Nobody Asks but,
TDLR: I explained (1/6) why US National Soccer Team has a serious chance at winning the World Cup. Intellectual Capital used in soccer first time (for me at least)
“As talent gets you over average players, hard work gets you over talented players.” Mete Gazoz,22 (Olympic Gold Medalist | Archery)
Hello Dear (Assuming a Soccer) Fan,
Mustafa Bahar here, a kind one with so many dreams just like many of us. I decided to write about what I think about Soccer world because I just love the sport and it does enable me to enjoy thoroughly whatever I experience while engaging with it. When you keep a blog, you unconsciously search for better ways of expression how you feel and since I’m getting older each day, I tend to have things briefer, compact but insightful due to memory saving attempts.
For those who happen to meet me for the first time, I’ve been in US for 16 years (saddening face emoji). I’m originally from a city called Isparta (Turkish spelling of Greek Sparta) which is on the south side of Turkey, closer to Mediterranean Sea. I’m not sure whether it is climate, food, or culture but whatever it is, I do agree with Dr. El-Sayed El-Aswad’s -American Anthropological Association- response to a question of what kind of The Mediterranean Identity and how it can be defined: “Well, some of the most common features that might shed light on the Mediterranean identity include sociability, collectivity, connectivity, pleasantness, agreeableness, joyfulness, lightness, wittiness, strong sense of humor, cheerfulness, optimism, adventurousness, esteem/honor, and high spirit.” I feel like that’s me with a sprinkle of passionate and controlled temper.
I’ve been playing soccer since age 5. Being lefty and relatively faster than I look, I was placed on the left side of formations most of the time, including left center, but for me, my favorite position was box to box midfielder. I went to soccer camp when I was 10 and have great friends but my mom thought it caused overpronation and made me quit soccer after a year. However, since there were few lefties in the team and me being very good with curved balls, I had fallen in love with it. Returning of the summer, I was enrolled to a boarding school right after 5th grade due to a good score. I got a full scholarship from this private school, and it had everything a kid could ask for (subjective freedom, pacing up to adulthood and friends). Of course, I didn’t know I was going to be homesick and cry for 14 consecutive days after the first day of the school but hey it was an elite school by any means. Outstanding teachers, inspiring mentors, new school building. But as any average quiet and hardworking kid, I was bullied. I was sewn into my bed during my sleep, my food was stolen and some other classic stuff. On top of that, when I shared with my grandma, she told me if I can’t deal with it, I will be transferred. So, I had to find a solution on my own since I really enjoyed the school.
One day, my PE teacher told me to join the basketball team (later I found out it was a solution for my bullying situation), and it worked. New group of friends, new overall vibe has completely transformed me. I was practicing on my own after school, trying harder each time at practice and literally learning a new sport from scratch. Weeks later, they add me to the roster as the 4th point guard. For those who don’t know, that is a towel guy at the bench. I was just gaining experience; I guess. I remember at our first tournament our first game, coach put me in, last minute of the first half. I was put as the second guard position, and we had a scheme that was called (sea horse) which was designed for the C. We were on their court our PG called the play, passed me ball and I was supposed to pass it back. As soon as I received the ball, things got a bit blurry and the only thing I saw was the rim. I shot the ball. The ball felt great. Trajectory was to the point and all of us were watching ball sliding over a curved invisible slider…………………… It was an air ball. I woke up with the whistle of the referee and rushed back to defense. Then they came on our court and made the basket. There was still 25 sec left on the clock to the end of first half, so we had one more possession. The coach was still encouraging, shepherding us for the next play and we took our positions. Ball came to my hand again, this time nothing was frozen, I could hear everyone including my benchwarmers yelling “pass! pass! Pass!” PG was asking for it, C was post up almost begging for the ball, even coach was asking for it. Lesson wasn’t learnt and of course, I did shoot the ball over my defender. In my mind, I was thinking all the training I did, hard work under the rain had to pay off now and only now. I had to make everyone forget that air ball earlier. It felt greater this time, the ball had this amazing trajectory and maybe one or two second later, I was so ready to cheer because finally that last-second shot scenario was coming thru (although there was still 11 sec on the clock) the ball never met the rim. Again. I could read in my PG’s face raging at me was more tiring than pitying me. He mumbled some cursing words, I’m sure, as the final whistle was blown. We were probably going to win this game, but still it felt so awkward. As we were heading to the dressing room, I remember my only wish was not to be patted by the coach. Because that was going to solidify my position on that bench, make me feel like I could only be so good. As we were headed to the dressing room, coach approached to me, He grabbed both my shoulders, squeezed them and shook me so hard but not hard enough so I could still notice the anger in his eyeballs. He yelled “Why!” 3 freaking times in a louder tone each time. Not only whole team was waiting on us, but whole audience was also waiting on us at that moment. I thought he wasn’t really asking but once I realized he didn’t even blink, I felt like I had to say something. I don’t know where that courage came from, but I told him “You put me as nothing to the game and I delivered exactly what you want”. I don’t know why but instantly he let my shoulders go, stepped back a little and without saying anything he just walked off. That game he never put me back in the game.
