So much has been made over the clubs starting this new NASL. Today we learned another has jumped ship leaving the USL-1 with only five clubs. That number could go down one more if Cleveland does what most expect and relegate itself back to the USL-2.

But back to the more topic at hand, yes another club jumped ship today and it turned out to be the club most expected to the Rochester Rhinos.

“We evaluated the situation very carefully and decided that the best decision for the future of the Rhinos and soccer in Rochester was for us to join the new NASL,” said Rhinos CEO Rob Clark. “Soccer is maturing before our very eyes.  We are joining a family of team owners who are committed to investing in our league and their teams to further the development of players and support the future growth of the sport in North America.  The NASL is a new beginning for soccer in Rochester.”

This makes club number 10 for the NASL. The new league is still waiting on official word from the U.S. Soccer Federation to legitimize its status.

Its funny the longer things go here the more clubs this league is collecting. Funny part is the longer it goes the more we wait on the USSF’s approval for this league. How will a league that may end up with about four months time to get off the ground here? They have so much work to be done I have to believe this league won’t kickoff in April like they hope to.

I’m sure they have a lot of things lined up to do once they get the approval but just public opinion (or at least mine) wise it doesn’t look good for them right now. At least get a website up and inform people about things here. A little bit of info would never hurt their cause here because press releases to select journalists and from the clubs just doesn’t get it done enough in my book.

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Colorado has signed up another defender for the 2009 season today. The club announced the addition of former Rochester Rhino defender Scott Palguta. The 26-year-old longest-tenured defender with the Rhinos.

“I know everybody is upset about the timing of this and the fact that I’m leaving, but at the same time I know that if it wasn’t for (Rhinos coach Darren Tilley and former coach Laurie Calloway) this opportunity wouldn’t have come around for me,” Palguta, 26, said. “Rochester prepared me for this.”

Palguta had been on trail with the Rapids over the past few days.

His contract is a one-year deal with an option for each of the next three seasons. He had a clause in the two-year contract he signed a few months ago with Rochester allowing him to sign with an MLS team before March 15.

What do you USL followers make of Palguta in MLS? A good move for him?

EDIT: Just talked to someone with the Rapids, this is not official…yet.