Sports writers who live in the Boston/New York vacuum and elite circles tend to be the biggest enemies of football in the United States. Keith Olbermann of MSNBC now a political muckraker, but former sports writer best exemplifies this trend among intellectually incurious and insulated sports writers.

I am a liberal personally, but also love the South and Southern culture. (Although I will admit I loathe Bill Clinton and regret voting for him) Had I know my post would upset southerners more than northerners, or would have stoked regional flames I never would have posted it. My apologies.

The bottom line is that Fox News was out of line as they are so often on socially divisive issues, advocating a position and using extreme commentators instead of simply discussing matters civilly. But this forum which is after all about football is not intended to mimic Fox’s extreme commentary or to promote divisiveness, especially given lovers of the game in this country need to be united against strong and determined anti-soccer rhetoric coming from all corners.

I’ve learned my lesson on both this post and the post regarding President Obama and I will limit social commentary on this site going forward. If you are interested in my views on social or political issues please check out my political blog, Kartik’s World.

Then take a similar, hate filled swipe at the game of college football. All the while, making the horrible mistake of suggesting regional interest in the game has everything to do with one’s political affiliation.

I guess you think Austin, home of the Texas Longhorns, is the conservative base for the state of Texas, right?

Being opposed to soccer has very little to do with anything pointed out in this article. I know plenty of very liberal people who are every bit as uninterested in soccer as these allegedly xenophobic conservatives vilified in this piece. Do some research, for fuck’s sake, before slapping labels on everything simply because some rich Australian and his media outlets don’t seem to agree with your viewpoints. You think Fox has an agenda? So does every other media outlet in the world. Fox just happens to have a different ideology than the one you subscribe to. Get over it.

Your viewpoint is the one insulated and slow, in addition to being tremendously and offensively ignorant.

He must not have been alive during Jimmy Carter’s administration. Yes, that’s where the media came up with a measure called the “misery index”.

I think that people like myself that support MLS would like it to succeed in this country, the majority have a realistic view or close to it of what the state of soccer in America is in the landscape of sports and culture. Nobody is claiming that soccer will be king or trying to take over like some people argue when they put it down, but as soccer keeps steadily growing, we have a right to voice our opinion and be offended when many people in the media blabber nonsense and hatred toward our sport, just like many people who have political affiliations get offended when things are said in the media that are hurtful and untrue of what they believe in.

The positive of all this is that the change that we all want is now visible, that more people seem to be interested in soccer in America, even if MLS ratings are not showing it, other factors are, like expansion, USMNT, and the fact the Beckham is all over the news for whatever reason. Although there is a visible campaign against soccer from some people in the media, intentional or unintentional, their arguments are based from the way things were 20 years ago. The simple fact that there are many blogs and info of American soccer in the web now like never before should be encouraging on it’s own. So good job Kartik for making us debate subjects that makes us rationalize and discuss what we believe of our sport and it’s uphill battle for recognition. This country’s history proves that soccer will finally be accepted and considered a success.

On a political note, The Bush Administration makes the Nixon Administration look able and well intentioned. While I never voted for Reagan he was kind hearted, had capable people in government, although capable conservatives, and kept his religious beliefs to himself. A comparison of the 3 would make an interesting piece on a political blog.