This is the second time I've attended the league meetings, and from my own perspective, a little more unsettled than last year. USL First Division runner-up Richmond just recently announced that they are going down to the Second Division, and my hometown Portland Timbers are currently without a coach or general manager. So I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but fortunately there are still plenty of familiar faces around.

The 2005 USL meetings are at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay AGM Check-in USL President Francisco Marcos Minnesota Thunder GM Djorn Buchholz, coach Amos Magee, and Charlotte Eagles GM Tom Engstrom USL Vice President Tim Holt Gary Ostroske receives the 2005 Archie Moylan Courage Award Just like last year, vendors market their soccer-related products at the tradeshow A bit of calm before the storm as the USL's top two leagues meet across the hall from one another Minnesota's Jim Froslid (near left) makes a point during the USL First Division meeting

As with last year, the first large event is the opening luncheon, and as with last year, soccer-related vendors line the walls of the room, and I ended up at a table with the Timbers representatives (who were Shonna Williams and John Cunningham), as well as the some representatives from the Sounders, Thunder, and Eagles.

USL Vice President Tim Holt welcomed us all to Tampa, taking a great deal of pride in moving the meetings back into the city of Tampa, just down the road from the league offices, and President Francisco Marcos reminisced about the fact that it was exactly 20 years ago this week that he convinced five men representing five prospective teams to join together to form the Southwest Indoor Soccer League, which twenty years later has evolved into the United Soccer Leagues.

But the most memorable moment of the opening luncheon was when Gary Ostroske, Chairman of the New Orleans Shell Shockers and CEO of United Way of Greater New Orleans, was presented with the 2005 Archie Moylan Courage Award for his work for New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and attendees were given a special treat with a live phone call (broadast over the speakers so we could all hear) from an English football legend, Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer, who thanked Gary for his work and congratulated him on his award.

After the opening luncheon, my next stop was the First Division meetings, which were just up the stairs from where the opening luncheon was held. Each team had between one and six representatives in attendance, and while it's not my role to talk about anything specific that was discussed at the meeting, as a fan, it did make me think of one thing that I thought was worth discussing.

As fans, I think that we are sometimes guilty of thinking the people who run the league and the teams "just don't get it." I'm guilty of this at times, I must admit, occasionally known to make comments that begin with "how could they.." or "what were they thinking.." Whether that type of opinion comes from the mindset that some people just don't understand soccer, or don't really care about the beautiful game, or (gasp) don't understand the game as well as we (the fans) do, the fact is we all do it. And what I wanted to say is that after getting a chance to see a bit of the inner workings of the league, it's owners, coaches, managers, and others, I have come to understand that they do talk about a lot of the same issues that fans talk about, they do ask the same questions, they do have the same concerns, and they do get it. At several points today, I had to smile as the banter in the room was like watching a heated discussion on the USL discussion board, whether about playoffs, seedings, byes, travel, scheduling, or any other subject that keeps the fans of the USL talking. When it comes right down to it, they are fans just like any of us. And with only a few exceptions, they talk about exactly the same things that rival fans do. So while some people may think I'm being a bit of a cheerleader for the league here (and to an extent, maybe I am), the one thing I did get from today's meetings is a feeling that I just had a great conversation with a great group of USL fans. And yes, they do get it.

At tonight's reception, I had a nice talk with Mariners owner Mike McCann and his wife, and Portland team president John Cunningham. And when talking to Mr. McCann and explaining that I write about the experience of the meetings more than any actual news, he told me that I could announce that the W-League's Hampton Roads Piranhas would be playing at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex in 2006, so I guess you do get a little news here you won't find anywhere else, after all.

It's likely the only thing I will be attending tomorrow is the Hall of Fame dinner and Awards presentation, but it's possible I will get into a meeting or two as well. We will see. Scheduling is currently planned to take place on Monday morning.

Tomorrow: Hall of Fame dinner and Awards presentation