In light of the opening of yet another season of professional soccer here in the land of Stars and Stripes, I felt it would be fitting to address some of my colleagues. In some corners it has become almost customary to think little of the USL and/or the A-League. The efforts made by this organization deserve some recognition, though, and hopefully this season a more concerted effort will be given by all involved to give more respect to all who are involved in keeping the dream of American soccer alive. From the USSF all the way down to local youth organizations, a level of cooperation and understanding needs to be sought after. It is in this spirit that I write this in hopes of stimulating conversations, which will spawn a better relationship throughout the members of the media who have chosen to have many hours of free time consumed in the pursuit of making soccer a success in the United States.
Rest assured that I am not going to indict any members of the media who may have belittled the efforts and accomplishments of the A-League or USL in general in the past. I am of the opinion that many of the negative comments that some have heard about this particular segment of the U.S. soccer pyramid, as it were, are conjured up from previous notions developed long before the present. As a matter of fact I'd like to commend those who have paved the way for someone such as myself to share my views on the people's game with an American sporting audience that claims some of the most fervid fans of any sport. Now on to the name dropping; gentlemen such as Ridge Mahoney, Mike Woitella, Jeff Bradley, Jerry Trecker, Bob Wagman, Michael Lewis, Grant Wahl, and Paul Gardner are but a few of the many who have been able to capture the fancy of the American footy fan. At the same time that we've enjoyed their writing, we've had to endure instances where the successes of America's second division have been viewed as nothing short of a stunning surprise. To put it in other words, some people have formed their own impressions that coincide with making the A-League out to be nothing more than a Sunday league at best.
With writers of the quality of the previously mentioned ilk it should come as a surprise when it seems that some of our television personalities can come across as a bit arrogant towards the lower divisions of American soccer. When one watches MLS Extra Time on the ESPN networks it would seem counter-productive to make snide comments about the lower divisions since that's largely what kept this game alive in the years between the NASL and MLS. Keep in mind also that it wasn't that long ago when one of those lowly minor league outfits took out several top-flight clubs in a run to the U.S. Open Cup title.
As I said, though, this is not an indictment against anyone who has held a lesser notion of soccer below the MLS and USSF radar. I firmly believe that some of the popular misconceptions about the USL umbrella of leagues stems from the fact that people are human and they tend to make up their minds about something in a relatively short time. It's something everyone is likely to be a bit guilty of especially when you consider the droves of fans in the U.S. who would rather support a club via satellite than watch an MLS team in person. The same goes for people who support the national teams of another country though they may have been born and bred in the United States. A lot of this comes down to simple snobbery. It is unfortunate but there are things that can be done.
The first thing I would suggest doing is giving soccer, at all levels, a fair shot no matter what. The main thing I think we can all agree on is the fact that kicking that sphere around a field of grass was a moment that gave us joy. Recognize that joy in all who play the game from the kid in a youth league to the young men who will knock the ball around on Soccer Saturdays.
The second thing would be to not be so quick to judge the game at it's myriad of different levels. It would be ludicrous to presume that MLS clubs should play like European clubs, A-League clubs to play like MLS clubs, and so on and so forth. Raising the level of the game throughout all levels should be a goal, but it should not be the only thing that assures that those levels have an audience who appreciate the game for what it just so happens to be.
The third thing we should all do is make sure that we are grateful to all of those who work hard for this game every day of their lives. Whether it be the journalists mentioned above, the TV personalities we listen to while watching the games on television, the sponsors who help pay for it all, the players themselves, the over-worked staff of the teams we cheer, or even (god forbid!) the refs who take the brunt of our anguish when they miss an offside call to gift the other team a game-winning goal. In short, be thankful for what you've got because you never know when it could be gone. Need I remind anyone of the NASL?
The fourth thing would be to show understanding. It goes hand in hand with being thankful for this glorious game and it could be what we all strive for across the multitude of differences we all have in our opinions of the game. At the end of the games it all comes full circle to loving the sport, and if we all understood that I think we'd all have an even better time at the games. Not to mention if you have thousands of happy people in the stands to see the games how do you think it would appear to Joe Public who has yet to be "converted" to this game? In my humble opinion I think it would make him or her wonder "Why is everyone so happy here?"
The fifth and final thing would be best summed up in those immortal words: "Learn it, know it, live it." I love this game for everything it's worth and I'm banking on the idea that many of you out there do as well. So as we head into a new season all I can hope for is a year in which every club plays to a full house of people enjoying the most beautiful of games.
I know it sounds idyllic and rather silly to some, but there's got to be some point where we turn off our cynics' mode. Sometimes my colleagues, and myself included, forget that, but at the same time we need to recognize that we're all in the same tiny boat. So all of those who have been doing a great job of promoting the sport, keep up the good work, and for those who have been a bit busy with self-promotion or efforts to stay above the rest of the lower reaches of the soccer community… we'd like for you to straighten things out so nobody else's hard work and dedication goes to waste.
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