Pittsburgh-Recently, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds made a couple of appearances at major area events, which I was able to attend, one being the Home and Garden Show at the local Expo Mart and the other being the PAWest Work Shop and Exposition. Both had very good turnouts for the team.
One of the players that I talked to, goalkeeper Randy Dedini, and some of the staff that I talked with were very optimistic about the upcoming season, while feeling that the shrinking of the league should lead to more excitement for the fans.
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds will be in the Northern Division of the Eastern Conference with Rochester, Toronto and Montreal.
While the loss of Hershey means the subtraction of a Division rival and leaves the 'hounds as the only A-League team left in the Keystone State, it also makes the playoff race tighter and more interesting.
The 'hounds still have much work before the start of the sea-son, in April, but those who are signed are eager to get started.
The preseason will soon be underway and fans will have their chance to see the players first hand. This is a team that has made the second round of the playoffs two of their three seasons and that alone should be worth watching, no matter what time of the year it is. Those who have gotten tired of the action just off the Allegheny, should try the team on the South Side. I think the 'hounds will do well.
"K.C. McElroy is the publisher of The Soccer Sheet, a publication dedicated to Pittsburgh area soccer. The Soccer Sheet focuses not only on the Riverhounds, but all facets of soccer in the surrounding community. If you have a passion for soccer and a desire to stay abreast of what is happening in the Pittsburgh community, please visit www.soccersheet.com to learn how to get this locally focused publication on a regular basis."
