Bears By the Numbers: Season Opener Edition

With the weather looking very favorable for this Sunday, Club Bad News Bears can finally begin their 2012 Spring season.  The Bears will open up the season against newcomers Hot Soccer Moms.  Although the excitement is building for both these teams to face off against each other, the Bears will have their work cut out against them, as historically, opening day has never been too kind for them.  Here are some interesting numbers for Club Bad News Bears on opening day that could give some insight into this Sunday's match against Hot Soccer Moms, their 10th season opener.

• The Bears have played against 7 opponents on opening day that they have never played against before.  The Bears are 1-5-1 when facing new opponents on opening day, being outscored 11-22.  Hot Soccer Moms will be the Bears' 8th newest opponent for a season opener.
• The Bears have never opened a season at Houston Amateur Sports Park, where this Sunday's match will take place.
• The Bears have played only 1 season opener at 8:00pm, where they lost 2-0 to Growling Trout.  This Sunday's game is at 8:00pm.
• February season openers for the Bears have not been kind, as all three games in the past have resulted in losses, being outscored 4-16.

Additionally, here's a look back at the Bears' past season openers:

February 8, 2009 - Spring Division 5 - Bear Creek Park Field #11
In the club's first ever match, Club Bad News Bears would take on their first opponent, TFC Thunder at Bear Creek Park.  Although the club would score its first goal ever, their opponents took advantage of the Bears' inexperience and put up a bold 8-1 score.

June 14, 2009 - Summer Division 5 - West Houston Soccer Complex Field #3
In the Bears' second season, the outcome would be a lot less painful.  Taking on Winners, the Bears would hold their own and keep the game close throughout.  In the end, however, Winners would live up to their team name and claim a 3-2 victory over the Bears.

September 13, 2009 - Fall Divisoin 5 - West Houston Soccer Complex Field #2
A monumental season opener for the Bears, compared to their first two.  The third season for Club Bad News Bears would finally break the first game jitters against Growling Trout.  Having played them twice before, both shutout victories, the Bears would finally give up one goal to Growling Trout.  However, the Bears would continue to their dominance over them with a 5-1 season opener victory, the first in the club's history.

February 28, 2010 - Spring Division 5 - West Houston Soccer Complex Field #2
Coming off their second straight 4-3-1 season, the Bears looked for a great start to begin the 2010 campaign.  Their opponent was the Golden Mavericks.  Both teams never met before, but after the match ended, the Bears were hoping they had knew them a little better.  Golden Mavericks made it hard from the start, putting the Bears away 6-2.

June 1, 2010 - Summer Division 4 - Bear Creek Park Field #19
Celebrating their 5th season, and getting promoted to Division 4, the Bears looked to turn things around, despite putting up a dismal 3-4-1 record the season before.  At Bear Creek Park, the Bears would take on a new opponent, FC Kilgore.  The match was close, but as in previous season openers, the Bears would fall yet again, 3-2.  The Bears would give up their 100th goal overall in this match.

September 26, 2010 - Fall Division 5 - Bear Creek Park Field #5
Back in Division 5, despite posting an impressive 5-3-0 record, the Bears needed to carry the momentum into this season.  To do that would mean getting by Growlingn Trout, who in their last season opener meeting, won 5-1.  Up until this game, Club Bad News Bears were undefeated against Growling Trout, outscoring them 12-1 in three matches.  The Bears may have taken their opponent too lightly as Growling Trout would come out on top with a 2-0 shutout victory.

February 13, 2011 - Spring Division 5 - West Houston Soccer Complex Field #3
With three straight opening day losses behind them, the Bears hoped that a fresh opponent could break their dry spell.  A new opponent would come, as the Bears were set to take on Heat Strikers.  Both teams played both sides of the field pretty evenly, but the Bears' efforts were not enough as they would begin 2011 with a 2-1 loss.

June 12, 2011 - Summer Division 5 - Bear Creek Park Field #1
Trying to shake off a 4 game losing streak on opening day, the Bears would open up their 8th season against a new opponent, Pluma Mountain Coffee.  Both sides played very aggressively, with both sides nearly scoring on multiple occassions.  In the end, however, both sides would walk off the field with a scorless 0-0 tie, the Bears first tie in season opener history.

