In a world where the status quo is way too accepted, I gotta give props to Drew Carey and the Seattle Sounders.  In my opinion, owning a sports team should be the pinnacle. You’ve worked hard, made tons of scratch, and now you get to be a part of something based upon passion and your love for a sport.

I get that owning a sports team is a business, but that doesn’t mean you can’t buck conventionality and do things your way.  There has been a ton of stories about the Sounders, their early success on and off the field, and their ownership group. I read this story in the LA Times a couple of days ago, and it focused on Drew Carey and the role he has played in the Sounders success so far. I have had conversations with my boys about what I would do if I was ever lucky enough to be involved with owning a professional soccer team, and I have to say Drew embodies a lot of what I would want to be about. Passionate, involved, open minded and pro-active…seems like pretty obvious traits you would want in an owner. But as we all know this isn’t always the case. I’m a fan of people that challenge the status-quo and do things their way.

There is too much mind paid attention to doing what has already been done…and never pushing the envelope. When we started Bumpy Pitch, we were dedicated to the idea that soccer inspired a lifestyle. That what took place off the field was in many aspects as important as what took place on the field. I remember telling people about this idea and having them look at me like I was from another planet. Early on, there were times when I was on the phone with soccer stores telling them about Bumpy Pitch, our ethos and what we were about. Our experiences within the sport and how we wanted to be a part of growing the sport in a new and exciting way. Not one store gave me more than 30 seconds, and they all told me that until we started making something more “soccer related”, that they were not interested.  Damn…foiled by the very people that were seemingly interested in building the sport as well. Hmmm…

The status-quo. There are those that give into it and can’t accept anything outside of it. Then there are those, like Drew Carey, that want to do things their way. People who are open to outside ideas, involved from the ground up and passionate enough to put themselves in line for ridicule and doubters. Not only does soccer need more people like this, I think the world needs more people like that. Changing perception ain’t easy and usually comes with a price, but it’s necessary. Challenging the status-quo can get you in trouble with certain folks, but from my perspective, it’s more than worth it. So I tip my hat to Drew and anyone else that has a vision and sticks to it. The ride maybe “bumpy,” but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I think I’ll let this post ride out with this: