So I'm going to break my radio silence on this Cosmos thing today because I am now intrigued by the schism that has developed between soccer fans and MLS fans when it comes to the self-proclaimed "Kings of New York."
As I've watched each announcement and event come and go over the past few months I've been struck by how, with the exception of a party at the Times Square Planet Hollywood (shudder), tasteful and stylish everything has been. Everything from the names associated with the project to the merchandising have been pretty cotdamn sexy and I love it. But since there's no team, stadium or even league associated with the revival yet that may be the problem for some: all style, no substance.
As I read Tweets from and/or about the Cosmos 2011 Spring Collection launch party last night I was struck by how different the reaction to the event was. People I follow who are soccer fans but not really MLS fans loved the event and seemed to be enjoying an evening of free booze, food and soccer talk with like-minded people. On the other hand the tweets from people I follow who are known MLS aficionados such as myself where pretty much just condescending; I certainly see the knock on the organization not having a team or a league but apparently skinny jeans are a really bad thing because (dunh dunh dunnnnnnh!) hipsters wear them.
And I think there lies the root of the schism, the word 'hipster' and its seemingly-solid grip on the new Cosmos brand.
See the thing is 'hipster' is like the N-word of the middle-class; depending on who you are it is either a positive & negative. I'm certainly not placing the same yolk of history or hatred on the former that the latter holds. Nor do I condone the use of the latter. But you can't deny that while some people see Chloe Sevigny and think "check out that cute hipster girl" others say "look at that f*cking hipster."
I may be past my prime, overweight, church-going and married with children but I do know quite a lot about the hipster as I spent a lot of time in their native habitat, the L.E.S, during my former life in the music industry.
You know why people hate them? Because they live & look like rockstars without having a single gold record or Oscar nomination to their name. We don't mind when Russell Brand or Kings of Leon dress fashionable, sleep with models or drink Jack Daniels with every meal. But when Tim from Accounts Receivable does it we can't stand that sh*t. And you know what? It's uncalled for...let a player play.
But the other side of the game is this: don't tell me how you're Arsenal through & through, been to the last 2 World Cups for "a photography project" and play every Thursday night at Chelsea Piers but can't be bothered to get on the train for 20 minutes to go see Dane Richards run game on a slow-ass left back. Don't. And for the love of God don't you dare have the audacity to do it while dressed like a guest on the Alexa Chung show (R.I.P.).
I don't know what else to say about it. I've probably rambled far too long about this already so maybe that's a good thing. But in short this sh*t is ridiculous and will hopefully stop sometime soon. MLS fans: be cool, let the 'hipsters' live. Hipsters: quit talking about soccer, support American soccer.
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