I don't envy anyone tasked with marketing most of Major League Soccer's 16 franchises. I can only imagine how difficult it is to sell a product with such a weak national profile whose biggest game is an afterthought during the NFL season, and whose stadiums are too often removed from city centers (i.e., where local media is typically based). More coverage means more awareness, which logically means more fans.

When MLS made the decision to bring their website in-house while adding a news arm that would be "independent" of the league from an editorial standpoint, natural questions emerged. Just how impartial could MLSsoccer.com's writers be if their paychecks came from the very entity they covered? Even with assurances that the league would not dictate content or censor criticism, the new team faced an uphill battle to prove themselves a trustworthy outlet of American soccer news and commentary.


More basically, what do we want from the MLS website? It should provide stats and news, surely, and lighter stories on players, teams, and coaches are acceptable ("player x working really really hard this year"), but can a league sanctioned media outlet ever be an effective source of opinion? If we're letting the league decide what questions to ask, which is the reasonable perception, do the difficult ones get shoved under the carpet? If Garber is doing a poor job, who is going to openly criticize his boss? An independent writer can ask the hard questions and hold the league accountable for its actions in a way an in-house guy simply can't for fear of risking his neck.


The flip side of those questions, a problem perhaps not as obvious at first blush, is the matter of association; if MLSsoccer.com publishes a story that is viewed as biased, unfair, or flat out wrong by certain segments of the league's fan base, it logically reflects back onto the league. Because any questionable or inflammatory content would be published on the league's official site, the league would naturally suffer from the belief that it was sanctioned, perhaps in a de facto manner, by MLS itself. At the very minimum, the material remaining in place after protests were lodged would appear to indicate that the league found no fault in it.


Case in point: in the aftermath of the Crew's uniform-disaster-cum-disallowed-goal in Mexico last week, MLSsoccer.com posted its weekly Power Rankings (which are posted without a byline). In the blurb on the Columbus Crew, number three on in the rankings, was a one sentence statement: "Quit barking about the disallowed goal against Santos. The ref made the right call."


The statement prompted a spate of comments through the site's Facebook-connected mechanism, many of them critical of the tone and questioning the writer's purpose in dismissing what fans, and the Crew themselves, perceived as a legitimate complaint. Anecdotal chatter on Twitter indicated that several of the critical comments were deleted (all comments have since been removed).


MLSsoccer.com followed up on the controversy in Torreón with a story, this time with Simon Borg's name in the byline, on the official match report. In the report, the referee explained the Crew goal was disallowed because Emilio Renteria re-entered without permission; with video evidence that seemed to contradict that version of events, Crew fans and sympathizers found fault with Borg's story, which seemed to back the ruling. Again, comments from readers followed expressing a distaste for the tone of the piece, and again there are anecdotal statements that some were deleted (perhaps justifiably so if the removed comments contained abusive language).


At this point, much of the "controversy" over MLSsoccer.com's treatment was a matter of perspective; Borg (and the site's entire content team, for that matter) are not beholden to defending MLS teams, and shouldn't be if they are truly independent of league oversight. By stating that the Crew fans should "quit barking" (harsh wording, to be sure), and posting a story reinforcing the official version of events, MLSsoccer.com appears impartial.


But this brings us back to the issue of reflecting views; whether Borg is writing impartially or not, his work still appears under the MLS banner. For the uninitiated, uninformed, or otherwise unconvinced, it might appear as though he is stating opinions held by at least a few running around MLSHQ in New York. Short of attribution by association, the league must deal with the ramifications of one of their employees using dismissive language in the aforementioned Power Rankings.


Friday morning, in the site's daily "Kick Off" post and with a headline including the words "Renteria backs ref", Borg linked to a Spanish-language story out of Venezuela that claimed Renteria spoke in support of the referee's decision. Renteria flatly denied making such statements to Columbus Dispatch reporter Shawn Mitchell, who referenced the MLSsoccer.com inclusion of the erroneous Venezuelan article in his blog post at CrewXtra.com.


