The Best Football Clubs Are Mirrors to the Localities That Surround Them 🌲

Happy Monday. In this edition of The Raven, Rog talks about the thriving Portland, Maine soccer community, the excellent Women's Euros, and his recent time spent with Thierry Henry. Sign up for The Raven here.

This weekend was my annual pilgrimage north to that Magical Kingdom of Portland, Maine. I have headed up there on the regs since 1990, a summer spent as one of those confused yet enthusiastic English counselors at summer camp in Bridgeton, Maine. I adore Portland and Portlanders – they are a soulful, hardy, passionate bunch. The city itself has changed so much in the years since I first explored it, and the food scene is constantly evolving. This year’s stand out meal was the khao soi at The Honey Paw. But the one thing that blew me away this trip was the extent to which the Portland Hearts of Pine, the city’s USL 1 Pro Soccer team, have won over the hearts and minds of the state.  

I have watched Hearts of Pine from afar and commented on their rise a number of times. I once tweeted that their logo is perhaps the single greatest in American sports – both aesthetically, and in terms of the backstory. A couple of years ago, I talked on the pod about just how many football fans I meet on the streets of Portland, and the high percentage of them who have chosen to support Arsenal. I hypothesized that anyone who has spent a winter night in the city knows just how immune to suffering they are. So to see a local team rise and soar – their logo is everywhere across town – is beyond a thrill.  

I have always believed that the best football clubs in the world are a mirror to the locality that surrounds it. The Hearts of Pine are all that. A deft confection of football, welcoming community, and profound sense of place. I met founder Gabe Hoffman-Johnson in his pop-up merch store. He told me that the club have sold 10,000 jerseys this season, an enormous number by any metric in the United States. An immense sign of a football team that is connecting to their community, and a poignant symbol of what is possible in this American soccer future. 🌲

To every GFOP I met on the streets of Portland, thank you. I cannot tell you how large a role your city has played over the years in helping me recharge my energy and sense of love and optimism. 🍻

ii. Our Thierry Henry interview dropped this weekend. It is really beautiful. Thierry was so reflective and thoughtful, I almost just needed to get out of the way. He is so remarkable to listen to – and the fact that he has played here, and loves New York City, means he is one of the few World Class footballers who truly understands the tectonic plates underneath American football culture. It would be incredible to have a mind like his involved in U.S. Soccer to bridge the gap between the local and the global. 🇫🇷 🇺🇸

iii. I am so excited for Friday night’s live show with David Moyes and Everton Football Club in New York City. The show is sold-out but I know from our mailbag just how many of you are looking for unwanted tickets. Best place to go is our Discord channel where a couple have been offered up. To join fellow GFOPs, just head to this link. You never know who's going to drop into the Discord... we have Becky Sauerbrunn stopping by tonight for an AMA at 7:30 p.m. ET. Blues from around the world are flying in for Friday night, and I can’t wait to meet you. For those who cannot get in, we will be raising a glass at The Brass Monkey on 12th Street (a short walk from the show) where we’ll have the second floor all to ourselves. Come and be with us. 💙

iv. The Women’s Euros have been immense to witness. I can’t stop thinking about Ann-Katrin Berger’s game saving lunge against France. While the penalty kicks have been a work in progress – this was one of the oddest run-ups I have ever seen – the quality of the football has been sparkling. I cannot wait for the semi-finals and am rooting for an England-Spain rumble to cap it all. Huge love to Sam Mewis and her team at The Women’s Game for covering every kick. See the coverage on TWG’s YouTube channel – Sam and Becky Sauerbrunn will go live after the final whistle of England’s brawl against Italy.

v. I was sad to see the news that Washington Post soccer reporter Steven Goff has requested a voluntary buy-out from the newspaper, putting his 40-year tenure at the paper to an end. Steven is a legend of the game in the United States. His byline has been the gold standard as he has approached the task of covering the game we love with an intense rigor and craft. I wish him and his family health and joy at this time of change and cannot wait to see what he does next. 

-Roger Bennett

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