Section B · Page 4
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, October 28, 1998
Commentary
U.S. soccer grows in popularity
I must have been taking some drugs of Maradona quality last week when I said that I'd be writing about men's soccer at KU today. This weekend was MLS Cup, and I was in Los Angeles for the game and surrounding festivities.
The game itself, on Sunday, was a treat. The two-time defending champs, DC United, went down in a blazing Chicago Fire 2.0. The game's Most Valuable Player, Chicago midfielder Peter Nowak, set up both goals in the first half. The first goal came off a sophisticated series of passes orchestrated by Nowak at the top of the box, and the second, off an individual run and shot by Nowak that deflected off Blue Springs (Mo.) High graduate, ex-Wizard and current Chicago midfielder Diego Gutierrez and past United goalkeeper Tom Presthus. Chicago's strong defense was able to hold up the rest of the way.
The game was notable for a few things. First, 52,000 people showed up in a neutral city half a continent away from the nearest competing team. Major League Soccer Cup is clearly becoming a big event on the American sporting scene.
Second, it was a very mature soccer game, with patterns and rhythms familiar to followers of international soccer. Far too often, Major League Soccer games are jumbled and anarchic, and some would say that is part of its charm. However, this was a highly controlled game played by two cohesive, skillful and well-coached
teams.
Third, the Chicago Fire became the first expansion team in any U.S. major sport to win the championship in its first season. In any other sport this would be unthinkable, but in Major League Soccer, it happened. Allow me to explain how, and why, Chicago pulled it off.
In Major League Soccer, each team is allocated five players of higher salary and pedigree, usually signed from outside the United States (not necessarily foreign; many of these players are Americans playing in Europe or Mexico). These players form the backbone of most teams, and the rest of the positions are filled in by players picked up in the college draft, through other signings, etc.
In the expansion draft last winter, the first for Major League Soccer. Chicago picked up several of its key players, including midfielder
Sam
Pierron
spierron@ukans.edu
Chris Armas, who was selected to Major League Soccer's Best Eleven for this season, and MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Zach Thornton (also selected to the Best Eleven).
Chicago built around experienced Eastern European players, a new strategy in a league that has signed mostly Latin Americans. At the head of their class was Polish midfielder Peter Nowak of TSV Munchen 1860 (Germany), only two years removed from having been selected as the top playmaker in the German Bundesliga.
It was later discovered that if Nowak hadn't signed with Major League Soccer,
several English Premier League teams were about to pounce on his inexpensive transfer fee. To complete their Eastern Bloc, the Fire acquired fellow Poles Roman Kosecki and Jerzy Brozny (both forwards), as well as Czech sweeper Lubos Kublk, who also made the MLS Best Eleven.
The league, in its infinite wisdom, basically forced Mexican goalkeeper Jorge Campos down Chicago's throat. Trouble is, as Bradley recognized, Campos can be more trouble than he is worth.
While he is certainly spectacular, he is given to making bad mistakes, and his lack of height can cause serious problems. What is worse is that because of a unique contractual status, he is never available until the Mexican League season ends in late April/early May. Further, his salary is high, and with the tight Major League Soccer salary cap, that is a major negative.
Bradley was proven right in the long run; Campos, when he played, was ineffective, and Thornton earned the starting job and then Goalkeeper of the Year. Surely, Campos will be on his way to San Jose or some other Major League Soccer city next year.
It was a farewell performance for Bruce Arena, who was named U.S. National Team coach on Tuesday. Arena has built the best team in the United States since the Cosmos of the late 1970s, but I have severe doubts about the ability of his successor to maintain United's tradition of excellence. United will have to dump several players because of salary cap problems, and Eddle Pope could head to Europe at any time. Either way, it is been a great run for United. And, all in all, it was a showcase weekend for Major League Soccer.
Pierron an Olathe senior in political science and international studies.
The Associated Press
High school rankings upset after big losses
TOPEKA — Olathe North, Holton and Conway Springs pulled the big surprises last week that created major changes in this week's Associated Press consensus high school football rankings.
As the regular season heads toward its conclusion — with final district games this week deciding who enters the playoffs — five teams remain unanimous No. 1 choices in their classes: Wichita Southeast in Class 6A, Liberal in 5A, Topeka Hayden in 4A, Smith Center in 3A and Little River in Eight-Man Division L.
Olatea North stunned Olathe South last week, 41-14, knocking South out of the No. 3 spot in the 6A rankings and elevating itself into the No. 5 position. Wichita Southeast kept the top rating with a 53-19 win against Wichita East, and Wichita Northwest remained No. 2 by beating Wichita North, 54-13.
Garden City's Buffaloes feasted on Maize, 61-0,
to move up to No. 3 in 6A.
Conway Springs upended Medicine Lodge, 23-7, to fill the run-up spot in 3A, which Conway formerly held. Smith Center still is No.1 in 3A after bending Norton, 44-0.
There were no changes in Class 5A, where Liberal remained a unanimous No.1 after a 32-22 victory against Wichita Carroll, and Salina Central held second with a 17-10 triumph against Bukhr.
Holton upset Sabetha, the former secondplace team, 21-6, and moved into the Top 5 in Class A4. Topeka Hayden remained a unanimous No. 1 in 4A with a 53-10 rout of Council Grove. Pratt moved up to No. 2 with a 30-13 win against Ulvesss.
AP consensus rankings are an average of ratings by the Hutchinson News, Salina Journal, Topea Capital Journal and Wichita Eagle.
Here are the AP consensus rankings after eight weeks:
Class 6A
Class 5A
Others rated: None.
1. Wichita Southeast, 8-0-2. Wichita Northwest, 7-1. 3. Garden City, 6-2. 4. Derby, 7-1. 5. Olathe North, 6-2.
Class 4A
1. Liberal, 7-1. 2. Salina Central, 7-1. 3. Stilwell-Blue Valley, 8-0. 4. Fort Scott, 8-0. 5. Valley Center, 8-0.
Others rated: None.
1. Topeka Hayden, 8-0.2. Pratt, 7-1.3. Concordia, 8-0.4. tie. Holton, 8-0. and Prairie View, 8-0.
Others rated: Columbus, 8-0
Class 3A
1. Smith Center, 8-0.2. Conway Springs, 8-0.3.
Riverton, 8-0.4. Hillsboro, 8-0.5. Cimarron, 8-0.
Others rated: None.
Class 2-14
1. Claflin, 8-0. 2. Atwood, 8-3. Stockton, 7-1.
2. Ness City, 7-1. 5. Frankfort, 7-1.
Others rated: Jefferson North, 8-0.
Class 2-1A
Eight-Man I
1. Little River, 7-0.2. Ashland, 8-0.3. Chetopa,
8-0.4. St. Paul, 7-0.5. Pratt-Skyline, 8-0.
Others rated: Burton, 7-1.
Eight-Man II
1. Sylvan Grove, 8-0.2. Havilland, 8-0.3. Midway-Denton, 8-0.4. Hanston, 8-0.5. Hope, 8-0.
Others rated: None.
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