Again, Borg's intent is questioned in the comments, and the relevant problem of verification is presented. As an employee of the league, Borg certainly has the wherewithal to contact the Crew and check the story's veracity; even forgetting that he's working under the league's auspices, Borg may have an obligation to followup as a matter of journalistic integrity. Whether the information is presented in blog form or not, Borg and his coworkers are professionals operating as a news-gathering agency, and are therefore answerable to a higher standard. By linking to the Venezuelan story, subsequently refuted by Shawn Mitchell, Borg has opened himself up to an additional wave of criticism (it should be noted that an update was made to the post, linking to an MLSsoccer.com story reporting that Renteria denied making any comment backing the referee's decision).


The core issue is not one of the rightness or wrongness of Borg or anyone else associated with MLSsoccer.com (minus, perhaps, the journalistic issue presented above); impartially speaking, whether the writers and presenters of the site should side with the league's teams is a matter of opinion. For Crew fans, the actions listed here amount to a pattern of bias, Borg himself is a target of derision, and their reaction is no doubt exacerbated by the simple fact that the offending items emanated from individuals covering the league at the behest of league itself.


It's the perception here that is the problem, with the MLSsoccer.com team damned if they do and damned if they don't; their impartiality is in question from the start because of for whom they work, and anything they write will be viewed through a prism of league sanction. Show the slightest hint of bias, real or imagined, and they risk alienating a portion of the fan base. Fail to follow through on promises of editorial freedom, again real or imagined, and they risk losing credibility.


The revamping of the league's website and the launch of their in-house coverage fills an unfortunate gap that exists in the amount of media attention given to American soccer. Be it through news-gathering, blog posts, or radio shows, MLSsoccer.com serves the fan base in a way much needed and too often neglected by established outlets. The profile of the MLS website, official and therefore a natural destination for fans, gives them an inherent ability to be among the most prominent voices. But by its very existence, MLSsoccer.com's coverage presents problems difficult to overcome but intrinsic to their work, even while their dominating presence gifts them a leading role. Reconciling the two is ultimately up to the fan, who must either search out truly independent opinion as an alternative or carefully parse content coming from the league's official site.


This tête-à-tête with the Crew faithful brings all of the problems part and parcel of the league website as news and commentary outlet into a rather harsh light. This particular controversy is likely to blow over in due time, but the site has certainly lost a number of Crew fans as an unfortunate result of tripping over fine line MLSsoccer.com must walk.


For more on the impartiality issues with MLSsoccer.com and their scooping up of most of America's more prominent soccer journos, see this Pitch Invasion post from March.

Please keep comments on topic; the issue at hand is the problem posed by MLSsoccer.com's in-house coverage, not the validity of any Crew fan complaints over the controversy in Mexico or the website content.

I think the headline says it all, actually.


Only kidding. But those are the relevant facts; MLS has hired Brian Bedol to advise them on their media dealings moving forward. Bedol is best known as the man behind Classic Sports Network (subsequently purchased and turned into ESPN Classic) and College Sports TV (purchased by CBS), and also happens to be a close personal friend of a certain Don Garber.


Bedol's track record, and the fact that has no formal consulting practice (with MLS as his only client) has led to speculation that MLS is considering launching their own dedicated channel. Think MLBTV, NBATV, the NFL Network - a channel run by the league that would presumably show matches, press conferences, interviews, etc., etc.


First, it's a great idea. Of course, I say that as a fan that would like pony up for the channel if it came to be; without the requisite knowledge on just how much it would take to start up and operate an MLS Network, I can't possibly speak to whether it's five years or fifteen years from being possible.


But I wonder why the league, unless they're just throwing The Don's friend a bone (which he doesn't need), would hire a guy with Bedol's expertise. Garber said that Bedol's hiring as little to do with the current TV negotiations (with FSC); perhaps he's in place to help the league deal with the coming expiration of the deal with ESPN and Univision, coming up in 2014.


