More Soccer

Let us talk sports, more specifically soccer. Even more specific college soccer. Wait, before I go on, I realize the majority of my audience is American and the only college sport that matters is football. Now don’t get me wrong all day Saturday I yell “WAR DAMN EAGLE,” right in the heart of Buckeye country and I’ll fight to the end spouting that the SEC is a much better and tougher conference than the Big Ten, but on Fridays and Sundays I’m watching another score board.       All across the states, college soccer matches are played with the same rivalry and the same passion that sees a football field on Saturdays. The fans are as rowdy and loyal just like any other sport. There are powerhouses such as Indiana, North Carolina, Connecticut, and Maryland. There are underdogs every year, like the University of Dayton or East Tennessee State University. The conference tournaments and national tournaments are just as important to them as they are to any football team. They even have a Heisman trophy, well it’s not called a Heisman it’s a Hermann, but the significance is the same. Only ONE outstanding player receives the prestigious award every season. “But why, PJ, do you care so much about soccer?” Well because I write articles for a website (http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/mens-soccer) about men’s college soccer. Ha-ha, if my English teachers from high school heard that they would crap their pants. Now I’m no pro writer, far from it, and I’m still doing small things like Team Previews and Draft Profiles, which is another thing. These kids can get picked up after any season whether they are a senior or freshman, and sign with a pro team. Their draft is in January and is a huge deal in the soccer community. Some of these youngsters not only play here in the USA after college for a pro team but get picked up by an international team like Spain or England and play on an international level. I also get an article posted each week called, “PJ’s Picks.” I feature a team or player each week that I think people should keep an eye on. Now I know there are people out there that make fun of soccer like yankees (not the baseball team but them northern folk) used to make fun of NASCAR, which is now one of the most watched sports and makes a ton of money between February to October, but soccer is a huge sport all over the globe and shouldn’t be laughed at. Even during the spring season, the club (soccer teams are referred to clubs) will travel to another country to play teams on the other side of the pond. They also don’t just play one spring game they usually play between six and eight matches. For fans it’s like having two seasons. I’m not saying that you have to follow soccer but if you’re interested at all, check out the link to my articles (http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/author/pj-fish-0). They will catch you up on the season and give you an idea on who to watch. I also help out with choosing the “Player of the Week” for each conference every week, and I have lent my opinions to another site with some preseason picks (http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/the91stminute/2012/08/5v5-mens-soccer-predictions/). So check my articles, read a little something about college soccer, and until next time, WAR EAGLE!

“Always do right- this will gratify some and astonish the rest”   -Mark Twain