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NT Staff Announcement
I am very happy to announce that the entire NT Staff will be returning for another term. Black Chariot, OopsUpsideYourHead, Wenger\'s Arsenal, Vista FC and Rio FC have all indicated that they are willing to lend support for an additional term. And I cannot understate how critical they have been in helping our National Team. Additionally, I am very happy to announce that Wolverines 4 Life has agreed to join our staff as well. W4L has made significant contributions to the game, and his knowledge and experience will be a tremendous addition to the NT staff. W4L made it through our critical screening process consisting of the following questions: 1) Against most opponents, we play to our strength, but there are exceptions when it would be prudent to consider altering our lineup or tactics to take advantage of specific opportunities. In your mind, where should we draw that line? 2) Provide some specific examples of how you can use higher order math to identify lineup and tactical opportunities. How do the match ratings impact the algorithm? How do you quantify the impact of the skill of the opponent that each player is matched up against? 3) Do you plan on watching the Seinfeld case reunite on Curb Your Enthusiasm this season? Are you going to watch it with the first available viewing, recorded on a DVR, or when HBO is running repeats? 4) Which character in \"The Breakfast Club\" most closely resembles you and why? 5) Which individual player skills do you find to be most essential at each position? Please provide a 3 dimensional graph to include how this varies across positions. 6) How many Jayhawks does it take to change a light bulb? How much does the recent brawl between the Kansas football team and basketball team factor into your answer? Bonus question - Which minor Seinfeld character is your favorite and why? W4L provided outstanding responses to these questions, and I am sure that he will provide invaluable contributions to the US NT. And I cannot comment on the rumors that we are adding another staff member as a response to any individual NT staff members being placed on double secret probation. By definition, anything that falls under double secret precludes me from doing so.

US NT Staff
After careful consideration, the US National Team staff is taking shape. I received requests from many outstanding teams who indicated an interest in taking on an active role to help manage the US NT. The challenge, as always, is to find the right balance of dedicated and proven teams to insure that the team is put in the best position to succeed, while still making the coordination of the efforts feasible. With that in mind, I am very fortunate to have garnered the support of the following teams: Black Chariot and OopsUpsideYourHead from the ML, both have been dedicated to the game for 10+ seasons, and have been integral in modeling player development, tactics and formations. BC has had a tremendous amount of success, as most teams know, clearly demonstrated by his trophy case. He claims to have coined the chant “scoreboard, scoreboard”, but that has yet to be verified. Oops approaches the game with a strategerie for long term success, and while it may be a little selfish on my part, I am hoping to be able to figure out how he manages to regularly beat my team. Wenger’s Arsenal and Vista FC from division 2. Both teams are tremendously active on the forum, provide a great opportunity for us to promote the game and the US NT. Wenger’s is tremendously respected contributor to the game, and I think very well known by most active US clubs, and Vista does an outstanding job with his statistical/mathematical analysis. And I certainly appreciate efforts to apply math to all things. Rio FC has joined the staff from division 4. He is a very active manager and a team that has been dedicating a tremendous amount of time to enhancing strategy and tactics in the game. Additionally, Tyler Durden has agreed to join us and will be in charge of security, managing the practice facilities and coordinating travel for the team.….wait, I swear he was here just a minute ago. But we also welcome Lloyd Braun as our chief salesman. He is a former winner of the prestigious Costanza computer sales contest despite some technical glitches, and we think that you will be impressed with some of his marketing ideas, which are not at all crazy. These candidates have been fully vetted, we verified that they have paid their transfer taxes in full, and will be able to make significant efforts to the achievements of the National Team. By no means does that mean that input/ideas/suggestions from other teams is not welcome. Please feel free to send me email at any time. We fully recognize that the US has a tremendous group of managers players, which provides a significant amount of depth, but also arguments can be made for a variety of players/formations/tactics for any opponent. Following the US NT is a great opportunity to explore the game in a unique way, build community support, and help teams to participate in what we hope will be a long run into the tournament.

Team USA Prepares for Cup Of America
With the group phase of Cup Of America qualifying on the horizon, Team USA has been working hard to find that diamond in the rough. While the defense is fairly set with the likes of Vaugh, Oskar, Priestley, Ould, and Sanford, questions still remain about who will man the spots up front. Longtime NT veterans like James Stockton and Franklin Sable have not wowed fans with their efforts. Stockton has been the more productive of the two with 7 goals in 15 official matches, but those came in mostly single forward formations where more was expected from him. While Stockton is certainly a talented player, his heading skill has always been a worry. And while Sable would seem to be the more complete player, he hasn\'t looked it on the field, going scoreless in 6 official matches. With those thoughts in mind, Team USA has been trying out younger guys in friendly action late in season 14. Derek Hess, Kato Mote, Ricky Conway, and Benny Bridge have all spent time with the NT squad lately, auditioning for a more permanent role. Conway would seem to be the early front-runner. About as good as it gets in heading and strength, his work rate and pace have kept him out of the lineup so far. Top scorer for Division 2.2 in season 14 he has yet to score in a pair of Major League matches, but that top level experience can only help him. [player=17539277] Kato Mote has certainly earned some consideration for the top FC spot. With top skills in strength, pace, positioning, and finishing he\'s poised to separate himself from the pack. A poor work rate and slightly less than desirable technique have held him back at this point. Season 13\'s top goalscorer in Division 2.2, he\'s earned lots of experience playing alongside fellow NT member Nicholas Mildmay, which can only help his NT bid. [player=13503603] Brad Bridge saw some late season action in NT friendlies, and may make his presence felt. He\'s got superb skill in both longshots and strength, but heading, work rate, and passing are a concern. Another forward coming out of Division 2.2, Bridge would have to be a longshot to earn a starting spot. [player=13065756] Derek Hess is a solid, well-rounded forward who can also play at OMC. Heading ability has kept him off the squad to this point, with his passing level also a concern. [player=11447174] Keep your eyes on these guys over the next couple of weeks as they make their final bids for starting spots in the Cup Of America lineup!

FITA Rank = 11
FITA Points = 3336
Coach: Airing of Grievances
The national coach election has kicked off! Go here to nominate or vote.