DC United president Kevin Payne throws two MLS teams under the bus

I’ve talked to DC United president Kevin Payne several times through the years. Ran into him on a train once in Germany as he traveled with his family during the World Cup. Nice fellow. He bleeds a little too Black-and-Red for my tastes, but you can’t question his passion. The man loves him some DC United.

So, it really gives me no pleasure to say this:

What’s wrong with that dude?

Did you see what he said about New England and Colorado? Damn! He sucker punched ‘em. Hard.

Here’s what Payne told the Washington Post’s Steven Goff:

"We don’t want to play like Colorado or New England, which most of the season sat with eight or nine guys behind the ball. How many people go to watch Colorado or New England play? That’s a problem for our league. We can’t play like we’re a team desperately trying to remain in 14th place in the Premiership. Our market isn’t there yet. They want to see something that is entertaining, and D.C. United has always had a way of playing. Given a choice, we would rather attack than cynically defend. You look at the way Real Salt Lake played when they came here [a 0-0 tie in May] and sat 10 guys behind the ball. You don’t have to do that. Sometimes that is the best way to get a result -- if you don't care about the product, if you don't care about advertising your league. Long term, who wants to watch that?"

But his point gets lost by naming names that way. Now, instead of launching a useful debate, all people will hear is that some DC United suit, all full of arrogance and bluster and pissed off about missing the playoffs, is going around the MLS neighborhood smashing mailboxes.

He is also spinning his opinion in a vacuum. DC United was the class of the league in early days. (In some part because, by Bruce Arena’s own admission, United was simply better than others at flouting those pitifully pliable MLS personnel rules – but that’s another story.) So United exploited the opportunity to build a good fan base by winning titles early, and good on ‘em for it. RFK has long been a terrific place to watch an MLS match thanks to a solid core of great fans. (Just watch out from above, lest you be conked on the noggin by pieces of the stadium falling.)

But other markets aren’t such a cinch in terms of attracting audiences. That early success at United cultivated fan and media interest that simply doesn’t exist in some markets. Yes, it will help in some markets to play more attractive soccer. But what really attracts fans in plenty of U.S. markets – in any sport, really – is winning. And sometimes that’s best done by playing defensively in some spots.

Anyone noticed how Bruce Arena has done it at L.A. this year?

It’s a tricky balance. Payne has a point … up to a point.

Yes, managers who prefer to push the attack are good for the league. But make no mistake: that’s not some magic elixir that will Pied Piper the fans through stadium gates in droves. You could clone all 11 starters from Holland’s intoxicating, free-flowing Clockwork Orange side of ’74 and stick ‘em in some markets – and you would still get 9,000 on a Sunday afternoon in May in a lot of MLS stadiums.

Besides what would really ramp up quality is better players, and MLS is steadily adding the elements and salary cap room to get there. The collective talent level today is better than it was five years ago. It’s miles ahead of 10 years ago. And it’s not as good as it will be in another 5-10 years, as more of the youth development mechanisms mature. That's just something that takes time in a league still going through those pimply teenage years.

Finally, better officiating would help tremendously. This one is on the U.S. Soccer federation. The overall tenor needs to change so that fouls aren’t routinely ignored and truly harsh and reckless fouls are dealt with properly. That will serve to open up the MSL game. As it is, teams that go on the road with a defend-to-the-end attitude have a big advantage going in because MLS officiating generally rewards aggressive defending and makes life harder on skillful attackers.

Now THAT would have been good for Payne to spout off about.

Oh, well, I don’t suppose anyone around New England is too bothered by the comments. I mean, they don’t have time to worry about such things – they have a playoff game to prep for, right? (He-he!)