Euro No More: Or How We Can Learn to Stop Hating and Love Major League Soccer

Over ninety-thousand spectators gathered in the Rose Bowl to watch a US sporting event.

Nine. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero.

That is a lot of people to attend anything. Especially anything not named the Super Bowl. When many hear that the throngs showed up for soccer, for the Gold Cup final, they will be very surprised indeed. They would not be so shocked, however, had they been paying attention recently.

Soccer is legitimate in America. Forget legitimate, actually. It is BOOMING.

Attendance is up yet again and MLS is playing at levels previously unseen on this continent. The quality of the product, on and off the field, is at an all-time high, the league is growing in every direction, and, unlike the NFL and NBA, the sport lacks all of the drama of lockouts and handbags between millionaires.

Soccer is on in America. And it is time to join the party.

America actually has a ton of soccer fans. Unfortunately, too many of these folks fit the label of "Eurosnob". You know this guy. Maybe you are this guy. This is the guy who drones on and on about how if MLS had any decent players or anywhere near the quality of the Premiership or La Liga, well then maybe he would watch. This guy talks about "Total Football" and UEFA and steers every American soccer conversation to Alexi Lalas to avoid revealing that he hasn't paid much attention domestically since, oh, 1996.

I actually don't argue with this soccer fan. He is knowledgeable and passionate and loves a good product. He appreciates the European atmosphere and the skill of the players who ply their trade overseas. Good for him.

Our friend the Eurosnob probably loves American soccer, if only in the form of the US Men's National Team. He sports a Landon Donovan jersey during the World Cup and waxes eloquently about craft beers and Lionel Messi. Really...good for him.

I sat my Eurosnob friend down recently. It had to stop. More than anything, my friend was missing out on the birth of something amazing.

I nicely explained that he needed to check out MLS one more time. He chuckled. I explained how 2011 is not 2005 and that if he would be so patient as to wake up to the new reality, he might just enjoy the ride.

Let me introduce you, I said, to Eric Hassli. He's a French dude. He plays for Vancouver. He scores unbelievable goals in front of 36,000 screaming fans.



Um, ya. My friend sat with his jaw on the floor. Ok, well...

"But what about the atmosphere," Eurosnob wondered? Is that just Seattle?

It's a good question, really. Half of the fun of any live sporting event is the atmosphere. Many still remember when every MLS match was seemingly played in a 60s era football stadium with 9,000 people in the stands. Oh, how times have changed.

New soccer-specific stadiums filled with incredible supporters' groups all over the country have made the beautiful game really beautiful in America. Fans pack stadiums in Toronto and Philadelphia, in New York and Los Angeles, in Kansas City and Salt Lake. And Portland. How to explain what is happening in Portland...



That should do.

Well, unless the argument is that there isn't some brilliant play happening in America. The entire league has risen in stature, but one player in particular has upped the class of MLS entirely. Thierry Henry is still very much a force. And Thierry Henry is worth watching all by himself.





Soccer in America is quickly catching up to the elite leagues of the world. Cities around the country are being lit on fire by the excitement that comes with a real club to support and a real stadium to capture the atmosphere. Incredible talents are finding their way to American clubs more and more. Incredible buildings are showcasing captivating skill. Incredible storylines are being written every week.

It is simply a matter of exposure. My Eurosnob friend downloaded the MLS iPhone app right there and then and has been catching up on 2011 highlights since. My neophyte friends are beginning to see that the beautiful game possesses an allure not found in other sports. My fellow Americans are waking up to a new reality.

Soccer is legitimate...and it is legitimately crushing the American sports scene.

A Rush of Blood to the Head: Of Brian Mullan, Broken Legs, and Forgiveness

"A rush of blood to the head"... Before it was a Coldplay album title, it was an English idiom. Still is an idiom, I suppose. Silly rock stars hijacking our popular phrases. Anyway, a "rush of blood to the head" basically describes when one gets overexcited or angry and, in a quick reactionary burst, does something silly (and oftentimes regrettable).

Colorado Rapids player Brian Mullan had a rush of blood to the head on Friday night. And it certainly led to regrettable behavior.

Upset that a foul was not called during the MLS match he was playing in, Mullan reacted by making a foolish, reckless, and altogether malicious tackle on a fellow player (who happened to be uninvolved in the original incident).

The photo above shows the result as it happened. The young, talented Steve Zakuani suffered a broken tibia and fibula as his teammates looked on in horror.

Immediately, the internet exploded in rage against Mullan's actions. The calls for punishment were swift and severe, with fans calling for anything from lengthy suspensions to formal criminal charges being filed.

The outburst is understandable, as we imagine that somehow our games, our sport, is safe from the nonsensical violence that plagues our society. And yet every so often we are reminded that the human condition doesn't politely remain outside of the chalk lines of a football pitch.

Fitting, I suppose, that it is Easter weekend. It is a weekend for forgiveness and remembrance that we all fall short of the standard and that we need Jesus to bring us back to wholeness. Steve Zakuani is a follower of Christ and I imagine that he will forgive his offender. Whether the rest of us will is another question entirely.

What is certain is that we all occasionally suffer a rush of blood to the head. Luckily, ours aren't placed on national TV for all to see and judge.

**Below is the video of the play. It is not for the squeamish. You've been warned.**

The Passion of the Christ

It is All About Jesus, Part 2: The Passion of Jesus

It is All About Jesus: The Mind-Blowing Beauty of Scripture

I preached on the night of 4/10/2011. All about how all of Scripture is about Jesus and not us...and how incredibly, mind-blowingly beautiful it is... Enjoy.

Deco Pizzeria

Deco Pizzeria just opened in the Deco District. The food is superb, the service wonderful, and the friendliness of everyone involved refreshing.

The only problem one might discover is in the fact that the restaurant's name steers you to pizza...I am proposing a name change to "Deco Pizzeria, CheeseSteakeria, Saladeria, BuffaloWingeria, Meatballeria, and SweetPatioeria" so that the fullness of awesomeness might be known.

In the week leading up to the grand opening, we made sure to make several visits to our new local gathering spot. Some highlights...

- The pasta dishes, which were always solid and very reasonably priced, are a hit with everyone. Bella, for one, might have a meatball addiction.

- The wings are killer, served traditionally or naked with sauce on the side. The wings are meaty and have just enough kick to have you reaching for your drink.

- The Philly Cheese Steak was a surprise winner, peppery and stacked with fresh grilled onion and bell pepper.

- The wife reports that the salads are superb and that the fruit pizza was "amazing".

- And, finally, the pizza. Well put together, good proportions with regard to cheese/sauce/toppings and that fresh out of the oven crispiness in the crust make for a good foundation. Word from friends has it that the White Pizza, in particular, stands out.

So there you have it. Roll a ton of great food options, reasonable prices, and friendly staff into one place (and then add one of the best outdoor patios in the inner city) and what we have is a new place to call our own.

Deco Pizzeria, welcome to the neighborhood!!

The Illusion of Security: The Difference Between Blinking Lights and Jesus Christ

Watch the YouTube clip first...It precedes the message below.

The Illusion of Security from Grace Point Church on Vimeo.