September 11, 2011 - Fall Division 6 - Dyess Park Field #2
The 10th Anniversary of 9-11 saw the country keep their promise to "never forget" the events that happened that fateful day.  The Bears would look back at their past history of season openers, never forgetting their struggles throughout the club's history.  Facing Growling Trout for the third time in season openers, the Bears came out strong and determined, keeping the ball out their net the entire game.  Club Bad News Bears would claim a 3-0 shutout victory, as well as see the club's 150th goal scored overall.

Club Bad News Bears currently sit on a two game unbeaten streak.  Maybe the stars will be aligned just right for the Bears this Sunday so that future season openers are not dreaded, but embraced.

Coach Oscar, Bears Name Scott Machala Assistant Coach

Bad News Bears head coach, Oscar Aviles, is keeping with his promises of turning his team around for the upcoming 2012 Spring season. From bringing in new players to improving the team's performance and mentality, Coach Oscar is doing whatever it takes to get his team to the top. This includes the club coming to a deal with the top kickball player/coach in the world, Scott Machala.

For the few that are not familiar, Scott Machala single handedly turned a struggling kickball team around in two seasons, producing some of the finest teams and players the kickball world has seen. The club sees this type of direction rubbing onto Coach Oscar's goals for this season.

"Coach Oscar and I are both on the same page on what this team needs and I feel like I'm the right man for the job. I believe in this club and I see the things that need to change. I want to be there to make it all happen so this club can enjoy being at the top."

With the new job comes a bit of conflict, as Scott is married to one of the club's players, Marvette Limon-Machala. At the time, there was strong concern that their marriage could prevent Scott from executing his duties successfully.

"She's my wife until the day I die, but when we are on that soccer field, it's business. My game face will be on, just like everyone else on the team. I will make sure that everyone, including my wife, is on the same page before, during and after each game."

Scott has been a supporter of the club since the 2010 Fall season, and has temporarily filled in for Oscar when personal obligations have kept him away from the team.  He was very much in the know on team strategy, along with keeping up with players subs and being a second pair of eyes for Oscar.

"The club expressed how much of an easy transition this would be for both sides, as I am familiar with the team's direction, just as they are familiar with my strong desire to win and keep winning. Failure is not an option. We've passed that point a long time ago."

Oscar now has a complete staff that will go out and fulfill scouting duties for the Bears' upcoming opponents, a task that was rarely initiated. The focus can now be taken off of the players to fill in when Oscar is unable to attend games, and allow a permanent replacement to take over.

"Oscar is the head coach and it's his way. I am here to make sure that his new vision for the team is executed on the field. When he's not on the sideline, it'll be my job to have Oscar speak through me, keeping everything consistent, from the mentality of the players to the strategy of the team and everything in between."

There is plenty of excitement since the news has broken out of Scott Machala being named the Bears' new assistant coach.  Things are sure looking up for the Bears this season.  Will this be the year that the Bears bring bad news to their opponents?

Could FieldTurf Mean Bad News for the Bears This Season?

Club Bad News Bears will not only face 7 human opponents this season, but will take on its first synthetic opponent.  For the first time in club history, the Bears will play on FieldTurf™ during their Field #1 games at Houston Amateur Sports Park.  Before anyone gets excited, let's weight the pros and cons of playing on FieldTurf™.

Pros:

• FieldTurf™ is composed of rubber strings to simulate grass and tiny rubber pellets, which simulate dirt.
• FieldTurf™ is softer than AstroTurf™, which is basically playing on carpet that is on top of concrete.
• On wet conditions, your jersey won't get muddy (it might get a bit stained from the rubber pellets).
• Faster performance and more durable than real grass.

Cons:

• Tiny rubber pellets protect muscles and joints (since this continues to be widely debateable to the manufacturer's claim, this is a con).
• Turf burns.
• It's not real.
• More bouncy than real grass.

The Bears will need to find a way to make this adjustment (especially for those that have not played on FieldTurf™ before).  Although this is exciting as far as the experience goes, improper preparation will see another "should have been" season pass the Bears by.  So, how does one prepare?

Soccer cleats are not a problem, as cleats are proven to exceed players' expectations on FieldTurf™.  This means that traction should not be a problem, even on wet conditions.  The ball will be coming off the ground faster, meaning passes will have to be more controlled and defending the ball will need to come with more attentiveness.  FieldTurf™ is not forgiving, so any falls to the ground could leave you feeling this technology's "sting" for the remainder of the game (and then some). 

