Just because you’ve heard no news lately on Orlando Pro Soccer does not mean nothing has been happening. It’s actually been very busy behind the scenes.

I had a talk with Steve Donner last night at the Tuskers fan club organizational meeting.

(He was there because the Tuskers are running season ticket sales out of the Titans home office.)

There hasn’t been an announcement because of scheduling conflicts on the part of the team’s potential European partners. When they’re able to come here and make things official, which Donner hopes will be within the next month, an announcement will occur thereafter.

He did say a name-the-team contest will be forthcoming.

The Central Florida Kraze got back on the winning track as 425 fans braved the rain at Showalter Field to watch them take a 1-0 victory from Schulz Academy of Fort Lauderdale Friday night.

Jowayne Laidley had the lone goal at 42′.

That was the final home game of the 2010 season for the Kraze. Their last four games will all be on the road, beginning Friday night at Nashville.

Sorry I’ve been quiet the past week or so. Had some stuff to take care of in the real world.

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The Orlando Predators are currently sitting 5-7 with four games left in the regular season. That includes home games this Friday against Alabama, and on Saturday night, July 24, against Oklahoma City. The game on Friday night will air on NFL Network, and of course tickets are available. Game time is 8pm.

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The Kraze are 4-3-2 right now. Their next game is this Friday at Showalter Field in Winter Park. Game time is 7pm.

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The Florida Tuskers is planning the big kickoff for their Supporters Club. It will happen next Tuesday, July 13, at Ember, a high-end bar and grill in Downtown Orlando at 42 W. Central Blvd. There is parking right next door at 55 W. Central Blvd. (no, that’s not the 55 West… that’s a couple blocks south on Church St.)

Drink specials and complementary appetizers will be provided.

The Tuskers have not been sitting around in terms of personnel decisions. They have signed running back Dominic Rhodes. That name ought to be familiar. It’s the same guy who saved Peyton Manning’s hind quarters by rushing 113 yards with one touchdown in Super Bowl XLI. For his NFL career, he has 7,257 all-purpose yards with 32 TD.

Their provisional roster, which they will take into preseason training camp, was announced last Wednesday.

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The only recent news on the Orlando Titans is that they recently reshuffled their ownership structure. The primary owner, Gary Rosenbach, has sold some of his stake to other ownership partners.

Team president Steve Donner said there is interest in bringing in local partners. I’m certain we’ll get news when that happens.

The team stated there are no major difficulties with our NLL lacrosse team. Although not profitable their first year (what team is?), they did do better this year than during any year in New York City. Their financial goal is to break even during their third season in town.

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As for UCF… I scooped that Jeffrey Jordan would join his brother, Marcus, at UCF for men’s basketball. This was made official last week. He’ll sit out this coming season, and play his senior season, 2011-12.

Women’s basketball announced just today that assistant coach Courtney Locke has been promoted to recruiting coordinator. Locke has been an integral part of head coach Joi Williams-Felton’s staff. She played at Rutgers from 2002-2006.

It should be noted that all five starters in women’s basketball, and 4 of 5 starters in men’s basketball, return next year. So there are high hopes for improvement in 2010-11.

Season tickets for UCF football are on sale now. General season tickets are $190 on the sidelines and $130 in the end zone. Both prices are lower than the first-year prices in 2007 ($210 anywhere). Faculty/staff pricing is $156, and student pricing is $60 with valid UCF ID.

In baseball, Chris Duffy is being named first-team All-American by everybody: ABCA/Rawlings, Baseball America, NCBWA, and Yahoo! Sports, among others. Whether or not he wins the Golden Spikes Award (for which he’s one of 5 finalists) will be announced next Tuesday prior to the MLB All-Star Game.

Owen Dew signed his tender with the Cleveland Indians, and will report to Short-A Mahoning Valley in the New York-Penn League. Shane Brown signed with the Yankees, and will report to Short-A Staten Island in the same league.

Chris Duffy has been assigned to the rookie-level Gulf Coast League by the Phillies, meaning he’s playing in Clearwater. (Interestingly enough, he’s not the only Chris Duffy in the Phillies system.)

After one more exciting game, the United States ran out of miracles, falling to Ghana in extra time, 2-1, in the Round of 16.

The adventure does not end there. We need not wait four years to get the excitement of soccer back. All you need to do is look in your own backyard.

For now, there is the Central Florida Kraze, our top-level amateur development team. Their next home game is next Thursday, July 1, at Showalter Field in Winter Park.

Coming in September, UCF Soccer, both men and women, will ramp up, with high school soccer resuming in October.

And soon we will be getting new announcements on our second-tier professional team, still on track to begin play in 2011. I have it on good authority that an announcement is forthcoming, but I am not privy as to exactly what will be announced.

Don’t let the excitement only come around every four years. Keep the thrill of soccer going.

Central Florida Kraze rolled into Central Broward Regional Park for their first round U.S. Open Cup match with Miami FC.

They did well…until added extra time.

With the score tied 1-1 at the end of regulation, the game went to overtime, what soccer calls “added extra time”. (a.e.t.) Josiah Millar had tied the game for the Kraze at 57′. a.e.t. in soccer is played as a 30-minute timeframe divided into two halves. If the two teams are still tied at the end, they go to penalty kicks. (Think shootout in ice hockey.)

Apparently our goalkeeper has a shelf life of 110 game minutes. Because Paulo Araujo Jr. scored four goals in the last 10 minutes of extra time to escape with a 5-1 victory.

Lesson learned: try to add a little extra fitness. Extra time isn’t a typical situation in the regular season, but is needed for tournament games. The Kraze, otherwise, should be proud that they took a D-2 team the distance in regulation.

