We Meet Again....

At the risk of sounding like a disgruntled former employee - which i'm sure i am - i feel compelled to share a story about my only previous contact with the Chicago Fire's new team president, Dave Greeley.

First, however, please read this well written post by Steve Pastorino, my partner in crime at the Chicago Fire from 1997 through 2004.

Before i detail my memories of that meeting (it was probably six years ago, so some of the details may be wrong, but i am certain that the gist is accurate), i do want to go on record as saying that it is good that the Fire hired an experienced marketing executive with strong Chicago ties and separated the team operations from the business operations. i also want to say that i truly hope Dave immerses himself in the culture of the Fire and soccer, learns the sport and leads the Fire to more successes on and off the field. To the extent he cares to learn from my experiences, i am willing to share them with him and provide any insight and guidance he desires.

Now, to my recollection of the story Steve referenced obliquely in his post:

I too recall the new Fire president from those New Soldier Field negotiations. Dave wasn't quite the soccer guy he is now. Dave and i's first (and only?) meeting was with Bears President Ted Phillips, Mayor Daley's New Soldier Field political operative Ed Bedore and venerable Chicago attorney Dick Burke.

While most of the city and Bears representatives were polite, though a bit patronizing, Dave seemed bent on putting the Fire in its place with condescending comments. At one point during the meeting, Greeley's relentless disparagement of soccer and the Fire forced AEG's Bill Peterson and me to swear at him (as I recall, it began with an "f" and ended with a "u"), get up from the table and head for the door.

Burke stopped us in the hall way, apologized for Greeley and convinced us to return to the table.

I don't know that we've spoken since, but apparently, Dave's seen the light and he is now serving at the altar of the sport and team he once belittled!

Soccer can be a mighty inspiration. I look forward to talking to Dave again and discovering the elixir responsible for his conversion.

What Happens in Jersey...IS REVEALED HERE!

Two full days of meetings in New Jersey this week for the Women's Professional Soccer Board of Governors advanced the League considerably.

It's very exciting to see a League come together. While i'm sure many things have changed since the NFL's gestation period, i think many of the experiences must be similar to those that Curly Lambeau and George Halas had 88 years ago.

We discussed and formalized various player distribution mechanics, marketing updates, legal issues, team operations/milestone reports, League expansion and sponsorship and broadcast opportunities.

...and at night we went to dinner in a private room at Fiorino Ristorante in Summit, New Jersey. The dinner was a great opportunity to meet socially with team and League staff and owners. It also allowed us to get to know representatives of expansion candidate franchises from several markets better.

While, the dinner was great, the transportation to and from the dinner was extra special thanks to our hosts at Sky Blue Soccer. The shuttle bus provided to take us from the hotel to the restaurant and back was THE WPS PARTY BUS:

The NJ limo party bus comes fully loaded with the following luxury features:

State of the art audio surround sound system
Huge 50" plasma TV with satellite reception and 3 additional LCD flat screens
AM/FM satellite radio reception
Fiber optic lighting; mirrored ceiling
Champagne and rock glasses with colorful beverage napkins
Ice buckets stocked with water, soda, and ice
iPod connection
CD and DVD players
Two custom bars on the side and front with fiber optic lighting
Tinted windows
Adjustable window shades for privacy
On-board bathroom
Emergency exit and escape hatch
Extra large luggage and storage compartment under the main cabin

A low bridge forced the bus to make a detour which gave us a bonus hour of bonding time on the WPS Party Bus each way. The meetings themselves are obviously the important functionality of the time in New Jersey, but the WPS Party Bus ride is what will be remembered:

* Listening to veteran soccer event organizer Thom Meredith tell awe inspiring stories of Lamar Hunt's generosity, kindness, photographic memory and wisdom
* WPS expansion owner Fitz Johnson (Atlanta) serving as WPS Party Bus DJ
* Rocking out to James Taylor's "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)"
* And pictured above: me using the WPS Party Bus poles for their intended purpose - with Thom Meredith (left) and Joe Quinn (Washington Freedom) looking on in bemusement, Caryn Chasteen (St. Louis), Jeff Mallett and Michael Stoller (Boston) ignoring the proceedings on the left and Joe Cummings (Boston) turning his back to me on the right. Notice WPS fearless leader Tonya searching in the back of the WPS Party Bus for appropriate dance music for me on the satellite radio.

