I recently contacted MLS headquarters. What do you all think of an MLS History Book for the 10th season? Here is the letter I sent! Dear MLS Commissioner Don Garber, Team Owners and Executives, (Please forward as necessary), Ever since the announcement of the formation of MLS, I have been an excited and passionate fan. I am proud of the growth this league has seen and am excited about the future. I recently earned my degree in History at Northern Illinois University where I received an "A" on a 35 page history of Phantom Regiment, a drum and bugle corps in Rockford Illinois. The reason it was only 35 pages long is because undergrad profs limit the amount of pages written, as they have to read 10-15 of these papers every semester. Music is one of my passions and it made sense to write about. One of my other passions is for the beautiful game in the U.S.A.; Major League Soccer! I am a huge Chicago Fire fan and have wanted to write a history of this great team. Then something struck me. In conjunction with the 10th season of play in MLS, why not chronicle the history of the entire league! I would love to write a history of MLS, right from the beginning with those who helped shape it and foster it's growth, all the way through to D.C. United's latest championship! The MLS History would be CONSIDERABLY longer than the 35 pages of Phantom Regiment. By my estimate of 20-50 pages per team, plus the league itself, the book would be at least 300-500 pages. Please contact me if interested in creating a league sanctioned History book(or any other medium). I wouldn't expect pay, just the ability to talk with the major characters/players of the history of MLS in order to write the most thorough and accurate history of our sport/league. I can send a copy of my Sr. Thesis to you in order to get a sense of my writing style. Let's give the fans a glimpse of what has occurred in the past to give us the league we love today! Respectfully, Jack Daniel Chavez
I have a question: I'm currently a history major... but I have no clue what I wanna do with a degree in that field. What do you do now?
The best thing I can tell you about being a history major is that you will get the most well rounded degree out there. Within history you can study any field and its impact on the world. I've studied everything from ancient warfare to sex, to sport. I plan on going to Law School and history is one of the best Prep majors for Law School. I am currently in the eduation field, getting work experience for Law School. Most people use a history degree to go onto graduate work or to go into the education field. Most LA&S majors will tell you however, that you do not go to college to get a job, but to enrich your life. If concerned about jobs though, a high percentage of CEO's before getting an MBA have LA&S degrees, particularly history!
I did a multi multiple page (28 or so) paper of the Battle of New York during the American Revolution. I got an A on it too. I learned a lot. With that said as long as you don't document the 1999 Metrostars I'll buy the book.
You know what... on second thought.... document the 1999 Metrostars. I want to be able to show my grandchildren what the recesses of hell looks like.
The 2004 chapter on the Fire could start something like this (I'm thnking NFL Films style narrative here): "The Fire’s season started with unease among the fans. Despite a trip to MLS Cup VIII the year before, the Fire opened the 2004 campaign with notable absences on the field and a new man in goal. Henry Ring, the new Fire goalkeeper, had been a career backup at Chicago-- edging dangerously closer to notoriety as the next Paul Grafer rather than for his play in the arena. Even in his scant time on the pitch, Ring had not had an easy time: he had been given his first start in 2002, but he promptly gave up four goals. In 2003, he saw action for only eleven minutes. And now in 2004, he was tasked with replacing Big Zach Thornton, a Fire regular since displacing effete Mexican National Team goalkeeper Jorge Campos from the nets in the Fire’s victorious inaugural season. The hulking Thornton was also a fan favorite: the man’s considerable girth turning every save into an earth-shattering occurrence."
Boy, the 2005 entry is going to be short: "The Chicago Fire crushed all before it, including twin beatings of FC Dallas by a combined 15-0 scoreline on its way to league and playoff championships. Finally, to add insult to injury, Chicago paid off every Western Conference playoff team to lose to FCD to enable the Fire to eviscerate them in the final by 8 goals in Dallas' own house in front of 6000 rabid red-clad fans from Chicago, featuring hat tricks in each half by Andy 'The Red Baron' Herron." Yeah, that ought to do it
dude, you know what i'd do with a college degree... light off fireworks and eat pizza. well just me, but there's always a sh!t ton of fireworks.
There's lots of history at the "History" link on MLSnet.com That should give you a good source re: players, drafts, awards, playoffs, etc.