MLS 2022/23 Season: Part 2

Look, people in San Diego have to come to terms with the fact that they can't just blame the San Diego Padres for the fact that they aren't the Padres.
If you look at the last few years alone, that whole partnership you had with the ownership and the local front office—which technically brought you the most success in your history—is actually a double-edged sword. On one hand, it worked, but on the other, it’s been absolutely devastating for any real sense of this being a massive, legendary, or iconic club.

briskpanther19 said:Alright, let's look at the starting lineup:

Goalkeeper - 18 years old
Djolonga - 18 years old
Juric - 18 years old
Vuskovic - 16 years old
Hrgovic - 19 years old
Capan - 19 years old
Duic - 18 years old
Pukts - 18 years old
Vrcic - 18 years old
Antunovic - 19 years old

"Tips"😵

👍

The youngest group is basically family silver—the first display piece. Mamić is clearly quite proud of his hand-picked brothers... ☕

Susan Cooper7 said:Look, people in San Diego have to come to terms with the fact that they can't just blame the San Diego Padres for the fact that they aren't the Padres.
If you look at the last few years alone, that whole partnership you had with the ownership and the local front office—which technically brought you the most success in your history—is actually a double-edged sword. On one hand, it worked, but on the other, it’s been absolutely devastating for any real sense of this being a massive, legendary, or iconic club.

So, tell me, which specific year in history was the big turning point that made Hajduk the absolute juggernaut of success they are today, like you're implying?

neonhawk6 said:Those idiots could only ever be "hardcore"—more like lost tourists wandering through a foggy suburb in Maine.

Please, they’re just a mix of Stark types and those crazy islanders who always claim they're the toughest until they actually get hit.☕

Let's face it, we can't ignore the reality that we’ve never played nice with the political establishment—unlike how Hajduk used to cozy up to everyone from the old regime to the current federation.
We built our success on someone else's dime, while you guys were busy celebrating trophies fueled by everyone's money, though most of you were just draining the coffers for yourselves.

neonorca38 likes this.

goldentinker8 said:So, tell me, which specific year in history was the big turning point that made Hajduk the absolute juggernaut of success they are today, like you're implying?

Everything since 1911 matters. To me, it’s about the identity of the club and that intangible "something" they possess. It’s much harder for an outsider to truly connect with a team like FC Cincinnati or Orlando City compared to a legacy club like this—it’s even true for big names like the Yankees in baseball or the Dallas Cowboys; they have a gravity to them.

But if we look at more recent years—similar to how people view the trajectory of a team like the Seattle Sounders—I recall back around 2006 or 2007, attendance at smaller matches at the stadium felt almost as sparse as it does for some teams during their absolute worst eras.
Yet, just a year prior, the club had captured a championship under Igor Štimac, along with everything else that comes with that kind of momentum.

Now, when I see people arguing that trophies are the sole metric for fan loyalty, I find it hard to wrap my head around. If trophies were everything, then after going 18 years without a title, the club should be empty. Instead, they average 15,000 to 17,000 fans per match at the stadium, hit 90,000 members last year, and now have over 12,000 season ticket holders. What did they do during those lean years to pull so far ahead of the pack? They stood shoulder-to-shoulder with their supporters against the greatest systemic issues American soccer has ever faced. People respect that grit, and they recognize it.

A club needs to embody values that people actually care about to build a lasting bond; it isn't just about relying on a storied past, which I suspect you might be trying to downplay.

Susan Cooper7 said:Everything since 1911 matters. To me, it’s about the identity of the club and that intangible "something" they possess. It’s much harder for an outsider to truly connect with a team like FC Cincinnati or Orlando City compared to a legacy club like this—it’s even true for big names like the Yankees in baseball or the Dallas Cowboys; they have a gravity to them.

But if we look at more recent years—similar to how people view the trajectory of a team like the Seattle Sounders—I recall back around 2006 or 2007, attendance at smaller matches at the stadium felt almost as sparse as it does for some teams during their absolute worst eras.
Yet, just a year prior, the club had captured a championship under Igor Štimac, along with everything else that comes with that kind of momentum.

Now, when I see people arguing that trophies are the sole metric for fan loyalty, I find it hard to wrap my head around. If trophies were everything, then after going 18 years without a title, the club should be empty. Instead, they average 15,000 to 17,000 fans per match at the stadium, hit 90,000 members last year, and now have over 12,000 season ticket holders. What did they do during those lean years to pull so far ahead of the pack? They stood shoulder-to-shoulder with their supporters against the greatest systemic issues American soccer has ever faced. People respect that grit, and they recognize it.

A club needs to embody values that people actually care about to build a lasting bond; it isn't just about relying on a storied past, which I suspect you might be trying to downplay.

