02 April 2006

i'd be lying if i said i wasn't impressed

Real Salt Lake have (has?) fired an impressive opening shot. And their GM pulled the trigger...

Hi Mike,

I'm game. RSL is always up for a battle. Thanks for your email and for putting us on your short list of new favorite teams. I'm thrilled that we may have edged out the Steamers, hyperkinetic/caffeinated Bulls, 10 USL Division 1 teams and IU Hoosier soccer to reach your Final Eleven.

I hope I have an advantage - in most cases, the generic email you sent is likely to sit on some intern's cubicle until at least Wednesday. RSL - where the fan comes first - we respond to emails on Saturdays.

Now, if you can make a decision in the next 22 hours (don't forget - most of the country loses one for Daylight Savings time, except for certain confused parts of Indiana and Arizona)... you can hop on the bandwagon in time for our season opener. Should we beat Chivas USA (not completely unrealistic) tomorrow, you can say you've personally rooted for, screamed for and willed on EVERY road win in RSL history. You haven't missed a road win yet (0-14-2 last year) - no one else can offer you that, although the Dynamo and Red Bulls haven't won on the road in their bright new uniforms.

Second, you can have a dialogue with the GM. We can talk cycling - my wife and I ride Klein Quantum Races, but she's more into triathlons and I'm more into marathons (although we're currently both more into our kids.). We can talk Carlos Bocanegra. You apparently don't think much of him. I still remember him riding an exercise bike at practice while rehabbing with the Fire (where I spent seven years learning how to become a GM and lose 22 games in my rookie GM year) before he ever played a game. We can talk IU soccer a little... Dema, Chris Klein, Lavrinenko, Jay Nolly - I've known a few. You can give me some insight on some new bands I don't know.

But you really need to care about a team, the colors, the wins, the losses... I'll put our players up against anyone for likeability, fascinating backgrounds, honest workers and we're obviously underdogs... We have a guy NO ONE has heard of about to make his debut with Jamaica AGAINST the USA in 10 days; a former national team 400m sprinter; a mean defensive mid you can't help but like to have on your team; the second youngest player in MLS; forwards who are known as "mercurial", "pesky", "home grown" and "classy"; one of the most popular players in his Central American nation; and probably the first player in pro sports history named Mehdi. You want storylines? We got 'em.

We also have 18,000+ passionate fans per game... we're #2 in all of MLS in ticket sales for the second straight year (NY? DC? Chicago? Chivas? - in our rear view mirror)... but we're humble... We have great mountains... Bruce Arena thinks our home-field advantage rocks... We break ground on a new stadium this summer (and it won't be called Big Love Park!)... What's not to like?

Find out more at www.theloyalists.com, www.realsaltlake.com, www.sltrib.com (with a multi-page MLS preview tomorrow - not just one page like most cities) and www.cavaliersbrigade.com.

Demonstrate your loyalty to RSL, and I will reward you with some free stuff to wear around the heartland and tickets when we play in Chicago in June. Just don't tank MLS and spend your Saturdays watching soccer from 3,000 miles away. There's a lot to love about MLS.

Off to watch KC-Columbus (how could anyone choose one of those teams?)... and the LA-NE.

Good luck in your decision-making process,

Steve Pastorino
General Manager
Real Salt Lake


He also left me his direct email and phone number...

I've got to say, that's pretty impressive stuff. He actually read through my blog. He's a bicyclist. He called the New York team the "hyperkinetic/caffeinated Bulls". And he writes a lot better than I do. He offered some free stuff (though that's sort of bribery, and I have morals and cannot be bought... or can I?).

But I've got to wait this thing out. And I don't get why they named the team "Real Salt Lake". I don't know what Real (in the Spanish pronunciation) even means. And I haven't seen them play yet.

After I initially posted this I went to read up on RSL and discovered that they are owned by Dave Checketts, the man who just bought the only team I've ever owned a ticket package for, Your St. Louis Blues Hockey Club. I know that's completely unrelated, but it's also kind of rad. I just used the word rad.

* * * * *

I did watch the Dallas/Chicago game yesterday, and I fell asleep... but just for a little while, until Gina work me back up. Nevertheless, I wasn't impressed with the pace, and the defending was atrocious on both ends.

I also caught the first half of the LA/New England game, and was immediately impressed with the pace and the ball movement of both teams. But they've both got two games under their belts (that's what Marcelo said, anyway) so I'm going to assume I can expect that level of play from everyone else in the league once they get some work in.

Overall, it's already been better than I expected. I'm wondering if I should spring for the MLS package with DirecTV. It's pretty affordable. I'm pretty broke.

I'm going to go watch the second half of that Galaxy/Revs game now. Tivo is a gift from god.

I wonder who'll respond next?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

When I was in the hunt for an MLS team to follow, I didn't do anything quite as extensive as you, but I did post a poll on BigSoccer and ended up gettng an email from Chicago Fire General Manager Peter Wilt (who has since been replaced by Steve Guppy.)

I was impressed that Wilt took the time out of his day to send me a brief note telling me why I should be a fan of his team.

To this day, that's who I've been cheering for.

Anonymous said...

I should add the following to say about RSL:

I saw them play the first time they ever stepped out on the field together as a team.

It was last year's preaseason and they were playing DC United in Bradenton, Florida and I was living not too far from there.

Some friends of mine had come down to visit me and we decided to hit some preseason games and that was the first one we went to. A Mormon friend of mine who chose RSL to support (for obvious reasons) went with us (I think he actually helps with the Loyalists website) and had contacted some of the RSL staff.

After the game, some RSL people sought him out. We ended up meeting their GM (I think that's who it was anyway) and also talked with Dipsy Selowane and Brian Kamler (who are no longer with the team.)

They seem like a bunch of good folks.