Holiday Wish List For The Kansas City Area Sports Teams

Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen (1) Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

SPORTING KANSAS CITY

I have refrained from taking part in the soccer craze that has slowly been creeping up into the consciousness of the American sports fan. I have used all the excuses – the lack of scoring is boring, it’s just a bunch a people running around a big field getting nowhere, the rules are weird. It was easy enough to justify my lack of interest in soccer.

They don’t even call the field a field for crying out loud! They call it a pitch. A pitch is something you throw, not run around on. This game is just weird.

A funny thing happened over the past few months. As Sporting KC continued to have success, everyone began talking about them. Conversations weren’t just about college football and basketball, or the Chiefs and Royals. Sporting was actually drawing attention away from the traditionally popular American sports.

As Sporting made their way through the playoffs, including a baffling 2-week layoff in the middle of the post season for something called the international break, or something like that, I found myself switching channels on my TV to watch their matches during commercials of my real sports teams.

Before I knew it, I became slower and slower switching back. I would quietly berate myself for missing action in the real game. What was wrong with me.

Finally, Sporting made it to the MLS Championship, and it was played at Sporting Park. The first half was going to coincide with a Kansas Jayhawks basketball game, and the second half was on opposite a Missouri football game. Well, I rigged up my two TV system in the living room (much to  my wife’s chagrin), and hunkered down for some serious sports watching.

With split attention, I watched the first half. The soccer match had my full attention by the time the second half began, and I found myself on the edge of my seat. By the time the regulation ended and they entered the extra period (or whatever it is called), I was pretty worked up.

I have to admit that the penalty kick ending of this game was as dramatic as anything I have ever witnessed in my life as an avid sports fan. My heart was racing and my body went rigid with tension with every kick. By the time Sporting won out, I was lustily cheering out loud.

My wish for Sporting Kansas City is for their success to continue into 2014. I will be paying more attention, and will watch more matches now. I want to develop my fandom in soccer, and only being human, it is far easier to do that when your team is good, and is winning. So, Sporting I wish for you to have a successful title defense season.