...and every day we get closer to being a real League. It involves a lot of hard work - and quite a bit of fun - by some incredibly talented people with a common passion to see professional women's soccer succeed.

COYW!

Great win by Fulham yesterday. 1-0 over Arsenal at Craven Cottage. Watching the game at The Highbury Pub in Milwaukee - a friendly soccer bar whose very name was taken from Arsenal's former grounds.

The bar was populated mainly with Gooners and my hopes and dreams were managed in increments. From the start, i was publicly cheering for a scoreless first 20 minutes. Amazingly the Whites achieved that goal then actually scored on a fearless goal mouth effort by Dallas born Brede Hangeland on a 21st minute cross from Jimmy Bullard.

After a minute of celebration, my hopes rose to gaining a halftime draw. Fulham exceeded those managed expectations by playing real soccer - possessing, attacking, controlling - for the first time in memory. A desperate Arsenal squad was unable to muster more than a couple solid attempts at goal the rest of the game and Fulham won the battle of Londoners 1-0.

It's no longer FulhAmerica, but it's still my EPL side. More importantly, the Fulhamometer earned its first three points of the year towards an expected 40 needed to avoid relegation!

C'MON YOU WHITES!!!

"Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."

i was reminded of the Yogi Berra quote in this blog post's title yesterday when i went to a Sports Authority store in Wisconsin looking for a New York Jets Brett Favre jersey.

Being a lifelong Green Bay Packers fan, it took a monumental management mess up (in my mind) to get me to do this.

The logo apparel department at The Sports Authority had a wall of Green Bay Packer Favre jerseys, but no Jets Favre jerseys. i asked an employee if they were sold out or on delivery and he said they weren't ordering any. They only sell in state team merchandise, he said. i asked him if i was the first to ask for a Jets Favre jersey and he said: "No, everyone is asking. i'm getting a little tired of it actually." i asked if they planned on meeting demand by ordering some and he said they won't because it goes against their policy.

Policies can be wrong. And this is one example.

i got mine anyway.

Golden Globe (Pub)

WOW!!! WHAT A GREAT VICTORY FOR THE USA! The Globe Pub in Chicago was packed with supporters for the Red Stars viewing party which started at 5 am for Germany's 1-0 bronze medal win over Japan. . Everyone was excited to see future WPS players battle on both sides of the gold medal match. At halftime, raffle prizes were awarded and Red Stars GM Marcia McDermott, fresh from her scouting trip to China, welcomed the group. Half a dozen TV, radio and newspaper journalists including WGN-TV, CLTV and a Chicago Tribune photographer captured the joy as Carli Lloyd's overtime blast ignited America's number one soccer bar. The bar held its collective breath through the final 20 minutes then roared when the final whistle blew. When the jumping and yelling finally subsided everyone joined in a champagne toast to the victors. This is a great day for US Soccer, the Chicago Red Stars and Women's Professional Soccer!

Olympic Impact On WPS

Everyone in Women's Professional Soccer is pulling for a US victory tomorrow both from a patriotic and a business perspective.

The prevailing thought is that a return to a world championship, if not world dominance, would provide a good kick start for WPS.

A gold medal for the US would certainly provide a boost for the League for all the obvious reasons, but i think it's also important to recognize that the League benefits if Brazil wins.

WPS intends to be the best women's soccer league in the world. That will surely happen if many of the best international players are also in the League. A Brazil victory tomorrow would demonstrate to the general American soccer fan base that women's soccer in Brazil and the rest of the world has improved dramatically in the last decade. It would also go a long way to increasing the star power of Cristiane (pictured above), Marta, Daniela, Formiga and other Brazilians who could find their way onto WPS rosters.