Two days later, he apologized to me for making me think I was nothing. He even tried to convince me I’m valuable to the team. Let me clear some air here before this turns to an emotional drainage. I was rightfully 4th PG on the team skill wise. I was rightfully the towel guy and every second permitted on the floor was all about having me tasting what playing at a team feels like. So, he had every right to be mad at me and keep me as a towel guy forever.
But for me at this point, I had to decide. Either accept the situation and just take part in practices and act like a sparring partner to our team or try it to be better and see what happens. I was contained with that though since it stopped bullying. At that point, I was in Chemistry Olympiad team, member of the chess team, acing all my classes with avg score of 94/100 (very bullyable)It even convinced my mom that I will be taller and stepping normal.
Very next training coach told us we are heading to a nationwide tournament in two months so he will increase the number of trainings.
Then the “next week” happened. Our first PG had a motorcycle accident and broke his arm, second PG was originally from Australia, and he had to go back there for family reasons and, our 3rd PG broke his leg. Well, I was the main and only PG at the team now. In A freaking week. The coach who had shaken me to my core called me up and gave me the great (?) news. I had to practice extra, one on one with him and we would make it thru. Well dear reader, I did work with him almost every day every weekend till the tournament and in over a month, I guess I was slightly better than a towel guy.
We went to that tournament, yours truly being the first guard option and guess what happened; we won the tournament. I know you might question the quality of the competitiveness, but I can assure you this time was different. I was much more prepared, had the sets visualized in my head and I had a shorter hair (which helps with your vision during dribbling). I remember first game, my heart was pounding, my knees were shivering but I was “ok”. First play of the game, coach asked for a play for the center. I improvised it and went for a layup. I made the basket, and I was so happy that start celebrating like I scored a goal. My hands were up in the air, running back to our court. Almost tearful, but didn’t last long because I had an eye contact with the grizzly bear (sorry my coach). His looks burnt my soul.
The entire reason I’m gone so much detail in my mediocre basketball story all the way from my middle school is exactly what may happen with the U.S. Soccer.
Before I go into elaboration, let me list my reasoning why I’m motivated.
First, I believe regardless of how much it will ever be, I may contribute to the enjoyment of soccer in US. Second, which is selfish, like simplifying and making memories of joyful times, and since I feel like time is pacing so fast now, it will allow me to slow it down a little.
Third and last, because I’ve been related to different disciplines over the years, I can inspire some of the content and even terminology to the sport itself because I feel like the overall analysis and interpretation of the soccer is very much limited to same ideas and perspectives and unfortunately, it harms the quality of it, prevents new audience to engage with it and the entire game becomes unwatchable due to lack of depth and emotional attachment. So, I will test myself to bring a few alternative approaches to it.
All right! Back to U.S.
Spoiler Alert: This will be a new way; so, give some thoughts over it before you judge completely.
Let me start with what normally I’d conclude my article with; I believe U.S is one of the top candidates to win the World Cup in 2022 in Qatar. And I believe they can mark the football history for the next 20 years with their success stories If only MLS Governing Board doesn’t prevent it from happening (too soon?).
Next Week: Ingredients for a successful U.S. Expansion Package for Soccer/ Football.
