Sean B. Fitzgerald It doesn’t go something like this, it goes exactly like this.

It’s time for soccer to get another chance

PROGRAMMING NOTE: The 2009 UEFA Champions League Final between Barcelona and Manchester United will be played on Wednesday May 27th, 2009 at 2:45pm on ESPN.

What? You didn't know about it? And you're a sports fan? Well, if you consider yourself one, you will plop yourself down in front of the television at 2:45pm on Wednesday and witness one of the best sporting events in the world.

I'll admit it, I haven't exactly been the most loyal a fan of "the beautiful game" this year. My dad, who is presumably more die-hard a fan of soccer than anyone I know, will attest to that. But it is something that I believe I, and the rest of America should pay more attention to. The question as to why the United States isn't utterly captivated by soccer is a difficult one to answer. Some believe that the game is just too boring and slow. Scores of 1 to nil don't exactly catch the eye of the American sports fan. Others are of the opinion that there are just too many other options in America. Why choose soccer when there is baseball, basketball, football, hockey, golf, tennis, and even NASCAR?

Maybe is it because the United States just isn't that good at soccer. It may be the fastest growing sport among young children, but all the elite athletes will grab a bat, put on a helmet, or start shooting threes before they think about dribbling a soccer ball. Because that is where the money is, at least locally. Why waste your God-given athletic ability on the pitch when you could hold out for millions after being drafted by the Browns? The answer seems obvious enough.

How about the possibility that we Americans like to support what is ours? We can trace back the origins of "our" sports to specific names, dates, and places. People like Abner Doubleday, Andrew Cartwright, James Naismith, and Pop Warner are immediately associated with the beginnings of American sport. Everyone knows that the first baseball game was played in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1846. Everyone knows that the first football game was played between Princeton and Rutgers in 1869. Soccer's history can't be traced back to American roots. It is an ancient and foreign sport and the fact that we refuse to embrace it seems due to our stubborness. It's kind of hypocritical if you think about it. Each professional league in America makes a point of internationalizing their respective sport. This year, Major League Baseball held its second annual World Baseball Classic. The NBA has taken an increasing interest in foreign players and there is a chance the second pick in this year's draft will be Spanish sensation Ricky Rubio. And lets not forget that there have been talks regarding holding the Super Bowl in London. We continue to shove "our" athletics down the throats of everyone else, yet we haven't given soccer an honest shot.

Which brings me back to my original point. The brand of soccer we are offered here in the states can be comparable to semi-pro baseball. Sure, there are a few good players, but if they have a hint of discernable skill, they quickly cross the Atlantic so they can earn greater dollars and further their careers. Soccer overseas might as well be called "The Show". The English Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A in Italy are essentially all-star leagues. And if someone would like to argue that soccer is boring and uninteresting, I will immediately direct them to the Fox Sports Channel so that they may enjoy the sport at its best. The players are just as talented, the fans are just as rabid, and the stakes are just as high as they are in the NFL, NBA, and MLB, if not more. Remarkable displays of athleticism are commonplace. Don't believe me? Watch this without having to take a cold shower afterwards. I don't understand how a sport can dominate the consciousness of 95% of the modernized world's population, yet America can act so indifferent towards it. We are clearly missing out. That is why I beg sport-lovers to make time for the UEFA Champions League Final on Wednesday. If you're busy, TiVo it. Find a way to see it. Because it is soccer at it's peak, it is sport at it peak.

Two teams, both at the top of their leagues, and both with young superstars who will own the game in years to come. Lionel Messi, who is only 21 years of age, is the Dustin Pedroia of international soccer. At 5 foot 7, he is barely able to enjoy Six Flags, yet he is the odds on favorite to win Player of the Year honors. The Argentinian is so respected by his club that as Ronaldinho departed for AC Milan following the 2007-2008 season, Messi inherited his number 10 jersey. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. He is a footballer's football. Tough, scrappy, humble and endlessly talented.

His counterpart is the highly controversial and highly decorated midfielder from Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo. The 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year is more or less the antithesis of Messi in terms of personality. He showboats, postures, and groans to referees. He is the Terrell Owens of soccer (except with championships). The 24-year old Portuguese-born star is as hated as he is loved.

Expect for Stadio Olympico in Rome to be packed to the rafters on Wednesday. But don't expect a seat to be filled as the entire congregation will stand and cheer from beginning to end. Flags will wave, songs will be chanted, and more than likely, tears will be shed.

You have to watch now, right? Whether you like sports or not is irrelevant. Doesn't everyone appreciate something when it's performed at its pinnacle? When it's performed at it's absolute best? Because that is what you'll witness on Wednesay if you tune in. I look forward to the day when the United States shuts down for a soccer match as is does for the Super Bowl. The ingredients for success are there. Our enthusiasm is all that is left.