Four years isn't much time, though, and ESPN will still be as crucial, if not more so, to the league's growth as it is now. The ESPN platform provides MLS credibility (to a point) and exposure; it's difficult to imagine that the league could pull an NHL and skate off to a lesser-network without feeling significant repercussions. Versus might be a very nice place for MLS to be, but it's not a replacement for ESPN.


As for a dedicated MLS channel: that's a heavy undertaking that would require a significant investment, acquisition and creation of content, and negotiating its place onto the lineups of satellite and cable providers. If Bedol's hiring is a sign the league is thinking in that direction, I applaud them even as I wonder how they could possibly pull it off.


But perhaps that's not why he's there at all.


Whatever the reasons, MLS is taking charge of its media profile. Hopefully that leads to improved production, better relationships, and a stronger media presence overall.

During my last real rant, I lamented the treatment of soccer by the American sports establishment; I specifically targeted sportstalk radio, the only real place I hear any any of the general (albeit locally-focused) sports discussion anymore, but the anger could have just as easily been directed at columnists and talking heads with national profiles. Tony Kornheiser, Jim Rome, and a few select others are worthy of vitriol almost day-to-day, though it's tired and not worthy anyone's time.


My biggest beef isn't that these voices don't like the game, or even that they outwardly hate it (though that bugs me, obviously); simply put, I'm tired of soccer's popularity, and the question of "Will soccer make it in America" being a required byproduct of any talk about a specific game. The World Cup can't just be discussed as a sporting event, it has to be examined as a influence on soccer's place in American sports.


This inevitably goes something like this:


Radio Guy 1: What a great goal by Landon Donovan to win that match for the U.S. Did you know 19 million people watched it? That's impressive. Does that mean soccer is here as a major sport in America?

Radio Guy 2: No. People only care about soccer every four years.

Radio Guy 1: Let's go to Jim in his car.

Jim In His Car: Soccer sucks, man! It's boring and they never score and even though I watched some of the World Cup, no one in America will care for another four years.


Repeat, ad nauseum, for most markets. By the time the caller enters the picture, my head has already exploded.


This pet peeve of mine is exactly why I was so happy to see Max Bergmann's post today at Association Football. Max talks about Bob Ryan's approach to the sport, that being one of someone who might not understand the intricacies but nevertheless recognizes the value. Ryan doesn't condescend, and this attitude appears to have carried over to ESPN's sportswriter round table, the Sports Reporters.


This is all I ask. If the games are to be discussed, discuss the games. Ask questions and debate about lineups and strategy, and if you don't know enough to sound authoritative, admit as much or make it up (as they do for so many other things). It doesn't take a genius to see that a team sat back, or that a particular player might not have been a good choice to start. Additionally, there are thousands of outlets with quality information on soccer from people who do truly understand the game; read one or two, take that information to the discussion, and talk about soccer like you would anything else.


Let's end this media referendum on soccer's popularity. Everyone be more like Bob Ryan.

Image borrowed from mitchalbom.com

Soccer from this guy?

One of the more noteworthy things about this World Cup is the amount of resources American media outlets have committed to covering the tournament. From TV to print and online, domestic interest in the world's biggest sporting event has hit a new high water mark; this is only a good thing, even if some of the names and voices that will be on the ground in South Africa can seem a bit odd.


I decided to do a quick look at four names that might either seem questionable to soccer fans or are not usually part of the fairly small soccer-focused media we have in the U.S.; American soccer fans are very possessive about the game, and any hint that a talking head or writer doesn't have a verifiable soccer background inevitably leads to grousing. Sometimes it's warranted, sometimes it's not.


We know all about ESPN's massive investment on the TV side, and all of their usual soccer suspects will be in-country to give framing to the images beamed back home. There are two names that might seem outside of that group.


Bob Ley

Only mentioned because he is not usually on the soccer beat, there's no questioning Ley's qualifications. He worked for the Cosmos in the 70's before moving to ESPN, and has been part of the network's soccer coverage for decades. As the host of ESPN's investigative news magazine "Outside the Lines", Ley is one of the more respectable voices in Bristol, giving balance to the shtick that is so prevalent in their programming. If new fans of the game aren't familiar with Ley's soccer work, don't worry - he's legit.