Preparation will be completely mental.  The field will still be the same dimensions and the rules will still be the same for both teams (hopefully).  The key is not to let FieldTurf™ get inside your head.  It may take a few team mistakes to become familiar with the characteristics of the field, but it's not impossible to be successful on the field.

Match Against FC La Masia Rescheduled; Venue Changed

Heavy rainstorms throughout Houston last week prompted league officials to cancel games at Dyess Park's field #2.  This week, the HWSA posted a revised schedule, placing the postponed game at the end of the season, extending the Bears' season to May 13th.  The venue has changed, as the game will now be played at Houston Amateur Sports Park.  This is exciting news for the Bears as they have enjoyed great victories over the past two seasons. 

Club Bad News Bears are 4-2-2 when playing at HASP, outscoring their opponents 27-25.  Although they have suffered a 10-1 crushing defeat from Invictus, their largest in club history, the Bears are currently unbeaten in their last three games at HASP.  Outscoring their opponents 14-4, including a 5-1 and 7-1 victories over Growling Trout and AFC Renegades, respectively, should be more than enough confidence to put into the Bears this season when playing at HASP.  Based on these numbers, the Bears' can improve them as they will face 5 opponents at HASP, including Growling Trout and twice against AFC Renegades. 

The Bears open up their 2012 Spring season at HASP, against newcomers Hot Soccer Moms, on February 26.

Heavy Rain Cancels Weekend Opener

Houston and the surrounding areas endured quite a bit of rain earlier today, more than enough for the HWSA to cancel all games this weekend, especially for Club Bad News Bears' season opener against FC La Masia.  The game will be rescheduled for a later date and time.

I guess that rain dance FC La Masia did work...

It's Now or Never for the Bears

If the Bears ever needed an opportunity to finally clinch a division title, this season would be it.  The schedule reveals no immediate threat, with teams like Invictus being promoted to higher division.  With 3 days until Club Bad News Bears begin their 2012 Spring campaign, the hot topic trending on all social medial platforms has created quite a stir in the soccer community.

"Will this be the Bears' year?"

Last season should have been the Bears' "year", but several factors played a part in the Bears' struggles during the 2011 Fall season.  Although they were able to finish the season with a 5-2-1 record and 16 points (their best performance ever), problems such as communication and commitment began to plague a season that "should have been".  The personnel was solid, the strategy was inpenetrable, the focus was unified.  So what went wrong, and more importantly, how do they fix it?

Communication is key in all forms of the word, especially when it comes to team sports.  The Bears' coach, Oscar Aviles, stresses this before, during and even after games. 

"Talk to each other guys!"

But as much of a role communication plays while on the field, it's on the sideline where the lack of such has trickled down, seeping into the team's infrastructure and slowly eroding at the key supporting elements.  This was seen last season during the team's "implosion" when an abrupt change in formation against Invictus led to a divide amongst the team.  Players were heated and clashes of words between players was border line out-of-control. 

It's all water underneath the bridge, now.  Several players are not returning, either by choice or by other means, but the strategy remains the same.  Coach Oscar aims to be more aggressive with the team, stressing a commitment level that needs to be displayed by all players.  The league will see a change in the team's personality; a change that is much needed and would have helped them last season.

One can argue that this is only amateur soccer and it shouldn't be taken so seriously.  And another could view that as an accurate statement, but you don't join a team to go out there to lose.  You go out there, try your best to win, and at the same time having fun in the process.

This is the Bears' season to lose.  The stage and teams are set, and the outlook looks very promising for the Bears.  There isn't any reason the Bears finish less than a perfect 8-0-0 record.  There isn't any excuse why the Bears can't control their own destiny this season.

It's now or never...

Bears Will Rise On Top This Fall

After posting a very important third place performance, the Bears will ride into this 2011 Fall season with a strong and determined momentum.  Although they have dropped to the sixth division, so have the majority of the Bears' opponents from last season.  With that said, many victories are predicted and success at the top is only a mere 8 games away.

The schedule was posted a couple of weeks ago, and it won't come with its challenges, but with the absence of FC Happy Meal and Pluma Mountain Coffee, the only rough spot seems to be the two with Invictus.  The remaining games shouldn't be too difficult to control, but as always, shouldn't be taken lightly.

