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If you have not already, we urge you to check out MLS Commissioner Don Garber's blog which is published every Friday. In last weeks post, Garber took exception to comments made by ESPN's Michael Wilbon about streamers tossed by supporters sections on to the pitch during corners in Toronto and other MLS cities. Wilbon said that it made MLS look "Bush League" either ignorant of the fact that in many well respected leagues in South America streamer throwing is common or simply asking MLS to conform to way other American sports fans behave at games ignoring that soccer is different. Here is an excerpt:
"Like many of you, I watched the recent episode of ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption when co-host Michael Wilbon vilified the practice of MLS fans throwing streamers at opposing players when they’re getting ready to take a corner kick. PTI showed video of Red Bulls midfielder Claudio Reyna with dozens of streamers around him. Wilbon, who has been a supporter of MLS and the sport of soccer in the past, was literally outraged at this practice and referred to it as ‘minor league.’ Clearly, I disagree. This is a unique phenomenon that happens all over the soccer world. We're playing soccer, not baseball, football or basketball. Our fans are a part of the game experience (click to watch video). That's one of our points of difference and part of what will drive our future success. There are plenty of sports leagues in the U.S. and we are not trying to offer the same in-stadium experience. We need to embrace the passion and electricity that makes soccer the world's most popular sport. By the way, I was recently watching a River Plate – Boca Juniors game on Fox Soccer Channel and there were streamers flying everywhere."
There's more great stuff after the jump.
great response by the commish
I actually did read his comments as soon as they came out and I was really proud of him and his vision for the game
good job RUMORS of publicizing this even more
It's good to see that the Don won't shy away when people attack this league.
Yeah, but on the other hand contrivances are contrivances and annoyances are annoyances. The more MLS fans look like sad imitators of obsessive Latin weirdos the more observers,and not just soccer haters, will dismiss MLS as goofy. Steve Ralston should not be physically detered by any object thrown by fans while trying to take a corner. Nor should it be his responsibility to clean the field.
Gee, it's nice to see that Garber is so protective of the game's traditions. What happened to soccer's tradition of direct competition with neighboring countries?
Good for the Commish. I'm glad he recognizes the "McFan" experience of our other sports and is allowing fans to create something different.
I have to disagree here. Frankly I don't care if it's done in South America. You can't in one breath say "we're not doing such and such just b/c England does it" then in the next breath say "it's okay it's done in South America". I take issue to fans having an impact on the outcome of the game. I watched a game recently where at the start of the game many of the fans threw streams up in the air at the start. I have absolutely no issue with that.
However, when you start throwing them at players with the sole intent of messing them up, that's just begging for more problems. So streamers are okay? What about bottles? What about flares? Coins? You're opening a gate that doesn't need to be opening. The streamers thrown at the opposition need to stop.