Strikers were back and that only means good things.

When this blog began inauspiciously a few years ago, we figured we could conjure up old memories and somehow put a spin on the local soccer conversation. But today marks a new era. There is a team now, real and made of living things. There is a team we must support, a team we must question and above all a team we must be proud to call our own. So although some may argue that we just have Miami FC in better looking uniforms, let this be a warning to you. When you call yourself a Striker Liker, you take on a responsibility to bring soccer into the future and to prove that South Florida is no retirement home.

So today we grieve over a season opening loss but to the fans, the community we scored a landmark victory. 6,402 was the announced attendance. It may drop slightly on Friday's follow up match against Minnesota, but there will be a presence in the stands. The Fort Lauderdale Strikers are back and so are the Striker Likers.

Washington Freedom to Move to Boca Raton

Hey Striker fans, how's about we get two new teams for the price of one! Rumor has it that the Washington Freedom will be relocating to Boca Raton and playing out their 2011 home schedule at FAU's soccer stadium (field with one bleacher stand).

Apparently the team's controlling interest was purchased by Palm County resident and magicJack inventor Dan Borislow. Currently the team has been renamed magicJack Washington Freedom. Kinda weird if they'll be playing in Boca. What they should do is team up with the Strikers, double headers will attract more fans.

The Freedom have some firepower and some big names, their roster includes US Women's National Team standouts Abby Wambach, Shannon Boxx, Lindsay Tarpley and Hope Solo.

Fort Lauderdale Strikers vs. Red Bull New York (It's Official)

Fort Lauderdale Strikers vs. Red Bull New York

According to Red Bull New York's website, their preseason schedules includes a stop right here in sunny Fort Lauderdale. Apparently they got here yesterday.

A scrimmage of sorts is set for Wednesday against the Chicago Fire, but surprisingly enough a Saturday date is slotted against Miami FC. I guess Red Bull New York hasn't gotten the memo yet, we're the Fort Lauderdale Strikers now.

Any news on this, who is going, where is it and when do I show up?

I'd rather be playing the Cosmos but they don't have a team, just a bunch of celebrities sitting on thrones.

That's Fort Lauderdale Strikers, If You're Nasty

Here it is folks. It's a moment the Striker Liker here has been dreaming of for a long time. It almost seems surreal. For almost 20 years we've been without the good ole Strikers and now, here they are.

Gotta give it up to the Supporters who made it out to Fort Lauderdale beach at 5pm to attend the press extravaganza and provide killer photos (see them here).

Let the cavalcade of Striker paraphernalia begin. I need shirts, jerseys, warm ups, bags, posters, keychains, stickers, you name it!

Don't have tickets yet, what are you waiting for?

By the way, discussions on the new logo can commence as well, anyone bummed that the sun burst is gone? or that Strikers is spelled in block and not the bubbly cursive we are accustomed to?

Sidenote: Where else can I get a free shirt?

Fan Club Pre Season Meeting this Saturday!

Join the Ultras this Saturday, February 5th at 12pm at the Hollywood Ale House to finally creep out of your winter slumber and get back into soccer fanaticism shape.

Have you been bummed since the World Cup? Premier League action not enough to keep you going? Well the time has finally come to get out those flags, horns, drums and face paint and get geared up for a local pro soccer season.

It's time to start planning supporters rallies, road trips, opening day craziness and somehow someway getting an MLS team in South Florida.

Besides the Miami FC/Strikers season, we've got Gold Cup matches and even Barcelona versus AC Milan in the summer. Excited yet!

The Hollywood Ale House is located at 3215 Oakwood Blvd., Hollywood, FL 33020 (it's the same plaza as Home Depot, you know, where Six Flags Atlantis used to be).

See you there!

Welcome to Fort Lauderdale DC United

I told you they'd come, and here they here. In the same place where only a week ago hundreds of hopefulls gathered for a chance to make the new Striker squad, league cellar dwellars DC United started their pre season training in front of Fort Lauderdale Stadium.

Maybe some Striker Likers should make it out and show the MLS what's up. Can we get a Strikers vs. DC United scrimmage game? Or just a bunch of guys in Strikers shirts playing against DC United, that would be cool too.

