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Daniel Feuerstein is a long time MetroStar/Red Bulls fan. He covers the team for Soccer Newsday and is the host of Feuerstein's Fire.
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So this is the big internal match up that MLS wanted to start the 2015 season, the big rivalry war that the league and these so called fans of soccer wanted. They think they represent New York just because their team is playing inside the five boroughs of New York City, but that doesn't mean they truly represent the city.
A few months of a season doesn't mean you're the darlings of the city and no, this team will not be pushed to the side because Manchester City and the New York Yankees have partnered up to bring the nineteenth team to Major League Soccer. It goes to show you that what Jason Kreis has tried to do so far hasn't worked.
The former brains of Real Salt Lake hasn't made an impact yet because this is a real start up side, and winless in seven shows that they haven't gelled into a powerhouse that they are suppose to be showing. Just like Jorge Vegara that brought his Guadalajara brand from Mexico to LA showing his arrogance about impacting MLS, He tried to prove to all the clubs why they would be the best, and it was proven very fast that there was no impact.
Now we are seeing the same issues with this New York City FC team that has good players, but can't get the results they need to be the dominate team that they sold. But while this team is floundering in their results, the fans who said they feel the real NYC team is already here has shown that they never really felt that the same about the Metros/New York Red Bulls, and honestly it's a shame.
"NYC Proper" is a tagline that needs to be thrown into the East River, the Harlem River and the Hudson River because it's the biggest crock I have ever heard. I was born in the Bronx and have traveled many times across the Hudson River and Lincoln Tunnel. I'm not afraid to go into New Jersey and watch the beautiful game being played at Red Bull Arena or the now torn down Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands.
Living in New York City is not a status symbol. When your born in New York City it means that you work hard, put your nose to the grinder and have an attitude of being smart, staying ahead of others from other cities that think they are smarter than you; and nothing fazes you. You need to get to your destination, you don't whine about it, you go forward and kick some serious ass if you need to. If being a New Yorker means that you can't motivate yourself to cross the Hudson River to watch soccer because you think you will get a rash on your arms, legs or your entire body, I suggest you get to a doctor quickly and remain in your apartments. That means no travelling to Long Island or past the McLean Ave. border into Westchester County.
Excuses are never a part of a New Yorker's DNA. We have enough confidence in ourselves to fix problems and at the same timegetting to our destination without an inch of doubt. It looks like these fans who support Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, New Castle United or Chelsea must've forgotten the shirt colors of NYCFC are Manchester City Blue. Not the real NYC Blue like the New York Yankees, the New York Rangers, the New York Giants or the New York Islanders.
To make a long rant short, Don Garber has forced a rivalry that this city is not ready for. Sure there was going to be a second NYC team coming down the road, but sadly it came too quickly with the added eyesore of playing in a baseball stadium for a long time instead of making sure a proper deal was secured with the city for a true soccer stadium. Instead, a rush job with departing Mayor Michael Bloomberg was accepted, but the truth is the real approval had to be with new mayor Bill DeBlasio & he's not so eager to provide tax breaks for the project.
So in all reality a rush job came and so far it's failing early. Even if Frank Lampard does come here in the summer, it's not going to be enough to keep them afloat. An expansion team will get torn apart by sides who are built better and have gelled quicker as well, just look at what the Seattle Sounders did to them.
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The views in this post reflect those of the guest author and do not necessarily reflect those of SB Nation or Once a Metro.