Let's Be Like Professionals on the Field

[Mookee]

I went to my first RSL game on July 23rd and was very impressed with our teams performance. I grew up playing soccer and remember the days of the Salt Lake Sting and how they had to play on a baseball field. It was nice to see the field being closer to what I call an actual traditional soccer field.

I haven't read all the comments so maybe this isn't very original and it has been posted elsewhere.

I wanted to make a comment about being professional. In the NBA it's a rule that the players must tuck in their shirts. On all the competitive teams that I grew up with the best teams always tucked in their shirts. Maybe I'm just being a perfectionist but I was disappointed that at the beginning of the game Andy Williams (an excellent player) had his shirt untucked. This looked so sloppy. I also noticed that after halftime he put on a "long-sleeved" jersey and continued to leave his shirt untucked. What was worse is that the sleeves were too long so he looked like one of those recreation goalkeepers with the oversized keeper uniform.

I just feel that members of a "Professional" soccer team should have the pride and respect of their teammates and fans by looking sharp when they step onto the field. It's not asking a lot to keep your shirt tucked in. It's not asking a lot to wear the same jersey that everybody else on your "TEAM" is wearing and have the appearance of being on the same team. I really enjoyed watching Andy play and I thought his pass to the Teeny Bopper Jamie Watson on one of the breakaways showed that Mr. Williams the is both a smart and unselfish player. It was a heartbreaker when Jamie Watson choked on the 2 vs 1 the he and Williams had on the Keeper during that match. That shot should be like bread and butter but we all make our mistakes and I'm excited to see more action. This is an excellent team.

[dysko]

I prefer tucked in jersey's, but I hate it when the game is stopped to make a guy tuck in his shirt as they do in basketball.

I know that every player has their superstitions and ways the prefer things. I have no inside info on why Andy dresses the way he does. But I do think he could look nicer on the field. For the record, Any techinically tucks in his shirt for the start of each half. If you watch closely, he has about half of the front edge tucked in, but it doesn't take long for it to come untucked.

Another oddity that I don't understand is why Brian Dunseth wears a long sleeve jersey even when it is 100 degrees out.

:afro:

[rslfan]

Originally Posted by Mookee

I went to my first RSL game on July 23rd and was very impressed with our teams performance. I grew up playing soccer and remember the days of the Salt Lake Sting and how they had to play on a baseball field. It was nice to see the field being closer to what I call an actual traditional soccer field.

I haven't read all the comments so maybe this isn't very original and it has been posted elsewhere.

I wanted to make a comment about being professional. In the NBA it's a rule that the players must tuck in their shirts. On all the competitive teams that I grew up with the best teams always tucked in their shirts. Maybe I'm just being a perfectionist but I was disappointed that at the beginning of the game Andy Williams (an excellent player) had his shirt untucked. This looked so sloppy. I also noticed that after halftime he put on a "long-sleeved" jersey and continued to leave his shirt untucked. What was worse is that the sleeves were too long so he looked like one of those recreation goalkeepers with the oversized keeper uniform.

I just feel that members of a "Professional" soccer team should have the pride and respect of their teammates and fans by looking sharp when they step onto the field. It's not asking a lot to keep your shirt tucked in. It's not asking a lot to wear the same jersey that everybody else on your "TEAM" is wearing and have the appearance of being on the same team. I really enjoyed watching Andy play and I thought his pass to the Teeny Bopper Jamie Watson on one of the breakaways showed that Mr. Williams the is both a smart and unselfish player. It was a heartbreaker when Jamie Watson choked on the 2 vs 1 the he and Williams had on the Keeper during that match. That shot should be like bread and butter but we all make our mistakes and I'm excited to see more action. This is an excellent team.

Glad to see you came out to the RSL game. It was a great game and sweet revenge against FC Dallas. The team played very well and hopefully you will return to more of the games. Andy Williams is playing well and you are right, he was unselfish in passing the ball to Watson. And yes, Watson shot into the keeper but making the goal wouldn't have changed the outcome of the game and one more goal didn't do anything different with the points for the win. No one feels worse than Watson especially when his parents were sitting in the stands that night. By the way,Watson is not a Teeny Bopper. He loves playing for RSL and his fans (kids and adults) . I had the pleasure of meeting him after the game and he has such a good personality. In fact, an hour after the game he was still signing autographs. Other than Kamler and Coach Ellinger, I didn't see any other RSL players still at the stadium.
As far as Andy's shirt untucked, perhaps this is a good luck thing for him. Professional players have their own good luck charms and perhaps this is his.

[SoccerPrime]

I agree that it LOOKS better if they tuck the shirt in, but its a minor detail.
If Williams wants to untuck and then run Gbandi into the ground, untuck the shirt man!

I just don't it takes away from the game that much to worry about it.

Welcome to the boards Mookee!

[devNull]

As a player I didn't really care whether it looked good or not to have my shirt tucked in. I just hated the way it felt when it was tucked in. Of course the refs would make me tuck it in to start the halves, but shortly after it miraculously came untucked. It is just how I liked to play. I guess I am the wrong person to comment since I really don't care how I look, but I just say let the guys dress how they want on the field. Does it really hurt anything?

[ReAl]

“Teeny Bopper”??? Isn’t that a teen girl? I would give the guy a little more respect. After all he’s one of the hardest workers on the field. The pass to Andy originated from a long pass from Watson. Then he ran full speed down field to catch up. Great effort on his part. The pass back to him might have been a little bit late too. He still should’ve put it in and he obviously realized that by his gesture afterwards, but give the guy a break. At least the game wasn’t dependent on it.

As far as shirt in or shirt out, I prefer tucked in but as long as Andy is doing a great job, it really doesn’t matter.

[devNull]

Originally Posted by ReAl

The pass back to him might have been a little bit late too. He still should’ve put it in and he obviously realized that by his gesture afterwards, but give the guy a break. At least the game wasn’t dependent on it.

I agree here. Not to criticize Andy for being unselfish, but I think the back pass was a bit slow. It would have made it much easier for Jamie if it had gotten there sooner. When I watched the replay it seemed like Garlick had plenty of time to setup and wait for Jamie's shot. If the pass comes screamin' to Jamie then Garlick doesn't have time to setup and I think the ball finds the back of the net. That is just my two cents though.

[clarette]

The only benefit I see to having a shirt tucked in is that it makes it more obvious when an opposing player pulls on said shirt.

Otherwise, I don't care if they wear their shirts upside down and backwards.

[Deuce]

I have no inside information but because he does it the same way every match I would venture that it is a superstition... and we all know how superstitious sports players and fans can be.

I like watching him play so I don't really care how he wears his jersey as long as it says either Real or Salt Lake or both on the front.

[bordelais7]

I, for one, don't care at all that he has his shirt untucked. If anything, I like the ability of players to express some sort of individual preference. Would he really play better if his shirt were tucked in?

Also, the pass to Andy originated from a long pass from Jamie? I thought it resulted from a defensive mistake. In any case, yes, he does hustle. And yes, he should have finished that shot.