If you live in the United States and have a television, you've probably seen this commercial for DirecTV. In it, a Russian oligarch-type talks about the savings he receives by subscribing to "premium televisions package" through the satellite provider.

If you're counting, and you probably are, the World Cup is now less than ten days away. Single digits on the giant hand-operated flip board we all hold in our minds means things are getting really, really real; if you have a vested rooting interest, your nerves are likely headed rapidly towards "shot" status, your mind is conceiving of every possible result for your team, and your nights are filled with glorious dreaming moments of goal-inspired exultation.


If you're just a general unattached fan, anxious for the month-long soccer party to commence for no other reason than that it's the World Cup for pete's sake (perhaps you're Canadian, for example), your footy molecules are vibrating, your attention for anything non-soccer is short, and all the anticipation built up over the past four years is ready to explode.


Which means, for many in both camps, that World Cup madness is taking hold. People are losing themselves in minutiae, obsessing over things like tactics and form, and squeezing every possible drop out of any topic somewhat related to what will happen in South Africa beginning on the 11th. Hucksters are pitching products with the gusto of Viking berserkers. Blogs are launching special coverage, new designs, clever World Cup-themed series and more lists than you can shake a stick at. Stories and opinion pieces are flooding the soccer corner of the web, ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime. It all makes the typical European silly season look rather pedestrian.


The American flavor of this madness is an interesting one. Our passionate and widespread soccer-loving culture is only now beginning to coalesce after years of living on the fringiest of the fringe. "Community" has no real historical meaning in terms of the U.S. National Team; it's a new(ish) concept, and one that has taken shape almost wholly in the digital age. This means the madness spreads rapidly and virally, through anonymous, semi-anonymous, and almost always faceless communication. Instead of a like-minded friend at the bar lamenting that the U.S. back line is a disaster waiting to happen, it's the guy you follow on Twitter whom you've never met, the blogger living three thousand miles away you just became aware a few weeks ago, or the commenter on said blog posting under the pseudonym "USASucks245".


It's enough to drive anyone mad, World Cup looming or not.


What does it mean exactly, that America's collective fandom lacks significant analog roots? Is it good, bad, or none of the above?


This is eye-of-the-beholder stuff. Instantaneous communication has allowed physically isolated pockets of fans to connect in ways not possible before. The result is an accelerated growth and strengthening of the community, with the Internet serving as a digital replacement for the bars, pubs, and similar gathering places that helped solidify bases of support of other nations around the world.


With madness extending its insidious (or should that be intoxicating) web across soccer fans American and otherwise, individual and rational thought will wave a brief goodbye. Thirty days of pure lunacy approaches, and the descent has clearly begun.


Kick the tires and light the fires, nine days until the World Cup!

Genius in action

If you hadn't heard, Jose Mourinho beat Bayern Munich yesterday to win some relatively large soccer tournament. Jose's legend exploded into the realm of the ridiculous in the immediate aftermath, with his qualities as a coach, brilliance as a tactician, and magnetism of personality all fodder for the type of hero worship the likes of which we haven't seen since Douglas MacArthur departed Japan.


If it weren't for 250 million oblivious Americans and cricket-obsessed India, Mourinho would be a shoe-in for President of the World. Mourinho's triumph launched a thousand glowing columns and blog posts the way Helen's face launched a thousand ships, each looking for new ways to describe the brilliance of a man who single-handedly destroyed the Spanish empire of Barca on his way to another Champions League title. The fact that he looked so dapper doing it; well, he's not The Special One for nothing.


Mourinho's dominance of the headlines, garnering so much attention as a coach and not a player, is a testament to the force of his personality as much as his tactical brilliance. Sure, Mourinho beat the greatest attacking team the world has ever seen (oops, that was a month ago) with his defensive-minded game plan before repeating the feat against the Germans. But that alone can't be responsible the flood of words spent bathing the man in syrupy accolades, can it?


Even if it is, Mourinho's status as the preeminent figure in Inter's wonderful season despite the presence of world class players in the team is a rare departure from the usual distribution of attention. There is no direct comparison, since such an example would need to be a man who was recognized as both genius in the ways of the game and a hypnotically charming yet pompous narcissist of the highest order.


Is Mourinho one of a kind? Yes, undoubtedly. There is only one Mona Lisa, after all.


