This entry was posted on 5/9/2007 9:49 PM and is filed under uncategorized.
There are so many different reasons people in the US don't really get soccer. I think you could break most people down into a couple of groups. Most hostility for the sport comes out of ignorance. Unfortunately I doubt ignorance will ever go away, otherwise there would not be a debate about teaching evolution in schools. But the only real weapon against ignorance is knowledge. There are a couple of categories of people who don't like soccer.
- The all out hater-These are those who take the standard Jim Rome (more on Rome later) line about soccer being a sport for kids and for wimps. I've heard the term field fairy thrown around a lot (and looking at the face of American soccer, I can see where it comes from, Landon Donovan doesn't come across as a tough guy for example). They refuse to even give the sport a chance. For this group, fighting back and calling them names and showing them their ignorance isn't what will help, it will just get them more upset and prove in their minds how correct they are. ESPN's "you're a fan you just don't know it yet" campaign is designed to target this group and sorry, but it's not going to work. Making the game shown every week actually a good one that is fun to watch is what will work. I'm excited they are showing a Rocky Mountain Cup match this week but they should show one in SLC, not Denver, it looks bad when you can read Colorado in the seats, and then they say it's a sell out. DC is probably the poster child for what MLS does right and quite frankly, you have to give the Barra Brava and Screaming Eagles credit, they show up, they are right up front, they sell out a whole section each, and they make things look and sound good.
- The "soccer is boring" crowd. These people can be reached, but they need to be cultivated. Not all will join the crowd, but if they are taken to matches by someone who can explain what is going on that will help. Scoring isn't everything, in fact, I would much rather watch a 0-0 match with a lot of good back and forth action than a 5-2 match without much other than scoring. It takes a bit to understand the nuances of any game and too many of these people have not given it a shot and have not had the rules and things explained. I think ESPN does a generally poor job of this as well as most of the other networks that cover soccer in the United States. I thought that ABC did a fairly good job with the world cup, but why can't we get one sort of charismatic play by play guy who can explain the game without sounding patronizing and one color guy who isn't a complete moron? Is that too much to ask?
- The crowd that just doesn't care about sports. This group, the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL have all tried to reach and failed. I don't think soccer will reach them either.
So there is hope. I think one thing that Americans expect is a winner. Right now, the USMNT pretty much only plays CONCACAF teams, and mostly just Mexico three or four times a year and never at the Azteca. While it's fun to watch Mexico not score and the US dominate, if we want to be taken seriously, we need to play friendlies outside the United States. We need to play against the good teams of Europe and South America and beat them. It can be done. I think the biggest thing holding back the USMNT is Sunil Gulati. He wants to have his say and while he's a smart guy, he has no business sense. Bob Bradley has the potential to be a great coach, but he has his heart set on one of the big name foreigners. Sorry, but if you want appeal to the masses, the head coach has to be an American. Jurgen Klinsmann, while he did wonders with Germany, is not the right choice if you want to sell the sport. Bruce Arena, while the best coach in America, turned way too many people off, including myself, with his arrogance. I like Bob Bradley, but he's never going to be retained no matter how many friendlies he wins. The US could beat Brazil, Italy and France and Bradley would not be retained. And forget Peter Nowak, who is the one foreigner who could be US coach and be accepted because he's been around the US soccer scene long enough that he's not an outsider. Sunil wants the big name, and we'll end up with just more of the same.
Americans also need to have that one great player to act as spokesman for the sport. THis needs to be someone who appeals to the Average Joe and not Landon Donovan or David Beckham. They need to be an American. The big player needs to be someone who doesn't look like some little prissy metrosexual wimp that has little in common with Mr. Average Joe. This is why Landon Donovan does not work. This is why half the products of the ACC coming up through MLS do not work. This player needs to be someone with charisma. This was Clint Mathis before his injury. He was what was needed, a great player, with a personality (I still love watching Clint) who did not come across as a little whiny, spoiled brat. He could score on about anyone at will (and still can when he decides he cares, which it looks like he does this year). But now he's past that and with his motivation issues, he lost the chance. Freddy Adu could be that player, but he needs the performances first. In his time in Salt Lake, I've been impressed with his poise and maturity, but have been greatly disappointed by his lack of results on the pitch. Jozy Altidore is another candidate. Other than that, you get more of the same. I'm looking at the young guys on the US squad and the U-23s and there isn't much that is not some little preppy type. Maybe Tim Howard, but I would submit that while the goalkeeper is important, the player we need has to be a goal scorer. Other than Altidore and Adu, there aren't too many that have the appeal. Any other suggestions would be welcome, but you all need to post more than just a name, you need to make a case how that player fits the criteria.
Now for Jim Rome who represents much of the established American sports industry. Rome can be won over but you need to treat him right. I've been listening to The Jungle for years and while he insults soccer a lot, he used to do the same with NASCAR. NASCAR won him over by having their fans be respectful towards him and be good for the show. The fans urged him to get drivers on his show and finally when he did get some on, they were great. They never called late, the were great interviews and they were respectful of him. The only soccer player who has made it into The Jungle on a regular basis is Eric Wynalda, and that's pretty sad. Wynalda I don't like much, I really hate him on ESPN, but that's all we've really come up with. Who would be a good MLS interview? Jeff Cunningham springs to mind. Rome likes guys with personality that do more than spout overused sports clichés. The vast majority of players of any sport fits this, to make it with Rome, you need to bring your game and be a great interview and not be the same as every other sports personality out there who lack just that, personality. This is why Landon Donovan has not been on with Rome, he brings nothing that excites Average Joe.
Also, the American version of soccer fan needs to please step forward and be a positive ambassador of the game to others. I do not understand why American soccer fans get this romanticized version of hooliganism in their heads and think that is the ideal that we want to attain. The second there is a soccer riot in this country is the same second that any potential interest from a large portion of the population disappears. Too many of the Eurosnob fans that MLS really needs to reach out to need to realize that fighting other team's supporters is not passion, it's stupidity. While I hate everything to do with the cRapids to the depths of my soul (well what's left of it at least) I won't throw stuff on the pitch and will still share a pint with their supporters both before and after the match without a riot breaking out. To put it in easy terms, there are reasons why other football fans don't like Raiders fans. Oh and for God's sake, stop whining about baseball lines and football lines on the pitch, they pay for the stadium. As long as the pitch is in good shape, there really shouldn't be anything to complain about. Nobody is going to trip over football lines.
