Rick Telander, 9/17

Let's not be furious with the guy, if we can, folks?

Just write him a nice email. If you can't be civil don't hurt the efforts of everyone else by being a jackass.

 

You kn ow, the more I see people writing this sentiment, the more I wonder why everyone here at BS is so apologetic on these "writers". Telander will never like soccer, nor will he ever profess anything but disdain for it. Who cares if you let a little frustration out on the likes of him? Really?

 

The people who work hard to let good writers like Telander know not all people that like soccer are fierce zealots, are anti-every other sport, and spew venom at the drop of the hat.

The few who do give a bad name to the rest of us, sinc ethose are the ones writers remember and refer to in their columns.

 

Nice work, Mike. And Hala, I just think sometimes a swift kick in the rear is better for some of the soccer-bashers than anything else. Maybe just my frustration talking.

 

Not when the next week after getting all the hate mail he devotes another column to anti-soccer bile and specifically all the whiny beeyothces who spammed him since his offhand comment a week prior.

It's happened in Chicago press many times before, and it's not pretty.

 

I tried to be nice, but I think I ended up saying I horse d!cked his mother while his father watched through a bondage mask.

 

Who Watches Men's Pro Soccer?

I do.

Stopped watching baseball when the Cubs tanked in 1969. Wisest decision I ever made.

Chicago pro soccer teams have won more national championships than those won by the Bears, Cubs, Sox and Hawks during my lifetime.

Who's laughing now?


Got an 0ut-of-office reply.

 

I sent him some facts about attendance and what all and a note stating that the Sun Times has the best soccer coverage in the city.

MB

 

If you tell me you're my father, I'm leaving.

 

Telander obviously had the Sun-Times IT Staff reply "Out of Office" to all emails with the word 'soccer' in it.

It's all part of the conspiracy.

 

I like the subtlety and restraint shown here.

 

Looks like his brother was there, too

 

And all the while, Frank DeFord didn't bash the WUSA this week as The Sports Curmudgeon!

 

thanks for the note.

rick


thus readeth my reply email.

interesting, since i said i would never buy another issue of the sun-times again.

glad to know they take us so seriously.

 

How right you are

i don't know if you realized that your comment was literally correct - Telander's back yard is next to the Fire's training field at Halas Hall in Lake Forest.

peter

 

You know, we joke about these old-school sports writers effectively standing on their porches in their bathrobes yelling "get off my lawn, you damn kids" to American soccer, but this is ridiculous.

Who has to climb his fence to get errant balls?

Later,
COZ

 

Hahahaha, oh man, now thats rich!

 

I wrote him a nice email. Then I realized his 2nd to last line (the one I missed when I stopped at the 4th to last one) is incredibly sexist. The whole point of "equal opportunity" includes the "opportunity" to get paid for playing. I mean, we don't have to fund their league with taxes or anything, but the whole point of trying to acheive equality is that they get to do, and make money doing, the same things men do. That's the whole point, and he dismisses it right at the end.

Is this guy usually an idiot, or just in soccer-related cases?

 

My guess would be Futaki and Capano since they are some of the youngest guys on the squad and them running across a sports writer's lawn with a ball in their hands is by far the funniest mental image of them all. But I think a close second would be Zach showing up at the guys door looking really pissed.

 

Re: How right you are

Peter - have you ever invited Rick T and his teenage son to a game? October 10th. Pre-game autographs for his son from the Fire national teamers. First half in Section 8. Second half from the expensive seats. If the Cubs/Sox are dead by then, there will be a huge lull in the sports news market.

Rick seems to be a bright guy, and somewhat of an idealist. He is quick to challenge the sports establishment. He has been very critical of the hypocracy of big time college athletics. He also criticizes the big, overpaid, egotistical athlete. He actually could be a huge outspoken proponent of what I find very appealing about MLS -- good value for the fan $, down to earth athletes, enthusiastic fans. Unfortunately, he is very dismissive of soccer.