Respect
Sometimes we meet people we really respect. Our parents, maybe a couple of teachers and lecturers along the way, or perhaps someone at work. When around these people we’re always on our best behaviour, trying to make the right impression and trying to learn from them and the way they are.
These are people we admire, and, to an extent, want to be like. I used to work for one of the country’s largest market research agencies, and the deputy MD sat in our area. He was a nice man, a bright man, and a man who set a good example in any way you wanted to look. He did the right thing.
There was one year when I’d had a rough time at work, 2001 I think. My boss had noticed a few things I didn’t do very well. These were all legitimate issues and in the end I benefitted from her bringing them to my attention, but equally, being new in the industry, I felt she could’ve been a bit more constructive sometimes. It felt like a constant belittling and my confidence, never high in the first place, just disappeared.
It was a frighteningly low ebb: I stopped listening to music on the way to work because I thought maybe it was affecting my brain somehow; for the same reason I even stopped reading on my commute. In retrospect this seems mad, but I was making lots of mistakes (or was being told I was), they weren’t being tolerated, I and couldn’t understand why all this was happening. I thought maybe my brain was being messed up by all the other things I was interested in, that somehow there wasn’t enough room in there for these and for work. Stupid, yeah, but I didn’t know any better.
I remember that year my appraisal came around and I’d expected something terrible, but the deputy MD had contributed and said something to the effect of “Richard’s a bright lad and shouldn’t be so hard on himself”. That was it. Doesn’t sound like much, but given my extraordinary crisis of confidence it was probably the best thing I could’ve heard, doubly so because it came from the one person in the company I really respected. Suddenly I had a bit of belief. I respected my boss for what she could do at work, but there was nothing in her personality that I wanted in mine. The deputy MD though… I really wanted to be like him.
You get the impression that Brian McBride is the sort of person who could make a difference to younger players, to his teammates. Someone who just gets it, who does the right thing under all circumstances, who treats people well, and who is respected by anyone he’s ever played with. You hear anecdotes: Jimmy Bullard said that he’d play a practical joke on anyone but McBride; just last week we heard on TiFF that a young player had decided to come to Fulham (despite other choices) because of how welcome McBride had made him feel when he visited; countless fans have bumped into McBride and all are glowing in their praise; he’s class.
On the pitch he brought that presence to our forward line. He was a leader. You didn’t see McBride talking to the referee much, and if he did you knew he was probably right. And he was greater than the sum of his parts: he wasn’t quick but he was generally where he had to be; if a ball was there to be won he won it, or gave everything trying; he scored goals, good ones too.
How important he must have been to the squad during that precarious escape. Roy Hodgson must’ve been delighted to have such a man out there fighting for his team. Now he’s leaving. It’s tempting to wish we had a 25 year old McBride here, to wonder how good he might have been given a different footballing education, but each of us is what we are because of the roads we’ve travelled, and McBride became McBride by taking the route he did. We are very lucky that this journey included Fulham, and wish him well in whatever’s next. A great Fulham player.
And a fantastic article!
Kyle
31 May 08 at 5:13 pm
A short, but brilliant tribute to Brian McBride’s time at Fulham posted here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHN7UvyO2Cg
YankatOxford
1 Jun 08 at 8:41 am
a great Fulham player indeed.
The game is in need of more of these truly class act players.
i had the pleasure of holding season tickets to see his professional debut season with the Columbus Crew in the MLS, and you could just tell after the first game he was quality through and through, destined for greater things.
Hes done wonders for the progress of American soccer in the premiere league, seeking out and mentoring our other players at west ham and reading. If theres one thing for sure, its that his role in US soccer will never be replaced, or at least not for a long long time.
nelson
1 Jun 08 at 11:39 am
I couldn’t agree more with all the above statements. When I see some of the whining, diving players who believe they are entitled to every single call and don’t hesitate to berate the officials, I wish that there were more footballers like McBride out there. He’s truly class.
BC
1 Jun 08 at 2:01 pm
Great post, Rich. I couldn’t agree more with all of the comments as well. He really is a throwback when you think about. He would get the crap knocked out of him while drawing a foul and pop right back up while most players would lay writhing on the groung trying to draw a yellow on the offending player. So refreshing.
