Not ready to make nice.
A Statement on a Strange Day
Published Wednesday, March 08, 2006 by The Metrologist | E-mail this post
The Metrostars (nee' New York/New Jersey Metrostars) of Major League Soccer died today, March 8, 2006 at the age of 10, after a short illness caused by investment.
I have not written anything about this incredible saga in the last few days for a variety of reasons: because I am stuck under a mountain of work already and facing deadlines by the score; because I have entirely too much to say about it and would probably spend the whole day going on about it; because I already have spent nearly two days going on and on about it, on message boards, arguing with people who see this as simply wonderful. It's not.
That doesn't mean everything was perfect under the status quo. It wasn't.
Still, I refuse to sing my heart out for "Red Bull".
There are no protest options, no Ryman Leagues available to us.
Yet one idea, after all the shock (well, I can't say utter shock), anger, resentment, distress and so on subside, remains. An idea that came to me in a flash of inspiration, an epiphany, at around 4 this morning, when I was unable to sleep. The Metrostars are gone but "Metro" and it's history will not be. The hard-headed, spirited assortment of people who have banded together over the past 10 years to make the whole thing fun - no matter how much "hardware" wasn't won - won't let it be.
The Metrologist sure as hell isn't getting rebranded; instead, he's going along with the core of committed, anti-shill Metro supporters - perhaps you could call us the Refuseniks '96 - who will find a way to rebrand this rebranding. To make alternate word and visual symbols that link us to the boys on the field, to, if you like big words, create a supporter vernacular. To declare symbolic independence from "RB".
Short n' sweet, we just aren't going to call it what the new guys are branding it. But we thank them for the money they (potentially) will put into this team, and we'll appreciate them keeping Giorgio Chinaglia at least a continent away from us at all times.
An announcement will soon say it is "RBNY". For me, RBNY could only ever mean "Red-Black New York." As for the team's common name, right now, "Metro Reds", perhaps "Reds" for short, leads the discussion here. But that's still to be settled, over time, and by the supporters who'll be using it.
Join us.
I have not written anything about this incredible saga in the last few days for a variety of reasons: because I am stuck under a mountain of work already and facing deadlines by the score; because I have entirely too much to say about it and would probably spend the whole day going on about it; because I already have spent nearly two days going on and on about it, on message boards, arguing with people who see this as simply wonderful. It's not.
That doesn't mean everything was perfect under the status quo. It wasn't.
Still, I refuse to sing my heart out for "Red Bull".
There are no protest options, no Ryman Leagues available to us.
Yet one idea, after all the shock (well, I can't say utter shock), anger, resentment, distress and so on subside, remains. An idea that came to me in a flash of inspiration, an epiphany, at around 4 this morning, when I was unable to sleep. The Metrostars are gone but "Metro" and it's history will not be. The hard-headed, spirited assortment of people who have banded together over the past 10 years to make the whole thing fun - no matter how much "hardware" wasn't won - won't let it be.
The Metrologist sure as hell isn't getting rebranded; instead, he's going along with the core of committed, anti-shill Metro supporters - perhaps you could call us the Refuseniks '96 - who will find a way to rebrand this rebranding. To make alternate word and visual symbols that link us to the boys on the field, to, if you like big words, create a supporter vernacular. To declare symbolic independence from "RB".
Short n' sweet, we just aren't going to call it what the new guys are branding it. But we thank them for the money they (potentially) will put into this team, and we'll appreciate them keeping Giorgio Chinaglia at least a continent away from us at all times.
An announcement will soon say it is "RBNY". For me, RBNY could only ever mean "Red-Black New York." As for the team's common name, right now, "Metro Reds", perhaps "Reds" for short, leads the discussion here. But that's still to be settled, over time, and by the supporters who'll be using it.
Join us.
9 Responses to “A Statement on a Strange Day”
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Embittered Metro gadfly
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Right on, brother.
Whatever dude. All this proves is that MLS is a (red) bullshit league. It was proven after the underhanded way in which they allowed AEG to fire Peter Wilt, move San Jose Earthquakes to Houston, and now this.
Support the USA national team. That's all. Enough with this MLS (red) bullshit.
Good luck, and I hopefully can direct some people your way.
Don't get too bent out of shape...at least you still have a team. How do you think the fans of San Jose feel? Or how about fans of the Cosmos back in the mid-80's when the entire league went out of business? You've dealt with many changes of uniforms, colors, and crests over the last 10 years, and other teams have dealt with name changes in the past...remember the San Jose Clash? While you may have developed a certain affinity to the name "Metrostars", in reality it became synonymous with underachieving. Can things be any worse under a new administration with a new name? Give it a chance.
I think the fans in San Jose who are repulsed by the idea of pimping a brand of sugary caffeine water (or any other crap product) as they cheer for their team would have the same reactions I have - anger, dismay, antipathy towards the main actors here, and a creative reaction that circumvents the brand that's been forced upon them.
And if that last avenue didn't intrigue, I'd expect the thinking, critical, self-aware San Jose fan to say "thanks, but I'm better off without pro soccer in my life, if this is what it's going to be like."
Be happy that you have a team.
I'd love one in Seattle...so when you idiots kick out the Red Bulls, send them to Seattle and we'll give you the USL team that we have.
You can name them whatever you want...and watch second rate soccer.
Appreciate what you have...all the whining is getting really old.
The MLS must do what it takes to survive..they are a business not a government funded charity for thankless soccer fans who forget that 11 years ago we had no league.
PS: your last comment
"thanks, but I'm better off without pro soccer in my life, if this is what it's going to be like."
shows me all I need to know...you don't really love soccer.
"Second rate soccer."
I think that says a lot, on the other hand, of the kind of soccer fan you are, the kind of love you have for the game.
Do you love soccer, or do you love glitzy, "top-level" soccer, and are willing to make any bargain to get that?
Why be embarrassed of, or so willing to throw out, the USL team you have? You'd really just chuck out the Sounders name? (it's got a hell of a lot more history behind it than "Metros", and I'm hangin on to that like grim death) I wouldn't trade that in, personally. I'd rather stay in the USL and wait for an white knight that wasn't planning on rebranding. That's me.
I've been there, following the USL D3 team that was in my state for a couple years, just because I love the sport of soccer and I really loved what that team was about. Crowds of 1500-2000 on good nights. A big old concrete municipal stadium. No one who ever was or ever would be an international. (Wait, I saw Shalrie Joseph playing and scoring against us, the year before he got drafted.)
I loved it. Sadly, it didn't last (for various other reasons, mostly to do with a screwed-up city govt.) If RBNY turns into an obnoxious situation, I'll have no problem finding a small-scale local team that wants my support. There are always going to be those other options - USL, college, PDL, what have you. And yes, as strongly as I feel about the Metros after 10 years of supporting them, and about the sport of soccer in general, there is more to life than that. It's nice to keep some perspective.
Hey...point well taken...I do feel for you ex-Metros. I was a bit harsh..but it's because..
I just wish that people would focus more on the positives..not the negatives. That's a life comment that I think can be applied here also.
You've had a poorly run team for 10 years...but you've had a team. Just one of very few cities that can say that they've had a first division team.
That's a positive.
Now..you still have a team, and now have an owner that should be very motivated to make the Red Bulls a top class product.
A man saw enough in your franchise to invest millions of dollars.
Being a DC fan...I wish the Metros were still around...
All in all...it's very cool that there are MLS diehards and that guys like you are passionate enought to get upset.