STL MLS fans, what team to support?

[sirfallsalot_2000]

With no expansion news, I am trying to get pumped about the new season. After following the MLS hard core for about 4 years now I realized I still haven't found a team to support. I was wondering if any other STL fans have teams they support and why.

I really keep going back and forth between DC and the Revs. The Revs clearly have the St. Louis connection going, but DC plays such great soccer. Living in Columbia you would think I would tune into the Wizards, but they have done absolutely nothing to draw my intereset. The only game I attended I rooted for the Revs! Now I wonder should I follow RSL just in case they move.....

Anyways, I want to hear what other STL fans think of the current MLS teams.

[400lb Gorilla]

Personally i follow DC United, but that might be because i followed the Bullets/Wizards for a while in the NBA(even though I've always lived in Missouri, can't quite figure out why I did follow them) and just migrated over to United. But i mean it's all subjective, watch both teams for a while, and choose who you feel a better connection too, is probably the best advice I could give.

[Sport Billy]

I've been waiting for our own team - I've never felt a connection to any of the other teams. I don't know why, I just haven't.

Other leagues:

Newcastle
Celtic
Ajax
Barca
Bayern and Werder

I hate the entire Italian league.
I cannot even watch those games -
It's like a diving competition and no one seams to care.

[sirfallsalot_2000]

I watch MLS games and just pray for good passing. Most games are good, some are unbearable. Still, I want better soccer in the US, so I support our league. My favorite player is Taylor Twellman, so I end up watching alot of the Revs. Oh, and I'm very sure I played against Pat Noonan in high school, so I look for him too.

I love Arsenal in England, they are just fun to watch. Except for this month. It has sucked. I agree with Italian soccer, they are in a sorry state with fan control, player control and cheating. How did they win the Cup?

[Sport Billy]

I watch MLS games and just pray for good passing. Most games are good, some are unbearable. Still, I want better soccer in the US, so I support our league. My favorite player is Taylor Twellman, so I end up watching alot of the Revs. Oh, and I'm very sure I played against Pat Noonan in high school, so I look for him too.

I love Arsenal in England, they are just fun to watch. Except for this month. It has sucked. I agree with Italian soccer, they are in a sorry state with fan control, player control and cheating. How did they win the Cup?

Cheating diving etc.

[snead hearn]

Ever since I attended my first Chicago Fire game a couple of years ago, they've had my allegiance. I like speed players like Beasley.

[McGinty]

Well, I lived near Kansas City for 9 years so I support the Wizards. Personally, I don't see how any St. Louisan could support any professional team in Chicago. ;)

Really, I understand where people are coming from if they have trouble really getting into the league. Having a team makes all of the difference. I didn't really become an all out MLS fan until I started regularly attending Wizards games.

[jasontoon]

Well, I lived near Kansas City for 9 years so I support the Wizards. Personally, I don't see how any St. Louisan could support any professional team in Chicago. ;)

Normally, I agree. But when I really watched a lot of MLS - 2000, 2001, 2002 - I just liked a lot of the Fire players: Wolff, D. Beasley, Nowak, Stoitchkov, Armas, Bocanegra, Kovalenko, Razov, etc. I dunno, something about those Eastern Europeans, I guess. Haven't paid as much attention to them in the last couple of years (no cable, sadly), but I still consider them my favorite MLS team.

And personally, I don't see how any St. Louisan could support any professional team in Kansas City. ;)

[McGinty]

And personally, I don't see how any St. Louisan could support any professional team in Kansas City. ;)

St. Louis' rivalry with KC goes to one World Series, and the real enemy wasn't wearing Royal blue. Other than that, I never felt any ill will towards KC. St. Louis and KC face opposite directions, the two cities never really historically competed against each other in terms of economic/regional dominance (piddly little fights in Jeff City don't count) and our respective professional teams play in different conferences/leagues.

While the hatred for the Cubs and Blackhawks stems from Chicago, I wouldn't hate them as much if they didn't play in the same division as the Cards and Blues.

[400lb Gorilla]

Wait....There are professional sports teams in Kansas City.....I was not aware of this.

[sirfallsalot_2000]

Wait....There are professional sports teams in Kansas City.....I was not aware of this.

Neither are they. I ask my KC friends about the Wizards pretty often and they don't know anything. They ask me if the season has started or something dumb. I have tried to support the Wizards because of my proximity, but besides Conrad they just don't have much quality right now. Preki has his work cut out for him.

My wife and I are planning a trip to Chicago to see a game this summer. More for the stadium than the teams, but whatever. Oh, how many St. Louisans do you think became Bulls fans in the 90's? Cubs and Blackhawks are one thing. White Sox, Bears and Bulls aren't so bad IMO.

[McGinty]

Preki has his work cut out for him.

You're right, but I don't see how Preki's task in trying to replace Paco Palencia and Juan Pablo Garcia at Chivas has anything to do with the Wizards. ;)

[sirfallsalot_2000]

You're right, but I don't see how Preki's task in trying to replace Paco Palencia and Juan Pablo Garcia at Chivas has anything to do with the Wizards. ;)

WHOA! That's what I get for typing before I have my coffee! That has to be the dumbest thing I've ever posted, it took all my being not to edit my own post.