Jeremy Schaap

Jeremy Schaap is simply a reporter, and an accomplished one at that. There's no reason to believe he's necessarily a soccer fan, though it's impossible to definitively prove he isn't either. He has some World Cup experience ('94), though his soccer qualifications might be a little questionable. For the stories he'll be doing, though, it's almost irrelevant; Schaap's assignments are almost certain to run in the "human interest" and "cultural" realm than in anything having to do with the game itself. When he is involved in a soccer story, expect it to be profile pieces on the lives and backgrounds of players and coaches.


Sports Illustrated has also picked up their game, and while the Grant Wahl's of the world are there to provide the quality soccer coverage we expect, America's leading sports magazine has also sent two of their better known talents.


Peter King

On the surface, this is among the more questionable choices for soccer temp in South Africa. King is an NFL writer, and only an NFL writer; it's not often that those two worlds crossover in the sportswriting world. What we can expect from King is anyone's guess; even if he treats the sport with the respect it deserves (which we would assume his bosses have indicated to him he should), it's hard to conceive of ready-made story lines for a guy who it's fairly safe to assume has little to no knowledge of the game. King is a big name in the American sports world. What else he brings to the party is questionable at best.


Joe Posnanski

Posnanski is a fantastic writer. Almost peerless, in fact. Yes, he's usually very wrapped up in baseball, but he's already proven that his abilities transfer well to soccer. His feature piece on Landon Donovan was excellent, and while the day-to-day action of the World Cup is a little different than telling the story of a player's career, I expect Posnanski will have no trouble finding stories. Perhaps the best news for soccer fans who doubt Posnanski's chops is that he can deftly avoid outing himself as a soccer neophyte because he's such a good writer. Posnanski is a supreme story-teller, and the coverage will benefit from having him in South Africa.

I don't usually post press releases and the like, but this is too cool not to highlight.


ESPN will be all-soccer all-the-time between 10 AM ET on Thursday, June 10th and the conclusion of the South Africa v. Mexico opening match from South Africa. Even Mike and Mike, the morning radio show that is only occasionally bearable, will have soccer as a major part of their broadcast.


***

ESPN will kick off its month long coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup with a 24-hour soccer-themed “Countdown to Kickoff” programming block on ESPN2 beginning Thursday, June 10 at 10 a.m. ET, and concluding Friday, June 11 at 10 a.m. The “24-Hour Countdown to Kickoff” will lead into ESPN’s live presentation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup opening match – host nation South Africa vs. Mexico – Friday, June 11 at 9:30 a.m. from Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.world-cup-2010-logo

“ESPN is committed to providing the most comprehensive 2010 FIFA World Cup coverage, and this collection of soccer-themed programs over a 24-hour span in advance of the opening match will help build the excitement for this historic event and give fans a glimpse of what to expect from South Africa during the month ahead,” said Scott Guglielmino, vice president, ESPN programming and acquisitions.

Six hours (10 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET) of daytime programming from South Africa – including three hours of live World Cup preview show (10 a.m. – 1 p.m.) and three hours of the “World Cup Kick-off Celebration Concert” (2 – 5 p.m.) – will anchor the Countdown. Additional programming will include the DC United at Seattle Sounders FC MLS Game of the Week (10 p.m.), the final match before Major League Soccer’s first in-season break for the FIFA World Cup. Also, ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike in the Morning (simulcast on ESPN2, 6-10 a.m.) on June 11 will focus on South Africa 2010 with guests and tournament previews. Other highlights:



2010 FIFA World Cup Preview Special (10 a.m. – 1 p.m.):

Chris Fowler, Bob Ley and Mike Tirico will host a three-hour live preview of South Africa 2010 from ESPN’s studio location inside the International Broadcast Center (IBC) overlooking Soccer City in Johannesburg. The program will feature all of ESPN’s FIFA World Cup studio analysts: Shaun Bartlett, Ruud Gullit, Jürgen Klinsmann, Alexi Lalas and Roberto Martinez. Other elements:

* Reports from ESPN correspondents covering team camps – Jeremy Schaap (U.S.), Darrell Currie (England), Andrew Orsatti (Australia), John Sutcliffe (Mexico), and Dan Williams (South Africa);
* Human interest correspondent Sal Masekela and general assignment reporters Julie Foudy, Allen Hopkins and Rob Stone will offer features and their perspective on the tournament;
* Comprehensive previews of all eight FIFA World Cup groups;
* A look at South Africa and how the nation is addressing the challenges of hosting the World Cup.