Schedule Unleashed

Well, it's out there, the 2011 Striker Schedule. Read a few posts back and I would have never believed this day would come. But what's the deal with the Miami FC/Strikers name? Are we not going all in and making it the Fort Lauderdale Strikers? The Miami FC/Strikers is retarded, pardon the euphemism, I could call it something worse.

In any case, it's pro soccer and it's right here in our back yard. Unfortunately, there is no 9/9 scheduled affair. 9/9 marks the anniversary of the Strikers lone championship victory back in 1989. That weekend the Strikers will be on their way to Edmonton. So party at the Hard Rock to celebrate on Friday night? Who's with me.

Here's the full schedule, all home games to be played at Lockhart Stadium:

Super What?

That's right, it ain't a party til this guy shows. You know your home team has arrived when THE Super Mario is checking out your home field.

All joking aside, the rivalry game did live up to some sort of potential. The tailgating was present, a live band greeted fans as they entered the field and there were opposing fans in somewhat large numbers (too many for my taste).

The game too was exciting! Tampa Bay had a few more chances early but late in the first half the Miami FC took the lead, almost out of nowhere. I say out of no where because the cops were busy trying to handle the rowdy Rowdies fans. Not too hard, they are forced to wear puke green and yellow, so it makes them hate themselves just as much as they hate living in Tampa.

But then the second half came and it kinda ruined the party. One minute in, Miami FC's lone "star" player gets a straight red for a 'from-behind' tackle. From then on it was one way traffic albeit for a few Miami FC breakaways, but with 10 minutes to go the Tampons found the equalizer and the Miami FC are still winless (but they haven't lost yet either).

If the game were played 11 on 11, I'm pretty sure we would have had a Miami FC victory and a much happier fanbase. So why the straight red? Not only was it a buzzkill, but it basically ruined any chances for a Miami FC win. It doesn't even make sense. If the Miami FC can't win, then no one comes to the games, then the city loses the team entirely and these refs won't have any games to ref. That's why it's called home cooking. I think it's time we start stressing the need for this.

OK, rant done. There were many Striker Likers out there last night. Kudos to all. Keep the dream alive.

Where's Waldo?

Probably not the post you were expecting on the eve of NASL 2.0's opening weekend, but I had a friend recently move to Greece and when I noticed Freddy Adu not on the Benfica Europa roster against Liverpool I did some searching and found this. A happy coincidence.

Jokes aside, Adu obviously isn't what we Americans have hoped for but the kid is still 21. He's no Messi and if you believe an American will be coined best in the world at this game, you are a very optimistic person. I hope it happens in my lifetime, but truly I'm not holding my breath.

But back to more Striker Liker related issues. Miami FC (soon to be known as the Strikers) take on the Rochester Rhinos this weekend at the daunting Lockhart Stadium. Not a bad way to kick off the NASL in a comfy familiar setting. The Ultras and Southern Brigade have already claimed a section so it's going to be fun to see how the rest of the public reacts. It's also going to be interesting to see how Miami FC itself gets the word out. Their 'head shaving' stunt didn't really follow through last year, but I think the ten people who saw it have already forgotten it by now.

It is a new season, a new team, a new permanent home and new results better be on the way. A win this weekend could go a long way, but also some exciting action wouldn't hurt either.

Let's get our butts to the field!

20 Years, Can You Believe It?

It's been 20 somewhat interesting years since the Fort Lauderdale Strikers have won a championship. It was actually their only championship, but it was a championship none the less. For a franchise that could call George Best and Nene Cubillas their own, it was the scrappy hardworking Strikers from 1989 that did the business, besting the San Diego Nomads in a cross country final.

Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of that championship and although there were no ticker tape or parades, we did have an enormous amount of soccer being played around the world and emotions were either bolstered or utterly destroyed.

I'd like to thank FIFA for their Match Centre (pictured above) for keeping me up to the minute while I was at work. Cameroon's victory early in the day started it all off and by 2pm I had the luxury of a little espn360 for some interesting European matches.

Into the night came the games most important to me, although I must say Bahrain's 94th minute equalizer at Saudi Arabia might have been the most intriguing moment of the day - silencing King Fahd International Stadium and sending Bahrain to their second straight play-off to make the world cup. This time out they face New Zealand.

In any case, the Americas had plenty of action as USA and Mexico kept winning to stay atop their group and hopefully avoid a play-off of their own against South America's 5th ranked team.

