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New Year's wish Make the U.S. media learn about 'the beautiful game'
As we enter the new millennium, the gloves are off when it comes to taking on the soccer bashers of the world. It's about time to bash back. Actually, I have to admit that I am a bit uncomfortable about criticizing other media members, but enough is enough. Before starting my assault, I want to go on the record that I enjoy Keith Olbermann of FOX. He is one of the wittiest, funniest and most entertaining talking heads on TV. But I think he might have gone a bit too far in his little piece about soccer riots that aired during the Keith Olbermann Evening News on Fox during Christmas Day. Actually, there was no audio, only words on the screen while we saw fans run after players and destroy a bus during at least two South American matches. "Things to put you in the Christmas mood" appeared on the screen before the riot was shown. "Why are we showing you a soccer riot? Because it's Christmas and it's the world game." Being a journalist, I can certainly live with the reporting of riots (by the way, when did these fan disturbances occur? Christmas Eve?). It is news. But when my brethren start poking fun of these literal life and death situations, you have to seriously wonder about their motivation. Now, if Olbermann and his buddies would report about real soccer news once in a while, it would refreshing. But that might be asking too much. That might entail actually learning about the sport and the teams. Heaven forbid! Wait, I'm not finished.
The Associated Press recently sent out a story -- a non-bylined one at that -- about the state of the sport in the United States. It talked about the struggles of Major League Soccer, on how the six-year-old league has lost $250 million, that attendance had dipped and that the operation three-time defending champion D.C. United had been take over by the league because an investor could not be found. I certainly can live with that. Those are facts. But the story mentioned the MLS Cup champions as an afterthought in a quote by Johan Cruyff . Case in point, No. 1: "Little by little, you have to teach to the United States that this is the best game in the world," said Johann Cruyff, the former great Dutch player who watched Kansas City beat Chicago 1-0 in the MLS Cup final at RFK Stadium in October. Cruyff would know. Two decades ago, he played for the Washington Diplomats of the much heralded but long-defunct North American Soccer League. No mention of how the Wizards won, who scored the winning goal or that Tony Meola was the hero of the day, taking home regular-season and MLS Cup MVP honors. Oh yes, for the much-heralded NASL. The league averaged something like 14,500 at its peak. And yeah, there were two N's in Cruyff's first name when there should have been only one. European sports editors must have had a field day with that one (I double-checked Ajax Amsterdam's official Web site for that one. Johan's last name is actually spelled Cruijff in Dutch, but its anglicized version is Cruyff). But let's not let any facts get in the way of a good story, shall we? Case in point, No. 2:
The trials of the men's league could point to a difficult road ahead for the new women's professional league, the WUSA, which begins in April. Then again, maybe not. Women's soccer often attracts a different type of fan. The women's national team that won the 1999 World Cup drew money-spending suburban soccer moms and dads in minivans filled with children who would rather see Mia Hamm than Eddie Pope .
Eddie Pope? Eddie Pope? You're comparing Mia Hamm to Eddie Pope? Come on. If the writer had done his homework, he would have realized there are bigger American names in MLS these days -- Meola, Clint Mathis and Jason Kreis quickly come to mind. Call me a zealot, over-sensitive or guilty of micromanaging. I'll call myself a protector of the sport. Yes, the sport is still struggling in this country and there is plenty of room for growth and criticism. But until these bashers get their facts straight or put news before commentary and opinion, this certainly won't be the last you'll hear from yours truly about it. Like I said, the gloves are off for the new millennium. Michael Lewis covers soccer for the New York Daily News. He authored his third book, Soccer For Dummies, in 2000.
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