2010 FIFA World Cup Team USA Preview Special (1-2 p.m.):

A one-hour preview focusing on the U.S. Men’s Soccer National Team, highlighting the squad’s strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities as the team enters its fifth straight FIFA World Cup. The live program will examine the chances for success in South Africa 2010 and preview the highly-anticipated opening round match against England. Additional highlights include player profiles and interviews, and a SportsCenter “Sunday Conversation” with Landon Donovan.



FIFA World Cup Kick-Off Celebration Concert (2-5 p.m.):

Sal Masekela, ESPN’s 2010 FIFA World Cup human interest reporter and co-host of The Daily 10 on E!, will host ESPN2’s presentation of the three-hour Kick-Off Celebration Concert in Soweto/Johannesburg, featuring Alicia Keys, the Black Eyed Peas, John Legend and Shakira and popular African artists, such as Angélique, Hugh Masekela, Juanes, K’Naan, Lira, and more. For more information, click here.



SportsNation – 2010 FIFA World Cup Special (5-6 p.m.):

The popular, interactive ESPN2 program co-hosted by Colin Cowherd and Michelle Beadle will feature a FIFA World Cup-themed special. During the show, the “World Cup Dunk Tank” will make its debut, the “Pop Culture” segment will be themed to World Cup, and there will be a special segment featuring Beadle and U.S. Men’s National Team striker Jozy Altidore.

Other highlights of the 24-hour Countdown to Kickoff:

* Outside the Lines – Robben Island: A Greater Goal (6 p.m.): In this special OTL, Chris Connelly reports on how the political prisoners of Robben Island created a soccer league and learned how they could forge a free and peaceful South Africa, the country that is now on the eve of hosting the world’s greatest sporting spectacle. To preview the story, click here.
* E:60 (6:30 p.m.): Jeremy Schaap offers an in-depth profile of U.S. Men’s National Team star and Fulham FC player Clint Dempsey, while Lisa Salters offers a heart-wrenching story about the Haiti U-17 Women’s National Team in the aftermath of the country’s devastating earthquake.
* Homecoming with Rick Reilly: Landon Donovan (June 11: 2:30 a.m.): Before his third consecutive FIFA World Cup appearance, Landon Donovan returned to Redlands, Calif., April 19 as host Rick Reilly and more than 1,500 cheering fans packed the high school gym of the star of the U.S. National Team. The special includes interviews with Donovan’s mother (Donna), father (Tim), twin sister (Tristan) and older brother (Joshua). Others in attendance include Donovan’s former U.S. National Team and current L.A. Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, current U.S. coach Bob Bradley, his former MLS coach Frank Yallop, and his U.S. U-17 National Team coach John Ellinger, who coached Donovan in the 1999 FIFA U-17 Youth Championship. Galaxy teammate Chris Klein also shares some of his favorite moments with Donovan.
* The 2006 World Cup Film – The Grand Finale (June 11: 3:30 a.m.): Actor Pierce Brosnan narrates the key action from the quarterfinals through the title match of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. Highlights of the documentary include pre and post-match interviews with the players and never-before-seen footage.



The schedule:




ESPN Inc.’s 2010 FIFA World Cup Coverage in the United States

South Africa 2010 will be ESPN’s seventh FIFA World Cup and coverage of the event promises to be the most comprehensive in company history. ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will air all 64 matches live and in high definition. ESPN3.com, ESPN’s signature broadband network available in more than 50 million homes, will feature live English-language simulcasts of matches on ESPN and ESPN2. ESPN 3D will feature 25 matches. ESPN Mobile TV will show all matches. ESPN Deportes, the Spanish-language all sports network, will air more than 50 matches in Portuguese live in the U.S., and ESPN Radio will broadcast all 64 matches.

