STL Faithful
18 Jul 2007, 12:03 AM
Did anyone catch the soccer segment on 590 The Morning Grind this morning about 7:30am? I missed it just as I was going into work. Basically they wanted to discuss the Beckham Effect on MLS and if soccer will catch on in the US. Of course the ignorant idiots were quick to bad mouth the game, but in my opinion, we need these stubborn, ill-advised sports reporters to embrace the sport and bring it to the forefront.
The fate of soccer in the US does not fall on David Beckham, however, he can be the stone that starts the snowball downhill. Soccer needs a story. Something to bring it to the National Media, that can grab the publics' attention. Something that people will be talking about days and even weeks after.
Two examples, Baseball and American Idol. Look at these two spectacles. Remember when baseball ratings was at an all time low in the 90s. After the strike, baseball had trouble winning the fans back until one magic year. 1998 and the homerun race between McGwire & Sosa. It was a Cinderella story that the national media grabbed and ran with it. Everywhere you went people were talking about it. America could not get enough of it. Baseball became more than a game. It became an infactuation. Do you really think people watched every baseball game? Ratings did rise, but people wanted to see home runs.
Next came American Idol, it became an instant success. Again, people didn't watch to see people sing. They could care less. People watched because they wanted to see what Simon was going to say. How he was going to react to the performances. Then sub-stories arose from contest, where people had to choose sides. America became obsessed with it.
If soccer is to survive in this nation, it needs a story America can grab on to. Something more than just the game itself. A story national media can run with, and America can become infactuated with it. Beckham isn't the savior of US Soccer, but he could be the spark.
However, the success rides on the national sports reporters. Are they willing to embrace change and accept soccer as a legitimate sport. My fear is these meatheads are too oblivious to fact that soccer takes skill and talent to play and we are not a bunch of "grass fairies" running around on the field.
I fear for the sport because we have to rely on these idiots.
The fate of soccer in the US does not fall on David Beckham, however, he can be the stone that starts the snowball downhill. Soccer needs a story. Something to bring it to the National Media, that can grab the publics' attention. Something that people will be talking about days and even weeks after.
Two examples, Baseball and American Idol. Look at these two spectacles. Remember when baseball ratings was at an all time low in the 90s. After the strike, baseball had trouble winning the fans back until one magic year. 1998 and the homerun race between McGwire & Sosa. It was a Cinderella story that the national media grabbed and ran with it. Everywhere you went people were talking about it. America could not get enough of it. Baseball became more than a game. It became an infactuation. Do you really think people watched every baseball game? Ratings did rise, but people wanted to see home runs.
Next came American Idol, it became an instant success. Again, people didn't watch to see people sing. They could care less. People watched because they wanted to see what Simon was going to say. How he was going to react to the performances. Then sub-stories arose from contest, where people had to choose sides. America became obsessed with it.
If soccer is to survive in this nation, it needs a story America can grab on to. Something more than just the game itself. A story national media can run with, and America can become infactuated with it. Beckham isn't the savior of US Soccer, but he could be the spark.
However, the success rides on the national sports reporters. Are they willing to embrace change and accept soccer as a legitimate sport. My fear is these meatheads are too oblivious to fact that soccer takes skill and talent to play and we are not a bunch of "grass fairies" running around on the field.
I fear for the sport because we have to rely on these idiots.