Sounders Fans Turn Against Star Striker Montero
Like Shaun Alexander, Richie Sexson, and Barack Obama before him, Fredy Montero is learning how quickly Seattle cheers can turn to boos, invective, and angry blog comments.
Just four months ago, Montero inaugurated the Sounders' existence with two goals and an assist in a 3-0 win. He was Seattle's new sports hero.
Then the team goes on a little tieing streak, and, judging from the screams around us at Saturday's game, fans think Montero's the reason why.
"C'mon Fredy!"
"He is so LAZY!"
"Stop standing around!"
Over at Hot Dog & Friends, they're campaigning for the Sounders to trade Montero.
And it's getting even uglier in the terrifying world of SeattleTimes.com comments. One reader contends there's a pro-Fredy media conspiracy, writing of one recent Times' piece: "This article is the result of a press release from team management which was likely just a cut-and-paste job by the marketing staff in Renton. Remove 'Shaun Alexander.' Insert 'Fredy Montero.'" (We're guessing this guy can quote Bill O'Reilly like we quote 30 Rock.)
Our inclination is to fob all this off on the inexperience of Sounders' fans. Goal scorers are supposed to be a little bit selfish. It's the psychology of the thing--someone who's a team player hasn't the ego to attempt the chancy shot, or the self-confidence to dribble among multiple defenders. But sometimes that's what it takes to score a goal. It's similar to the (often aggravating) mindset of play-making wide receivers in football.
And star players have been hearing fans play the lazy card since at least the Zucker Brothers movies.
Yet two soccer experts would seem to side with the fans. Sounders coach Sigi Schmid addressed Montero's play for the Times' Jose Miguel Romero. See if you can spot the nougat of criticism within Schmid's chocolaty shell of praise: "When you look at his game on Saturday, he was very unlucky not to get three goals...I thought it was a very good game. The way he worked for 60 minutes, he's got to continue to do that and the 60 will become 70, and the 70 will become 80, and the 80 will become 90."
Translation: "He is so LAZY!"
Hustle isn't the only problem. Montero's ball-hogging has been limiting the effectiveness of the Sounders' highest-paid player, Freddie Ljungberg, writes Andrew Winner of MLSnet (along with the Sounders' own Matt Gaschk, two young, talented soccer writers that make following the team a joy). Winner notes that the Sounders implemented a lineup change meant to separate Fredy and Freddie.
Yet they are still getting in each other's way. During the San Jose game, Montero and Ljungberg collided during what should've been an excellent goal scoring chance. As the Earthquakes advanced up the field, Ljungberg threw up his hands, seemingly frustrated by his teammate. Fans have picked up on this.
You think of Seattleites as patient people: Are you taking an eternity to notice that the stoplight's green? Oh, we won't honk. Just go when you're ready.
But boy, do we have a habit of turning against our star athletes with the quickness. Shaun Alexander went from MVP to pariah seemingly overnight. Richie Sexson had two 100-RBI seasons, but Mariner fans, like fans of Lost, turned disputatious about three weeks into season 3.
Unlike Alexander and Sexson, Montero isn't washed up. His talent is evident, and his nose for the goal is a precious commodity in U.S. soccer (watch Team USA's incompetence near goal if you don't believe us). Having two world-class scorers like the Fredy/ies? That's a problem we'll take any day.
We'll see how this all develops Wednesday night, when the Sounders host DC United at Qwest Field. Game time: 7:30 (it says 8 p.m. on your tickets, but they moved the start time up 30 minutes so ESPN2 could televise the game).