Additionally, ESPN will present 2010 FIFA World Cup television studio programming from site in South Africa, offering U.S. sports fans the most comprehensive news and information coverage throughout the month-long soccer showcase. Studio coverage of the quadrennial global event will include SportsCenter segments, a nightly World Cup Live program, and prematch, halftime and postmatch shows, with additional studio programming and World Cup-branded segments, totaling more than 65 hours of coverage, originating from two sets in and around Johannesburg.

A ball is rolling down a hill. At the bottom of the hill is a sign that says "BRAT" in sloppily drawn letters, as if way the letters look themselves is mean to convey the nastiness of the word. The ball, a shiny top-of-the-line number with undulating lines and a hefty price tag, is stamped with four bold letters of its own. Though it is difficult to read the word they form as the spheroid picks up speed, we already know that it says "JOZY".


Make no mistake, the ball was kicked from the top of the hill by the young American striker whose name emblazons it. He showed up late. He appeared to sulk during games, visible petulance growing every moment with his team's inability to get him the ball. His managers, two of them, criticized his commitment and he ended his English stay with an ugly head butt to an opposing player. Yes, the kick with which he sent the ball on its way was swift.


As the ball bounds quickly away from him, the young striker can only watch as even his slightest transgressions are turned directly into new momentum for its journey down the hill. Writers and observers are more than happy to give it an extra push, pulling alongside the zooming orb and slapping it forward with accusations of bratitude, their own questions on his commitment, and a propensity to seize on anything and everything he says or does. A twist of the striker's intent here and there turns an innocuous bit of chatter with an English contemporary in public into a new burst of attitude-problem energy.


It seems he's helpless. Utterly helpless.


Or is he? Can he possibly catch the ball, which is now but a speck in the distance and perilously close to the end of its journey? Can he bring it back up the hill in any measurable way, putting separation between it and the scarlet letters B, R, A, T?


Perhaps simply stopping it is the first step.


Jozy, the hill, and his rolling ball will all be transported to South Africa in a few weeks time. Between now and then, a stint at training camp with his USA teammates should be a quiet one. He will play in warm up friendlies against the Czech Republic and Turkey, and while those matches aren't quite opportunities to slow the ball down, he can do some good just by playing hard and not providing it any more momentum.


No quit, no attitude, no problems. Once the ball is rolling, the standard for behavior gets that much higher; it's not enough to be like everyone else, Jozy has to be better if he wants that ball to stop.


In South Africa, the ball's ultimate fate could be decided. The right kind of performance augmented by a clear commitment in both training and matches, and he might be able to catch the ball, trap it under foot, rear back, and blast it back up the cursed hill. If he hits it just right, it might even stay there.


Do the opposite, throw a tantrum or anything that might be viewed as a tantrum, take the wrong step, become frustrated in a match and lash out, pick up a team-crippling card, or just simply fail to work hard enough, and that classy high priced ball will go sailing straight into the looming sign with the damning word. Once that happens, getting back up the hill and removing the stigma of the word will be like climbing Mount Everest with goalposts tied to one's feet.


Maybe it's all unfair that the ball is flying down the hill at such a rapid clip. Maybe Jozy's not a brat, nor should he be headed towards the label. But perception is everything in the world of soccer, and as long as the ball is rolling, danger lurks ahead.


A ball is rolling down a hill...

It's been a good year for Landon Donovan. MLS MVP, brand new big time contract, glorious loan stint at Everton, continued National Team stardom, and a new level of respect from his peers and fans around the world. From a purely professional standpoint, it's difficult to come up with more that could have gone right for the American.


Off the field, however, Donovan's life hasn't been so rosy. His three year marriage to actress Bianca Kalich ended, and while the low level of media attention given American players kept the details mostly out of the spotlight, there was a public element to the breakup. It wouldn't have been surprising if Donovan had shrunk on the field for a time, allowing the personal emotional issues to affect his level of play.