In South America, Maradona continued to soil whatever he had left of his reputation by putting Argentina in more peril than ever before. Brazil and Paraguay stay atop the standings.

With two games to go, the pure excitement of World Cup Soccer is reaching the ever so famous 'fever pitch'. Small sidenote, the USA and South Africa are leading in ticket sales for the World Cup, we must have some soccer fans in this country.

But back to the Strikers. Sorry we couldn't raise a glass to commemorate you. Instead, we watched soccer from around the world unfold. In a week or so's time, a former Striker will take the US -20 to Egypt for the Youth World Cup. Good luck Thomas Rongen.

Here's to you 1989 Fort Lauderdale Strikers - we love you dearly.

Too Cool - Toronto FC Season Tickets

Does anyone know what Miami FC's Season Ticket Package looks like? Toronto FC's package is sweeter than sweet, you can print your tickets online and keep the season tickets untouched and use them as a poster (more info)

Oh, you also get game day scarves.

And the Dessert Cart Rolls On

Striker Likers, now is the time to rejoice! Our voices are being heard and read. Our little site here, for a short time, was nothing more than a sign post, but the fervor of Striker fever is catching on around the World (Wide Web, that is).

Facebook now has a dedicated group of Striker Likers.

Twitter has also come around with a Striker Liker page.

The Miami FC fanclub homepage has a many Striker Likers in their ranks.

What does this all mean? Well, not much, but at least people are talking, tweeting, blogging, posting photos, sharing memories and that just might lead to something.

Now, wouldn't that be nice?

Farewell Orioles

Thank god that's over.

Remember when, not too long ago, we had that scare of the Baltimore Orioles demolishing Lockhart Stadium to construct a state of the art Spring Training and Minor League facility? Well, that didn't pan out and now the B. O.'s are moving to Sarasota, which not only frees Lockhart Stadium from any bulldozers in the near future but also means there will be no Spring Training baseball in South Florida at all.

Some would also argue that we don't have Major League Baseball either based on attendance numbers at Landshark Stadium recently.

In any case, farewell Orioles, we didn't like birds anyhow.

The Fever Grows

I don't know who this is. But let this picture speak the words of a soccer fever getting ready to explode.

So we didn't get a Barcelona MLS team. So the Miami FC drew 405 fans to FIU this weekend after the Gold Cup doubleheader hosted 17,000. So what, who cares?

Striker Likers will always be Striker Likers, and it's never to late to become one!

GO USA this weekend against Panama. Congratulations Estudiantes for winning the Copa Libertadores and tonight, well, let's see what happens with David Beckham and Landon Donovan.

Get On With Your Bad Self

Yeah, that's right. President Obama is a soccer fan. Blame it on those early days in Jakarta or having to raise two young girls in America. Either way you chalk it up, the Big Chief wants the World Cup back in the States, where it belongs.

Currently the USA bid for the tournament contains a few Florida destinations such as Dolphin Stadium, so this could be huge. The last World Cup game played in Florida, I believe, was the Ireland-Holland second round game at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. I was their, Patrick "Packie" Bonner had a howler and later that day the USA bowed out of the competition with a 1-0 loss to Brazil and a hospital visit for Tab Ramos. Oh, those were the days.

Also of note, let us not forget that Lockhart Stadium is being dusted off for another soccer game this weekend when the Miami FC call it home in its USL-1 season opener Saturday. Some say this is more of a test between county fans, but seriously are we Striker Likers supposed to lay down our arms and support a team that thinks if you put Miami in the title it makes all the difference?

It's Just Not the Same

Take a good look, the site looks familiar because it's Lockhart Stadium!

In a few weeks it will host some pro soccer games. But it won't be the Strikers you'll be seeing. It will be the Miami FC. Such a double-edged sword this is. On the one hand, it's pro soccer in South Florida. It's all we've got. But on the other hand, it ain't the Strikers, and if the FC fail so does any hopes of seeing the Red and Yellow ever again.

Anyways, I might be there. But if I show, I'll be sporting a Striker shirt and I'll be singing Zigga Zaggy Zigga Zaggy, Oi Oi Oi! Just for old times.

All I really have to say is, "Miami FC, don't rub your stink on Fort Lauderdale"