The best of Indomitable City Soccer in 2020

Wow, what a year 2020 was, and in many respects, not in a good way.

On this last day of another year that was so unlike most, it’s a chance to look back, reflect, catch up on stuff you may have missed. So here’s a list of some of the best stuff we put out in 2020, a year where we had no games for most of it. But we did have games in the end! Some very good ones!

In chronological order, here’s 12 highlights from 2020 here at Indomitable City Soccer:

• Feb. 21: Interview with Mark Briggs before season opener. The new coach chats about his objectives, ahead of a campaign none of us were truly ready for.
• Mar. 12: The USL Championship season is suspended. Yes, we got one normal game before months of uncertainty.
• Mar. 26: Sac Republic player tests positive for coronavirus. I believe the unnamed player was the first announced positive in American soccer after the season shut down. Seems he made a full recovery, thankfully.
• Apr. 8: I tried out Sac Republic’s “Let’s Talk Soccer” program. This was very fun and it would be neat if they did this during the offseason again. Or basically anytime, I suppose.
• May 18: Can Sacramento Republic evade underdog role in MLS? We did an underdog week and I considered how the club can avoid underdog status when they enter MLS play.
• June 15: Behind the process to make USL highlights. Part one of a feature looking at exactly how the league is able to make highlights so quickly. I learned a lot!
• June 19: How USL turned to eSports during shutdown. Part two of the feature, focusing on the league’s pivot during the shutdown to two eSports competitions.
• July 18: Waiting another year for MLS hurts, but there’s silver linings. The shock news that Sac Republic would put off entry in MLS for a year was tough, but an attempt to process the good and bad.
• July 21: Rafael Jauregui speaks after USL Championship debut. Riyan brings the goods on a landmark night for the 15-year-old.
• Sept. 14: Briggs (jokingly) accuses ICS of trying to get him fined. In this postgame reaction to a draw with Reno 1868, Briggs was asked about the terrible officiating and bit his tongue, hard.
• Oct. 16: Sac Republic still talking with NWSL over expansion team. The club confirmed their interest publicly after being asked about persistent rumors connecting the club to women’s soccer.
• Nov-Dec: 2020 Sac Republic player postmortem series. The full run of season reviews of each player who saw the field in 2020.

And once again, thanks for reading and supporting the site in 2020! We’re looking forward to an even better 2021. I mean, let’s all hope next year is better, right?

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