Every sport in America has their corky event. MLB has the home run derby. The NHL has the skills competition. The NFL Combine even has that obstacle course thing. Major League Soccer has their All Star Game on Wednesday on ESPN2 at 9:30 pm EST against Bayern Munich of the Bundesliga. Bayern boast a number of the German National Team World Cup Champions and USMNT youngster Julian Green.
If American Soccer is a family Christmas party, the MLS All Star Game is the crazy uncle with the ridiculous holiday sweater. He has good years (2012, 3-2 victory of European Champions Chelsea), he has bad years (2011, 4-0 loss to Man United). But regardless of the quality of his sweater, homemade eggnog, jokes, or his holographic Christmas cards, you always appreciate his novelty. There’s a sense of endearment in his weirdness.
I’m on the side of many MLS junkies who want to see these friendlies with European teams changed. Either put them during an off weekend when you have a week break before and after and take them seriously, or don’t play them at all. I understand the cash grab and getting some young players minutes, but it’s not a good measure for where the league is at. If we win, the Euro Snobs say the European team is in preseason and isn’t fit. If we lose, it’s proof MLS still sucks. It’s certainly not worth scheduling or watching if the MLS team just puts out reserves and get blown out.
How MLS teams play in CCL, the quality of players they are able to attract, and the success of the players in MLS who play for their national teams are all better metrics than these games.
While the All Star Game also is a poor measuring stick for the league, it has historically been taken seriously, while the club friendlies haven’t.
Bigger Stage = More Motivation.
The All Star players want to beat the European power they’re playing. The coaches have been the same way. Last year, Peter Vermes looked the same way on the sideline as if he does coaching Sporting KC. Caleb Porter would love to beat half of the World Cup Champion Starting XI. Landon Donovan wants to show up Jurgen Klinsmann’s old team. The USMNT players want to show the German players their World Cup survival wasn’t a fluke. Julian Green could make an appearance, and if he does, I’m sure he wants to keep the momentum going after his spectacular goal against Belgium.
The All Star Game serves no practical purpose for MLS. Many fans, analysts, and coaches think it’s silly. But the All Star Game is the best of MLS against one of the world’s best clubs. The players want to represent themselves, their team, and their league well.
Regardless of the score, the fact that they don’t play together regularly, or playing on three days rest, they want to earn the respect of their opponents. If every MLS All Star Game for the next decade the opponent goes home thinking what John Terry thought about Wondo, the league will get so much more respect from the world’s best. That’s something we see on some level every year in the All Star game. I don’t get that same sense from most of the club friendlies.
It will be something if every member of Bayern leaves with a more positive impression of MLS. If Franck Ribery thinks better of MLS, maybe media and fans from other countries will follow.
So watch the MLS All Star Game for the novelty, the stars on both sides, Timber Joey, and seeing the Schweinsteiger-Bradley duels. Watch the All Stars show Bayern MLS’s mettle and earn their respect. It’s going down, Dom Dwyer’s yelling Timber and you better watch, because Arjen Robben and Thierry Henry are going to dance.
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