Dear MLS (Major League Soccer),

As I was waiting for my laundry to finish up, I decided to turn on my TV and low and behold, the MLS cup final, between Toronto and Seattle, was the first thing on my screen. (The game is on as I type this, so I am live-tweeting, but...writing.) Being a ravenous soccer fan, I felt obligated to watch, especially when I noticed that the game was in extra time. I must say, although my heart belongs to the European leagues, as they are simply the highest caliber, you are not disappointing me as much as you could be. The game is exciting, between Seattle and Toronto, going back and forth. The referees have put their whistles away, as they do not want to decide the game, even though putting the whistle away can decide the game, as in any sport. The fans are raucous, throwing things at the opposing team, from streamers to food containers to a beer can. The play is intense, with some harsh tackles being made and some fantastic saves by the goalkeepers. Both teams are giving it their all, even though both are out of substitute players and the players on the field are clearly exhausted. Neither team gave in, and the game is now going to penalties.

Why am I proud?

Because this is soccer. In the US, soccer has yet to reach the heights that it could. The US men's team is abysmal, usually evoking laughs when they play, from Europeans, South Americans, and Americans who follow the game alike. MLS has been trying, with numerous marketing campaigns and other efforts, but still has not attracted the calibber of player to make things exciting. The games were very slow, and boring to watch. Critics of the game will argue that soccer itself is a boring sport, but the old MLS lulled many, including this ravenous soccer fan, to sleep whenever a game was on. The MLS has attracted better caliber players, and, as seen in this game, they give their all. I admit, that this determination could be because it is the cup final and not a regular season game, but the few regular season games I saw were far better than the games of old. Fox is showing the final, which is new, because, at least in my memory, Fox has usually shown Bundesliga (the German league) or Premier League (the English league) games, which happened rarely, if ever. I'm proud of you MLS, you have finally achieved something that arguably should not have even been a goal, you are showing true soccer. I sincerely hope that one day, you can reach the heights of the Premier League and the Bundesliga.

Back to the game,

A HUGE soccer fan