Bravo to Gary Smith. The Colorado Rapids head coach spoke out on the deplorable state of the U.S. Open Cup after his side's 1-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders on Tuesday. At the top of Smith's hit list was the Sounders' choice to play the match at Starfire Sports Complex rather than Qwest Field, and Major League Soccer's obvious disdain for the country's oldest cup competition.
"(The way) the whole system has been conducted has led us down a path that it was obvious the MLS league games are far more important to everybody in our league," Smith said. "Why should we risk our best players when nobody actually sees this as an important competition?
Smith's frustrations may seem like sour grapes, but it's clear he simply wants to see American soccer with a knock-out tournament akin to England's FA Cup. Romance, no matter the possibility of lower level teams knocking off the MLS big boys, is severely lacking in the U.S. Open Cup. It's a result of the severe lack of interest both MLS and its clubs have in seriously competing for the trophy.
"I come from an environment and culture where Cup games are part of the fabric as English football and European football. I think people at the top have demeaned this competition by playing it here for starters. Why don't we play the games at Qwest? Why, when we offered up the facilities at our own turf, are we not there?
The Sounders response to this, of course, is that Starfire provided a more intimate setting for the type of crowd they expect to get for a U.S. Open Cup qualifier. My immediate question is, why is that the case? I understand that the game was midweek and might not be quite the draw a weekend night might be; but if the team is able to sell out a 28k stadium for league matches, why is the bar lowered to 4k for Open Cup games?
Smith also commented on the "private" nature of the Open Cup draw.
"Why can't we promote the Cup in a more sensible fashion so everyone can get behind it?" he said. "There is a behind close door draw done and we end up here in a facility that is below par. We have seen two very good teams do battle on a below-par surface and facility.
It's a good question, and one that I hadn't really considered before. My issues with the Open Cup goes so far beyond the nature of the draw, that I simply hadn't realized that it was done in such a fashion.
"I don't understand that with the strides the MLS and the league made in this country. Seattle has proved this week already what a good team they are. It doesn't suit them either and I'm surprised."
Smith doesn't strike me as the John Carver type, frustrated enough with the league and the condition of the game here to simply walk away. I think his concerns come from a genuine place of interest in seeing the game succeed in the U.S., and he seems to believe that a properly run and well-respected cup competition should be part of that success.
I agree.