WUSA had built in US stars from the 1999 Women's World Cup. WPS needs to create its own stars - both domestic and international. So a Brazil Olympic gold medal, while probably not ideal for WPS, wouldn't be the worst thing either. What do you think?

Who Pays These Guys' Salaries Anyways??

The Section 8 Chicago organized protest last night intended to force the Chicago Fire front office to address alleged racial incidents by Toyota Park's security firm resulted in ridiculous red herring quotes in the Chicago Tribune from Fire star Cuauhtemoc Blanco.

Blanco's "fans are garbage" quote was translated from the Spanish "el hinchada es pendejada" and as such may have lost something in the translation, but even if minimized to "the fans are stupid", the quotes stand up in absurdity to other infamous athlete quotes against the fans who pay their salaries:

Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers: "I don't feel I need to sell myself to the fans. They need to get on board now or keep their mouths shut."

Charles Barkley regarding Dan Issel's fine when calling a heckling fan a Mexican: "I don't think he (Issel) should have been fined or suspended. Some fans just need to be beaten down!"

Rey Ordonez of the New York Mets about New York fans: "The fans here are too stupid. You have to play perfect every game. You can't make an error. You can't go 0-for-4. Are we like machines?"

Blanco reponding to allegations that Toyota Park security called Latino Fire fans derogatory racial slurs: “I feel that it’s possible that the fans at the time were inebriated,” he said. “When people are drunk, things can get out of hand and things can get crazy.”

Blanco again in today's Chicago Tribune: "The fans are [garbage]," said an annoyed Blanco, who blames fans for friction with security. "They get drunk and become insulting. It's the same way in Mexico. I don't think security has anything to do with it."

This whole drama is sad, because it is taking the focus away from the team, which is battling for the top spot in MLS and is tearing the soul out of a group of volunteers who have passionately and unselfishly given much of their lives to the Chicago Fire.

Another Video

This one's from a tour of the Red Stars expansive offices i recently gave. In it, i show off my mad foosball skills!

Contest OVER! Katie will win!

The WPS Top Town Video Challenge is virtually over barely after starting thanks to this great video.

After viewing it, you must agree that Chicago Red Stars fan Katie is absolutely going to win the Grand Prize of a trip for two (2) to the WPS Public Allocation Event in September 2008, round trip coach airfare from the major airport nearest Grand Prize Winner’s place of residence, hotel accommodations and a “meet and greet” with future WPS players.

Way to go Katie!

Blimey Me Hearties and Happy Birthday Marcia. Your Addled Crew Misses You!

Tomorrow is Red Stars General Manager Marcia McDermott's birthday and her staff threw her a pirate themed party in absentia yesterday. International talk like a pirate day is September 19, but the staff couldn't wait, so we all dressed up and celebrated Marcia's birthday pirate style with a bar-b-que outside the Red Stars Annex. i think we need our general manager to return from her extended mission to China soon!

Chatting

Red Stars hosted a chat session with me last Thursday. Emma and Marcia joined me from China along with a couple dozen Red Stars fans. Some of the info covered is old, but some was new. Here are some highlights and here is the complete transcript.

Ps: i've become a blogging machine this month!

Lessons

Alexi Lalas was let go yesterday and it reminded me of an email exchange we had when he was first named general manager of the San Jose Earthquakes in 2004.

i offered him some unsolicited advice about running an MLS team, because the front office side of MLS was new to him and we both were under the AEG umbrella.

Here is what i wrote to him:

-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Wilt [mailto:PWILT@chicago-fire.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 5:00 PM
To: Alexi Lalas
Cc: Peter Wilt
Subject: The 10 Commandments of MLS staff management and 10 Secrets of selling MLS

Lex, Following are my ten commandments to successful MLS staff management.....ok, if you're going to quibble, there's 12 of 'em - so shoot me.

Also listed 10 secrets of selling MLS. It's mainly common sense....though unfortunately, it's not so common. Hope it helps.

