453 Minutes
Posted on August 6, 2012 2:05 pm
There was supposed to be so much more.
For what at the time probably seemed like a hundred years, Mike and Sandy Urso of Downers Grove IL ferried their son Kirk to an uncountable number of Socker FC games, ODP practices and indoor matches, packed him off to Bradenton for a spell, watched with the pride only a parent can know as their son made and starred for the US U-17 World Cup team and accepted an offer to play at an elite Division I school where he captained the National Championship winners.
In January their Kirk was invited to the MLS combine, was drafted in (what amounts to) the third round of the MLS draft and started five games for his new team. It was the payoff, the dream, the bright future everyone promised.
And then Mike and Sandy got a phone call.
We still don’t know what happened in the very early hours of Sunday morning. Maybe we’ll hear that it was one of those unspeakably cruel tricks that human physiology sometimes chooses to play, some deeply hidden and undetectable time bomb quietly ticking away, biding it’s time until the inevitable happens.
And maybe – please, please let it not be so – we’ll hear that the cause was something more easily preventable.
But in truth, I’m not sure it really matters. Whatever explanation the Franklin County Coroner eventually gives us won’t change the basic, unalterable, tragic fact: Kirk Urso is gone long before he should have been.
On Friday, Urso – like a lot of us – watched the Olympics on TV, and took a moment to snap what is almost surely the last photo of his life:
He said it was “Willow and I watching some Olympics”, just a kid, chilling with the tube and a kitten.
36 hours later, he was gone.
His MLS career amounted to 453 minutes, one assist and a yellow card. A lot less than some, a hell of a lot more than most of us.
But the more interesting thing is this: despite not ever being the biggest, fastest or strongest kid on whatever team, he was almost invariably chosen as the captain.
As Crew GM told Adam Jardy yesterday:
“He was the kind of person and the kind of leader that we want in the locker room”
“That was something that was a really big factor in drafting him. I’m not sure I can stress that enough. He was a good soccer player, but really those characteristics were something that drove the conversation to draft him.”
With the Crew, his string of starts was eventually curtailed by both returning veterans and a nagging injury that eventually needed surgery, but he still showed up at practice – even though, as is true with most teams, rehabbing players aren’t required to – and still knocked everybody over with his quick wit, quiet confidence and, most of all, his love of life.
And now he’s gone.
Yesterday in Seattle, 60,000 fans observed a moment of silence for Kirk Urso. In Portland, Jack Jewsbury wore a headband that read “RIP Kirk”. Other teams and players are likely to follow suit and the Crew, about whom it must be said no classier outfit graces the league, will be considering various options in the coming days and weeks but, for the moment, they’re focusing on doing whatever they can for a family who just lost a son.
For the rest of us, we’re left to ponder questions which are unanswerable.
In his famous poem To an Athlete Dying Young, Victorian writer A.E. Houseman tells us that there’s a silver lining in a tragedy like this in that the young athlete will never have to suffer the sad but inevitable dying of the cheers as time inevitably erodes the talents he once displayed and others take his place in the hearts of the fans.
Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Maybe that’s true in some cases. I really don’t know.
But with the passing of Kirk Urso, we lost something more than just another guy running around kicking a ball. The world has plenty of those.
What we lost was a leader and a man of endless potential for whom the soccer field was not the end, but rather the beginning.
And it’s hard to escape the feeling we’ve lost something that we very much can’t afford right now.
All of that can wait for another day. For now, our thoughts and our prayers are with Mike and Sandy Urso as they attend to the saddest duty a parent can ever face: saying farewell to their hearts.
Makes one stop taking things for granted – for a little while, at least.
Very nice tribute Archer. I had a few words to Kirk during Crew outings and was always very friendly even when he did not have to be. His family should be proud of him for his soccer skill but the kind of person he was. Rest in Peace.
Well done.
RIP Kirk.
Incredibly sad story. Thanks for sharing this tribute, Bill. May he rest in peace.
RIP Kirk Urso.
RIP Kirk Urso
Good work.
Really well done.
Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.
Please, HSG, do the right thing. Retire his number. Urso#15 forever.
Retiring numbers – it’s a nice sentiment. It’s very un-soccer. We have the constant conflict between soccer tradition and U.S. sports tradition. In some circumstances the soccer purists are correct, and in others they aren’t. In this case, retiring 15 would be a convenient sop to a tragedy that sidesteps the conflict – he did not wear 1-11. He wore 15 because a starting 11 sort of number was taken by somebody else. And famous Crew players probably have worn numbers above 11, but that only proves my point – we have a conflict. Do we retire no. 10 if a talented rookie dies untimely, and he happened to be an attacking midfielder of the old mold? Kirk is not honored by such. He was a soccer player, and the show must go on. He was described as humble. He would be embarassed by such a gesture. This humble, cheerful young man does not want you to make such a maudlin gesture.
A more beautiful tribute would be difficult to find Bill. You’re not only witty when the news calls for it, but so eloquent when describing honorable people.
I’d also like to add something relating to your comment about the Columbus Crew organization being a classy outfit.
I can attest to that in a way because back in 2010 I was a season ticket holder with Philadelphia Union. After the Crew defeated them 2-1 at PPL Park on August 5th that year, I happened to exit the stadium at the same time as their busload of supporters.
They exemplified true sportsmanship by complimenting us on a good match and a beautiful stadium as well as welcoming us to MLS. None of them had to do that, nor were they asked. To me, that shows class. From the owner to the fans a class organization.
KIRK URSO – I heard the news early Sunday morning at 9:00 am and didn’t stopp crying all day. My heart is in great pain. The first time I met you at Sockers FC try outs when you were just 10 years old, I fell in love with you. I knew at that moment what a special human being you were. I KNEW THAT DAY THAT YOU WERE MEANT FOR GREATNESS.
I watched you grow through the years at Sockers, at ODP, at your arrival at Bradenton, at the US National U17 team, at UNC, and then to the final pinnacle of your career – a professional soccer player – your dream come true.
My greatest moments in youth soccer were having the privilege of coaching you at my Flamengo tournament teams. When I sat down to make up the roster, you were always my first choice because you were the best. We won everything, and we won because of you Kirk. You Kirk, are an example of humility, humbleness, kindness, leadership, sweetness, and talent that the world will miss. We all loved you Kirk but God loves you more. I will always love you Kirk.
But one day soon my friend, we will meet again in the soccer fields of heaven where I will once again have the privilege of coaching and playing with you.
My thoughts and prayers To Mike, Sandy and Kyle.
Great Piece. RIP Kirk. My condolences to his family and friends.
I do not go on twitter, but I saw that picture of him and his little kitten and my heart broke even more than it already had after hearing of Urso’s death. I hope someone will look after that little one for Kirk.
QEPD
Very sad.
Very nice tribute.
Always terrible to hear of a kid going so soon, and he really seems to be a pleasant and nice individual. It’s heart-breaking. I hope all the best to his family.
And thank you Bill for mentioning it and for the very nice picture.
At Kirks wake his dad put up a poster of Captain Kirks “letter to his team”. It was part of the Leadership Academy experience. Once read, you can’t help but stand with eyes wide wondering how someone so young could be so wise. Truly a great young man.
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