Opening Remarks
I guess it's about time for a first article. This is a new thing for me so don't expect the first couple articles to be all that coherent. I also know that absolutely no one is looking at these little diatribes so it doesn't really matter. Ahem...

On the State of MLS
MLS is a great concept... and just that. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for a league in the States that helps Americans gain in soccer ability. The thing is that if all you have are mediocre Americans playing mediocre Americans than no one is going to gain anything in experience. Try switching between an MLS match and a foreign league. The first thing that pops out at me is the fact that all the other leagues have a little something that the American one doesn't and that is a knowledge of tactics (besides talent). That's the one thing that Americans have to learn and hopefully some of the foreign coaches and the new breed of American coaches will instill it in the American player. I really hope that coaches today look towards Bruce Arena and Bob Bradley as shining examples of what a coach should teach and how to teach it.

In another 20 years MLS could be somewhat viable but never the fifth major sport league in the U.S. There will never ever be enough interest to carry it that far and hopefully I'm wrong about that. The other thing that will hold us back besides serious knowledge of the game is a lack of anyone to compete against on a bigger stage. The Europeans have each other to vie against. They not only have passionate rivalries in their own leagues and tough it out to win them but also are looking towards competing (and, yes i know, reaping monetary benefits) from European competition. A greater stage that we don't have. Why do you think the best leagues in the world are there? Not only because it originated their but because they constantly strive to be the best against one another which helps pick up their domestic leagues in the process.

But I can't just gripe about MLS and make comparisons that aren't exactly fair (though I feel they should always try to strive to be that good) I should offer my solutions. The first solution is to bring back the allotment of foreigners to 5. The foreigners are going to be the ones to really teach Americans what soccer is all about and the more the better in my opinion. Some will say that that takes away a spot from a good American boy who deserves it and I say that's complete hogwash. Only the best and toughest should be on top and they have to learn how to play. By leraning how to play they'll make soccer exciting for the fans to watch, or at least more enjoyable than watching the floppers they have now. People will come to see MLS if there's a chance of a goal or a win (which is something else that has been lacking in MLS this season). I've always said that a near miss on a goal was practically as good as a goal and it kept it exciting but I'm not so sure many Americans feel the same way. Enough of that solution. The second solution I'd have would be to encourage the top prospects to play overseas. Again that's where they'll learn and they can bring that knowledge back to the States when they play for the National Team. Frankie Hedjuk will only get better and score more goals next year for Leverkusen. Wouldn't it be great to see two Americans in the starting lineup for such a great team? Americans should not be given a guilt trip over playing overseas and the public has to be told that MLS isn't a great league, but instead a good league. We can make it seem like we're watching AAA baseball and advertise, "See the Great Players of Tomorrow Today". Which leads to another solution for MLS, don't be too proud to be a feeder league. The selling of players will eventually help the league in providing the money needed to eventually go out and get international stars for the league. Money is the key to the future and I think that would be the overall solution to MLS's woes (to everyone, including myself, as well). Towards that goal I offer my last solution, the creation of soccer specific stadiums. This matters not just as a source of revenue which everyone realizes and MLS really needs but also as a chance to liven up the atmosphere at games. If the place seems more packed than maybe more iwll get into it. A loud, crowded stadium of 15,000 and it'll seem like the hot ticket to get and in America perception is everything. And, no, changing the media is not one of the solutions. They will be won over eventually but forcing it on them and crying that soccer is underappreciated will do nothing to further the cause. Always be polite and be happy that we get some press. There are a lot of well known sports that get *no* coverage in the States. We'll win them over eventually.

If you have any problems or, god forbid, vehemently agree with this I'd say talk about it on our Fanatico Bulletin Boards but Geocities doesn't support outside CGI scripts and has yet to develop a board system of their own though I can't say I've been too impressed with their CGI anyway. If you would like to write a column for this web site (for free) and write half way decently (which is better than me) and have something coherent to say (which again is better than me) than email me. I, of course, reserve the right to turn down anyone for any, and I mean any, reason.