Instead, he seemed to increase his focus, and results followed. The Everton stay was a rousing success, and while the sample size still allows room for debate on where Donovan falls in the hierarchy of star players, there's no doubting his quality. Considering the label Donovan carried before heading to Merseyside, that he was a soft player who came up short on the big stage, beating back the demons must have been a self-satisfying experience. That he's continued his strong play in a much different role with the LA Galaxy is another bit of evidence that Donovan may have turned a corner professionally.


As Donovan readies himself for the World Cup, he's welcoming questions about how his personal turmoil has positively affected his play on the field. He's explaining the process of maturing as a player and how looking inward while shutting out the criticism has allowed him to improve. He's not the first athlete to say such things, and he certainly won't be the last. The words, though, will only matter if the performances back them up. So far, so good.


Yes, camp is for the most part uneventful in its initial days, and writers must find angles to cover during the buildup to matches next week. But the explosion of stories focusing on Donovan's growth, his willingness to discuss his personal life, and the quiet confidence he projects as one of the leaders on a youngish team is still notable.


After disappointment of 2006, American star Landon Donovan feels prepared for World Cup - New Jersey Star-Ledger

Divorce helped Donovan reconcile differences - Yahoo! Sports

Entering World Cup, Landon Donovan finds himself in a good place for U.S. men - The Washington Post

Landon Donovan sees greater opportunity with U.S. National team at World Cup in 2010 than in past - New York Daily News

Donovan ready to lead the U.S. - Philadelphia Inquirer

Donovan Pushes Ahead, Looking Inside - The New York Times

Straight shooter - New York Post

Donovan maturing before our very eyes - Ives for Fox Soccer


None of it will matter if he doesn't step up at the World Cup, of course. A taste of success in England is nice. Continued dominance in MLS, as expected, is all well and good. But if Donovan's new found understanding of himself doesn't translate to a star performance in South Africa, all of it will just be words.


He certainly seems ready.


Just a note, and based on my personal recommendation, you should check out SoccerPro.com, the best soccer shop, for great deals on soccer apparel and cheap USA World Cup Jerseys.

It appears the United States captain is headed home. After proving himself in Europe, he'll return to American shores to once again ply his trade in Major League Soccer. It's been a nice run abroad, but all good things must come to an end.


If you're wondering why Carlos Bocanegra would leave France to return to MLS, don't worry. He's not. That previous paragraph was in reference to Landon Donovan, who is (barring a last second change) headed back to MLS after his loan stint with Everton ends on Monday.


If you're wondering now why I referred to Landon Donovan as the US captain, that question is probably better directed to the entirety of the football press in England. From the Liverpool Echo, the Express, through to the Guardian, English publications have referred to Donovan as "USA captain" repeatedly and without correction.


Because, you know, he's not the captain. At least not the regular one.


I'm wondering how hard we should come down on these reputable soccer news outlets. Donovan was the American captain in the Confederations Cup last year, conspicuously wearing the armband when the US had their most famous win to date, the 2-0 victory over number one ranked Spain. But the National Team has played many times since then, and in none (or none that I can remember) was Donovan captain. In every case where he was on the field, Carlos Bocanegra held that honor.


This isn't a forum to debate Bocanegra's captaincy; whether you believe him worthy or not, he is still the American skipper, contrary to what the British press believes. So why the confusion? Is it all down to the Confederations Cup?


Some of it is, probably. But Donovan, even before he arrived in Everton and proved himself worthy of it, was being labeled the "best American player"; perhaps his profile, larger than any other National Team player's, that has the English constantly misapplying the title.


Not that it's a reasonable excuse. The constant erring by The Guardian is most troubling to me, and doubly so because they misidentify Donovan as captain in the above linked story's headline. The English media is so often dismissive of anything American soccer that it's hard not to view their constant mention of Donovan as captain as anything but evidence that they just can't be bothered to get it right, and that it really doesn't matter if they do. Donovan is playing in England, is famous for his dressing down of David Beckham, and the "captain" label, which is technically accurate in the past tense, gives more weight to his actions.


