This Is American Soccer, US Soccer, MNT, WNT, and MLS - Tackling the subject of Soccer in the US, and worldwide.

The 2006 American Soccer campaign is effectively over; its fiscal end, so to speak, comes to a close this weekend with the MLS Cup. We’ll get the usual hot-stove talk before the new year, especially from our Peace Cup Champions as they look to become World Cup Champions. January will materialize with an interesting transfer window for some American men looking for a change of scenery, which of course will only intensify the fixation our eyes and ears have for Europe, following our Yanks Abroad and pondering the potential squads that will be amassed for 2007. The ladies will soon need a World Cup roster, and someone will be naming a Copa America roster for the men. Who knows, maybe even Beckham will become an American problem.

There will, however, be an ebb and flow, and it is in these slight lulls over the coming weeks that TIAS will try to bring stories to the forefront that help to inspire and reinvigorate the soccer senses that have for better or worse been battered over the last year.

The love for a game takes that season-long roller coaster ride, finding some cheering and some left with contempt for colors, clubs, and countries. We would be wise to take a step back for rebirth, returning to the simple love for a game, for kicking a round ball around. As filmmaker Greg Hamilton told me a few weekends ago in an interview you’ll see in the coming weeks regarding his film, Mystic Ball, “There’s just something about manipulating a ball with your feet, whether its keeping it in the air or to score goals with it or whatever. There is something really extraordinary about that – extraordinarily difficult - and you know you’re just part of this weird fabulous thing.” So with that spirit in mind, we’ll be returning to your stories, your Diary Projects (send your’s here), and introspective pieces from our contributors (want to be a contributor? pitch me here).

We begin today with a letter from Gabriel Constans, a new contributor to the site. I believe we often find what we are looking for when we need it, and though the film Gabriel screened a few weeks back is several years old, it was new to him (and to me), and was exactly what we both needed. After a long, and at times trying, 2006, it is important to remember that this is what it’s all about.

Gabriel takes the reins after the jump…

I just returned from watching a screening of THE OTHER FINAL at a local film festival and must say it blew me away. Since this film has been out for a couple of years, it may be old news to some, but the story has got to be the best “feel good” movie about soccer and it’s potential to bring people together, that has ever been made.

There were about 100 people in the theater on a Tuesday afternoon and from the comments I heard before entering and afterwards, would say only about a third of those present knew anything about soccer at all, which didn’t seem to matter. In 90 minutes the film conveyed what countless conversations, interviews and soccer players and fans usually fail to do adequately and that is express the pure joy and spirit of competition and bringing people together.

I’d only vaguely heard of the Caribbean island nation of Montserrat and knew that Bhuton was not known as an international soccer powerhouse, but I didn’t know that they were both rated at the bottom of the FIFA world standings, respectively ranked 202 (Bhutan) and 203 (Montserrat), out of 203 FIFA classified nations in 2002.

prepping the penalty box

The match and film were conceived by Johan Kramer after The Netherlands failed to qualify for the 2002 world cup. He was so bummed that he wondered what it was like for countries and teams that are never included in the top realms of futbol, thus he discovered these countries rankings and sent out faxes, asking if they’d like to play one another on the same day as the final of the 2002 World Cup. Both national football associations agreed.

The film follows both teams, players and countries preparations and combines countless moments of contrast, reflection, humor, desire and understanding, with clever visuals, interviews and music,. The audience literally follows the bouncing ball as it travels from the island to the mountains of Bhutan and back and forth. The match was held in Bhutan. The captains, coaches and president of each federation are alternately interviewed about the idea for the match and subsequent upcoming game, as well as religious leaders - a Christian minister in Montserrat who prays for God to help their team be “victorious” and a Buddhist Abbot in Bhutan praying for social understanding and peace. The Montserrat team is certain they will win and the Bhutanese team says they’ll do their best and hope to learn what they can, as they have no “technical knowledge”, other than what they’re captain learned playing in India.

The Other Final moves from months to days to hours until the game, as the audience follows a soccer ball landing in both countries practice fields, “stadiums”, official offices and even placed on the alter of a Buddhist monastery. There were also wonderful comparisons between rich, soccer savvy nations and these two soccer newborns.

Some of the moments that had me crying and smiling included the big players from Montserrat (described by a Bhutanese radio announcer as “giant trees walking down the street”) teaching the Bhutanese team their Caribbean and Montserrat team anthem “Hot, Hot Hot!” which then became popular with Bhutanese fans as well; hundreds of players and spectators dancing traditional Bhutanese dance on the field after the game; the team captains repeatedly hugging and shaking hands with great respect; and the trophy, which when raised between the captains intentionally split apart, so that each team had half a cup.

One of the monks in Bhutan talks about their intentions for the match and what he feels is most important. Not surprisingly, he says the cultural exchange and social interaction between people is the first priority and the competition is only the background and means to help alleviate separation and create happiness for all.

Something else, that received some applause during the film, was when the captain of the Bhutanese team said it would make more sense for the big sports and clothing companies of the world to put some of their money behind small countries and teams struggling to improve their soccer and federations, instead of just dishing out the dough for big time players and clubs that usually make it to the world cup or appear on international television.

I wish my 13-year-old son, family and other soccer friends had been with me to see The Other Final. If it comes out in DVD, don’t hesitate to rent or buy it. It was not only educational and uplifting, but also confirmed the value and potential I’ve always seen in soccer and pushed me to do more, both locally and abroad. After all, it was only a few generations ago that U.S. soccer was towards the bottom of the FIFA world standings themselves.

-Gabriel Constans

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