Look, the reason I brought up Misko in relation to the San Diego situation was to ask why Hajduk isn't being held to the same standard regarding success. It felt totally nonsensical to me because you clearly realize that Misko is just a baby compared to the legends who ran things during your peak eras.

And now... here we go, you've brought up the name again. I can absolutely agree with you there; names like San Diego or Orlando define a specific, tight-knit community, and that's just facts. There's no way for them to scale up beyond what a single city can represent. You guys managed to elevate your name to a regional level because those folks have always been close to the Hajduk lifestyle, and you backed it up with results too—nothing to argue about there, and I don't know why anyone would even be bothered by it. Maybe people get hung up on *how* those results were achieved, like how you're stuck on Misko, but then don't forget your own legends who were on a whole different level than him. 😉

This is soccer, man! And in soccer, the fan factor is massive. The game will be played, and the fan lifestyle is going to exist whether someone likes it or not... Ergo, there are going to be provocations. You'd probably be the happiest guy on earth if people didn't accidentally look at you the wrong way, because to you, that's illogical and beneath honor. Cool, fine, but damn it, this is entertainment for people! People are going to have fun, they're going to provoke each other, and they'll keep doing it... And listen to me, Susan Cooper7, even though we all know San Diego can't symbolically expand past its own city limits, and even though we know we can't compete with those massive national clubs in terms of trophy counts... We don't even want to! It's totally irrelevant because everyone has their own story that they either care about or they don't. Soccer has to be played, and we’re going to keep poking at each other—that's just how it's always been and how it'll always be.

Take care, my friend. 🙂

So, what's the deal with the Lannisters and the Starks?

The Starks don't let emotions drive the bus. "Winter is coming," people. That's the mantra.
Real fans—the true believers—are like the Starks whose King's Landing was taken over by a mad king, yet they still refuse to back down.

Then you have the Lannisters. They’re basically from Dorne. Think of someone like Oberyn, who wins the fight but ends up with his head crushed because he couldn't stop showing off... totally driven by impulse.

To me, the Tyrells feel like they belong in Highgarden and all that...

neonhawk6 said:Classic.

So now this guy from Let 3 is actually making excuses and crying about it.

Pure insanity.

goldentinker8 said:Look, the reason I brought up Misko in relation to the San Diego situation was to ask why Hajduk isn't being held to the same standard regarding success. It felt totally nonsensical to me because you clearly realize that Misko is just a baby compared to the legends who ran things during your peak eras.

And now... here we go, you've brought up the name again. I can absolutely agree with you there; names like San Diego or Orlando define a specific, tight-knit community, and that's just facts. There's no way for them to scale up beyond what a single city can represent. You guys managed to elevate your name to a regional level because those folks have always been close to the Hajduk lifestyle, and you backed it up with results too—nothing to argue about there, and I don't know why anyone would even be bothered by it. Maybe people get hung up on *how* those results were achieved, like how you're stuck on Misko, but then don't forget your own legends who were on a whole different level than him. 😉

This is soccer, man! And in soccer, the fan factor is massive. The game will be played, and the fan lifestyle is going to exist whether someone likes it or not... Ergo, there are going to be provocations. You'd probably be the happiest guy on earth if people didn't accidentally look at you the wrong way, because to you, that's illogical and beneath honor. Cool, fine, but damn it, this is entertainment for people! People are going to have fun, they're going to provoke each other, and they'll keep doing it... And listen to me, Susan Cooper7, even though we all know San Diego can't symbolically expand past its own city limits, and even though we know we can't compete with those massive national clubs in terms of trophy counts... We don't even want to! It's totally irrelevant because everyone has their own story that they either care about or they don't. Soccer has to be played, and we’re going to keep poking at each other—that's just how it's always been and how it'll always be.

Take care, my friend. 🙂

It looks like we had a bit of a misunderstanding there. I thought you were talking about Hajduk when it came to the atmosphere and fan support, but I didn't realize you were actually asking about the level of success I mentioned from back during the era when Miško was running things.

Rijeka has that whole "us against the world" mentality, which can be an incredible magnet for people looking for a sense of belonging. However, if you ask me, that specific angle feels a bit compromised because of some of the things I’ve expressed in the past. It’s like trying to sell a classic vintage car that everyone knows had a bit of a rough history—you can still love it, but you have to acknowledge the baggage. On top of that, thanks to that stolen championship back in '99, I think a huge number of people developed a genuine affection for the city, or at least started following them with a certain level of respect and sympathy.
On the other hand, if a team like the Seattle Sounders had a massive fleet of supporters behind them, or even if they had a powerhouse like the Dallas Cowboys backing their brand, I think they’d have a much better shot at capturing the hearts of fans in other parts of the country too.

