Ochocinco: Good for MLS?

Also, apologies for being slightly off topic for a DCU blog. Just figured I would post here since I’m a United supporter.

It might not have much of an effect on the national level because of how many of these things Ochocinco has done over the years. Hopefully it generates more local interest in the Wizards KC. I think he has too much respect for the game to turn it into a complete joke.

After all, we did see him first – I’m surprised the FO didn’t put a discovery claim on 85 – http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2009/10/ochocincos_dc_united_jersey.html.

I really doubt he will make it past the trial period. Will be fun for everybody on the team, and for Ochocinco, too, but the guy is 33 and hasn’t played this kind of football in so long, it’ll be a real surprise if he manages to make the squad. Most likely scenario is a bunch of photos, maybe a video or three, and some platitudes at the end of the week about what great athletes the Sporks are and how different and difficult soccer is, etc.

All that said, if the NFL season is cancelled for next year, and he’s allowed to play and good enough to, I don’t see why this would be a bad thing. Brings a high-profile American to the sport and allows MLS to piggy-back on the NFL’s misfortune without provoking a backlash.

Given the attacking exodus from the Crew this off-season, I think the most surprising thing with all this is how he didn’t end up in Columbus.

one of the “soccer sux” fans on that Chiefs website was saying that if 85 plays for the Sporks, it will show how bad MLS is… I’m betting the same guy thought it was awesome when Neon Deion and Bo played two sports (if he’s old enough to remember that) If 85 doesn’t make the team (which he probably won’t) will that show how good the league is?

I wasn’t able to respond because my membership in the SB Nation blog won’t be activated for a day…

I’ve sort of come to expect this from my team.

CAP HIM!

Soccer fans often react to attention the way hyper-self-conscious teenagers do (note: not the responses here…seems like everyone has their heads on straight). We need to grow up.

Who are we trying to impress? Football fans? Eurosnobs? Newsflash: Those guys aren’t going to come around any time soon. Who cares what they think?

As Martin states, KC’s market is buzzing with this news. Kansas City is one of the more football-first markets in the country (and that’s saying something in a country where the NFL is utterly dominant just about everywhere). Now, those people are talking about the Sporks.

Sure there are knuckleheads that are just taking ignorant pot shots at MLS, but they’d do that no matter what was happening. There are plenty of casual sports fans that might pay even a small amount of attention to Sporting right now, though, and that makes it totally worthwhile.

To answer the question Alex O asks: No, it would not reduce MLS to a sideshow. It would also not fuel much interest in soccer; a little bit, sure, but not much.

For what it’s worth, I think 85’s only hope of making the team would be as a forward (specifically, a late-game, “we’re desperate and just lumping the ball forward, so go win some headers and throw your weight around” substitute target forward). I doubt he has anywhere near the required finishing ability, touch, passing ability, or soccer IQ to make good runs, but who knows? He’s a tremendous athlete; I bet he’d pick it up faster than people expect. Given a few months of practice time (highly unlikely), I could give him a 10-20% chance of being good enough to play a reserve league game without totally humiliating himself. One of the things about great athletes is that they can pick up new sports much faster than the average person.

The simple fact that non-soccer fans and radio people are talking soccer is enough for me.