Hi folks,
We ran long last time so I thought I’d give proper admin another round for July. Let’s get right to business, shall we?
Soccer news, part two
Left unsaid a few days ago in my note about the World Cup (which I guess will be over by the time anyone will or will not read this) was how I planned to watch it. The short version is that I’m following the results, catching games when convenient for my schedule, and concerned only with how Japan does in the tournament.
I suppose by default this makes me anti-American, what with my US citizenship and all, but I assure you that I’m consistent – the men’s team is playing in their own regional tournament (which will also be over by the time... ah, never mind) and although I watch the games when they are on, I have nothing resembling a rooting interest in the team. I guess I’m basically boycotting the US teams, and although it’s temporary in concept I see no end in sight.
I’m not here because of any one reason but rather for an accumulation of events over the past couple of years that reinforce an ugly undercurrent I've picked up on in US soccer. The most notable were a series of comments from a pair of top former American players about foreign-born nationals and their level of commitment to the US teams. It would be one thing if these comments were directed at specific players but that wasn’t the case - the comments were directed in general toward a group we'll call foreign-born Americans (or more accurately, this is not a group but a concept since it's not like we all get together once a month to hang out and such).
I happen to be squarely in the middle of that group/concept so it was particularly exciting for me to read those comments. My thought at the time remains my feeling today – if I, the very subset of American targeted by these comments, can’t be trusted to actually care about my country’s team, then I won't bother to invest my time into caring about the team. I have other stuff to do, stuff that some soccer-ignorant Americans care more about than the outcome of games, and I’ll put my focus there instead of on the TV screen. And although I didn't quite frame this thought in the context of a personal boycott, as I write this in 2019 I see that boycott is probably the best word for my situation.
My resolve was solidified earlier this year when I learned that Megan Rapinoe – who I consider a much better American than me – was ordered by US soccer to stand for the national anthem. I thought this was another example of how US soccer retains a certain confusion about what it means to be American. If a player wants to kneel during the anthem, then so be it. The player should take responsibility for that decision and, in my opinion, take great care to remember the most important thing - no matter how much applause, praise, or support comes with that decision, there are other people out there, fellow Americans, who were hurt, offended, or outraged by that same decision. Taking a stand doesn't end with kneeling - it also means bringing the right people into important conversations and working together to make this country better for tomorrow.
The athletes that pull on the US jersey understand that it is an honor and a privilege to represent the country. Over the years, many have spoken to this feeling with great passion and conviction. But what I rarely hear spoken about is that with citizenship come certain obligations, opportunities, and duties to demonstrate leadership with our freedom of thought, speech, and expression. This leadership has the potential to inspire those who struggle to gain the rights that we take for granted. This leadership can come from anyone doing anything at any time. This leadership brings people together under the ideals represented by the flag to protect and extend those ideals to as many people as possible. But for me, US soccer has taken a concrete step to smother that leadership potential for its athletes and, in the process, failed once again to support a crucial aspect of being an American. At this point, ignoring the US teams feels more American to me than rooting for them, and I expect my pointless and irrelevant protest to continue until I see clear evidence of change.
