S1 Ep. 3: Young and Black in America

American Prodigy: Becoming Great

Blue Wire

Sports

4.8 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 1 December 2020

⏱️ ? minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Not even Freddy was ready for the passionate response to him from Black Americans, many of whom had rarely engaged with MLS or soccer before. American soccer has long been a country-club sport—largely white and upper-middle-class—but Freddy's race, potential and extreme youth helped make him a cultural touchstone who transcended sports. They also left him virtually alone in locker rooms full of white men old enough to be his father. Grant Wahl saw a teenager constantly surrounded by media, teammates and fans, but was he really connecting with any of them? American Prodigy listeners! We want to learn more about you! Please fill out this quick survey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This podcast is brought to you by Coors Light.
0:03.5	Cors Light's the one I choose when I need to unwind.
0:06.1	So when you need to hit reset, reach for the beer that's made to chill.
0:09.9	Get Coors Light and the new look delivered straight to your door with Drizzly or Instacart.
0:14.2	Coors Brewing Company, Golden Colorado.
0:16.4	Celebrate responsibly.
0:20.2	Freddie a new slots and it's into that. It's in a lot. It's in a lot. responsibly.
0:33.3	In the third game of the 2004 season, Freddie Adieu scored his first MLS goal. It came against DC United's arch rival, the New York, New Jersey Metro Stars, and it set a record that may never be broken.
0:42.5	At 14 years, 330 days old, Adieu became the youngest player ever to score a goal in American professional soccer.
0:52.1	I remember watching that game on TV, pumping my fist and thinking,
0:56.9	okay, Freddy's on his way now.
0:59.7	He may not be starting games yet, but now he won't have the pressure of having to get
1:04.3	his first goal anymore.
1:06.4	Heck, once he gets going, he might even score 10 to 15 goals this season.
1:11.4	But I have to admit something.
1:13.4	I didn't think much in those days about Freddie's race and what it meant,
1:17.7	which is to say the rarity of black players and the non-existence of black superstars in American soccer.
1:25.1	Maybe that's because I'm white.
1:27.4	Maybe that's because I viewed Freddie as being more African than African American.
1:32.3	But I should have been asking questions.
1:34.3	What did Freddie mean to the black community in the United States?
1:38.3	Why is soccer so white in America?
	...

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