My letter to the Men in Blazers

Attached is an email I recently sent in to the Men in Blazer's podcast. I talk about how I found my MLS home and how I slowly because a MLS fan. 

Greetings gentlemen,

I was recently at my apartment during the day after having a class canceled and I was able to watch your appearance on the Dan Patrick show. I was poured myself another cup of coffee and turned up the volume. Among all the usual sub optimal talk that you guys were having, the topic of what club Dan should support came up.

This hit like a ton of bricks because while I credit myself as a SOCCAHH fan, and like many Americans my love for the sport was sparked during a World Cup (World Cup 2010, the day the Landon died) I didn't know what club I supported.

I began to investigate all of the leagues and teams. I knew the Premier League is an easy choice, and looking even farther in would be interesting, and while I found that I can support a club like Everton for its ties to the USA.  I was instantly drawn to the world of the MLS.

Now, for Christmas I was given a Team USA scarf and an "American Hero" Clint Dempsey shirt. Both I value dearly and the scarf I wear whenever the weather is cold enough. I look at the Seattle Sounders as a team I can support because of Clint and the baby boy DeAndre Yedlin. Sigi is definitely a strong manager and someone I enjoy seeing out.

I then look at the one team I do support. A part of the NASL, Indy Eleven have been my first foray into world of SOCCAHH outside of just watching on my TV. I attended a game where Indy was playing FC Edmonton last year in which during the Canadian National Anthem the supporter section (called the Brickyard Battalion) boo'd during the national anthem for Canada because a flock of Canadian geese flew over the field.

From then, I was hooked. I knew that not only was I a member of the Brickyard Battalion, but I knew that I needed to find a club to support.

Looking across the league to find a team that fit something of what I feel I felt in attending my first SOCCAHH match. I knew each club have their faithful, but I wanted an experience that I felt would be not only unique, but also something grassroots.

The Chicago Fire and the Columbus Crew are both the closest teams to me based on geography. I looked into the teams, and I felt I needed a club that was also starting something new.

After posting on Twitter that I would be a Fire supporter, the supporters tweeted back to me with suggestions on where to go to learn more about the club and what not.

I wanted to share this with you because while I may not get to listen to every week, you two have contributed a ton to what I know about this sport and what I love about the people involved. Thank you for helping me find my SOCCAHH home and I can't wait to see what time will tell.

#cf97