http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/04/r_sports_tkwilbon041204.htm "Fredericksburg, Virginia: I have to admit I was a little surprised by the amount of vitriol you guys showed toward MLS and DC United on George Michael's show on Saturday. You guys kept saying "people say we don't get soccer." Do you really get that many comments from people, or is it possible you guys just overreacted? I'm a soccer person, and am just glad you guys are even talking about Freddy and MLS in the first place. Hope to see you guys out at a game or two this year. Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: Hundreds of e-mails. Hundreds. Several hundred. And what the soccer people don't seem to get in most cases (and I'm glad you are an exception) is that what Tony and I are talking about it isn't about sports. It's about the MLS claiming that Freddy Adu was going to push it into the forefront of sporting culture in America. That, and the MLS has to sell itself, has to market itself. Freddy Adu can't do that on the bench. I don't want to hear this junk that he has to "fit in with the team first." Nothing about this kid fits in. Not his age (14), not his salary ($500,000 a year), not his size (5 ft. 5 inches), not his talent and not his importance. And whoever doesn't get that... well, I'll leave it at that. --Mike " Ok, so who sent in an email like that on this board? And who still doesn't get it?
I know that MLS has figured Freddy heavily into this year's ad campaign, but have they ever said that Freddy would push MLS into the forefront of sports culture? This goes to the same claim Tony made in his article that MLS stated that "Freddy is the savior of American soccer". To me, they're making this stuff up. It seems they are the ones who are taking the media frenzy of Freddy, and attributing it to MLS (making up quotes from MLS), then claiming that MLS is somehow shirking their duty to follow through on their campaign. Featuring Freddy heavily is much different from relying on Freddy for survival--which is what they seem to think MLS is doing. What's funny is that they almost sound like they care about soccer. Well, they don't. They perceive that the MLS is handling this wrong, and are jumping all over that. They don't care whether the league survives or fails. They don't care about Freddy or his abilities. All they care about it is finding something new to criticize: MLS.
The last answer was even funnier: "Adams Morgan, DC: Seems like Tony isn't answering anything today. Since I devoted this portion of my day to reading both of you, should I be as outraged at your fraudulent advertising? Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon: No, you should get a grip. " Well said. Maybe Wilbon ought to take his own advice.
I can't wait for the day when everyone realizes that it's MLS, not "The" MLS. Anyway, TK and Mike just want to see Freddy play. If Freddy wasn't hyped by MLS they would still be pissed that he isn't out there. When you advertise him and feature him on everything you essentially say, "Watch this guy, he's special." So technically, no, MLS has not said that Freddy will be the savior. But in their advertising, they have made it a big deal and therefore people get the impression, "Hey, this kid is going to do great things." They aren't off-base in what they are saying. They just want to see Freddy play.
Yeah, I sent that one in. For someone whose partner wrote a book called "Pumping Irony," Wilbon showed he has no grasp of the concept.
You'd think that Freddy didn't play in any of the games so far witht he way some people are reacting. So MLS says "come see Freddy play" Well so far everyone that has bought a ticket to a DC united game has seen Freddy play. Nowhere did MLS say "Come and watch DC united as Freddy is guaranteed to start every game" They are the ones that need to get a grip!
That would be me. I honestly didn't think they'd answer it, but I'm glad it was Wilbon who commented. He doesn't get nearly as emotional and over the top as Tony...
The thing that gets me is that everyone thinks any & all press on Freddy is a result of MLS marketing machines. As if the media has never taken a story and let it snowball to the point of suffocating everyone with it. (Monica Lewinsky comes to mind.) Sure MLS is pushing Adu but for the media not to claim some responsibility for feeding the fire is dishonest if not clueless. Tony/Mike's complaints are providing the same attention to MLS and Freddy as MLS marketing does. They are just too ignorant to know it or too arrogant to admit it.
Since it needs saying, with respect to soccer, Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser are a stupid head. Seriously though, I think there are a slew of points to be made here. 1- We (American Soccer, MLS,etc) weren't the first to hype Freddy, but I stand behind our attmepts to market him in every way possible, to ensure that anyone watching around the world is reminded of the fact that he was out there for the taking, but WE GOT HIM!!!!! Where were Tony and Mike's relevant remarks when MLS signed him to begin with? 2- Given that we got him, how about some relevant reporting on how GREAT it is to have Freddy in the situation that he's in, and being handled correctly. a) former phenom Nowak for a coach b) former youngest players ever in the league Quaranta and Convey(who doubles as roomate)for teamates c)surrounded by both old school club vets (Jaime, Ben), Natl Team Vets(Ben, Earnie, Nelson(kiwi)) as well as a slew of under-20 teammates (Esky, Quaranta,Convey,et al) d)playing for the team that houses the core of Natl team's braintrust. (No secret that Arena and Rongen obviously close ties to United.) You wanna tell me how better to prepare a kid to possibly be the savior of soccer in America? The blueprint is right in friggin front of ya. 3- For spending soooo much time complaining like disgruntled kids that Freddy didnt start, or got too little playing time, are they so inept at evaluating soccer talent that they couldn't see Freddy didn't deserve to start? I think anyone with enough ability to recognize this, much less get PAID TO WRITE ABOUT IT!!! saw he was coming in behind a better player each time he was subbed in. It's worth stating here the money Freddy got wasn't earned by his playing ability, it was earned by his playing potential. For crying out loud, his first international offer dwarfed his current MLS leading salary by $250,000. NO WAY that offer was made with the intention of having him start. That information alone should drive reporters to dig deeper into what's going on with this kid's story. 4-Things are out of whack with regard to our national ability to compensate talent in this country, compared to what others enjoy overseas and abroad, particularly in Europe. It's logical, but I point it out here to illustrate the mentality behind the "We're the USA, we should DOMINATE every sports competition we employ professionally" mindset. This same superficial philosophy is evident in the "let's get a 14 year old phenom, pay him top dollar to shoulder the country's soccer image" effort. We have good players in this country, to where our league is slowly being elevated status wise. But it should be glaringly apparant how far we have to go as a country to believe a 14 year old kid will lead our soccer efforts on the world's stage. He'll get there, with the proper development, we all hope, to be recognized amongst the world's soccer elite, maybe even one day as it's best player. But Freddy's got work to do, as his coaches are telling us. Knowing his ability to grow into that class of player, why not enjoy being able to see his development from this perspective, playing for an MLS club team? That's the selling point, and a crucial one at that- to attract all these non-soccer folks to the sport- it's to see him succeed, not falter or fail. The old league failed, and as such, the soccer folks in this country are still skeptical about how to do it right this time around, some 8 years into the league's existance. It should come as no surprise to anyone how Freddy is being handled- with diligent patience.