1. English Premier League
2. Spanish La Liga
3. German Bundesliga
4. Italian Serie A
5. French Ligue 1

The English, Italians, and French were all various forms of a disaster. The Germans & Spanish fought for the European crown in 2008, and are destined for a monumental clash tomorrow. 2 out of 5 is not a good rate, especially when you consider the success of impoverished nations like Uruguay, Paraguay, and Ghana.

The trajectory of American soccer is indisputably up. You might wish it was more steeply graded upwards, but upwards it is nonetheless. Major League Soccer continues to grow steadily if slowly, and US soccer interest (as evidenced by TV ratings) is burgeoning.

Ok so I used a little hyperbole in the title (@BMer916 I hear ya, I hear ya). The countries above are superpowers in both club and country. But the staggering wealth of the super leagues means the emphasis will follow the money. Inter Milan won the Champions League without a single Italian. The French really had no business being in the World Cup (handball!). Who is standing in line replace the talented, famous, but aging English midfielders? European leagues are moving towards stricter requirements for having nationals on your club team to combat this trend, but South American talent is being cultivated far better in European football than is national talent.

MLS may never be a top 5 league, though a top 10 league seems a reasonable proposition in the next decade. Nonetheless for the purposes of the growth of soccer, and the quality of the National Team…it doesn’t need to. Having an elite league does not equal success in the World Cup.

The first half highlights are few and far between. I found the songs and drunken antics of the Bulldog Supporters Group far more compelling than lazy passing around the back, a lack of creativity in the midfield, and poor movement up front. Ya…not good.

Thankfully it didn’t end there as you will see below

Now That We Are 8 Games In…

• Ballouchy is a baller…sometimes: And frankly his sometimes is the best we have coming out of the middle of the field, so it will have to be enough. To be fair, he continues to develop, and with time his passing will hopefully continue to be more consistent. Either way, I’d love to see him take on a defender at least once every half, throw a step-over or two in there, and put a shot on goal.
• Smith is kinda throwing darts: All love for El Capitan duly noted, he hasn’t found a cohesive, dependable starting XI. Injuries have made that near impossible, yet I think we are all still wondering questions like Where does Wynne belong (I think RB is best though it didn’t look great at times tonight)? Will it be Wells or Clark (I’m calling Clark though Wells can be an impact sub at 60′ on a regular basis).
• Casey deserved to be left at home: It hurts me to say it, as he is one of our finest footballers and a true Denver athlete. However, he was an “on the bubble” player whose form put him in (last season) and now out (this season) of the picture.
• The MLS Season hurts USMNT Possibles: While being at the beginning of our MLS season means less chance for injury and players being a bit more rested the negatives far outweigh the positives. Casey will undoubtedly turn this early season slump around, but it is too late for the World Cup squad. Unlike his European counterparts who are at their peak form after a long season, Casey is still shaking off the cobwebs.

The team that played the last 5 minutes was lock your doors dangerous. If not beautiful, at least brutally effective.

Basics

For 85 minutes we never looked dangerous in the attack, save one shot. Torres made a nice turn and put a shot on goal that drew an “oooh” from the crow, the only time in the first 85′ our offense elicited such a response for the Dutch masses.

Beasley turned the tide with a glorious free kick that Bocanegra did not waste, putting it the back of the net. This unleashed some slightly crazy but very fun play by the US that saw them nearly equalize several times.

The US capitalized on uncharacteristic poor ball control by the Dutch defense in the 89th minute. Pedoya played an excellent give and go with Bradley and earned a penalty just outside the box. Beasley’s ensuing free kick left something to be desired.

To be fair, we are missing Dempsey and Davies, two key components of our attack. Altidore is not yet a player who can create all on his own. He needs to collaborate, and Findley was floundering before being replaced in the second half. Nonetheless some good play from our subs found us a goal and several good chances at equalizing, including another great effort by Altidore in the waning moments of the game.

Bummer

The refereeing was bizarre, especially in the first half. At times in the first half it seemed if the US came inside a 1 meter bubble of a Dutchman we were blown for disturbing personal space. Then we got the gift of a no-call for a blatant Bornstein handball in the box. Then a severe, late tackle that ended Stuart Holden’s night didn’t garner the much-deserved yellow card.