Our traditional American sports are littered with legendary coaches recognized for their genius. Lombardi was ground-breaking innovator and unparalleled leader of men. Stengel managed his collection of egos and bit players masterfully in New York. In more recent times, Joe Torre, Phil Jackson, and Bill Belechick have each been given the crown of "greatest coach in the history of everything". Yet none of them approach Mourinho's combination of ego, charisma, and ability. Torre is a good manager but ultimately a bore. Jackson brings little to the table beyond new age philosophies and the ability to win when he has basketball's best player. Belechick is a strategic genius who intentionally avoids saying anything interesting, ever.


Who then? Two men come to mind. While neither could hold a candle, relatively speaking, to Mourinho's tactical genius, both coached championship teams and had personalities bigger than the game itself.


The two candidates:


Red Auerbach



Auerbach's success was built on choosing the right players more than strategy; always ahead of his time in the former regard, the legendary Boston Celtics coach racked up title after title because he had a special ability to find talent. His larger-than-life personality is legendary, and even when he was no longer coaching the Celtics himself he was still seen as the man responsible for the club's success.

Auerbach may never have reached Jose's stratospheric level of combined magnetism and coaching reputation, but they definitely share a certain quality.


Mike Ditka



Iron Mike was never known as a strategic guy; Mike's greatness lied in his motivational abilities. It may even be wrong to call Ditka "great", since he was really just the lucky recipient of a dominate Bears defense with the genius of Buddy Ryan backing him up. But Ditka did have an impressive ego and a polarizing persona that more often drew people to him than pushed them away. Perhaps most in favor of Ditka being Mourinho's closest American parallel is the "Superfans" of Saturday Night Live, who regularly hypothesized that Dit-ka would defeat entire teams by himself. Even if Ditka couldn't actually defeat teams this way as Mourinho can, the simple fact that the possibility was discussed puts Ditka closer to Jose than anyone else.


These American coaches, who plied their trade in sports that pale in comparison to the beautiful game, are nothing when juxtaposed to the supernova Jose Mourinho. His star burns so bright now that it only makes sense for him to move to the club of the Galaticos; even there, surrounded by gaseous giants Ronaldo and Kaka, he will dominate the sky, causing their stars to fade next to his blinding brilliance.

Today is the one year anniversary of this particular soccer blog. Just one of thousands, it has somehow become relatively popular, relatively respected, and relatively fun for yours truly.


When I started this thing last year, I'm not really sure I knew what I wanted to do with it. I just started writing (something I enjoy doing), throwing my opinions and analysis out on a variety of "Soccer in America" topics. Most of it is long-winded dreck; still, I managed to attract a few readers, kept at it, and eventually evolved into a more accessible writer with commentary on the news of the day.


I think I always assumed I'd make it a year without breaking a sweat, though it was much more difficult that I thought it would be. Anyone that runs their own blog knows that the day-to-day pressure to post and do so in a worthwhile way is not an easy task.


Part of the fun of blogging, specifically on soccer, is joining the community that exists. A few of the people I've formed relationships with thanks to MFUSA to weigh in with their thoughts; part of this is self-flagellation, admittedly, though I'm happy to link to each one of their blogs (where possible) because their contributions to both the soccer world and my "success" as a blogger deserve recognition. If there are sites in this post of which you weren't aware, please visit them; you won't be disappointed.


A special thanks goes out to Zach Woosley for being a humorous jackass who knows his footy, helped redesign MFUSA earlier this year, and pushed the podcast I started to a new level, as well as those that have contributed here in recent months, Jason Kuenle, Joseph Millar, Kevin McCauley, Matt from US Soccer Daily, and Adam Soucie of the Captain Positive blog. Oh, and I certainly can't forget Scott "Lil T-Rex Arms" Bornstein.


If I've left anyone out, my apologies; there are literally a hundred people I should be thanking.


***


John Pini - MFUSA Reader/Contributor:

I heard about MatchFitUSA during my winter break in December 2008. I was listening to The 2 G’s (back in ancient times when it came out on podcast), and Graham plugged it, having received an email from Jason. It was right up my alley at the time—and still is—being relatively new to professional soccer myself, and already a diehard USMNT fan. Yeah, Jason was pretty angsty back in the day—and you can’t cut this part out!—and posted a lot about Eurosnobs and NFL fans etc. Having achieved a level of success, that sharp edge has sort of smoothed off (never affecting the inner drive), and Jason has evolved into a truly professional journalist...okay, a more professional journalist. What I’m trying to say is: he’s the Jose Mourinho of the soccer blogosphere. Minus the special part. Keep blogging jbdavis.


