The Stars Shine for M.L.S.

Tonight in Toronto, Major League Soccer’s all-star team, led by New England Revolution Coach Steve Nicol, will take on West Ham United of Great Britain’s Premiership. Bill Littlefield looks forward to the game, and back at what M.L.S. has accomplished.

They’ve brought a star from Mexico who’s known to scream and shout
Enough to cause officials to get mad and throw him out.
I’ll grant you, Blanco’s elderly in soccer years, it’s true.
Still, he ignites the Fire and that’s what he’s paid to do.
They’ve brought from jolly England David Beckham, and this year
The lad is healthy, and he’s playing, and his value’s  clear.
He fills the parks with folks who don’t know soccer balls from squash.
These people hope that Becks will shed his shirt. And maybe Posh
Will glance upon them from on high, up in the owner’s suite.
And should she smile behind her shades, their lives will be complete. They’ve once again set up a game to render us delighted…
It’s U.S. All-Stars v the Premiership’s West Ham United…
And, granted, MLS is in the middle of its season,
And West Ham’s still in training, there is still no bloody reason
To sneer or snicker at the game, which, if it goes as planned,
Should see the home team once again prevail. It would be grand,
But not at all surprising, for, consider, if you will
That last year’s all-stars blanked the mighty Celtic, two to nil,
And in the dream that graced mid-summer two short years ago,
The best of MLS out-classed old Chelsea even though
The Blues are making millions upon millions when they play,
And several MLS teams cross their fingers, day to day. It’s not that I would make too much of this year’s all-star game.
It is an exhibition, that I’ll grant you. All the same,
The homerun derby and the summer classic baseball’s got
Are exhibitions, too, and they delight us, do they not?
And in the winter, when the NBA puts on its show,
Although there’s seldom defense played, a lot of people go,
And lots more watch on t.v., lifted from the mighty funks
That they’d have fallen into were it not for mighty dunks.
So let us tip our hats to soccer’s effort, for I’d guess,
That it is no more silly, and perhaps a little less.