We can’t complain too much about the PK called on Bornstein with today’s football climate. However,  the brilliant Wesley Sneijder made the most of it and easily could’ve completed the play. I sure get tired of all the flopping in European Football.

Stock went down:

• MLS: not a great showing for our boys playing club ball in the US
• Bornstein. I’m sure he’s a great human being but geez he makes me nervous every time the ball is withing 5 yards of him
• Findley: looked out of his depth. He’s young, but he’s not ready

Bonus

Sans Bornstein we were solid in defense. His needless PK gave up the first goal, then he was unlucky to have the 2nd deflect off his torso and go past a wrong-footed Howard. If we can get Gooch back in the center, shift Spector to the left, and leave Bornstein on the bench where he belongs, we have a solid defense.

If Gooch doesn’t get better…I have visions of Bornstein pulling down Torres or Tevez in the box.

Beasley put out a good showing and in my opinion earned himself at least a spot on the World Cup side.

Stock went up:

• Maurice Edu showed good signs of composure on the ball
• Beasley played solid
• Pedoya showed signs of being dangerous
• Bradley was steady

Backtalk

1. What did the US show you today? Did their energy at the end indicate positive things to come, or was it the last gasp of a disjointed team?

2. Whose stock went up, and whose went down?

Isn’t it an amazing time to be a fan of the USMNT? A thrilling win Saturday booked our tickets to South Africa for the World Cup. May I gently point out that all 3 goals were scored by perhaps the 2 best players in the MLS.

Now before the nasty MLS hating comments pore in, let me address some of the types of MLS Haters

THE EUROSNOB

“The MLS is inferior to EPL and La Liga.” No kidding. We aren’t up to the level of a Russian or Belgian league either. For that reason, I’m glad we have TV so I can cheer on the Toffees or catch Barcelona’s beautiful interpretation of the beautiful game.

But may I gently point out that we do in fact live in the US of A. There is competitive soccer happening on the pitch every Saturday right here.

THE PRO-USMNT BUT ANTI-MLS FAN

“I still support our American players, but when they are in real leagues over in Europe” (this fan is closely related to the Eurosnob).

I too support Tim Howard (my favorite player in the world), Onyewu, and Davies on their European sides. However, it is an undeniable fact that the success of the USMNT is directly tied to the success of the MLS. Two reasons:

1. First, if there is no league for American youngsters to aspire to, a league which is a viable possibility for great athletes to make a living at, we will be reliant on immigration to provide our soccer talent. While I am very thankful for that influx of talent, we need to develop our own system as well. We have tremendous athletes in this country, and as the MLS grows it will become an even better option for those elite athletes who would otherwise focus on other sports.
2. We cannot rely on European clubs to snatch up and develop all of our talent in their teens, that is not a viable option for all families. We need to be able to develop talent here, even if the very best talent continues to end up on the other side of the pond.
3. Additionally, while some of my favorite players are struggling to get playing time on a weekly basis (Onyewu, Altidore), players like Conor Casey and Landon Donovan are playing competitive footy every Saturday in a fight for the playoffs. They are at the height of their game and it showed on Saturday.

THE DON GARBER & MLS CRITIC

“_Insert your own rant against the leadership of MLS here._”

Does the MLS have issues? Yes. Of course. Are some of them frustrating? Again, of course. But two things

1. We are not the only league with problems. The EPL has teams in serious financial trouble, including Portsmouth who weren’t paying their players last week and became another team sold to owners with oil money. The English Premier league is becoming less and less…English. You think fans aren’t upset about that? We all have problems
2. The MLS is a young league. Frankly I’m thankful they’ve even survived, and not only are they surviving but are solvent and expanding.

THE PERPETUAL COMPLAINER

If you are angry at the world for soccer not being as big or as good here, I get that. However, there are two ways to make a change. Top/Down or Bottom/Up. Whether the change is social, religious, athletic, or otherwise, changes that are bottom up ALWAYS have greater effect and a longer life.

