Real Salt Lake celebrates winning MLS Cup. AP/Kevin P. Casey
While it’s true that Real Salt Lake just won its first trophy as a franchise--unless you count last week’s Eastern Conference championship--you wouldn’t know it after watching the limited reaction in Utah and elsewhere.
In Utah, calls poured in to local radio stations like 1320 KFNZ the morning after, decrying RSL’s achievement as one that doesn’t matter. To make matters worse, callers complained that it doesn’t have the same panache as the Holy War, a game between BYU and Utah, two Top 20 football teams that have no chance of going to a BCS bowl. Talk about something that doesn’t matter.
On local TV, most stations played about 10 seconds of highlights before going to other things, and some didn’t feature the story off the top. The only clue that something actually happened of monumental importance came when Utahns picked up their morning papers to see large, bold headlines emblazoned with full-page color pictures.
Guess winning your first professional title in 40 years doesn’t mean anything, right, Utah? What a crock. On ESPN SportsCenter immediately following the game, nothing was mentioned until much later in the broadcast, in favor of more college football discussion and the NFL.
The fact that RSL not only won the title by being a No. 8 seed out of eight teams, winning all three matches on the road and doing so in convincing upset fashion, including two penalty kick shootouts, is cause enough for a celebration. But not to the masses nor most of the media.
The sad thing is, after RSL won Sunday night at Qwest Field in Seattle, the only people who bothered to stick around for the post-game celebration were the thousand or so RSL fans who made the trip up from Utah. For them, it did mean something.
Otherwise, the place was empty as soon as the final whistle blew, for the legions of supposedly diehard Seattle soccer fans must have come to see David Beckham play what may be his last game in the United States.
Frankly, after watching Beckham employ that cheap tactic on RSL midfielder Javier Morales in the first half, causing Morales to watch the rest of the championship game from the sideline--although Morales did so begrudgingly--the English star got what he, and the rest of the non-believers deserved. Sometimes, nice guys do win, behind team play, character development and hard work.
And that’s why RSL’s achievement is so rare these days and should be celebrated not only in Utah, but elsewhere.
Comments
"The sad thing is, after RSL won Sunday night at Qwest Field in Seattle, the only people who bothered to stick around for the post-game celebration were the thousand or so RSL fans who made the trip up from Utah. For them, it did mean something.
Otherwise, the place was empty as soon as the final whistle blew, for the legions of supposedly diehard Seattle soccer fans must have come to see David Beckham play what may be his last game in the United States."
completely ignorant comment. the fact is 46k+ seattle soccer fans came to and paid to see a game that didn't involve their team. they also stood most of the match and rooted for the teams playing on the pitch.
i can understand your issues with lack of respect in the mainstream sports media, but picking a battle with the 46k+ people who actually took the time to pay to go see the match live is not who you should be targeting. these are the people who paid their money to come support soccer in this country.
The key phrase is "diehard Seattle soccer fans". They went and watched a match as neutrals, and left when it was over. Why would they stand around in the cold to cheer some team that's not the Sounders? I'm pretty sure it would have been just as empty if the Galaxy had won.
if you didn't know, most seattle fans were cheering for RSL. (not all, but most). there is already bad blood between LA and Seattle due to previous matches.
So you had 46k people stand in low 40 degree weather to watch two teams that weren't the sounders play. i don't think your beef is with those at the stadium. had LA won, the stands would have emptied just as quick.
I don't buy it at all. So why even come and cheer for a team in the first place? That's great butts were in the seats, but let's be honest...you were there to watch a train wreck, not the game.
I'm a soccer fan, not an awards ceremony fan.
One other thing. Supporting a team for a day is one thing, but what are you telling the team you're supporting when you exit en masse at the final whistle and don't stick around for the ceremony? I will say this, however. I do appreciate the Sounders fans coming out, and I'm sure RSL fans share the same sentiment.
The key phrase is "diehard Seattle soccer fans". They went and watched a match as neutrals, and left when it was over. Why would they stand around in the cold to cheer some team that's not the Sounders? I'm pretty sure it would have been just as empty if the Galaxy had won.
Sorry for the repost, I don't know that happened.
"One other thing. Supporting a team for a day is one thing, but what are you telling the team you're supporting when you exit en masse at the final whistle and don't stick around for the ceremony?"
You're telling them the day is over and you're going home out of the cold.
"I don't buy it at all. So why even come and cheer for a team in the first place? That's great butts were in the seats, but let's be honest...you were there to watch a train wreck, not the game."
you can "not buy" it all you want. the fact is i paid to go see your team play in the final, did you? when you come pay to watch the sounders play, i'll listen to you. until then you can bask in your short-sightedness and appreciate the fact that a large part of the sounder nation thinks you're a tool. ungrateful RSL people, jesus. would you rather have played the game at home and had half the turnout? show some class
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