Say Hello to Your New Soccer Friend

Man, let it not be said that Lew Wolff doesn't get sh-- done. First he said he was going to build a new stadium for the A's and he did. Then he said he was going to get us a new soccer team and he did. Today, it's been announced that the San Jose Earthquakes are back from the dead and will start up again next year as an MLS expansion team. The team was in San Jose up until a few years ago but moved away to Houston due to stadium issues. Naturally, in Houston, the nee Quakes won a championship.

Wolff is planning on getting a soccer only stadium built in San Jose by 2010 but up until then, he's thinking of barnstorming the team around the Bay. If they had a friendly with a team from Mexico or a game against the Los Angeles Beckhams, they could play in one of the bigger stadiums. If they were to play the Kansas City Wizards, they'd play at the Paly High JV soccer field. Actually, one of the ideas Wolff has is to play some of the games at Kezar Stadium and if so, we are so there.

The MLS wants to have a team in the Bay Area as it's the fifth largest market in the country and it makes sense to have a team in such a large market. It also has a large Hispanic community, plenty of ex-pats, and any number of residents who get off on saying they're a soccer fan to pretend they're sophisticated and cultured.

Unlike us, of course.