I'm guessing all of the above referenced outlets don't realize their mistake. They can't be expected to have paid much attention to USMNT matches in CONCACAF, but the Americans did play in Europe just one week ago, and Landon Donovan was not the American captain.


If Donovan is named captain for South Africa, all of those references to him as such become retroactively accurate, I suppose. Until then, though, it's about time they correct their error.


It wouldn't be right if American writers got it wrong and called someone other than Wayne Rooney England captain, now would it?


I know in the grand scheme this little mistake doesn't mean much, but it is fairly maddening. Does anyone one else out there care?


Also, please get jokes before you comment.

Now that it's confirmed the United States will be participating in next year's World Cup, the American sports media will be ramping up their coverage of soccer here in the States. It's the way of the world that mainstream outlets only really care every four years; as we get closer to 2010 and the run-up to South Africa, the number of places to find soccer news is steadily increasing. Subtle signs of things to come have to be promising to American soccer fans, even if the amount of coverage the game receives here might never actually satisfy.


ESPN is, and always will be, at the forefront of any discussion on sports coverage in the US. The "Worldwide Leader" is finally coming around on the beautiful game, having recently invested in English Premier League and Spanish La Liga matches for ESPN2. Ratings for those matches have been solid by most reports, and though it's discouraging that more Americans aren't giving their domestic league more of their attention than they already do, the overall affect of success for European soccer on ESPN can only be positive. ESPN's turn toward European soccer, both with broadcasting matches and disseminating more soccer news, is encouraging. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem as though that increased coverage has completely translated to the US National Team, which only seems to be featured in the hours immediately preceding and following a match.


Still, it's something, and ESPN can at least be said to be creeping slowly towards wider coverage. Distinguished and credible ESPN voice (one of very few at the network) Bob Ley anchored coverage of the US-Costa Rica game from RFK on Wednesday night, perhaps a sign that the network realizes the need for stronger coverage. Ley was also in San Pedro Sula, Honduras last weekend to cover the Americans' trip there, as well as Mexico City back in August; this despite the fact that ESPN was not broadcasting either game.


ESPN owns the American television rights to next year's World Cup, and is already promoting the tournament during soccer broadcasts. That should naturally intensify over the next six months; it would stand to reason that news and analysis would increase as well, the better to augment that promotion and push more casual American sports fans toward their World Cup broadcasts. The investment is not insignificant, and it behooves the network to be as proactive as possible, even months out from kickoff, in driving up interest. The ancillary benefit of that push could be education of fans who need it, and gratification of fans who just want to see more soccer content.


ESPN's investment, and their interest in seeing that investment succeed, makes it difficult to use their increased coverage as a barometer of American attitudes towards the sport. Instead, it's probably more proper to check other outlets to see if soccer is beginning to hit the mainstream. Newspapers, local media, and secondary sports networks without a incentive to push the game, and for whom resources are at a premium, better indicate the general public's tastes. While they are often slow to respond to trends, they usually catch on eventually.


Unfortunately, I have no statistical data to illustrate how those outlets are covering soccer. I can say, however, that the number of credible and respected news outlets with strong Internet presences covering the game seems to be increasing. Newspapers may be dying a slow death, but their online dissemination of news is still important, and is becoming a more significant part of their footprint. Often the stories that appear on those sites is Associated Press or Reuters content, meaning that it's not originally produced; though that weakens the argument that soccer news appearing in those spaces means something, it still indicates the desire of the newspaper to give a sport its due that previously received zero space.


My perception is that things are getting better. Flipping through TV channels or scanning the web yields more soccer content than ever before, a trend that should only become more pervasive as the World Cup approaches.


Share your thoughts on the current state of soccer coverage-are we in store for a massive increase, or is it likely to be a slow burn until the World Cup?


I was tempted to comment on the widespread reporting of Charlie Davies' tragic car crash, but decided against it. The fact the Davies' plays for the US is the reason it received so much interest, but it would be incorrect to relate that interest to increased soccer coverage in general.