Kick this!

This is why I love MLBlogs - they are not so self-centered to ignore the biggest sporting event on the globe - the World Cup. I think since 1994, when the USA hosted the World Cup, several sportswriters have been writing the same tired old "soccer is boring and only for kids" stories every four years. Our soccer-hater here, Tom Powers of the Pioneer Press, literally writes the same anti-World Cup column every four years, changing only the dates. E-mail him with your thoughts about his anti-soccer stance. I'm sure he'll love it. (Actually, he does thrive on negativity.)
The funny thing is, soccer has never been more popular in the United States, especially here in Minnesota. The USA Cup held here each summer is one of the biggest youth soccer tournaments in the world. Major League Soccer continues to cruise along.

I grew up playing soccer and know what a fun game it is and how much skill it takes to do what these top pros do. Thus a 1-0 game can still be thrilling for me to watch because of the skill involved, just like a 1-0 baseball game that is a pitcher's duel. What if sportswriters whined every time that baseball games don't have enough scoring, like they do with soccer? Would they decry Pedro Martinez vs. Brandon Webb as "boring?"

I love that MLBlogs isn't afraid to take on anything in the world, not just stay as this tiny, self-contained little bubble of baseball fans.

(Steps off soapbox)