RI soccer club is kicking it – could be champions in their first year

On By Littum

John Rooke
| Specially for the Providence Journal

Thinking out loud…while wondering if you can be overwhelmed or overwhelmed, why can’t you just be overwhelmed?

A word about pro football in Rhode Island: Awesome.

Not sure a first-year franchise could have asked for more from its team in year one. Could probably have asked for their home stadium to be completed in time for their debut, but hey, aren’t cost overruns and delays the rule rather than the exception these days?

Rhode Island FC will have their new stadium at Tidewater Landing in 2025. They could also have a banner to hang in the new facility if they beat Colorado Switchbacks FC (on the road again) for the USL Championship. The USL, in case you weren’t aware, is the no. 2 pro soccer league in America, behind MLS. So yes, akin to Triple-A baseball.

It has been a remarkable end to the season, regardless of Saturday’s result, as no. 5 seed in the USL Eastern Conference, the first ever expansion team from the East to reach a final while winning three straight on the road.

RIFC is capable of bringing home a national title in front of a national audience. That should definitely make for a fun home opener in Pawtucket next year.

This team has essentially replaced the PawSox and McCoy Stadium in our minds, if not our hearts, after baseball moved up in the Blackstone Valley to Worcester. So for better or worse – football is now an Ocean State focus, along with hockey with the Providence Bruins.

Having a former member of the New England Revolution, Khano Smith, as head coach makes this year’s success a cool story. Who doesn’t love a winner around here?

Can’t ask for much more than what we’ve seen in RIFC’s Year One.

∎ On Wednesday night, UConn’s Geno Auriemma became the all-time champion in college basketball history – men’s or women’s. Think about it for a moment and get back to me about winning his way into the pantheon of coaching hoopdom with names like John Wooden, Tara VanDerVeer and Mike Krzyzewski.

His journey began all the way back in 1985. He has won 1,217 games and lost just 162. His only losing season was his first, and the now-reported program had just one winning season before his arrival. Eleven national championships, 111 straight wins from 2014 to 2017, Naismith Hall of Fame in 2006.

You can certainly make the case that Auriemma (along with VanDerVeer, Pat Summitt and Jody Conradt) ushered women’s basketball into mainstream America. Caitlin Clark would not be who she is today without Geno being who he is.

∎ The Friars finished their five-game homestand BTB (Before The Bahamas) with slow improvement. Jayden Pierre earned a spot on the Big East Honor Roll, but for this team to continue traveling in the right direction, he will need to continue to score as Bryce Hopkins finally plays into form.

Shoots should begin to fall regularly. If they do, Providence vs. Gonzaga in the Battle 4 Atlantis finals, anyone?

∎ Four Big East teams in the Top 25 this week, with the Friars receiving votes. Slowly becoming a believer at St. John’s (ranked 22nd), especially with improved play inside from Zuby Ejiofor. Xavier’s returning injured (Zach Freemantle) has returned nicely. Ryan Conwell fits like a glove – shoots it pretty well too. Marquette, led by a Kam Jones triple-double this week, is playing as well as anyone in the country.

∎ Two weeks in a row for URI’s Tyonne Farrell to win Atlantic-10 Rookie of the Week. It’s the first time it’s happened since 2014, when EM Matthews earned it four weeks in a row.

∎ Brown’s all-Ivy guard Kino Lilly became the Bears’ all-time three-point shooter this week, hitting his 258th career triple. But he needs consistent help for the Bears to improve on a 2-3 start.

∎ OK, show of hands here. Who else fell for the Mike Tyson hype in his “fight” with Jake Paul on Netflix? thought so.

Tyson is 58 years old. He looks it all except for some muscular definition and his tattoos. Kudos to him for climbing into the ring with a guy 31 years his junior – but I know how I feel when I crawl out of bed in the morning and hear weird cracking noises.

Admit it. We were tricked into thinking that Iron Mike was still “the baddest man on the planet,” even though he looked more like the oldest man on the planet. Maybe he would land one early and senior citizens everywhere could celebrate? And maybe Paul let him finish the fight in eight rounds out of respect for the one-time heavyweight champion.

After the fight, Tyson and his corner have said that he may not be done. He is for me. What was it that PT Barnum allegedly once said – “A pacifier is born every minute?”

Oh, and Netflix? You have one month to clean up. The transfer and buffering issues during the match were hideous. I yelled at my TV on the wall and said some things that were just plain unfair. And anatomically impossible.