1. Ticket sales above all else - EVERYTHING else succeeds as a result of this.
2. Sell to those who are ALREADY economically and emotionally attached to the sport (the soccer community)
3. Hire hard working, talented people with good character - get rid of all others.
4. Hire department heads that are experts in their field and are better at their job than you would be
5. Delegate then provide resources and advice as needed
6. Praise employees publicly, criticize privately
7. When you must criticize, do so constructively with a positive statement given before and after the criticism
8. Explain reasons for decisions and include staff members in decision making process
9. Be a good listener
10. Provide good customer service - cheapest and best form of advertising and business retention
11. Get people to CARE about the sport, team and League
12. Personal contact with the team (players) is the best way to achieve number 11.

10 Secrets about the selling of MLS:

1. Our crowds are almost entirely manufactured through promotions, discounts, special events.
2. VERY few people care enough about our League to come to the games on their own.
3. Attrition of season tickets is ridiculously high (1/3) and we have to recreate our season ticket base every three years.
4. Paid general market advertising does not return dollar for dollar on investment
5. Neither does direct mail.....even targeted direct mail.
6. E-mail and phone calls to pre-qualified lists are the cheapest and most effective way to sell. INCREASE your e-mail database.
7. Your sales staff must work the phones - 40 calls each every day minimum.
8. State associations have very little power. The clubs and teams have the access and control of their membership NOT the state associations
9. You should meet with every youth soccer club board/president - ask them how you can help them and then do it (actually, then delegate it).
10. i'm not going to tell you ALL the secrets......some stuff you have to learn on your own. Enjoy!

peter j. wilt
General Manager
Chicago Fire

Certainly there are some generalizations in there that shouldn't be taken literally in all instances. And since i wrote this almost five years ago, some things have changed including the number of people who seriously care about MLS - which i think is one of the League's greatest accomplishments to date.

Commemorating an Extra 40 Years....

Today, Tuesday, August 12th is the 40th Anniversary of the rescue of my father, brother and me on Lake Superior by three brave park rangers.

My family is again celebrating the anniversary with a quick trip up to the UP and Michigan's Porcupine Mountain State Park.

Family members who live in Houston, Minneapolis, Carbondale, Illinois and McHenry, Illinois are all joining me for the pilgrimmage to Lake Superior's southern shoreline. My Mom, Dad and brother will all be there and my sister's two sons Bryan and Evan will also make the trip.

We'll head up to the old mine adit at the M-107 look-out this afternoon. We'll pull out the telescope that the rangers used to spot our tiny sailboat on the horizon 40 years ago and look where they looked. Tuesday is also the peak day for the Perseid meteor showers, so we'll be using the same telescope to look up in the heavens for shooting stars. i'll look for the rangers, too. Surely they're up there, too.

And Another One Bites The Dust!

The iconic Wall Arch from Arches National Park succumbed to gravity and erosion. Before and after above.

Sigh.

If a Tree Falls and No One is There to Hear it...

....well, this particular tree heard many sounds nearly a century and a half ago. One of only four remaining Gettysburg "Witness Trees" fell yesterday in a Pennsylvania thunderstorm.

And time marches on...

If you have an interest in Civil War history, i recommend this blog....and not just because i'm related to the author!

FC Indiana Claims US Open Cup Title Again

Chicago Red Stars W-League affiliate FC Indiana defeated Ajax America 1-0 in overtime last night to claim its fourth championship in the last four seasons - two US Women's Open Cup titles and two WPSL crowns.

From the FCI website:

In overtime, FC Indiana dictated the tempo and it was a matter of time before midfielder Fatima Leyva took a pass from Laura Del Rio and quickly slotted home a 20 yard shot past Ajax goal keeper Ali Lipsher in the hundred eight minute. "It’s a great feeling to win our fourth trophy in four seasons - we’ve got a great team spirit and work ethic," said FC Indiana’s captain Fatima Leyva. "Scoring that goal gave me one of the best feelings ever."

