| Simon Husbands : Profile | Simon Husbands is originally from West Bridgford in Nottingham, and now works as a web designer in Minneapolis, USA. Simon despairs at the fact that only 10 year-old boys really care about 'soccer' and the World Cup. |
I was talking to my brother Tim on the phone the other day. Tim is a football nut, and every time he comes home to visit, his first stop is always the City Ground. He never buys anything, he just goes to soak it all in. Soccer emersion. Good for the soul. Now, one thing I can say about the good citizens of the country I live in, the US, is that they do not suffer from ‘soccer emersion’.
 | | Slim knows of Robin Hood. |
Indeed, the opposite could be true – they almost seem to shun soccer as a spectator sport, and as a source of national pride. With The US side about to enter into its fifth consecutive World Cup finals, few here care. My brother Tim said to me “What do the Americans think of Brian McBride?” - I was saddened to say that the Americans probably don’t even know who Brian is. Outside of his immediate family, there’s probably only a handful of US citizens who know of him, and his skills, and how he is someone they should be proud of. Tim, in his brotherly way, said I was full of it, and that I knew nothing. So that got me thinking – how much do the Yanks know about their national soccer side. I quietly resolved to find out.
 | | Matt: Brian who? |
I asked my friend Slim, the best informed American I know. He said he’d never heard of Brian. He DID know who Robin Hood was, however, which somehow didn’t make up for it. “Robbed from the rich, right?” he said. He never once even touched upon Brian’s 90 international appearances. I asked my neighbour Matt, an avid radio listener, if he knew of Brian. “Brian who?” he asked. “Do you mean Martina McBride, the singer?” Matt was another failure to launch. My wife knew nothing of Brian and his manly charms, and I wasn’t about to introduce her to them. I was relegated to accepting that maybe I alone, in this country of baseball, basketball and American ‘Football’, knew of Brian. I checked the magazine ‘Sports Illustrated’ for any references to Brian or soccer. None. NONE. NONE. Not one.
 | | Brian can see the funny side... |
My last ditch attempt came as I waited in line for my noodles at the fast noodle shop. A teenage girl wearing a local soccer team-strip, complete with boots, also waited for her post-game supper. I sidled up. “Pssstttttt”, I said, “do you know who Brian McBride is?” The answer came back with a resounding clang. “No”, she said, “who is he?” I told her. She didn’t seem interested. She explained she was already ‘doing’ two sports, soccer and softball, and didn’t have time to get interested in the fortunes of her national soccer side. Well, I guess it’s good to be busy. So Brian – sorry, dude. I rather fear more work is required on the US branch of the fan club. | 