MY REQUEST TO YOU

On that note (with apologies to Ghandi), be the change you want to see in the MLS. I’m asking all MLS hating soccer fans in the US to go to 3 MLS games a year. That will cost you less than a quality soccer ball, you will see competitive soccer, you will be part of bringing educated soccer fans to the pitch, and you will invest in the future of Soccer in America.

STOP THE HATING AND GET TO THE PITCH

(One Caveat: I am not as familiar with the USL or other leagues in the US, if someone would like to address this topic from their perspective contact me).

First off, tell us about when and how your passion for the Rapids began.

I’ve been around since the beginning.  In high school, my teammates and I were skipping classes to watch the 1990 World Cup, so our principal finally gave in and put a TV in the cafeteria for us to watch matches.  Then was the very exciting 1994 World Cup of course, which lead to the US to getting a top professional league.  I had never really watched league soccer of any kind.  I was a giddy twenty one year at old Mile High for the opening game and have been a Rapids fan since.

What role do you think supporters clubs play in the growth of a franchise?

Supporters are very important to the growth of the Rapids.  The Rapids have marketed as family entertainment from day one.  They have found a lot of success with it and understandably have stuck with it.
However, Colorado is full of soccer fanatics and a major complaint about the Rapids is how dull the game atmosphere is.

In section 100,  you have the Centennial Firm bringing the atmosphere you’d expect to see at a soccer match, which is to the benefit of everyone.  They raise the excitement level inside the stadium and are the twelfth man making DSG Park hard for other teams to play in.  In section 108, you have Class VI, which is a section carved out of the stadium for people that want to sit and watch the game, but to do it among other supporters that are passionate about the Rapids.

But it’s more than just that.  Because supporters do more then just the inside stadium.  We have a website NoFanAlone.com where we’re interviewing players and bringing club news to fans, which is valuable since the number of places to get Rapids coverage is slim.  We host road trips, which if you’re a fan of the Rapids, will be the highlight of your season.  And before each game, we have one of MLS’ best tailgates, making going to a Rapids game more then just a game, we make it an event.

One thing I’ve heard repeatedly over the last couple years when the Rapids have struggled on the field is, “I thought about skipping this game, but I wanted to see all my Rapids friends.”

You are involved with both Class VI and C-Firm. Class VI has been getting quite the buzz of late, with Rapids reps like Marcus Myrick promoting you in season ticket holder email updates. How have you been able to build such a great base and relationship with the Rapids organization?

It’s been a long road, built on trust, communication, and compromise.

With Class VI, it’s much easier to have the backing of the Rapids front office, because the section is like any section you’d see at an NHL or NFL game.  So as we got more and more season ticket holders (over 100) into the section, they can see that we’re providing something that the Rapids haven’t been able to create.

With the Centennial Firm, the issues have always been two-fold.  Dealing with complaints from other fans and also the concerns from security.  There was a major break through last season when the Managing Director Jeff Plush had a series of face to face meetings with the heads of all the supporters groups along with DSG Park Officials, and Security Officals.

Jeff expressed the concerns of the teams and the supporters did likewise.  But the biggest breakthough came from Patrick Quinn,  (or Quinn to everyone), who drafted a Supporters Code of Conduct and committed to policing the section.

We’ve all gotten to know each other, and they have seen the success we’ve had in many events like the pre-season party where Coach Smith addressed supporters, our tailgates, and our road trips.  They have been extremely receptive this year, especially Director of Marketing Kieran Cain.

How would you define “success” Rapids this year?

Well, it’s been a difficult time for the Rapids on the field since 2002 in my opinion.  So success for the Rapids in 2009 for me doesn’t mean hoisting MLS Cup.  What it means to me is that they make the playoffs, win at home, and provide entertaining soccer.  I think all three are achievable.

As a club, I think success means increasing season ticket sales and getting the team’s finances in the black, which I know they are coming pretty close to.  These two goals however are tied directly to the on field product.

Finally, who is one player who has caught your eye this year, and why?

Last year was a great year for players making break through – Nick LaBrocca, Kosuke Kimara, and Omar Cummings for example.  But this year, I think Jordan Harvey is vastly underated and a major reason this team is winning.