***


Chris Nee - twofootedtackle

As a newcomer to the US soccer scene for the 2009 MLS season, I needed somewhere to find information and opinions. MFUSA gave me everything I needed and has grown at the perfect pace for me, transforming its podcast just as I wanted more in-depth analysis to further my education. Jason is a fantastic writer and a superb podcast presenter, and getting Zach on board was a masterstroke.


***


Brian Bentley - Winning Ugly Radio, The MLS Show (Around the League)

Jason Davis is the Lou Dobbs of American Soccer blogging.


***


Hank Alexandre - The Midnight Ride

"If Soccer wants to get in its Miata and put on his red pants and sunglasses....who are we to judge?"
Jason Davis, The Winning Ugly Show, Episode 19, March 2009

So I get this e-mail back in March of 2009 from this guy who I have never met and only sort of know from his "association" with the Winning Ugly Radio Show, and he's asking me if I want to be a guest on his podcast. I'm thinking to myself - I know NOTHING about this guy - only that he was in on some random e-mail chain with the Winning Ugly gang about some episode involving some underhanded comments about yours truly. So here he is asking me if I want to do a podcast. Well the first thing I do is go and listen to his podcast - and I am thinking YOU'VE got to be kidding. What's with the cheesy computer voices saying "examining the state of american soccer" and that intro music - what the hell is that - some kind of super hero theme song? I'm thinking about coming up with some excuse to get out of it but then I realize - this guy knows his stuff. Everything he is saying is spot on and timely and to the point. So I agree to do the show, and I proceed to step all over his opening segment. That was the first and last time I was asked to be on Match Fit USA.

In the year that Match Fit USA has been in existence, Jason has set a new standard in what an American soccer blog and podcast should be. His level of dedication to his craft is only matched by his desire to succeed. He constantly sets the bar higher and higher for himself, and never settles for mediocrity. Someday, years from now when Jason is Soccer Bureau Chief for ESPN, he can look back on his days with Winning Ugly, Epic Footy, and CSRN with a sense of pride in what he accomplished. Until then, I wish him continued success in his future endeavors with CSRN and The American Soccer Show, and of course on Match Fit USA.


***


Kartik Krishnayer - MLS Talk/Set Piece Analysts

Jason Davis and Match Fit USA has done an outstanding job of bringing a fresh approach to the analysis of soccer in the United States. A welcome addition to the blogosphere, Match Fit delivers an objective and analytical look at all aspects of the sport stateside. This includes looking at not just the national team and MLS, but also USL, youth development and other issues around the game. Congratulations to Match Fit on its first birthday!


***


Brian Quarstad - Inside Minnesota Soccer

It's been a fun year watching your blog grow with a lot of parallels to my site which has been active just a few months longer than yours. You've done a great job of reporting on the US soccer scene and I also enjoy your very professional sounding podcasts. Here's to another great year coming and let's hope we can be congratulating each other 5 years down the line when MLS will have greatly improved and the 2nd division soccer woes of this country are long behind us.


***


Drew Epperly - WV Hooligan

First of all congrats on the one year anniversary here. Time flies huh? I recall around this time last year when you reached out to me as you started your blog. Back then it was long essay type articles that really helped build a foundation to your site. After a couple months it grew into something special with your daily work and your podcast. It also didn't hurt that your shameless promote your site all the time during Live Blogs and what not. Keep it up and good luck with year two!

Again congrats Jason, I don't think any soccer site that I've seen over the last few years grow as quickly as yours.


***


Graham Bell - President and Founder, Champions Soccer Radio Network

Congratulations Jason on such a successful debut year for Matchfit USA. From the first email I received from you it was clear that you have a true dedication to providing compelling reading for the game in America. With the world of media looking to take as many shortcuts as possible, your balanced fact filled work becomes even more important to assist in the development of the sport especially in the USA. It is no surprise you were nominated as one of the top blogs for the sport by US Soccer in your debut year. I personally am looking forward to even more compelling content from Matchfit USA in the forthcoming World Cup year.


***


Ben Rycroft - It's Called Football

I’ve never met Jason Davis. I’ve never even seen Jason Davis.

He could pass me on the street tomorrow wearing an ‘I’m Jason Davis’ T-shirt and I still probably wouldn’t connect the dots. And yet Jason Davis, of Match Fit USA, has asked me to write a happy little paragraph or two about him as his site comes up on its 1 year anniversary.

So what do I know about this man I’ve never met?

I know Jason Davis likes football.

I know Jason Davis writes about it too. Jason Davis has a show which I believe covers the same topic.

And I do know that he’s as talented an analyst as is out there.