Ok, so what's his face in KC has his work cut out for him, and Chivas should be ok. More than ok when they get Bornstein back. KC sucks. That all look good? ;)

[snead hearn]

Well, I lived near Kansas City for 9 years so I support the Wizards. Personally, I don't see how any St. Louisan could support any professional team in Chicago. ;)


It does actually feel traitorous. The Fire will be my enemy some day.

[McGinty]

Ok, so what's his face in KC has his work cut out for him, and Chivas should be ok. More than ok when they get Bornstein back. KC sucks. That all look good? ;)

If Curt Onalfo can get his hands on another midfielder, the Wizards should be a good squad, especially with the upgrade at goalkeeper.

And I don't totally blame your friends in KC for not knowing about the Wizards. Hunt Sports Group, who never really did all that well with the team, really ran everything into the ground in 2005 and most of 2006. No televised games at all, no radio, little money spent on ticket sales efforts, etc.

OnGoal LLC has done a pretty good job thus far after taking over, though.

[Monarch Bay Beachbum]

Wait....There are professional sports teams in Kansas City.....I was not aware of this.


You are correct, there are no professional sports teams in KC.

Anyone(from St. Louis) that went to the University of Missouri can't support any KC team.

Anyone from St. Louis that has ever been to a Cubs-Cards series at Wrigley field can't support any Chicago teams.

I agree with the simian, DC United plays the most beautiful game of soccer in MLS. Plus I used to live there.

[timpcrk]

I don't have a team. Indy and St. Louis are my cities and neither one has an MLS team. I could never like ANY team from Chicago. I hate the Bears the most, annoying fans. At least Cubs fans are amusing in their pitiful ways. Don't really hate the Bulls, Blackhawks, or Fire but definitely don't like them. When St. Louis gets an MLS team, I'll probably start hating the Fire.

I kind of feel like I should root for Columbus, they're near to Indiana, some friends root for them, O'Rourke plays there. But damn, they have so many strikes against them, black and gold colors, stupid nickname, and they are just plain bad.

Usually I just root for a well played and enjoyable game when I watch the MLS, sorry but I still think that is worth rooting for in the league. Often I'll pull for the underdog in a match, too.

[Atarian]

I don't have a team. Indy and St. Louis are my cities and neither one has an MLS team. I could never like ANY team from Chicago. I hate the Bears the most, annoying fans. At least Cubs fans are amusing in their pitiful ways. Don't really hate the Bulls, Blackhawks, or Fire but definitely don't like them. When St. Louis gets an MLS team, I'll probably start hating the Fire.

I kind of feel like I should root for Columbus, they're near to Indiana, some friends root for them, O'Rourke plays there. But damn, they have so many strikes against them, black and gold colors, stupid nickname, and they are just plain bad.

Usually I just root for a well played and enjoyable game when I watch the MLS, sorry but I still think that is worth rooting for in the league. Often I'll pull for the underdog in a match, too.

You must have a secret love for the White Sox!

[sirfallsalot_2000]

I kind of feel like I should root for Columbus, they're near to Indiana, some friends root for them, O'Rourke plays there. But damn, they have so many strikes against them, black and gold colors, stupid nickname, and they are just plain bad.

This sounds like my feelings on the Wizards. The rainbow logo may be gone, but it still burns in my retinas. <shiver> Anyways, I started following the MLS right around when KC made the finals, but they have been crap ever since in my eyes. I was never a fan of Wolf and the Eddie Johnson trade was setup for disaster. But....new ownership and new logo could help sway my allegence. Probably not. It is KC after all :D

[timpcrk]

You must have a secret love for the White Sox!

Secret love? More like, totally forget the White Sox existed, though I did root for them in '05 series, sure wasn't going to root for the 'stros and it was fun seeing the Cubs fans all upset. It's kind of strange that there are virtually zero Sox fans in Indiana considering that Cubs fans are the dominant breed, followed by Cards and Reds fans, then your mandatory Yankee and Red Sox bandwagoners. The Sox probably have some fans from the Region (Indiana part of Chicagoland), but I don't really know many people from there. Indiana must be an NL state. Screw the DH! :p

Back to soccer, why can't Guatamala play freakin' real soccer. What the hell is a goalie, 9 defenders, and Carlos Ruiz? Retarded, that's what it is. If they are going to sell out for a draw in a freakin' friendly in front of what? 5,000 people (that crowd was embarrasingly small), they might as well disolve their national team. :mad:

This brings up another question? Which is worse: a sold out 80,000 seat stadium that is 90% Mexican fans or a 1/3 full 20,000 seat stadium that is 50/50 Guatamalan and American fans? I think IU gets more fans for soccer games than saw that friendly live last night.

Whew, its been a stressful week. Should I post this? Might as well. Why am I typing what I think? :rolleyes: