The Rowdies are coming, again

Posted Jan 28, 2010 by Tom McEwen

Updated Jan 28, 2010 at 02:22 AM

Here come the Rowdies, again. They won’t be playing in a new stadium in North Tampa as first announced, but rather in Steinbrenner Field, spring home of the New York Yankees in Tampa, for the first regular season. They will be members of an established league of professional soccer teams. They will be for real and they are indeed coming back.

David Laxer, along with his mother, Gert, owners of Berns Steak House and the Laxer food businesses in Tampa, has long been considered a premier force in the beef business. The Laxers have carried on the family enterprises and announced a few weeks ago that they planned to build a soccer stadium in north Tampa off Waters Avenue.

This has changed. David (shown above, far left, with fellow owner Andrew Nestor and coach Paul Dalglish) said Tuesday that soccer’s rebirth internationally has undergone changes and will have major developments in a week or two. Part of this will be the origination of a new top international soccer league with the Rowdies the mainstay again in Florida.

The new Rowdies will play for the first two years, starting in April, in Steinbrenner Field, which will be adapted for this sport. The only thing we know now is this soccer field will run north and south, and will offer “as intimate viewing as there will be in any sport anywhere,” said Laxer.

“We are working closely with Hal and Hank Steinbrenner, sons of the Yankee owner, and Felix Lopez, Steinbrenner’s son-in-law. We think the setup will be wonderful and after a couple of seasons, we will move to a new facility to be built near the University of Tampa, in downtown Tampa. This is truly exciting,” said Laxer.

Laxer is buying into an international league with Tampa as a flagship franchise in America. He wants these Rowdies to be of the old Rowdies cut of years ago in song, in color and presentation. He wants to revive one of the great times in sports history in this city.

The Rowdies of old filled old Tampa Stadium when they played top-line opponents, such as the New York Cosmos. They will do that again, and we have seen the power of soccer here. They now have the colors and the music and the history in their background.

Laxer said he will soon name many of his players. He expects to have a roster of at least two dozen of the best available. He also expects to present to Tampa fans the winning records and excitement of the Rowdies of years ago. When Tampa sports history is written, the fine days of the successes of the Rowdies and of the Tampa Bay Bandits football team and the Buccaneers will be included.

This is not speculation. With David Laxer now committed and involved, his assertion he will bring the Rowdies back again and make them contenders for championships is not an idle promise. Laxers have always kept their promises and have made all of their contributions first class.

They will again, believe me. When that first ‘Here Come the Rowdies’ resonates from Jack Harris over the loud speakers at Steinbrenner Stadium and then the University of Tampa playing field, it will be a hoot — again.

Babaloo!