So, for all that, I commend and applaud him. Lord knows covering football in North America isn’t a glamorous job. Or it isn’t yet. But with the continued efforts and energy of people like him, maybe one day it will be. For now though, it remains a lot of nerds sitting around computers, debating each other in Cover It Live chatrooms.

Jason Davis is a gentleman and a scholar in that community.

Here’s hoping he’s not an axe murderer when he’s away from the computer.


***


Mark Fishkin - The Kin of Fish

In the span of one short year, Jason has developed a multimedia empire for American soccer fans. MatchFit USA and the newly re-christened American Soccer Show podcast, along with live call-ins around key events, have become must-visit destinations for the serious fan. His ability to quickly boil down the issues and news of the day into short (and not-so short) dispatches has been invaluable for his viewership. Though Jason, do us all a favor. Stop apologizing for trying to do 18 things at once! Seriously, congrats, Jason on your anniversary, and here’s looking forward to a great 2010!


***


Dan Wiersema, Founder of the Free Beer Movement

Jason Davis and the MatchFitUSA site (along with his podcast, the American Soccer Show) has been a great revelation to the soccer blogosphere. MatchFitUSA and Davis goes beyond just soccer news, but insightful commentary about the American game. Too often our sport lacks proper perspective (with a lot of knee jerk reactions and little depth of knowledge, but Jason and his website are a great home for for a solid soccer community.

We consider Jason a great soccer-blog-friend (even if we're not on his blog roll!) and are happy to wish MatchFitUSA a happy one year anniversary. We can't wait to see what the coming years bring!

From one American soccer lover to the next, we appreciate the great contributions that MatchFitUSA and Davis brings to our sport. One of the main ways that soccer can get bigger in this country (along with the prospect of free beer!) is having intelligent and interesting individuals to bring clarity and commentary that improves the standing of the sport. Jason Davis is a huge part of that.

Thanks for everything.


***

Again, thanks to everyone that has not only helped MFUSA last a year, but that spurred myself and the site on to bigger and better things. Not in my wildest imagination would I have thought that this site would be where it is, nominated for an award, or given me the ability to cover a sport I love so closely and get as much out of it as I have.


Feel free to leave a comment, even you haters; I'm not naive enough to think that there aren't more than a few of you out there ready to take your shot on the anniversary of the site. Believe it or not, I want to thank you, too.


Here's to an even better year two.

Alright, so I intentionally left the words "promotion" and "relegation" out of the title of this post for a very specific reason; I'm solidly, completely, and ridiculously confident that there will never be promotion/relegation in the United States, and I didn't want it to appear I was changing that stance.

And I'm not. Really. I swear.

But since it is on the minds of many American soccer fans again thanks to the rumors about MLS interest in buying USL, I thought I'd address it. Not to suggest that it's possible, not to belabor that it's not (it's not), but to present a creative system that might be the only way it could ever come into the American/Canadian game.

Keep in mind that I'm not proposing this system as a practical solution to the question; I simply wanted to see if I could come with something that was even remotely possible in a country that has never had pro/rel on the professional level before and with a league whose setup use a franchise-model rather than one with traditional clubs.

These are the important points to remember, and why it's almost certain that pro/rel won't happen in American soccer:

The owners, specifically those who ponied up the expansion fee, would never go for it.

Makes sense. If you have an investment in something as dicey a prospect as professional soccer in the United States, you aren't likely to be okay with dropping down into a second division.

The American people don't understand pro/rel.

This one is overblown, but there is something to be said for it; casual fans can't be counted on to stick around if their club is wallowing in MLS2.

The loss in revenue for relegated clubs would be catastrophic.

Without a major TV deal, and with so many clubs playing in new stadiums that aren't going to pay for themselves, the decreased income that would surely result from relegation is a major, major problem.

There are other concerns, of course, but these are the big ones as I see them. In order for a system to mitigate any of those issues, a few things would have to change on the American soccer scene (i.e., the game would have to massively explode).

This means...

1. Larger TV contracts

TV contracts are any big sports league's lifeblood these days; without one/many bringing in millions upon millions of dollars, there simply can't be enough money to go around to make pro/rel worthwhile. I don't have an exact number in mind, but think north of "hundreds of millions".

2. Completely stable, no questions about health, financial footing

Part and parcel with a larger TV deal, the league must have zero questions about its long term viability; as long as city councilwomen and anti-stadium groups can continue to use the phrase "if it's around" when talking about MLS, nothing can change in the way the league operates (meaning a set number of teams with no pro/rel).

