I have read this post and I consider it very strange that a guy from Italy is worried about what state the Third Rail president was born in, or where he lived for a while. Next thing we know you'll be asking to see his birth certificate.
Also, it was pier 40, not pier 17. Pier 17 is (or was) the South Street Seaport, and even a child knows that's on the East River. Pier 40 is a sports complex on the Hudson, which happens to have a soccer field or three. It was a perhaps a not 100% serious proposal as part of the where-should-our-stadium-be discussion. I think the idea was that we could have a cool floating stadium built at the site of the existing pier 40 field. Just make it a little bigger, is all, and as an extra throw in a barge for the fireworks.
But the stranger thing is that you think our defense is our team's real problem. Is it a great defense? Not exactly, but on the other hand I think the most goals we ever gave up was 4 against LA, although that's off the top of my head so I can't be sure. But usually we give up only a goal or two, so not too bad. The problem is that while we're giving up only a goal or two, we're not scoring two or three goals per game so we end up losing or with a draw. Just a slightly better offense and we'd have a much better record. So yes, the defense hasn't been pretty but we've mostly been in the games and not getting blown out.
However, good luck to you and go NYCFC!!!!!!