Redskins, D.C. United Fans: A Separate Peace

Paul Bobeczko interrupted, asking, "Who are the Redskins?"

A question for which Don Garber, commissioner of the MLS, had an answer: "From the time of Richard Nixon, it's a fact that you have to be a Redskin fan to be part of Washington.

"We're the new kids on the block. Much of the soccer crowd is diverse -- ethnic, Hispanic and young urban professionals who have moved to town and have played the game growing up and love the game."

And on this night, with the Redskins fans celebrating in the vast FedEx parking lots, United fans kept standing until the end, shaking the stands. "That," said Garber of United's fan base, "is one of the best images of MLS."

In the locker room afterward, United Coach Peter Nowak thanked his guys for "playing one of their best games in a long time" and added that a place in today's final outside Dallas "wasn't meant to be." An hour earlier, Gibbs was thanking his fans for making FedEx Field "electric" and saying, "I've never been part of anything like this."

Two stadiums, two local teams playing so close -- yet so far apart. "There's still a fair amount of bias among NFL fans against a non-American sport," said Richard Zamoff, who teaches sociology of sports at George Washington. "Soccer is perceived as a recreational sport until the age of 15. But to its fans, soccer is a bonding experience for families who love the game or have been priced out of the stadium by the NFL."

Finally, when the lights went out Sunday, at least two participants in the action -- United midfielder Ben Olsen and Bill Parcells -- could echo the same sentiment: "This is a cruel game."

Quick Takes

· This has been written before, but phenoms Alex Ovechkin of the Capitals and Gilbert Arenas of the Wizards make winters here a lot more fun. These guys are great.

· College basketball season got underway with Maryland's men winning their first two games in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic to advance to New York for a Thursday game ("We need to shoot better," said Coach Gary Williams); The Terps' women, defending their NCAA title, are selling lots of season tickets; Georgetown is a top 10 men's team; the GW women are strong, and the guys are coming off a 27-3 season. Not to mention George Mason's Cinderella Men. Coach Jim Larranaga wonders, answering the same question, "How do you top that?

· I'm prepared, with pen and notebook, for the Nationals to name their manager.

· Sports fans missed out if they didn't watch the Breeders' Cup and live racing at Laurel last Saturday.

· It was nice to see that the Greater Washington Jewish Community Center will honor Special Olympic swimmer Adam Tepper, 18, at its annual Hall of Fame dinner Saturday. "A wonderful recognition of his accomplishments," said Adam's father, Jonathan.

· What about the new book by Stephen S. Hall: "Size Matters: How Height Affects the Health, Happiness and Success of Boys -- and the Men They Become." According to reviewer Scott Stossel in last Sunday's New York Times, guys over 5 feet 8 have it all over the rest of us. Which makes me wonder who among the all-time greats in sports was shorter than 5-9, besides Wee Willie Keeler, Phil Rizzuto, Barry Sanders, David Eckstein, Muggsy Bogues and Stump Mitchell? FYI: Pat Fischer was 5-9 in the day, but now seems 5-8, still taller than me.

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