Head Coach Shek Borkowski believes his side deserved to lift the US Open Cup because of the brand of soccer they have played. "I think the way that we have played this season, I think we deserved this victory.”

The Pole, whose side has been lauded for its attacking style during the season, realizes that it will be struggle to keep his winning side together. "I think there’s no doubt some players will go, so we have to start again," he said. "We have to try to keep this team and bring in three or four better players."
FC Indiana finish the 2008 season with a 20-1-1 record.

LINEUPS:
FC INDIANA: Kristin Luckenbill, Jenny Jeffers, Marie-Eve Nault, Aiviv Luik, Julianne Sitch, Kelly Parker, Fatima Leyva, Alicia Milyak Corie Moore 114’), Laura Del Rio (Veronica Phewa 112’), Lauren Sesselmann Annie Hamel
AJAX: Ali Lipsher, Daniella Bosio, Andrea Alfiler, Leah Wilson, Stephanie Scholl, Carmen Bognanno (Jennifer Brewer 102’), Myisha Delaney, Brooke O’Hanley (Genele Ives 65’), Renee Scachetti (Jessica Edwards 70’), Shannon Cross ( April Colen 80’), Cami Boswell (Kandace Wilson 70')

SCORING:
FCI - Leyva (Del Rio) - 108’

STATS:
Shots: AJX 3, FCI 11
Saves: AJX 5, FCI 1
Fouls: AJX 11, FCI 11
Offsides: AJX 1, FCI 4
Corners: AJX 3, FCI 7

Congratulations to the Champions!

That's a little more like it (R)

Carli Lloyd's volley in the 27th minute gave the US Women's Olympic Team a 1-0 victory over Japan this morning and an important three points in the Group G standings. Tuesday's match against New Zealand is a rematch of a game played at Chicago's Soldier Field exactly one year earlier.

On August 12, 2007, more than 7,000 fans witnessed Abby Wambach score two goals to lead the US to a 6-1 victory over the Football Ferns (formerly known as the SWANZ).

If the US can beat the former SWANZ on Tuesday, their reward will likely be a quarterfinal match Friday against either Germany or Brazil - who squared off in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup Championship match.

Be sure to check out the new WPS social network site that includes blogs from China by both Chicago Red Stars GM Marcia McDermott and Red Stars Head Coach Emma Hayes.

Arrrrr - Let's Take This Inside

Please join me inside the WPS/Red Stars chat room this morning between 11 am and noon to discuss the women's and men's Olympic soccer tournaments, WPS, Chicago Red Stars or anything else that's on your mind...including this brilliant call of a horse race and my first car.

Olympic Viewing Party

The Olympics officially start on the very lucky 8th of August, 2008 (Friday) - but you can get an early dose of the Beijing Olympics this Wednesday morning (tomorrow) at The Globe Pub. Join a gang of Chicago Red Stars staff and fans for the US Women's Olympic Team's opening game vs. Norway.

Kickoff is 6:45 am and i'll buy everyone's first beverage.

Hope to see you there!

CHECK THIS OUT

Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) became the first major professional sports league in the world* to create its own social networking site today with the launch of the online WPS Fan Zone branded for now as "Beijing Now, WPS Next".

The site includes behind the scenes video like this piece from Leslie Osborne. This is another indication that this League is going to be very smart and efficient in the way it connects with its fan base.

i'll try to communicate regularly with Red Stars fans through my page on the site.

More information on the site is available here.

* ok, i didn't research this point, but it sounds good and anyone can feel free to prove me wrong ;-)

No Cigar (R)

FC Indiana came ever so close last night to winning the championship in their W-League debut season.

Two Pali Blues header goals in the game's 83rd and 88th minutes gave the Chicago Red Stars affiliate their first defeat of the year by a 2-1 margin.

The game will be replayed on Fox Soccer Channel today at 3 pm CT. I suggest turning the game off around the 80th minute, ignoring any "official" result and popping the cork on a bottle of champagne to celebrate the greatest debut in a soccer league by a team since 1998.

