Soccer is the Death of America

Note: Originally written on July 9th, 2009.

Alright, so in the wake of the Team USA win against Spain, I wrote how the match meant nothing in terms of Americans embracing soccer. I still feel I am right about this. I mean, how many friends do you have who have become soccer fans this summer? I'm guessing zero. I also wrote that soccer could succeed if America becomes an international futbol powerhouse. I am wrong about this. Actually, all that needs to happen is rapid social progression. And not in a legalizing pot kind of way. Let me explain.

The reason we hate soccer is because we suck. We are the foam finger-wavers, top dog. Vietnam was so damning to this country because we, gasp, actually lost. We don't lose, we're winners. We don't partake in activities, from sports to war, in which we won't succeed. Well, that was the old America, born 1776, and dead about 200 years later. The country post-Vietnam is taking the shape of a global participant, though admittedly still at or near the top.

But what if we start dwindling down towards the middle? Think about it: our economy sucks, the population is more of a true melting pot than ever before, and while we were batting 1.000 in wars for the first 200 years, we are on the verge of losing two in the last forty. This is New America.

And New America has no boundaries. See, this country, while accepting anybody from everywhere, still drew lines. The Southern Gentleman, the East Coast Elite, the Midwest Farmer. Those are generalities. Then you dissect certain districts, like New York City or Boston, who had clearly defined lines of not far removed ancestry; tight-knit groups of similar races and backgrounds. We were diverse as a whole, but not in our parts. Now we are. The poor and rich, white and black - they live close to each other and go to the same schools. To quote Bill Murray in Stripes, "We are the wretched refuse. We're the underdog. We're mutts."

We are true mutts now. The election of Barack Obama was called the changing of the guard, out with the old and in with the new. Of course, to keep with overused phrases, it was meet the new boss, same as the old boss. But it did show a possible path for future America. We elected a mutt President who wanted to be a part of the global society, not its leader. Winning wasn't the priority, simply just being involved was. You know, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

So where am I going with this? The New America, concerned with being a global participant, culturally and economically, is the type of country who could enjoy soccer. It is THE international sport. Since 1776, the USA has been a virtual island. Think about soccer's two types of players - the European and South American. What they have in common is that they are interconnected. Brazil/Argentina, Spain/Italy/France. It is a community, and we've been separated. But hey, the coach doesn't bunk with his players. It comes with being king of the mountain. But in all facets, we are dissolving as that #1 team.

I'm not saying that this is a bad thing. Social progression is good, and empires never last. All I am saying is that it is change. And not Obama change, but real change. It'll be difficult to knock down our walls and let the world in. Just be ready. Because our football is based on the fact that we, and only we, can do it. We are the best. But international futbol involves everybody. It's sharing. The love of soccer could signal the death of America. The Old America.

Of course, I don't believe this will happen. We are much too stubborn for that.