By Andrew Dixon - MIAMI, FL (Nov 28, 2008) USSoccerPlayers -- Let’s be real for a second. The things I’m most thankful for are my family, Mrs. One Grown Man, and the relative fortunate circumstances that allow me to enjoy my life as I do. But my love for soccer is part of that enjoyment and so in that vein, so let me answer my man Graig Carbino and say what I’m thankful for:
MLS
Admit it. You know you love MLS like you love your kid. You see the mistakes it makes when it's young (shootout), cheer its first steady steps (slowly becoming profitable), watch it grow (expansion, soccer specific stadiums), try to help its development by giving what you think is good (but often ignored) advice (too many pundits to name) on how to develop its potential along the way.
It’ll exasperate you at times (playing through international dates) but you recognize and are proud of its overall progress (knowing that many predicted it to fail a long time ago) knowing that it has the potential to one day be great.
I’m thankful that I have a quality league to watch in my own country and seeing it grow before my very eyes.
Increased Minority Presence in MLS
While the lack of minority ownership and head coaches continue to be topics of discussion in other American sports, 2008 saw MLS quietly move ahead in these areas without much fanfare.
Victor MacFarlane became the first Black major investor/operator of an MLS franchise, overseeing a group alongside an Asian American (Will Chang) that also includes Brian Davis, the former Duke basketball player. Jim Nevels helped establish an MLS franchise in Philadelphia. Oscar De La Hoya joined an ownership group for 50% of the Houston Dynamo.
A Black/Latino coach (Denis Hamlett) took a team to the Conference Final and was about 45 minutes away from playing for the MLS Cup in his first full season. Juan Carlos Osorio took his team on perhaps the greatest playoff run in MLS history.
Why are these developments important? Because you don’t see it other places. Quick: Name more than two owners of color in any one league Europe or South America. Black coaches are even more scarce, especially among big time first division clubs.
I’m thankful that the sport I love and get to write about every week, in my country, is progressive in this area. It ain’t the case in most places.
Ronald/Messi, Messi/Ronaldo
I’m fans of both of their teams and I love both of these players. I don’t know, nor do I care, who will win the year end awards they are vying for.
What I do know, is that these are two of the most talented players I have ever seen, capable of putting entire back-lines on their personal highlight films at any time.
Andrew Dixon is a soccer writer based in Miami and a weekly columnist for USSoccerPlayers. Contact him at: golnoir@golnoir.net
