When big media kicks soccer fans right between the legs

If you like soccer, you love the World Cup. It’s one of life immutable truths.

It’s the largest sporting event on the planet, certainly the most talked about. (Oh, about those Fox commercials touting the Super Bowl as the world’s most watched sporting event – the people who write and approve those words are either inbred idiots or jingoistic nutjobs who think the world stops at the Atlantic.)

But there is one small downside to the World Cup – media platforms that usually won’t pay a smidge of attention to soccer (beyond the treasured cliché headline of foreign soccer violence) are suddenly on the band wagon.

From an individual standpoint, I don’t mind if folks who generally don’t find soccer to be their cup of tea jump on board for the greatness of a World Cup. I respect that, in fact. It’s like having visitors in your home. Welcome in! Grab a drink. And don’t miss the roasted garlic hummus. It’s amazing!

As for media clambering aboard, I don’t mind that so much either.  It’s a bid to serve the individuals listed above, so I totally get it.  I just have one request:  get it freakin’ right!

What follows is a story that appeared last week in a major US daily.

As one friend said to me (I’m paraphrasing here): Every time we think we’re at a point where soccer gets decent media treatment, where it’s just another sport to be covered at a level commensurate with the interest, we get a story like this one kicking us right square in the potatoes.

Here was the piece in question. I’ll highlight the silliness so that you may skim rather than study:

FC Dallas defender Heath Pearce was among 30 players named Tuesday to the U.S. Men’s National Team preliminary roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

U.S. coach Bob Bradley will use a May 17-23 camp at Princeton University to help finalize the 23-man team that will compete in the June 11-to-July 11 World Cup in South Africa. The U.S. must submit its roster to FIFA by June 1.

Pearce, 25, will join the U.S. National team in Princeton, N.J. after playing in FC Dallas’ Saturday game at Philadelphia. Although he is primarily known as an attacking left tackle, Pearce has played as a defender and midfielder on the right and left sides under FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman.

Pearce, a Modesto, Calif. native who played at Portland State, has a wealth of international and FIFA experience. He has played on the U.S. U-17, U-20 and senior teams. He played four seasons in Denmark and Germany before signing with FC Dallas last Sept. 15.

“I think it’s been a long four years that I’ve been a part of the U.S. National Team and to be a part of this final 30 is a great honor,” Pearce said. “Any time you put on the jersey and you’re representing the country . . . you’re an ambassador for the sport; you’re an ambassador for your country.

“You have to wear it with pride and to be able to do that at the highest level would be a dream come true.”

Pearce is one of eight defenders on the preliminary U.S. roster, but his experience and versatility make him a favorite to make the final 23-man team. He started five games during the Americans’ run to the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup final.

He finished 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying with 754 minutes played, including all 90 of the American’s 2-0 victory over Mexico on Feb. 11 to open the final round of qualifying.

A left tackle? Seriously? I'm thinking Orlando Pace doesn't have much to worry about.

FIFA experience? I bet when Bob Bradley made his selections he said something like, “Well, Heath is a bit limited and he could get exposed for speed … but doggonnit, he’s got all that FIFA experience! You just can’t teach that!”

How they reckoned that Pearce to be a favorite to make the roster, well, I can only assume that was a feed from a friendly PR person with FC Dallas. That’s the job of a PR person, so I don’t blame them.

Here’s the deal. I know the guy that wrote these words. He’s a really good dude, and this isn’t meant to disparage him.  This is about media that doesn’t ordinarily pay attention to the sport.  That’s fine.  It’s a business decision.  It’s why soccer fans don’t generally go to the daily newspapers, local sports broadcasts or generic sports talk radio for their soccer information.

I’m just saying that crap like that should never appear in a quality U.S daily. If they can’t find someone who knows the game just a little bit, then they really shouldn’t bother.

As my friend said, “I’m just waiting for them to tell me how many goals he’s kicked in.”