PSW Corner Kicks

For my full story on Fulham's great escape, and why this little boy was so upset - see this article on Potomac Soccer Wire

As news of Fulham’s win on the final day came over the air, it devastated Reading fans who’s team had just won convincingly 4-0. Several TV sports news program showed the hear breaking images of a boy no more than five years old crying and thrashing about uncontrollably in his father’s arms, both wearing Reading jerseys. The news had obviously just set in that Fulham had won and their team had crashed to the 2nd tier of soccer in England after just two short seasons in the Promised Land. For much of the lifetime of that boy, Reading had been in the Premier League. To him, it was his world.

As heart wrenching as it is, the image of that little boy crying really speaks to the emotional power that is inherent to the structure of soccer leagues in most of the rest of the world. From despair, as though there has been a death in the family, to unbounded joy and cheering like you’ve just been reborn and won the lottery on the same day, the emotions felt by fans epitomizes the cliché of “life and death” in sports.

It must seem like a cruel, cruel world to that little boy, but the rest of us can take away the greatness of what Fulham had just achieved, even if you’re not a Fulham fan. I personally can’t imagine caring quite that much about my favorite team winning or losing a Super Bowl, because “at least we were there, and we won our division championship anyway”. Chelsea fans of a similar age could not possibly feel their world had ended, when on the same day they learned their team would finish 2nd in the league behind this year’s EPL Champion Manchester United.

Only the reality that is relegation creates this much caring deep within fans. And although American sports marketers continue to say that “playoffs are the American way”, I firmly believe MLS will never be one of the best leagues in the world, let alone truly challenge for the hearts of serious NBA, MLB, or NFL fans until it too offers such a structure. In it’s current state, every team – no matter how bad – is safe, with the only drama outside of an MLS Cup final being whether or not a team will get a lower pick of some unproven college prospects in that winter’s “draft”.

It all reminds me of an anonymous quote I’ve seen as a signature line of many online soccer fans’ profiles, on t-shirts, and used all the time in loose conversation amongst regular fans - “Some say soccer is a matter of life and death. But I assure you, it’s way more important than that.” Indeed. And until that is the MLS marketing tag line, backed up with action, our soccer will always be 2nd class.

Labels: Fulham, MLS, Reading FC

You may or may not have been following the naming saga going on up in Seattle over their newly approved MLS franchise. The team will join the league this time next year after several years with a dominating USL-1 team named "Seattle Sounders". Well, with that team "put on hold" because it's owners were part of the group starting the MLS team, the fan base and brand for "Seattle Sounders" just happened to be ripe for use by the MLS startups desperate to get busy with their marketing efforts.

The team owners simply did not want to use the "Sounders" name, which I'm assuming was because they wanted to separate themselves from ever being confused as a 2nd-tier pro club in the USA. Big mistake guys!

Offering very uninspiring choices "Seattle FC", "Seattle Alliance", and "Seattle Republic", the 14,500 fans that voted mounted a write-in effort that would make Ralph Nadar so proud of his Green constituents in the upper northwest. So, "Seattle Sounders FC" it is. We'll see you in April 2009 boys, just don't take any of our D.C. United players in the expansion draft, and we might buy you a drink when you come to RFK for your first reSOUNDING defeat.

Labels: d.c. united, MLS, Seattle Sounders FC

So, the first player EVER selected in the MLS Superdraft from Virginia Tech is headed to Chicago - a team already fat on young, promising forwards and a lot colder than the California or Texas locals most expected him to end up.
Patrick Nyarko left school early - even after saying he wouldn't - presumably assuming to be chosen at least one or two in the draft. He looked nervous as pick after pick went before him, and during his off camera interviews had trouble breaking a genuine smile for the first few minutes.
I wonder how much he was looking forward to playing for San Jose when he first decided to enter the draft, and although Chicago has a good team, a beautiful stadium, and great players, I can see how the cold weather and number of existing forwards on the roster might not be what Patrick was thinking.

He's still swamped by the media here in the press lounge, much longer than other picks before or after, so this is definitely a story line likely to be followed by many news outlets. Let's see if the questions I raised above are answered in the coming days. For now however, congratulations to the first Hokie ever selected in the MLS draft, and let's hope many more follow in this dynamic player's footsteps.

Labels: Chicago Fire, MLS, MLS Draft, Patrick Nyarko, Virginia Tech

Steve Davis of ESPN weighs in on the new MLS foreign player rules, calling it an good offensive move by the league.

Labels: MLS, Steve Davis