What is happening?

I interupt the chronological flow of events to share my reactions to some recent happenings with the team and soccer in general.

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As I'm gathering my belongings to leave a night class the instructor walks up to me, pointing to my RSL scarf, and asks, "so you're a soccer fan?" I was dumb struck. We proceeded to discuss some of the latest happenings with the team. He wanted to know when games started so that he could take his family.

A few weeks before I'm talking with a coworker in my cubicle and another coworker, who I don't peg as an obsessive sports guy at all, sees my RSL shirt and stops to ask about the team. He also inquired about games, but mostly the shirt.

Finally, the event that prompted this posting. Earlier this week the United States was gearing up to play Trinidad and Tobago starting the final round of World Cup Qualifying. No big deal, right? The game was going to be carried on cable, and there may be a paragraph or two about it the following day. On the day of the game I open the paper only to see a front (sports) page article previewing the match. Not only a story but PICTURES. There was even a tie in to RSL making the game that much more intriguing to the Utah soccer fan.

Could it be happening? Could soccer actually be making it here in the little state of Utah?

The average Joe Shmoe can identify Real Salt Lake gear, and is interested in the success of the team. The local papers have been giving extremely ample coverage of the team and any news surrounding it. GM Steve Pastorino was listed in a who's hot on the Utah sports scene in one of the papers. The other Salt Lake paper even sent a writer to cover pre-season training down in Florida!

Now, I don't want to jinx the ride before it even starts, but I've lived in two other MLS markets and neither were as excited about Major League Soccer. Keeping my fingers crossed, I'm praying the excitement will only increase!