Every once in a while I have this weird daydream about having kids, specifically a son. Oh, the things I would teach him! I'd teach him how to play the drums and how to ride a bike and how to make scrambled eggs. I'd teach him how to talk to chicks and how to build a fire. You know, the important stuff. Most importantly, I'd introduce him to sports. He'd watch soccer and football with me on the weekends. Maybe I'd let him skip school and we'd go to a couple Red Sox weekday games together. I'd teach him to hate the New York Jets as much as I do. I'd teach him what it means to hold up the scarf of your hometown soccer team.
Out of everything I want to show my son someday, if I do indeed decide that I'm ever mature enough to have kids of my own, I will show him the majesty of the beautiful game. I like to imagine how Major League Soccer might have evolved by that point. Maybe there will be 32 teams and two divisions (including more teams than New York even needs) with relegation and promotion and the whole nine yards. No matter how it may change, however, I know that I'll tell my son how important it is to support your team, no matter what. And despite rivalries or just good old-fashioned hatred--whatever may develop over the ensuing years (read: decades)--I'll explain to him the importance of standing behind the fans, of any team, no matter what. Because a sport is nothing without the fans. And the example I'll show him is the Philadelphia Union supporters this week as they demonstrated their support of the Revolution supporters groups after the unfortunate circumstances of this past weekend.
On behalf of The Bent Musket and hopefully all of the Revolution supporters out there, I'd like to thank The Sons Of Ben and all those Union supporters last night who, with a simple minute of silence during their match against Sporting Kansas City, did more for our situation and our cause than we could have ever hoped for outside of the Revolution nation. I saw this earlier this morning and I swear to you nearly wept at how great I thought it was:
Sons of Ben... Support the Fort. (via Rory128)
This was probably the most moving example of camaraderie that I saw today, but the message has stretched far and wide across the league. From local installations like The Direct Kick, The Drug Is Football, and the Boston Herald to other blogs out there like MLS Rumors, The Front Office Blogs, and MLS Talk. I'm sure there are many others that I may have missed or not mentioned, but to everyone out there who continues to show their support, if you didn't know already, it is appreciated--more than you may think.
Although it is a turbulent time that we find ourselves in right now, as fans, it is important to hold fast and be true to what is at the core of everything: standing by your team, through thick and thin, and the support of each other, no matter what obstacles may be presented.
#DefendTheFort
Thank you.