The Kraze host the Bradenton Academics again Thursday night at 7pm at Showalter Field in Winter Park.

The Central Florida Kraze returned home and earned a scoreless draw on the Bradenton Academics. (The link will have stats later in the day.) Their record is now 3-0-2.

This is the beginning of a three-game series in PDL division play. The Kraze head down to Bradenton on Wednesday, then to Miami next Tuesday for their U.S. Open Cup first round match against Miami FC. Then they will face the Academics again at Showalter Field on Thursday, June 24.

With a 3-0 victory over Schulz Academy F.C. Monday night, Central Florida Kraze, our local Premier Development League soccer team, qualified for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The U.S. Open Cup is the national cup competition for the United States. Kind’ve like the FA Cup in England. It provides a way into the North American continental league competition, the CONCACAF Champions League. It’s highly unlikely an amateur team will make it, but it will sure be fun going for it.

The first game for the Kraze in the U.S. Open Cup will be Tuesday, June 15, at 7:30pm EDT against Miami FC of the USSF Division 2 league. They suck, and I think the Kraze might just outdraw them attendance-wise. If you’re looking for something to do, especially with the kids out of school, head down to Fort Lauderdale to Lockhart Stadium. It’s behind Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. Turnpike to Exit 82 (SR 870), turn left, go about 3 miles to NW 12th Ave. and turn left. It’s right there.

One can hope we at least make the second round, where we will face either USASA team Legends FC, or USSF D-2 team Tampa Bay Rowdies.

On the game: John Sosa, Jonathan Valenzuela and Matt McFarland all scored goals.

Mississippi Brilla beat the Nashville Metros 3-0 last night, putting their goal differential at +9.

I’m not sure yet how PDL US Open Cup tiebreakers work, so to be sure, Central Florida Kraze would have to beat Schulz Academy F.C. in Fort Lauderdale tomorrow by at least three goals. They might get by with a two-goal wins, but not knowing the tiebreakers, I’m not sure.

Central Florida Kraze is on its way into the PDL season, and are kicking butt, currently 2-0-1 (2 wins, 1 tie) through three games.

In their season opener on May 16, they went to Fort Lauderdale to take on Schulz Academy FC, and won the game, 3-1, at Florida Atlantic University. Kraze goals scored by Johnny Mendoza, Sergei Raad and Gonzalo de Mujica.

Next, they opened their home schedule on May 23 at a new, closer-to-town stadium, Showalter Field in Winter Park, home of Winter Park High School athletics. Their first game was a 1-1 draw with Mississippi Brilla. John Bayron Sosa got the only goal for the Kraze on a penalty kick at 52′.

Next, just Thursday night. the Kraze dished out a 5-0 mauling of the Atlanta Blackhawks. Mendoza, Sosa, Raad, de Mujica and Adam New all got goals.

Goalkeeper Wesley Giachetti has already amassed 29 saves on 31 shots on target through three games (8, 11 and 10 saves, respectively, in each game).

Next up, the Kraze play Memorial Day returning to Schulz Academy F.C. That game will be held at Central Broward Regional Park in their cricket stadium. They will return to Showalter Field on June 5 to face the Bradenton Academics. Game time is 7pm.

A win on Memorial Day might earn the Kraze a berth in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the national cup tournament, where they face Division 2 and MLS teams for a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League. It’s dependent on what Mississippi Brilla does tonight in their last of four USOC qualifiers hosting the Nashville Metros. Kraze and Brilla have the exact same record (2-0-1), but Kraze is up on goal differential (+7, compared to Brilla’s +6).

Obviously a tie or loss by Brilla tonight means we control our own destiny. I will keep you informed.

Hey Orlando! Wanna support your upcoming pro soccer team? Then head to a Central Florida Kraze game!

I have my hands on the schedule for the Central Florida Kraze, our Premier Development League team. They have a schedule of 16 games this year. Tickets are $5 each, with a family season pass that will get up to five family members in on a single pass for every home game for $50.

May 8 @ Panama City, 7pm
May 16 @ Ft. Lauderdale, 6pm
May 23 vs. Mississippi, 5pm
May 27 vs. Atlanta, 7pm
May 31 (Memorial Day) @ Ft. Lauderdale, 6pm
June 5 vs. Bradenton, 7pm
June 9 @ Bradenton, 5:30pm
June 18 vs. Panama City, 7pm
June 24 vs. Bradenton, 7pm
June 27 vs. Baton Rouge, 5pm
July 1 vs. Atlanta, 7pm
July 9 vs. Ft. Lauderdale, 7pm
July 16 @ Nashville, 7pm
July 16 @ Atlanta, 6:30pm
July 22 @ Mississippi, 8pm
July 24 @ New Orleans, 6:30pm

Home games are at the Seminole Soccer Complex in west Seminole County, on Markham Road. It’s a couple turns off of the CR 46A exit from I-4, just past Lake Mary Blvd.

For those really interested in being a supporter of the team and following the Kraze at least to their Florida away games, the Bradenton Academics play at IMG Soccer Academy (south end of 47th St. SW, Bradenton), Fort Lauderdale F.C. plays at Central Broward Regional Park (US 441 @ SR 838, Lauderhill), and the Panama City Pirates play at Arnold High School (off US 98 in Panama City Beach).

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Some of the May games will be qualifiers for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the all-competition U.S. club soccer championship. The defending champions are MLS club Seattle Sounders. Since the founding of Major League Soccer in 1996, only one non-MLS club has won the competition: the Rochester Rhinos, in 1999. The last non-MLS team to appear in the final was the Charleston Battery in 2008.

The Rhinos made it to the semifinals last year, and beat the then-defending MLS champs Columbus Crew along the way, becoming one of four non-MLS teams to beat an MLS team and make the quarterfinals.