3. Second division franchises must be attractive investments

There doesn't seem to be a shortage of people anxious to get involved in MLS these days; every time we turn around, another city is being mentioned as a possible expansion candidate thanks to the backing of big time money. When and if those big money concerns are comfortable investing in second division teams, then maybe pro/rel could be considered a possibility.

That may be a lot of set up for what might ultimately be a let down, but here's my ill-conceived, completely-contrived, and admittedly-impossible promotion/relegation "plan":

Requirements for Relegation

1. A rolling three year point total average will determine the clubs to become relegation candidates; the bottom two clubs in at the end of any given season with the lowest average point total for the previous three seasons will become candidates for relegation.

An exception: clubs who qualified for the playoffs in one of the three seasons will be exempt from consideration even if their point average places them in the bottom two. If any team is exempt due to this playoff caveat, the next lowest non-playoff qualifying team from the previous three seasons will replace them as a candidate.

2. Only qualifying clubs via Requirement 1 that are in the bottom third of MLS average attendance over the same period (three years) will remain as candidates; if one or both of the teams qualified through Requirement 1 are in the top two-thirds of average league attendance, they will be removed from consideration and not be replaced.


If any club remains a candidate for relegation after these two requirements are applied, they will on be replaced if a promotion candidate meets the Requirements for Promotion.

Requirements for Promotion

1. The two clubs with the best average point total over a three season span will become candidates for promotion; however, if a team has multiple league titles over that span but are not in the top two average point totals, they replace the club with the second best point average automatically.

2. Clubs qualified via Requirement 1 must meet a minimum average attendance requirement over a three year period. This number is to be determined by the league office, but shall not be set below 10k/game.

3. Promotion candidate clubs must have stadiums that meet MLS standards, meaning a dedicated soccer facility with schedule and revenue controlled by the club, and a capacity not to be below 20k.

4. Promotion candidates will be required to pay an entry fee for the top division of an amount to be determined by the league (I almost set this at $20 million, which is arbitrary, but is half of the current expansion fee).


If and only if there are clubs that meet both sets of requirements will promotion/relegation take place. No more than two teams can be relegated from the first division in any given year, meaning that no more than two can be promoted.

Relegated teams will receive a parachute payment, also to be determined by the league, but perhaps equal to the promoted club entry fee.


Essentially, I've laid out a pro/rel plan that makes it extremely difficult to get relegated, and equally difficult to get promoted. In the end, it's possible that neither set of requirements would be met often or at all; MLS parity means that the playoffs are always within reach, and it's unlikely that a club that recently made the playoffs (within the rolling three year period) would be in the bottom third of average attendance.

Potential promotion candidates will find it equally difficult; even if the meet the requirements I've laid out, the entry fee to become a top-flight club may be too much. More often than not, second division clubs would choose to remain second division clubs even if a promotion slot was open.

It's only through a combination of on-the-field and off-the-field success/failure that I could see owners agreeing to any kind of promotion/relegation system.

But like I said before, it just isn't happening.

End of completely irrelevant nonsense.

Just a few thoughts, that I'm going to phrase as questions, rattling around the old noggin on a Monday:

Where are the tickets sales numbers for MLS? We know about Seattle and Toronto, and we know that FC Dallas draws worse that a steer carcass rotting in the desert, but what about everyone else? How's that "Defend the Fort" thing going up in New England for example?

Is there something fundamentally wrong with young American players who go to Europe? For every Michael Bradley, it seems there's another player who can't even make the bench at a mid-level (or worse) club to dampen the enthusiasm. I know we're never going to bat 1.000 (baseball metaphor in a soccer blog, sorry), but we shouldn't be waiting for our most impressive youngsters to come back to the U.S. before they get regular time.

It's three days until MLS First Kick on ESPN2, Sounders v. Red Bulls, in a city that has gone nuts for soccer (seemingly anyway-I'm not there, but that's the sense I get); why is there still nothing from ESPN? No profiles of the team, no focus on the supporters, not even a mention of what has turned into one of the greatest sports marketing triumphs of the last who-knows-how-many-years....Zip. Zilch. Nada. Why? Hell, we might expect a story by one of the news agencies across the pond before ESPN gets their act together. Do I need to mention again that the league is ON THEIR NETWORK!?!

Also,

Where are the pictures I was supposed to see?
Why is it every time I turn on the radio, I hear the same five songs every fifteen minutes?
Why ask why?
Where's the beef?
How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?

And finally,

How long until MLS starts?

Wow. Wacky mood after a Monday. I feel dirty.