The NFL’s Christmas Day doubleheader is coming to Netflix, which paid the league $150 million for the two games. It’s not likely that there will be much holiday cheer if a “Circle of Death” dominates TV screens. Just saying it.

∎ Thanks to my buddy, “Big E”, this week, who says he forgot to go to the gym again. That’s seven years in a row now.

∎ I forget — is it “two steps forward, one step back” or “one step forward, two steps back?” Either way, you have the Patriots’ progress on the field this season in a nutshell.

One of the great mysteries of 21st century football in Foxboro has been New England’s inability to identify, acquire and coach wide receivers who even have a prayer of future success. Rookie Ja’Lynn Polk could very well be the next name thrown into the neighborhood dumpster.

I mean, I hope I’m wrong, but when notable receiving busts N’Keal Harry (1st round, 2019) and Tyquan Thornton (2nd round, 2022 and released last week) are posting better rookie years than Polk has had, is a statement – and not a good one.

Was there a real reason for it Patriots‘ secondary to play Rams receivers — two of the best in the NFL in Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua — in a zone half the time? Especially when your best defense this season has been man-to-man? And veteran QBs like Matthew Stafford usually eat zone defenses.

Kupp and Nacua had three TDs and 196 yards in catches. Pats were burnt like yesterday’s toast.

∎ X post of the Week I, from @kurt13warner: “The game #DrakeMaye played (Sunday) was the 3rd best rookie QB performance I’ve seen all year (the other 2 were by #JaydenDaniels)!!! Saw the field, made throws, anticipated, threw it away when needed & made some off time plays when nothing was there!! #impressive.”

Not for nothing, but Maye has thrown nine touchdown passes so far this season — to nine different receivers, including a tackle-eligible offensive lineman. Has there ever been a rookie QB in the NFL with such a start? Serious question – I can’t find an answer.

∎ Former Rhode Rams player and coach Darren Rizzi is now 2-0 as an NFL head coach after the Saints beat the Browns last week. New Orleans is just two games out of first place in the NFC South behind Atlanta.

∎ URI soccer climbed back to no. 13/15 in the polls after surviving Albany last week. The Rams face Bryant on Senior Day for a shot at their first 10-win season in 39 years as they eye the playoffs this week.

∎ PC football’s march into the NCAA’s featured a 7-0 record on campus in the postseason. It is the Friars’ 12th overall appearance, and in the previous 11, the Friars have advanced to the third round four times.

∎ No. 10/11 PC hockey split with UMass last week, tangled with third-ranked Boston College this week and dropped an overtime game Tuesday after holding a 2-1 lead in the third period. Practice!

∎ How do I feel about the Bruins dumping Jim Montgomery this week?

∎X post of the Week II, from @redsoxstats: “Year 10 by Don Sweeney. 0 cups. 4 head coaches. Fired a Stanley Cup winner. Fired someone who then immediately won the Cup, fired a coach with a .715 points percentage. So far, his summer signings of Lindholm 7-$54 million and Zadorov 6-$30 million look like albatross deals.”

∎ Very sad to hear of former WEEI radio host and noted sportswriter Larry Johnson who passed away this week at the age of 75. I had so much fun working on the air with Larry (and Craig Mustard) over the years beginning in mid 90s. Larry was always energetic, always up for debate, and had that quintessential Boston accent that was perfect for our consumption. Rare was the host everyone liked – and Larry was rare.

∎ Congratulations to friend and good guy Dave Sims, who is moving from the Seattle Mariners TV booth to the Yankees radio booth next season, replacing the retired John Sterling. And now I must hate him.

∎ Fourteen rookies are on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for this year, including the Red Sox’s Dustin Pedroia, former Sox infielder Ian Kinsler and outfielder Hanley Ramirez. “Pedey” certainly deserves a Hall trip – as does Luis Tiant of the veteran roster, as we think aloud.

∎ ICYMI: The Tampa Bay Rays will play their home games at the Yankees’ spring training facility in Tampa, at George Steinbrenner Field, which seats 11,206. Which also means the Rays might actually sell a game or two next year.

∎ Jim in Pawtucket emailed this week about Tropicana Field’s hurricane damage: “The city-owned field will require $55.7 million to repair (early estimate). According to an MSN report, their insurance policy covers $25 Mill with a $22 Mill deductible. However, the coverage was for $100 Mill until March when it was changed to save $275,000 in premium payments. A big Oops!”

Yikes. As you state Jim, it seems the Rays are penny wise but pound foolish. Haven’t they always been that way? And the Red Sox want to be Tampa North?

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