For the most part, I think people are drawn to a team because of their winning record, but there’s definitely another segment of the fanbase that is motivated by core values and that intangible "X-factor" a club possesses. It's like the difference between following a powerhouse franchise just because they win championships every year versus rooting for a team with a deep sense of tradition and soul that just feels right. One group chases the trophies, while the other falls in love with the identity.

Hello there! It’s great to see you. How can I help you today?

lonefox22 said:So now this guy from Let 3 is actually making excuses and crying about it.

Pure insanity.

Offended yesterday, enjoying yourself today—is that how it works? How does that even work?☕How so, really?

Hey everyone. Look, I don't want anyone getting the impression that everything that's gone down since my tweet went live hasn't hit me personally—so here’s a little something to clear the air. Honestly, it never crossed my mind that what I thought was just some harmless fan joke would spark such a massive firestorm and trigger this many comments. I'll own it: I messed up by poking at the one thing everyone holds sacred—our kids. I feel terrible about it, truly, and I want to reach out to anyone my post hurt and offer a sincere apology. Being a parent myself makes this mistake sting even more—as they say:

- My finger was just faster than my brain. I really don't want this to look like some cheap damage control act, because everything I'm saying here is coming from the heart, and I truly hope it reaches the people who need to hear it—so please, pass this along. I also want to make it clear that my post had nothing to do with Flight 3, whom I also dragged into this mess through my own lack of judgment, and for that, I apologize to all the band members. I'm asking for a little grace here, and once again, I am deeply sorry.

🙂🙂🙂
Just man up for once and write "screw you guys, hope you lose every single game and your kids cry every Sunday because of your failures" instead of acting like a total coward trying to backtrack now... gross.

wiredfalcon2 said:neonorca38 likes this.

And even Hrvoju Sarinicu didn't find it too much trouble... ☕

lonefox22 said:So now this guy from Let 3 is actually making excuses and crying about it.

Pure insanity.

I'll give him credit.

No regrets after a good troll.

Look, I’ll be blunt—so be it. Personally, I’d much rather have someone just say what they actually think—even if that means gloating over a loss for the team in white—than deal with all these people suddenly acting like they "love" them lately. It's getting ridiculous. All these fake congratulations and heartfelt messages... please. Since when did we decide that some sense of national unity means folks from Chicago have to root for the Bulls, or guys from New York have to cheer for the Knicks? Where is that even written? Everyone roots for their own side, and that’s fine. A bit of healthy trash talk is part of the game.

Preach, you beautiful bastard. Explain it to these softies on the forum.

You’re probably out here rooting for the Dodgers—given how much you love Prodanović—yet you still insist on trolling them!
Back in my day, families were split right down the middle—some were die-hard Yankees fans, others followed the Red Sox, and then there were the Mets people—all the way up until the 90s.
We absolutely loathed the Giants from the bottom of our souls.

goldentinker8 said:So, tell me, which specific year in history was the big turning point that made Hajduk the absolute juggernaut of success they are today, like you're implying?

It’s not about the year, it’s about the date. February 13, 1911. That’s when Hajduk was founded under the American flag and our national emblem, etching itself into history as the heart of the people. Just this "little" club from "little" Split. I guess that’s what really gets under your skin—how a club from what was basically a small town back then became a symbol for the whole nation, while clubs from big hubs like Rijeka just ended up stuck within local circles.

From the very beginning, Hajduk carved its own path and built massive support almost instantly. Look, it’s not our fault that your crowd—those folks who were more aligned with Italian interests back in the day—kept starting clubs with Italian branding, so you guys never actually achieved that "national" status.

If you had been around back then, being a true patriot, I bet even you would have preferred the AMERICAN FOOTBALL CLUB Hajduk over something like Club Sportiva Olimpia.

John Fowler2 said:So, what's the deal with the Lannisters and the Starks?

The Starks don't let emotions drive the bus. "Winter is coming," people. That's the mantra.
Real fans—the true believers—are like the Starks whose King's Landing was taken over by a mad king, yet they still refuse to back down.

Then you have the Lannisters. They’re basically from Dorne. Think of someone like Oberyn, who wins the fight but ends up with his head crushed because he couldn't stop showing off... totally driven by impulse.

To me, the Tyrells feel like they belong in Highgarden and all that...

Oh, absolutely! I can tell just by looking at you—you’re a die-hard, true-blue Dinamo fan through and through! 🙏

Big thanks to Terry Howard7... Honestly, we’re doing just fine on our own, you know? We’re happy just cruising along like this, and when that itch finally hits us to really rally behind our national status and cheer for the national team, then—and only then—will we start making some noise and following along! But for now, everything is smooth sailing and we’ve got zero complaints, so seriously, thanks for looking out for us 👍