"No Respect"

Generally, speaking there are two approaches toward the events of our lives.  One can choose to believe in fate or destiny, or (following a hard philosophical line) one can rule everything to the whim of chance.  Under normal circumstances, I default to the latter.  After all, we can't explain the nature of the universe, how we got here, why we're here, etc.  However, in the instance of soccer I see fate creeping into the frame. 

I believe it's no coincidence that Rodney Dangerfield, the man who made a career (and millions laugh) with his "no respect" shtick, made a film centered on the world game.  That movie, Ladybugs, wasn't exactly La Dolce Vita; it didn't even measure up to Back to School or Easy Money.    The point: it seems karma may have been at play, pitting Mr. No Respect in the role of a soccer coach.  The sport, like Dangerfield claimed of the American working man, gets no respect.  For example, this very sight offers blog topics under the headings of the NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB, as well as college hoops and football.  Soccer is a notable absentee, especially in a World Cup year.  What's more, Fox operates Fox Soccer Channel right here in the US.  True, there is a forum affiliated with the station (Big Soccer), but is it not telling that no option for the world game is offered with the other "major" sports?    

The Soccer Fans' Life

How many of you are with me? 

...weekends filled with hours of live broadcasts from who-knows-where, living off TiVo - hands down god's greatest gift to man since Promethean fire.  Nameless networks and leagues ranging from Spain, Germany, Italy, and England to Brazil, Portugal, Mexico and Japan, trying all week to catch up so you can watch the highlight shows without ruining the games you've yet to watch.  Sometimes you can't even understand the commentators because it's an original broadcast, in the native tongue, and you don't speak that language - you do, however, speak the language of the world game. 

Midweek, you might get some league or cup action from somewhere, maybe some UEFA Cup, better still, the Champion's League.  A limitless smorgasbord of football, futebol, calcio, fu