MLS segment on Only A Game The public radio show Only A Game (which airs tommorrow on my two NPR affiliates) will be airing a segment on MLS Cup 2002. Only A Game actually does a fair number of segments on soccer, which is refreshing. It may paint things through rose colored glasses, which I'm sure some here would consider soccer-bashing. But it pretty fair in my opinion and generally positive. http://www.onlyagame.org/
Well, I don't know if the story that's printed on the website is the whole thing--but it sure isn't that even-handed. It pretty much slams New England's 9000 in the rain-soaked crowd and compares it to the Patriots. I guess it's easy to pick a lowly attended game and pick that out as the norm. And no, soccer is not as popular as American football--but who cares? Why do the journalists continually have to harp on that? I guess this proves it doesn't really matter how good soccer is, if it doesn't approach NFL levels, it won't be successful.
Quote from the article: "Perhaps on Sunday afternoon, hours before the Revolution and the Los Angeles Galaxy meet in that championship game in the same stadium, the sign up the highway will be flashing "Event Today." If it's a dry, cool, color-calendar, New England sort of day, perhaps thousands of people who've come to enjoy soccer will decide over breakfast, "hey. Let's go see the game." Unless they decided to buy their tickets in advance, looks like those thousands of people are going to be S.O.L.!!