USA Today Celebrates Tim Howard

[Bleacherbutt]

Tim Howard made the front page of USA Today. Here's a link.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/world/2004-01-22-howard_x.htm

There's not much new for you junkies, but it's great exposure for U.S. soccer.

[pokemoncards]

great!

[Kevin Etzel]

I especially like these comments:

...Ferguson says, "that American thing": an ability to focus intensely, a will to train hard and a desire to be the best.

"They want to be No. 1, the best at what they do," says Coton, who sometimes has to tell Howard to take a break from training. "That's a pretty good way to look at life."

The American goalkeepers also are noted for a certain selflessness often missing among European players (and especially among goalkeepers), who tend to be eccentric and flamboyant....

Those "down to earth" Americans get their due.

[SABuffalo786]

Someone write into the USA Today Forum about the article.

[nyrmetros]

Picked up a copy of uSA Today ....... absolutely amazing to see an AMerican soccer player on the front cover, along with a worthy article!

[cvh67]

With the growth of soccer in the US, you knew that soon a story like Howard's was going to occur. I'm just happy it happened to such a good guy. You have to wonder if at some point the team first attitude of many of the american players will change with their continued success both on the field and financially.

[352gialloblu]

It was a good article overall, though I did notice a few minor mistakes (...the Blackburn Rovers...), Schmeichel shaving his head (he didn't, that I remember...maybe they were thinking of bald ol' Fabian).

Did anyone notice where they said something like "Man U have tried 9 different keepers since Schmeichel left"?

Taibi, Bosnich, Van der Gouw, Carroll, Barthez, Ricardo...that's only 6, but it's still a bunch!

[352gialloblu]

A few days ago they published 3 letters to the editor in response to the article. They were all pro-soccer, and each expressed the "Soccer will be the 4th major sport very soon" opinion, and one included the "X million youngsters play soccer and they'll grow up to be soccer fans" fallacy as support. I think it's a great thing that Howard was on the front page, but somehow I feel that 3 soccer fans crowing over it doesn't help the cause. Best if we sneek up on them, quiet-like... ;)

[cvh67]

I don't think our professional league will even reach the ranks of popularity of hockey, but the national team will continue to excell, and our professional teams will basically act as development leagues for the best to go on to Europe. Perhaps, excluding fan support, our leagues will be like those in South America.

[Tony Cheval]

Depends on how you rank hockey's popularity. Will we ever reach the level of the NHL's peak? Perhaps not, but then they probably never will again either, Exhibit A being all the teams moved/expanded OUT of the nation where the sport originated. Though I hear there's talk of moving one of the currently failing franchises back into Winnipeg.

[Justin O]

Of course, given the way the NHL is run, it's possible it might reach MLS' level!

[Khansingh]

Originally posted by Tony Cheval
Depends on how you rank hockey's popularity. Will we ever reach the level of the NHL's peak? Perhaps not, but then they probably never will again either, Exhibit A being all the teams moved/expanded OUT of the nation where the sport originated. Though I hear there's talk of moving one of the currently failing franchises back into Winnipeg.

I don't want to start a debate with you, but as I see it, Canada has higher taxes, a traditionally less valuable currency, two of the oldest buildings in the NHL, and above all one-tenth the population of the United States. There's more money down here in the States, and whatever potential for growth there is for the NHL exists solely here. Moving teams to Canada would be regression. As meager as the NHL's TV contract is with ABC/ESPN (when compared to baseball, the NBA, and NFL), it's still more than the league will get from CBC/TSN. Or for that matter; Global, CTV, the Score, or Rogers Sportsnet. My proposal remains that at least two and as many four of the Canadian clubs should move to American cities. How about the Seattle Orcas, San Diego Flames, and Houston Oilers?

The sport may have originated in Canada, but I'm not really sympathetic to that argument. Why? My Boston Bruins, plus the other 23 American teams in the league. The Canadians made their bed, now they have to lay in it.

As for Winnipeg, that was supposed to be the Penguins' new home, but that's no longer being considered. It was going to be a 15,000-seat arena and, when comparing the two markets, the Penguins are better off in Pittsburgh. Actually, I think they're still building it and the Moose will be playing there.

[cvh67]

Given the way the NHL is currently run, it may even reach the level of NASL.

But really, my point was not so much about the NHL, but about the prospects of a professional soccer league with decent fan support and with opportunities for players like Tim Brown not just to develop, but to remain. Frankly, I don't believe it will ever happen, despite the fact that Man. U came here and sold out preseason matches.

[cvh67]

Correction: Tim Howard, not Tim Brown