The issue of exclusivity as it pertains to the American soccer community is a sticky one. On one hand, soccer fans tend to be overly passionate about the sport, often to the point of excluding other "traditional" American games from their lives, therefore "elevating" themselves above the casual sports fan when it comes to soccer. On the other, we generally hope for the day when soccer is part of the broader sports conversation, penetrating the collective consciousness enough so that we no longer have to fret over things like media coverage or Jim Rome. The former condition leads us to look down on those whose knowledge or interest doesn't live up to some undefined lofty standard; the latter means that we shouldn't be picky about who decides to gives the game a chance.
Alex Akita at Bleacher Report, in what I can only call the first piece that that didn't make me want to punch my computer screen, sees a problem in the attitude of American soccer fans. The suggestion is that we exclude the casual fan to the point of hatred, thereby alienating people who might be willing to open their minds to the sports. While I won't excuse away anyone who behaves in the way Akita describes, I will say that the condition of soccer fans in the US is unlike that of any other professional team sport. Soccer is regularly ridiculed by the regular Joe and media personality alike; this has bred a natural defense mechanism into us that leads to the exclusionary antics of which Akita accuses us.
It's not an excuse, but it is an explanation. Send me an email, Alex, and I'll explain it to you further.
- The U-17 World Cup gets started shortly in Nigeria, and the American side has some high hopes. Led by some exciting attacking talent, the Baby Yanks expect to score. But they'll need a solid defense, too, and the key man at the back seems to be Indiana native Perry Kitchen. Slated to head to Akron University in January, Kitchen is profiled by the Indy Star. The piece notes that Kitchen may have European interest, something which doesn't surprise me but makes me wonder why he would have already committed to Akron. It still seems that college is the default path American kids take when hitting the crucial 17 or 18 year old age; I'm not sure college alone is enough to properly help them maximize their potential (if only because of the constraints and rules of the college game), so I'll be interested to see what Kitchen chooses if he impresses in the tourney and receives European offers.
- Kitchen and his teammates might do the US proud in Nigeria and kick off their careers in the process, but their parents won't be there to see them do so. Security concerns have forced the families of American players to remain in the States while their sons are in Africa. While I understand FIFA's desire to spread tournaments across their member federations, and appreciate the effort to open up Africa particularly, this tournament was headed for trouble from the start. The youngsters there will be monitored closely be armed security during their stay, something that US Soccer couldn't provide for family members. FIFA knew the dangers, and concerns about Nigeria's ability to bring the tourney off were raised, yet they went ahead anyway. There's no reason that a high-profile even like the U-17s should be played in a country where family members cannot travel because the likelihood of something happening is just too great to risk it.
Deep Cuts appears every weekday, and highlights American soccer-related items from around the web. If you have a story for Deep Cuts (even shallow ones), you can send it along to matchfitusa@gmail.com.
