Re: Let them eat cake Big Frank, I don't know what you eat that gives you such a sour outlook on things but I suggest you get a little help before things progress to a full bown case of the very deadly disease Opticalanalopathy. George
Re: Let them eat cake It's only fair. If we are going to criticize negative, or no, coverage then we should show appreciation for the good. And frankly, I've spent much more time over the years thanking writers for good articles and less time agonizing over the, "soccer sucks because...." stuff.
A feeble attempt by myself at some levity. NostraDanUs Hernandez predicted, if you remember, disaster if the Revs stayed on the course they were on. Not to mention, he HATED Nicol's favored system. Again, me trying be humourous.
IIRC, before the '94 World Cup, Bob wrote one of his anti-soccer articles, but prefaced it with his background which included growing up either playing or having a lot of soccer exposure. His point was that he wasn't soccer-ignorant, he just didn't like the sport. His knowledge comes through in this article. Maybe his appreciation has "evolved"
Please Sir, may I have some more? - Oliver Twist Doctor George, my favourite eternal optimist. I wonder if the Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins and Celtics fans get all worked up and send thank you's to the columnists when they write about their teams? The answer is almost certainly no. Why should they? They don't need to because they get the coverage anyway. It is a sorry state of affairs if soccer fans still need to do that. But perhaps we still do. I suppose we should still be grateful for whatever crumbs we can get from the non-soccer columnists. The Ryan column was good. It was nice to see Nicol get recognised in that fashion. He deserves it, and the team certainly deserves the attention. We should be glad that Ryan drew the short straw on Morrissey Boulevard when a column on the Revolution went up on the assignment board. I think it would be much more interesting to read something from a Ryan or a Shaughnessy on soccer at the end of July. Not just on the day of the conference playoff finals when something absolutely had to be written. So maybe Magpie is correct, and 8 years into MLS we are still on our knees saying please and thank you for something that the so-called big four sports wouldn't even blink at. If he is right, and that is what has to be done, then so be it. I just don't believe that it should still be necessary. But maybe I'm just being too optimistic.
I remember that article and how steamed I got reading it. He basically had an epiphany after watching the quarterfinal game (Spain vs. Italy) in Foxboro. It was a fantastic match. The old 'boro was sold out and the place was rocking... talk about atmosphere. He wrote a wonderful piece afterward in which he admitted his view of the game had completely changed.
Re: Please Sir, may I have some more? - Oliver Twist why do you think OTHER SPORTS get the coverage anyway? i'd like to hear you go on and on about how this is bob krafts fault. ( thats why i read your posts, i like to hear the same thing over and over ) it is NECESSARY for the existance of football, baseball and basketball, hockey. those sports have no shortage of people willing to fill that role... the funny thing is that if mapgpie suggests that people get involved - you comndemn it as something that should be unecssary. do you also advocate that we should not clap cheer and sing at revs games, because the the revs should be pro enough to play at the razor in slience? if the media writes about the revs, you comndemn it because they should have been doing it anyway. nobody can ever please big frank, nothing is ever good enough. (NO WIRE COATHANGERS in the Frank household!!!) if bob ryan doesn't write about the revs, he's an ahole. if he does, hes an ahole for waiting so long and for not reading the minds of the millions of silent soccer fans out there that are secretly pissed off about the lack of coverage but don't mention it when they call in (or write) to talk about the pats. he can do nothing right. I thank all who have reached out and touched the media about the revs. I hope and wish that someday i can drive in the car and have a boston soccer talk radio show to look forward to.... this is a (necessary) step...
Re: Please Sir, may I have some more? - Oliver Twist When we get the TV ratings and fill the stadia like these older and better established teams we will get much better coverage. For now we need to----TRY HARDER! To me that says to recognize in a positive way the efforts of those who are willing to notice and support our existance. There is no shame in that---just good tactics. Lets face it--we are growing the game in the USA and it will take time. Frankly I'm pleased at how well MLS is doing at 8 years of age. BTW Frank, I'm not an optamist--I'm a realist with a positive attitude. People with that emotional configuration stay more healthy and live longer (Huge Smile) George
REVisioniST history More revisionist history from REV-okE, who must type his posts while sitting on Uncle Bob's lap. And you keep on responding to them, over and over again, without ever providing any answers. Oh, wait, your standard answer is that we really don't have enough information to know for sure. You accused me of bashing Pat Noonan, even though I said that he's been a good player, because I think that Shalrie Joseph and Damani Ralph are better players and more worthy of the Rookie of the Year award. I guess my error was including a non-Revo in the equasion. Maybe you work in a dis-information department. Maybe even at the 'Boro. I applauded the efforts of the Magpie, and others that joined in. And yes, an organised effort by fans would be unnecessary if the actual organisation did its job of actually attempting to properly market the team, or was given the resources to effectively market the team. The fans shouldn't have to do it. That should be the team's job. A question was asked if Scottish flags were too hokey at the 'Boro. Unless you're Scottish, I think they are. Nothing wrong with cheering the Revos. Chanting for your favorite player. Bringing an American flag or the flag of your own national origin. Silence? Your idea, I guess. Perhaps it is something that you might consider until you have all of the pertinent facts. We shouldn't get all excited when someone that could care less throws us a crumb. The Revos deserve regular coverage, and for better or worse, they generally get in in the newspapers. Jumpin' on the bandwaggon, at the last possible moment? It may very well be a case of all aboard, all are welcome. But the question can also be asked where the h*ll have you been all season. What are the odds that Ryan even watched tonight's game? If he did, credit to him. If he couldn't be bothered, does his column (good, that it was) this morning still get you all excited? It isn't going to happen as long as the current talkmasters are in place. Heck, our own Meterparel, the Revos sometimes radio play by play man, won't even stand up for the sport of soccer on the Dumb & Dumber morning show. If the in-house guy won't do it, it ain't happenin'. Here's one for you, REVisioniST REV-OKe: can you revise the final score of tonight's game? If you can somehow pull that off, even I'll go along with you on that one.
Re: REVisioniST history The amount of press coverage is not based on the input from the team. It is based on the size of the audience. The Revs fan base may be growing, but it is still in fifth place (although I think the Bruins have us in their rear-view mirror). Revs fans have to let the media know we are out here, and that these articles are read and appreciated, in order to keep them coming. No, it shouldn't be necessary, but unfortunately it is.
Re: Re: REVisioniST history I don't disagree with you here. The size of the audiences in person and on TV will help to dictate the level of coverage. The point is that the Revos organisation has done very little, and spent very little if anything, to market this team to get more people to games. That goes just byond trying to get the media to cover the team, it goes to spending some money on marketing and a grass roots campaign to try and attract back all of the soccer fans that no longer watch or attend games. It was an excellent campaign by the hardcore Revos fans. It is the organisation that needs to do a lot more to increase their numbers.