Welcome Loonies

Welcome to 12^th Loon a soccer blog about Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Minnesota United Football Club. Perhaps you’re a long-time Minnesota soccer fan and have had season tickets going back to the era of the Kicks and the North American Soccer League. Maybe you have never been to a game and stumbled across this site as you were looking for tips for parking. I fall somewhere in-between in my soccer fandom. I grew up playing U6 soccer through the local YMCA and played somewhat competitively into my high school years. I took a detour into cross country and cycling before coming back around once again. My place now on the pitch is mainly playing in my local rec leagues.

I grew up in Wisconsin before moving to Saint Paul where the closest MLS club was the Chicago Fire. I was a somewhat reluctant fan and paid much more attention to the Minnesota Wave, though throughout most of the late nineties and early 2000s my friends were watching the English Premier League, Champions League, and of course the World Cup. For me though I always want to play soccer rather than watch it. It was and I shutter to write this, BORING! At least I thought it was. But as I watched more EPL games (Come on you Irons!) the matches took on a new dimension of excitement. Then one night it happened. The matrix open to me and there was a whole new level to the game that all started to flow into place. Movement was not random, but thoughtfully considered. Goals were to be savored rather than snacked on like M&Ms.

There was also the world dimension of the game. As I watched and read more I started to understand transfers, club championships, and the Champions league. Soccer it seemed connected the world. It was just about that time that Minnesota was awarded its very own MLS club and lucky for me I was moving back to Saint Paul after a hiatus for school and work.

The last three years have been a fascinating education in the development of an expansion side from the Loons 5-1 defeat in their MLS debut to making the playoffs last year and the finals of the Lamar Cup. I’ve been hooked and judging by the rapid expansion of MLS so have thousands of other soccer fans in the United States. Yet soccer in the United States still has a reputation that it is slow or confusing. So this blog is for all of you who have never been to a game or smile bemusedly at the person in the office on Friday with their MNUFC scarf around their neck. The die-hard super fan standing the supporter section every game will perhaps find some value in reading one more perspective on the Loons and the world of soccer. I hope you will find something on this blog to interest all of you, whether it’s a book review that gets you hooked on a new title or an explanation of VAR (at least as best as I understand it). Along with my own thoughts my friends and Loon family will chime in with their two cents (or three) from time to time.

Thanks for stopping by and welcome to 12th Loon.

Book Reviews

Soccer is the world’s sport. Hundreds of writers, thinkers, and fans have split ink and devoted pages to their favorite game. Click here to read reviews on what Loonies are reading now.