Here is a breakdown of each game for this season and how we're predicting the Bears will finish this season:

Game #1 vs. Growling Trout

September 11, 2011

Dyess Park, Field #2

6:00pm

The season opener should be taken advantage of to get any kinks out of the team's system for the Bears.  Their opponent, Growling Trout, has not been too much of a threat overall, giving the Bears a 7-2-0 record all-time, outscoring them 27-10.  This includes a first ever meeting between the two at Dyess Park, where the Bears shutout Growling Trout soundly 6-0.  Look for the Bears to score often and early, as well as displaying a very aggressive defense that will leave the Trout dead in the water. 

Prediction:  Club Bad News Bears win 3-0.

Game #2 vs. Heatstrikers

September 18, 2011

Houston Amateur Sports Park, Field #2

8:00pm

The Bears met this team back in the 2011 Spring season, twice, and haven't played since.  The outcome has been split, with the first meeting going in Heatstrikers' favor, 2-1.  The Bears would exact revenge, leaving a sour 1-0 victory in their opponents mouth.  This match will also be a tough one for both teams.

Prediction:  1-1 Tie.

Game #3 vs. Pumas

September 25, 2011

Bear Creek Park, Field #11

6:00pm

If the Bears are to have a very successful record against any one opponent all-time, the Pumas would be one of them.  In four meetings, the Bears have yet to concede a victory to the Pumas, posting an impressive 3-0-1 record.  The Pumas have been outscored 16-2, including being shutout 9-0 at Bear Creek Park.  This season's meeting will commemorate their first meeting against each other, as they played on the same field back during the 2010 Summer season, where the Bears won 5-1.  There won't be too much for the Bears to work with, so scoring won't be an issue and the defense will have a nice time keeping the ball away from the net. 

Prediction:  Club Bad News Bears win 4-0.

Game #4 vs. Invictus

October 2, 2011

Houston Amateur Sports Park, Field #4

6:00pm

Talk about a heated rivalry between these two.  In three meetings, both teams have traded not only goals, but bruises and scars to match.  Club Bad News Bears own the all-time series 1-0-2, outscoring Invictus 7-6.  The Bears also gave Invictus their first club loss last season.  Look for Invictus to come out fighting and playing very physically.  The Bears should be able to hold their own and will definitely continue to keep Invictus frustrated on getting their first victory over the Bears.

Prediction:  2-2 Tie. 

Game #5 vs. Growling Trout
October 16, 2011

Houston Amateur Sports Park, Field #5

6:00pm

After a physical game against Invictus, the Bears will find solace in their next opponent, Growling Trout.  Having already defeated them once this season, the Bears will continue to do so in this game, although some key players might not play as well as they will most likely be nursing some nagging bruises and sore muscles from last week's performance. 

Prediction:  Club Bad News Bears win 2-0.

Game #6 vs. Pumas

October 16, 2011

West Houston Soccer Complex, Field #2

8:00pm

Another week for the Bears to get over any soreness with their opponents in this game.  The Pumas, having a difficult time finding a way to win, less score, in this season will have the same troubles against the Bears.  Expect the Bears to open up the field with great passing, allowing their female teammates to put this one away early.

Prediction:  Club Bad News Bears win 6-0.

Game #7 vs. AFC Renegades

October 30, 2011

Houston Amateur Sports Park, Field #3

6:00pm

Meeting AFC Renegades for the fourth straight season, the Bears will show that have not forgotten that last season their opponent gave them their first loss against each other.  The Bears own the all-time series 6-1-0, outscoring their opponent 29-8.  AFC Renegades will bring a tough team, quite possibly a similar team that defeated the Bears last season 2-0.  The Bears, should post a victory, but will have to do so by changing gears, especially having coasted the last two opponents prior to this game.

Prediction:  Club Bad News Bears win 4-1.

Game #8 vs. Invictus

November 6, 2011

Bear Creek Park, Field #12

8:00pm

Invictus will quite possibly get what they want in this game...a victory against the Bears.  The proverbial thorn in their side will finally get taken out and Invictus can finally release all of that hot air out of their system.  It'll be the first loss for the Bears this season, and unfortunately, the season will end with a loss.  However, the Bears will be able to raise their fists victoriously after the match, as their performance will give them first place for the first time in club history!

Prediction:  Invictus wins 2-1.

Overall Prediction:  Club Bad News Bears finish in first place with a 5-1-2 record.