It’s been one hell of a year. A lot of things have transpired over the last 12 months on a variety of levels. 2010 is looking to be an exciting one, but before we get there, we gotta take a look back at what was before we look ahead to what can be.
It seems like there was an awful lot of stuff rolled up in 2009. Maybe as technology continues to advance, with the way we consume information and communicate with people, the amount of information available seems that much greater. Or maybe, there really is just more and more going on everyday.
I’ve talked to my fair share of people who feel like the end of 2009 is long overdue, and who are very excited and hopeful that 2010 is much better. I get where they are coming from, but let’s not lose sight of some of the good things that happened these past 12 months, and let’s also try and learn from the tough times that many of us experienced this past year. We could go on and on about all the things that were wrong with 2009, but I’m not hear to rap with you about that.
One of the things that will stand out about 2009 is that it really felt to me that soccer in America took some positive steps forward. I know that this topic gets brought up a lot, and people are always saying soccer has arrived. I’m not saying that it’s where we all hope it should be, but…some amazing things happened for the sport in the US in 2009. Here’s a handful…
The run the US National Team had in The Confederations Cup + the Landon v Becks controversy and how it turned out + Barcelona v LA Galaxy and a sold out Rose Bowl + ESPN showing EPL games + Fox Soccer Channel showing Champions League games + Bumpy Pitch t-shirts (wink wink) + the US qualifying for the World Cup for the sixth straight time + the Seattle Sounders + MLS Cup in Seattle + the World Cup draw…
See, there were some positives that can be taken from the year, and a lot to build on for the sport going into a very important year. I also want to take a step back and thank all of you for supporting us throughout the year. It’s been an interesting year. We’ve been able to go to some cool places, see some great games, hang with friends, meet new folks, sell some clothes, and most importantly push the lifestyle of the sport on a daily basis.
We talk a lot on here about the soccer community, and the strength of any community comes down to the people that are a part of it. From my perspective, this community is stronger, more engaged and more informed than many people give it credit. We’ll continue to do our part to push the community forward and represent the game and the people involved the best way we know how, and we look forward to building with all of you in the years ahead. Here’s to the end of 2009 and to a great 2010!