Even against Italy in Kaiserslautern when DeRossi caught him with the vicious elbow, he never wavered. He just poped up and went to the sideline for treatment. While the physio worked on the cut, McBride was always focused on what was happening on the field. Considering the major injuries that he had to his face and head, I wouldn’t have blamed him if he got up and tried to retaliate against DeRossi, but as always, he kept his head and put the team’s needs in front of his own.
About a year ago, someone on the Fulham USA site had written a great article about McBride, primarily about what a good person he is on and off of the field which is pretty unusual with professional athletes nowadays. Unfortunately, I can’t find it, but perhaps Brian or Hatter Don would know where it is and could post it here, it’s worth a read.
George H.
1 Jun 08 at 9:44 pm
Hi George; turnabout’s fair play. You posted the link to the McBride FA Cup goal against West Ham that Boca fed him, here’s the link to the article you remembered.
http://www.fulhamusa.com:80/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=473
It’s written by FUSA co-founder Tom Wille, and he says he’ll be putting another article together about Brian some time in the very near future. Enjoy
HatterDon
2 Jun 08 at 12:15 pm
little bit wary of this “getting the most out of his talents” thing. As I’ve ranted before, this statement always applies to white athletes, while the (genereally more graceful) black athletes are sometimes perceived to be more ‘gifted’ but not applying themselves to such an extent. It happens all the time, and I think it’s an inherent observer bias. It also does the athlete in question (in this case McBride) a disservice.
Anyway…
weltmeisterclaude
2 Jun 08 at 12:21 pm
Great article, Claude.
But I think you’re drawing the wrong conclusion of the ‘makes the most of..’ thing. In the first place, ‘perceived to be the more graceful’ .. doesnt address reality. ‘Tend to be more gifted athletically’ [emph on 'tend to..'] is the reality.
And there’s nothing wrong with that. As to black athletes not being given that approbation, I can think of two off the top of my head that fit the mold. First, Archie Griffin - two time Heisman winner.
To a lesser extent, maybe, Ken Griffey Jr.
I’ll even enter the name of LeBron James as a possible future candidate. Point being none of those can be aligned with McBride in personna and character but what OTHER ‘top of his sport’ athlete does, for that matter?
And in rebuttal of glorification of the white athlete who overperforms, I present Pete Rose… Mr Hustle of Baseball … but not the sort you need to hang with off the field.
Sure all my references are local to me, but there’s plenty… I could go on to name black players from Columbus Crew.. Dante Washington being where I would start. The guy came back plenty from being ‘out of the game’ just on his will to give it all.
All in all, let’s call things as they are and you did in the original piece. It works and
it really doesnt need go any further than that.
pettyfog
2 Jun 08 at 1:35 pm
fair enough, perhaps it came across stronger than I meant it to. Certainly didn’t mean to stir anything, but I don’t particularly like it when people judge ‘talent’ and what people ’should’ achieve with it. Mental powers are as important as physical ones a lot of the time; it all counts.
Anyway, as you say, McBride’s a goodun. I’m trying to think of an equivalent character wise… Matt Holland would’ve been one of similar standing: international captain, played a lot of games, never a bad word to say about anyone. Perhaps lacked McBride’s steel and presence…
weltmeisterclaude
2 Jun 08 at 1:48 pm
Nicely observed.Yes,he’s been a particular favourite of mine - for all the reasons you mention.Oddly enough,weren’t we tracking Matt Holland some years ago?
Like Brian,he plays the game the right way and exemplifies all the best attributes I look for in a sportsman.
I was always a ‘Borg’ rather than a ‘McEnroe’guy for much those type of reasons.
The old chestnut about nice guys coming second didn’t cut any ice with me.
All thoughout the history of sport there seems to have been that dichotomy - the belief that you needed to have a ruthless streak,a kind of mediated humanity,to prosper at the highest levels.And in the blue corner..the gallant loser ,the guy who couldn’t quite kick his flagging opponent when he was down,couldn’t,so to speak,close the deal.
But Brian epitomises the finest qualities to be found in the competitive sportsman.
What wouldn’t we do for a 25 year old version?
thin white duke
2 Jun 08 at 3:01 pm
Rich,
I don’t think I remember you ranting in the past about the white v black expectations. I don’t want to turn the conversation from Mc Bride who deserves the attention at this point and time. But I think your argument is VERY valid and would be a great discussion topic sometime. Unfortunately it would get many riled up because so few can talk about race, religion or politics without making it totally personal.
bqfootball
3 Jun 08 at 1:31 pm