UIC Soccer 2007 - post mortem

[soccer fan]

Like everyone else, I am disappointed at losing in the quarterfinals, but I think in many ways this was a difficult season for this team, and in the end, they thoroughly vindicated themselves.

My rose-colored, optimistic prognosis at the beginning of the season was top 20: expected, top 15: do-able, and top 10: outside chance. Having made the elite eight means they made my stretch expectation, meaning they outperformed.

Isn't that the most we can expect from any team? That they exceed our optimistic expectations? Its hard not to be a fan of a group like that, and after having watched Milwaukee's chronic underachievers last Thursday, it makes me appreciate the soccer Flames even more.

So, looking ahead to next season, we've got some major holes to fill, most notably in the attacking midfield, where we lose TWO of the stars of this team, guys who were out there pretty much every minute of every game, and who executed UIC's style of play to near perfection.

Dunjer and Zambrano will be much harder to replace even then the guys we lost last year were, so the road back to the elite will be a long and probably rocky one.

I think next season will tell us how good a coach John Trask really is. Conventional wisdom says 2008 will be a rebuilding year, but will it actually play out that way?

Time will tell, and as always, I CAN'T WAIT FOR AUGUST!!!

[Big D]

This team certainly exceeded my expectations...and even more, they have turned me into more of a soccer fan. I am by no means an expert in the game of soccer...I'm still trying to figure out the rules and why players do what they want to do. For instance, still trying to figure out when a goalie can perform the various kicks and when players get free kicks etc.

Before this year, I really didn't like watching soccer. But this team has changed my attitude and I think I can watch every game these guys played if it were streamed. It really is a shame they lost today because they were damn fun to watch. And I think anyone watching the game would agree that we outplayed UMass...they just made the most of their couple chances.

Also, does anyone know how my scholarships UIC soccer gives out? UMass gives out 2 or 3 or something like that, and I'm wondering if we're in the same boat.

Finally, I'd like to donate to soccer as well as a reward and "thank-you" for such a great season. It's so nice to have a program that you actually expect to win. The same cannot be said for basketball. Anyway, does anyone know how I could send in a donation to both basketball and soccer at the same time and have some earmarked for both sports? And how do I know it will go to the appropriate spot?

[Guest]

I would call the coach's office directly for a donation. 312-996-6755. Huge tournament for UIC. As an alum, I am very proud and may make a donation myself.

[soccer fan]

More stuff about the Flames 2007 soccer season:

www.chicagojournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=60&ArticleID=3751&TM=44391.14

Its mostly a rehash, but the last two sentences are quite significant for those of us who are fans of this team:

Trask has no plans to leave the success he's built.

"I'm getting married in the spring and I'm re-negotiating my contract now," he said. "I'll be around for a while."

In other news, the rumor floating around is that Zambrano and Dunjer have been invited to the MLS combine (the dog and pony show that precedes the MLS draft).

Could two former Flames end up in the MLS next season?

Could Zambrano possibly end up coming back for one last season (he supposedly has one additional year of eligibility) if he doesn't get drafted?

[FuryJP]

COME BACK!!!

[Big D]

I'm very glad to hear that we're willing to renegotiate. Trask deserves whatever he gets.

I touched on this in another thread, but I think Trask is making the right decision. As long as it's not about the money, i.e., as long as we pay him well enough, why leave for another program with more history on its side, which seems to be the norm in sports? Why go somewhere to just be another coach in an already successful program, when you can be considered a legend by a program and a fanbase that you built yourself from the ground up? Trask has that opportunity at UIC.

He certainly can win it all right here at UIC....and the fanbase is really starting to increase.

With the soccer program, I'd consider it successful if we can compete in and win conference most years, appear in the national rankings more than just occasionally, and advance in the tournament consistently. I don't think we need elite 8 every year...it's not realistic. But to go in and win a game or two would be great. And, maybe one year, we'll get lucky enough to win the whole thing.

[soccer fan]

Still more news. Jovan Bubonja, second team all-american:

www.collegesoccernews.com/index_files/Page2806.htm

Congratulations on the great season, Jovan!

[goflames31]

This is really exciting and all about Trask, but the question remains, can he coach basketball?

[UICJohn]

Excellent news about Trask. Now let's not cheap skate him but and give him a low ball offer. I'm glad he's so interested in staying! He can stay and become THE UIC coach. When people talk of UIC soccer, he is who you think of. Why wouldn't someone want that? One day, our field could be known as John Trask Field!

[soccer fan]

Final NCAA rankings puts UIC at number 10. I know that fact was on the Flames website, but here's the full list for anyone interested.

www.nscaa.com/seniorRes.php?it=755

1 Wake Forest University (19) 475 1 22 - 2 - 2
2 Ohio State University 456 14 17 - 4 - 5
3 Virginia Tech 437 8 14 - 4 - 5
4 Massachusetts, University of 418 NR 17 - 8 - 1
5 Connecticut, University of 396 2 20 - 3 - 1
6 Notre Dame 369 11 14 - 5 - 5
7 Santa Clara University 328 3 16 - 2 - 4
8 UC Santa Barbara 289 13 13 - 4 - 4
9 Creighton University 273 7 12 - 3 - 5
10 Bradley University 268 NR 16 - 6 - 5
10 Illinois-Chicago, University of 268 NR 13 - 6 - 6
12 Boston College 264 6 15 - 5 - 1
13 West Virginia University 230 18 14 - 6 - 2
14 Indiana University 213 9 13 - 4 - 5
15 Maryland, University of 207 19 10 - 6 - 5
16 Brown University 185 4 15 - 2 - 1
17 South Florida, University of 164 23 14 - 6 - 2
18 Southern Methodist University 159 5 14 - 5 - 2
19 Old Dominion University 126 NR 14 - 7 - 3
20 Tulsa, University of 123 9 15 - 3 - 2
21 Northwestern University 103 16 12 - 5 - 3
22 Saint Louis University 87 12 12 - 2 - 5
23 Akron, University of 81 17 15 - 4 - 2
24 California, University of 70 20 12 - 6 - 2
25 Central Connecticut State University 51 NR 10 - 9 - 3

Its a decent rank, but seeing Bradley tied with us annoys me to no end, seeing as how UIC beat them during the regular season, and they were gifted an opening round home game against a cupcake (DePaul). And number 9 is Creighton? Geez, I thought UIC beat them, too.

Nitpicking aside, congratulations players and coaches! This is a great accomplishment both for the program and for the university.