Open Letter to U.S. Soccer

The subject of losing the Atlanta Silverbacks really just confirms my feelings about football in the USA. This sport (as a spectacle) is not well suited to the American culture or psyche.

Note: (I must say, this is only a personal opinion, some out there really love the MLS and USL as is and that is fine. I only want to express why I will never be a fan)

My Cases Studies:

The MLS:
They are toying around with all kinds of formats looking for a silver bullet to make them soccer's version of the NFL. (Several basic things wrong with that)

1. If you are trying to recreate something in another sport that is already perfected in that sport, you will never succeed in obtaining those goals because people already have what you are trying to imitate. (C'Mon, SUPER DRAFT???? - Who are you kidding?)

2. For Football (soccer) you already have a tried and tested system that has been around for better than 100 years in most countries. Why even try to reinvent the wheel when the tested methods are already perfected for you to follow.

3. Refusal to take competitions outside of the MLS seriously. Every time an MLS team flops in the CONCACAF Champions League or U. S. Cup, I keep hearing this recurring excuse that it is not a serious competition to them. Could you imagine Alex Ferguson saying that about Cup competitions in England and Europe? (insert joke about the ‘League Cup’ here)

The USL:
Toying with a good idea but too chicken to follow through fully.

1. Fear of Promotion and Relegation -
Here is a league that has a single table (good), and 2 divisions (also good),
but can't bring itself to do even a version of promotion and relegation for fear that no sponsor would follow the idea. Now, excuse me if this sounds overly simple, but if a sponsor only wants to represent a team in the 1st division, why not make it a condition of the sponsorship deal??? huh? Relegation and promotion gives you excitement at both ends of the table throughout the season. American sports have half a season of teams tanking when they are out of the playoff picture in order to get a good draft pick.

2. Playoffs??? PLAYOFFS???? (insert Jim Mora joke here)
So, although they already have a playoff model with the U.S. Cup, which is as close as we will get to the F.A. Cup in England, the insistence is still on a end of season playoff to determine the champion although each team has already played 30 freaking games to get points that could have already determined a champion and qualified you for other tourney’s.

3. Playoff idea part deux:
There is no real incentive to make the playoffs for most teams due to the expense in the USL. There needs to be enough of a financial incentive to win something or simply don't try this idea. Why have teams tanking games because they can't afford to make the playoffs. (a Rumor as to why Atlanta sold off their top quality in the middle of a playoff run) That is more stupid than rewarding teams that finish low in the standings with a premium place in a so-called “SUPER DRAFT”. (I'm sorry, I can't get over putting the name "Super" in front of the word "Draft". Just to pretend that it is a great thing.

These are just some observations and reason I don’t subscribe to the MLS and now have dropped interest in the USL. The sport is simply not compelling the way they are pitching it to me. I have to ask myself, since England (and Europe) already have a 100 year plus old system that 'IS' compelling, why would I waste my time with American soccer while they screw around with it trying to make soccer’s version of the NFL which I do not like anyway.

My 2 cents….

drefooty