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Every great story needs an intriguing villain.
Even the depth and complexity of the character of Batman would be non-existent if he had crap villains.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a tournament that many of us hold dear. We enjoy the David vs. Goliath matchups. We enjoy the thrill of the underdog story. We enjoy the upsets. This is the one competition in which teams across separate levels of the U.S soccer pyramid battle one another. Every year this tournament is filled with emotion. Every year this tournament produces a story worth talking about.
The heroes in this years story are the Orlando City Soccer Club. For many of us who follow, cover, and love the lower tier leagues here in the United States, Orlando City represents the model franchise for this level. They’re ambitious. They’re vocal. And above all, they play this game very well. It has been a very long time since a non MLS team has won this tournament, and with every passing year, with the MLS teams taking the Cup more and more seriously, the chances of this happening get smaller and smaller. Over the last decade the winner’s circle has become a members only club consisting of Major League Soccer teams. The ‘everyone has a shot’ spirit is somewhat lost from the tournament. Orlando City may break the lower level drought. Orlando City represents the spirit of this tournament for many of us who follow the game.
But again, what is a story without a good villain? And sometimes the best villains come from the most unexpected of places…
For sometime Sporting Kansas City has been a darling team of its own. Hot off the heels of building one of the most gorgeous sports facilities in the entire country, a very successful rebranding, and success in recent seasons Sporting Kansas City have quietly become one of the soccer power houses in this country. They’re a showcase franchise. The league is proud of them. Hell, the country is proud of them. And just last year, they overcame another villain of a franchise in the Seattle Sounders in the Open Cup Final. They’ve built a quality side. And it hasn’t been done with gaudy, expensive, media followed signings. It’s been with proper scouting, excellent moves, and player development that rivals any teams in the leagues. For cities that don’t have the spectacle; for franchises that don’t have the funding, Kansas City has shown that it is not only possible to succeed but to flourish. They are the quintessential good guys of American soccer.
But every face turns heel someday.
Unless you’re John Cena. Then everyone just hates you regardless.
Plenty has been said about Sporting Kansas City’s decision to disallow Orlando City to use the loaned players when the Lion Nation rolls into Sporting Park on June 12th. It is a move not without precedent; either here in the United States or in International soccer in general. This is standard fare. I won’t bother to take a side on this, but I believe the uproar and anger comes from two simple perceptions of these organizations. Sporting Kansas City are the blue-collar, (mostly) American Midwestern franchise. The good guys. And Orlando City reminds many of us why this tournament is so special. Theoretically anyone can win, but Orlando City actually could.
But in a bigger picture I believe this cements something very important: Sporting Kansas City is one of the elite franchises, and they’re finally in a position where they will protect that.
They’ve come a long way from being the Kansas City Wizards. They’ve come a long way from playing in front of an undersized field on a convertible baseball field. They’re now a team that features regularly on MLS national television. They play in a state of the art complex. They field a team that really expects to be top of the table each and every year, in front a fan base that expects the same. They’ve joined the conversation with the LA Galaxy’s, and the Real Salt Lake’s, and the Seattle Sounders’. What all of these franchises have in common is that for one reason or another, people tend to dislike them. It’s out of respect. It’s out of fear. It’s because the team is just damn good, and knows it. When you think of teams with a consistent expectation, Sporting Kansas City has to come to mind. And they shouldn’t want it any other way.
This denial symbolizes their arrival. SKC has finally crossed over. I think people expect this from some of the other clubs. If this were the Galaxy, the Sounders, the Red Bulls, or the Dynamo, I don’t think this would be news. Or at the very least, I don’t think there would be any kind of anger about the decision. But this isn’t one of those clubs. It’s our heartland American hard-working franchise, Sporting Kansas City. They’ve become a team to fear. A club to hate.
Being part of this group of villains, who consistently gloat when successful, and take the brunt of an entire league of fans ire and mockery when they fall short is a necessary evil. When you enter into this conversation, regardless of sport, you know you’ve made it. Would the Pittsburgh Penguins trade their star talent for non-Pens fans approval? Would the New York Yankees spend less if it meant not being considered an evil empire in sports? Would the Miami Heat sleep better at night trading trophies and ESPN real estate to make the game more fair for the other Eastern Conference teams? Absolutely not. For franchises with true aspiration, this is the only way.
Part of this domination comes at a price. The protection of a franchise’s brand and chance at trophies is more important than seeming ‘fair’ or allowing the Internet Soccer Community to have their perfect tournament. This legitimately could not be written better. Vincent Kennedy McMahon himself would fail to book a better angle in this story. The ambitious underdog having the odds stacked against them by the very team whose resources have allowed this team to reach its full potential and power this season. This is pure Hollywood. And by being such a well crafted story and feud, it gives this tournament the story it needs.
It’s almost poetic that Orlando City represents the villainous empire of a soccer club amongst the lower levels.
Sporting Kansas City is in no position, nor are they under any obligation to care about what the Internet Soccer Community wants. They have to look out for what’s best for themselves. They’ll trade the good guy persona for wins on any given matchday
Oh, and this is their trophy to defend. That’s sort of important.
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