Xenophobe? That's quite a leap there. It's rather rude to assume that someone who gives people a hard time for wearing jerseys for teams without Americans can only be a xenophobe. Is it really that hard for you to think of other reasons? Say, maybe because he thinks American soccer teams/players need his friends' support much more than Real Madrid does? Or perhaps because he happens to know his friends love MLS but wear European jerseys because they think it will make them look cooler? I doubt you're that unintelligent. More likely, you just preferred not to give someone the benefit of the doubt. Even though in this case, "the doubt" is actually probably the most likely scenario. You really shouldn't make that kind of blanket assumption about a person based on something so trite, with perfectly reasonable and innocent alternative explanations. You reduce this person to a xenophobe because he thinks his friends should wear jerseys of teams with American players? You should ask yourself why you would just assume out of the blue that of all the reasons, the one unethical reason must be correct? I highly doubt you know that person well enough to make that kind of assumption. Even if you were right about this one person, you'd be way out of line. It's quite offensive, and incredibly narrow-minded.
Haha... I don't have any MLS jerseys, because I don't know exactly who to pull for, seeing as how North Carolina doesn't have a team... But I do have some Celtic jerseys I wear to school, and people ask what kind of "shirt" I am wearing... Because down here, alot of people don't really follow soccer, but me and a couple of people I know, are completely obsessed about it.
I got about 3 of my friends to watch mls pretty regularly seeing as my room is always the hangout room of the floor. They all also made mls fantasy teams and follow the games pretty intensly when thier chosen favorite team is playing, or the galaxy of course...
no MLS in my city yet .... 2010 cannot come quickly enough ... so no donning of an MLS jersey for me to wear around town, at least not one that would be welcomed. that said, i have worn my USMNT/celtic/arsenal jerseys out, and always get questions and comments about them. went into a bar at lunch during the WC06 one day, and was surprised to find that the normal lunchtime clientele (90% contractors) were busy watching the germany game ... with hardly any negative remarks. went into the same bar one night, with my wife, and no philly teams happened to be playing, so i asked the bartender to put on the USMNT game. before i knew it, the bartenders put the game on ALL the TVs. and since i requested the game be put on, they were directing people to me to answer their questions. i was surprised how "into it" everyone was, considering it was only a friendly (against costa rica, i believe). hell, i even got a bunch of free beers out of the other patrons. i was truly BMOC that night.
Xeonophobe, patriot what's the difference? I want American players to crack skulls across the pitch. Without a die hard allegiance, it just isn't as fun.
Would I stand up for MLS? Absolutely. In fact, I've stood up for MLS on several different occassions for example I remember this one Kid in Biology Class once went up to Me and told Me, "MLS will never be as BIG as the NFL" and so on and I told him, "Well, how can you expect the MLS to be as BIG as the NFL if it hasn't even been around for 50 years? Give the League and the Beautiful Game time to evolve, ok?" After I told him that he just STHU and went back to his Seat. And as far as wearing Jerseys go, I've worn My USMNT Jerseys at least once or twice a week. I've done that for YEARS now - just ask My Classmates. I even wore the 2004-2005 USMNT Jersey to Prom without having it confiscated.... I do hope to wear an MLS Jersey one of these days because right now, I don't have a Team to actually Support.
Just got back from Disney World vacation from Orlando. I saw a lot of (regular)football jerseys, club teams and national teams including USMNT jersey. More than all of nfl/nba/mlb combined I think. Maybe because there are a lot of out of country tourists?? I don't know. Anyway, I saw Chicago, Toronto, LA/Beckham jerseys on MLS side. also, a Chivas jersey(not sure if it was US or Mex) I wore my DCU t-shirt one night,LA/Beckham polo shirt one day, England jersey one day and England polo shirt one day. (don't tell this to DCU forum, but I'm a Beckham fan and the LA polo shirt just looks so nice)
In response to the topic, I wore my new DC jersey to school today. I got some possitive comments but I also get a lot of sh!t about DC and the MLS. Often, it's fellow soccer fans who say I'm an idiot for enjoying such "low-level" soccer. I always defend the MLS but it usualy morphs into an argument that nobody wins. Also, non-soccer fans make fun of the sport and the advertisers ect. ect. But I'm not giving up, I'm gonna take a lot of these guys to games and show them the passion and excitement of MLS. I will continue to stand up for the MLS and hopefully it will soon be as big as the other major US sports.
If anybody gives you crap for liking MLS, they're full of it. If they can't appreciate someone supporting his hometown club, they don't understand soccer as well as they let on.