Star left backs in this league are rare.  It doesn’t take a genius to know that if you follow the US Men’s National team.  So while Jordan Harvey doesn’t get the love of say Colin Clark or Conor Casey, he’s proving to be one of the more skilled left back in MLS.  Sing his praises Rapids fans!

Mark, thanks for taking the time. Check out more from Class VI at NoFanAlone.com

…As an experience, not just for me but also for my family, I could try to play a year probably in the United States. If I did it, it would be for the experience. If not, it’s clear that I will finish my career here (at Real).

For those of use born and raised in the US, I think at times we forget what a special place this country is in so many ways. Even for a player who helped lead his team to 6 La Liga titles and three European cups, the chance to live in America and play the sport he loves is appealing.

The bad news: he’s not drawn to the US because of Major League Soccer. Now I know you aren’t supposed to look a gift horse in the mouth (whatever that means), and I would love to have Raul spend a season in the MLS. But the quote I wish he said 3 years ago was

…As an experience, not just for me but also for my family, I want to play for the final 5 years of my career in the United States. If I did it, it would be for the experience, for the passion of MLS fans, and the quality of the league.

What’s the missing piece in drawing stars like Raul for 5 years instead of their final year? I believe it is passion.

Now, the US doesn’t have the almost psychotic passion for any of our sports that some other countries display. During the World cup you hear stories of countries grind to a halt, then experiencing an economic boom if they win. No similar cultural phenomenon exists for the Super Bowl, World Series, or NBA Championship (and perhaps the sheer number of sports we love has a diluting effect).

I do see that the beautiful game is growing in popularity. However, even among passionate soccer fans that passion is often directed back across the atlantic. One of my favorite MLS players Juan Pablo Angel spoke of enjoying his time “a lot,” but admits

I miss a number of things – the passion of fans in the Argentinian Superclasico and the time I had in the English league, the best championship in the world. When you play those leagues, passion is tiring, but you miss it in the end.

What I believe we need first is not more stars coming west across the atlantic, but more soccer passion staying here at home. And you can bet your ass that is what ColoradoRapidsFan.com is here to do!

View the story about Raul, Retirement, and Rafa at ESPN Soccernet

1. 1.2 million viewers on ESPN2: the most watched World Cup Qualifier ever on that network
2. 5.9 million viewers on Univision: the most watched sporting event in our Spanish-language TV history
3. For ment 18-34 and 18-49, the most watched program of the day in major markets like Los Angeles, Miami, Houston, and Dallas; it beat out first-run English-language primetime shows like American Idol and Lost

While I believe the MLS still has to meet the challenge winning over American viewers, clearly US Soccer is alive and well.

For more stats, check out the article at SI.com

Gibbs will be the only Rapids player in the training camp, and we wish him well!

Of the 32,000 fans from 185 countries around the world who took part in the survey more than 10% who completed it were from the US, undermining any theory that soccer is not popular in the States. US fans also watch more matches than other global fans (48% of global fans would watch as many matches as they could against 64% of US fans).

I can’t help but wonder if the fanaticism of soccer fans in the US is not somewhat related to the scarcity. People waited for hours in line at the iPhone launch in part because there was a limited number available. in the US, soccer is not as accessible as basketball, football, basketball, or even hockey. As evidence: watch SportsCenter any night during the MLS season. To follow soccer, you have to be dedicated.

The article provides also great insight into Americans particular passion for the English Premier League.

98% of US respondents were big fans of the Barclays Premier League, the top football league in England, ahead of the football World Cup which was appreciated by 93% of fans in the USA, and 36% who followed Major League Soccer.

I am a fan of the EPL myself, and an even bigger fan of the World Cup. However, it does seem to me there is a gap between our passionate soccer fans and our passion for the MLS. I am sure this “passion gap” is not lost on the people who run MLS. However, we are a young league compared to a league like the EPL, and it  takes time to develop a strong base of fans and corporate sponsors.

The MLS is on the right path, here’s hoping more soccer fans in the US will find a home at their local MLS pitch.

Read the full Soccer365.com article here.