It's been a bit of an up and down year for our neighbors to the east. Off the pitch, they were able to take full control over their stadium and entered into an official partnership with new MLS club Philadelphia. Taking control of the stadium will no doubt increase revenue streams and give them the flexibility to host additional events. The relationship with Philly was supposed to increase Harrisburg's viability and legitimacy and provide them with talent to compete in the USL's second division. However, the realities of whoring themselves out has had a detrimental effect on the team's 2010 campaign.

As a Pittsburgh native and avid sports fan, summers tend to be the proverbial off-season. Normally marked by the end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, continuing through another disappointing Pirates campaign and ending with Steelers preseason. Most people find the time to take in a few ballgames (for the fireworks and bands), speculate on who the Steelers will play as the third CB in the nickel or work on their golf game. However, there is a niche group of fanatical supporters who absolutely love this time of the year...the soccer fan. This hidden sub-culture is slowly growing and gaining momentum, sprouting up in local pubs, around our very own professional franchise, traveling to other cities to take in games and appearing on grass fields all over Western Pennsylvania.

After the presentation of the Steel Army's 2008 Player of the Year award, things turned dismal at the Valley this past Saturday evening. A slow first half ended with the City Islanders taking a one goal lead. At the half, the skies opened up forcing fans into the bowels of the stadium. Sensing the mood and wariness of the drenched populace, the Steel Army began chanting, singing and dancing; transforming the place into a carnival! The fans came out for the second half in good spirits, but the tying goal never materialized as Harrisburg kept up the pressure. The Hounds did not link up well and appeared uninspired for long stretches during the match. Some blame the recent two game slide on tactical changes while others point to a lack of player focus. Personally, I felt like midfielder Justin Evans was receiving the ball too deep in our own end to start the attack, which sputtered before reaching the final third. Whatever the reason, manager Gene Klein will need to find a way to right the ship heading into a two week break from action before the Hounds make the dreaded Charlotte/Wilmington road trip.

So as promised I will review the Harrisburg as I remember it. For me it really started with trying to get as many people to take the trip across the state as possible. What at one point looked like an army of 20 or so going to the state capital to watch the hounds take on the City Islanders, dwindled down to around 5 just days before the trip. Keep in mind this was a wednesday night game so work was the main reason many of us couldn't make it, but that isn't an excuse. The Army should always come before work, just ask Keystone. Anyways the 5 grew to about 12 just before the trip and it was exciting to know the army would have a strong voice in Harrisburg.


When game day arrived Myself Yan and Maria make the long car trip to Harrisburg without many bumps along the way. When we arrived at the bar however, it was clear that MJ, Beef Espo and Keystone had wasted no time in starting the pre-game.

After a few drinks the rest of us were just about ready to take over Harrisburg as well. Then in true Steel Army fashion, Tim limps in on crutches just hours after having surgery on his leg. Naturally he is quickly given a seat and a pint, taking his rightful place as a Steel Army Legend.

As we crossed the bridge and made our way to the stadium, I was very impressed with the size of the crowd that was filling into the gates. Although Harrisburg has no orginized support the soccer moms and soccer kids come out in full force. Other stadium highlights have to include; mocking a girl who decided to wear a Leeds United shirt, drinking Troeggs for 3 dollars, and recieving dirty looks from half of Alabama... err I mean Harrisburg. It was during halftime that BEEF and Espo discovered that nobody was stopping them from taking the USL 2 Trophy, which was sitting on the edge of the snack shack.

Thankfully the 'ammer and Magpie in BEEF and Espo didn't get the best of them and the cops were not needed. In the second half we broke out the more offensive songs such as "Oh Harrisburg is full of scum" and "Alabama in the Middle" naturally the locals weren't too happy with us but it was hard to tell as they weren't making any noise. After T-mac's header gave us the win, we stormed the field with Pittsburgh flags and Hound's blue and white, much to the shagrin of Islander fans, especially those who are looking to get some orginized support for the next year.

After the match we went back to the bar and drank with the players, in what I felt was a classy and honest way for them to show us how much they appreciated our support during the season.

Today it was announced that the Cleveland City stars would be promoting to the USL1. In the Hound's first year back the City Stars were clearly our biggest rival, they have a supporters group about the size of the Steel Army, they were our closest road trip, and they are from CLEVELAND! It was a natural fit, but so it ends after only one year. Cleveland clearly got the best of it on the field taking all 9 points partly due to a heart breaking last second goal in the opener. In the stands however I would say that there were no losers as I'm sure the Green Army enjoyed the back and forth road trips as much as we did. Probobly a bit more given the results. That said I don't know what upsets me more, The fact that we lost everyones favorite rivalry, the fact that it's one less road trip for next year, or the fact that the Steel Army is now the only supporters group in the northern part of the USL. Hopefully Harrisburg can get thier act together and get some real support, although signs look promising that that the two maryland clubs may have some orginized support next year.
As for the Green Army I don't know what I'd think if I were them, on one hand you get to go into a bigger and better league, and you will get to see a few away games on national TV, (ahem FSC) also you'd get a few more home games, but on the downside the only away game that is a drivable distance is Rochester, rather than having half the league within distance of a day trip as you do with the USL2. Also keep in mind that the majority of the Green Army's support is college or High School age, so Portland and Miami are most likely out of the question. On top of that I'm sure a few of the Green Army Bhoys will miss the banter and back and forth chanting that the rivalry created.
Speaking of missing rivalries it's unfortunate that the biggest supporters group rivalries in both the USL1 and USL2 will dissappear in the same season, as Seattle becomes part of the MLS leaving the 'ole Portland Timbers behind, Cleveland Pittsburgh had that honor in USL2 (DUH!!!) So where does this leave the USL2? It looks like the USL2 will go from being a 10 team league to a 9 team league with rumors of Indy joining the league sometime in the future to again push it to ten. The rivalry based scheduling from last season will have to be adjusted, also every American team in the league will qualify automatically for the US Open Cup. (If you remember the Hounds just made the tournament last year by avoiding a last place standing on the arbitrary day that the qualifying was to end.) If the Indianapolis rumors are true then the league will have ten teams again soon, but before you get too excited there were rumors of a canadian team in the USL2 a few months ago and I haven't heard anything of that since. If your a fan of the City stars I suppose it's a good day, if your a fan of the rivalry it's a sad one, and as for the Steel Army we still hate Cleveland City which is about the highest honor that we can bestow on another team.
I leave you with a song...

"And it's no nay never, no nay never no more, cause we'll play Cleveland Shitty, no nay never no more!!!!"