Congratulations to FC Indiana Head Coach Shek Borkowski and Co-Founder Gary Weaver (pictured above in Virginia Beach this weekend with Red Stars Coach Emma Hayes) and everyone at FC Indiana on a fantastic season.

Advisory Board Meeting and Chicago Fire vs. Los Angeles Fire

It's a beautiful day here in Milwaukee. i'm heading to Toyota Park soon for a Red Stars Advisory Board Meeting followed by the Fire vs. Chivas USA game. The meeting agenda follows:

Chicago Red Stars Advisory Board
August 2, 2008

1. Team Update (Peter Wilt)

a. Tour of offices
b. Staff updates
i. Olympic travels
c. Red Stars in the community
i. Recent events
ii. Upcoming events

2. League Update (Peter Wilt)
a. Expansion news
b. Staffing
c. Player Timelines
i. Allocation, combines and drafts

3. Online/Internet Social Marketing (Amanda Vandervort)
a. Update on current league and team initiatives
b. How to reach the fan?
c. How to keep the fan?
d. The value of social networking/online initiatives for different segments i.e. adult, ethnic, corporate etc
e. WPS social networking launch with the Olympics
f. Implications for ticket sales and building on live events

4. Tickets (Greg Zaskowski)
a. Current goals and numbers
b. Ideas of how to reach the players/coaches and their families directly
c. Opening day 2009

The meeting will be followed by the Chivas USA vs. Fire game. This match has the elements for a great rivalry game. Though Cuauhtémoc Blanco will miss the game due to suspension, there should still be elements of Mexico's greatest rivalry (Chivas vs. Blanco's former team, Club America) manifested in the stands and on the field.

Fans often discuss fantasy matchups of teams from different era. Well, tonight Chicago Fire fans will get a chance to see how today's Fire team would matchup against some of the original 1998 Fire squad. Chivas USA added yet another ex-Fire player yesterday when the American Goats acquired Fire legend Zach Thornton from the New York Red Bulls. Big Zach joins Jesse Marsch, Ante Razov andJim Curtin as former Fire players on Chivas USA. There are now more original Fire players on Chivas USA (three) than on the current Fire roster (two).

My friends at The Highbury Pub in Milwaukee will be in attendance 100+ strong and cheering for Jesse Marsch and Chivas USA from behind the south goal in the stage end tonight. Jesse's brother Craig is a bartender and bon vivant at The Highbury.

i hope the Chivas USA fans all have a good time tonight, but i also hope they go home with no points.

Bovines, Lionesses and Butterflies

Thursday was marked by cows, Lionesses and Butterflies. it started with a Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation board meeting in the afternoon, which was held at Wisconsin State Fair Park on the opening day of the Wisconsin State Fair. After the meeting, i strolled through the cattle and sheep barns then purchased a scary Lucha Libre mask at the Fair's Mexican Village.

When i returned home, i began getting text updates from Red Stars Head Coach Emma Hayes and Red Stars Investor Gary Weaver who were both at the W-League semi-finals in Virginia Beach. Emma reported that the only goal of the game , which was by FC Indiana Lioness midfielder Fatima Leyva in the 89th minute, was a beautiful give and go with Laura Del Rio. The goal held up to earn FC Indiana a spot in the W-League Championship Game this Saturday. The game will be shown on Fox Soccer Channel Saturday night at 10:00 pm CT and again on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 pm CT. the Pali Blues won the W-League regular season championship and earned a spot in the final by defeating the Washington Freedom Thursday 2-0.

i finished the last day of July by finally watching The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. i'd seen the trailer a dozen times, but never had a chance to see it in the theater. Thanks to NetFlix, i was able to see one of the best motion pictures i've ever watched. The cinematrography, acting and story are all remarkable. This powerful film based on a true story earned artist/filmmaker Julian Schnabel the Best Director Award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. i highly recommend it and give it two thumbs up. If i had another hand, i'd give it three thumbs up.