This is the new podcast. Each week, I’ll bring on a different guest – sometimes live, sometimes recorded- to have a conversation about sports, entertainment, pop culture, whatever. This isn’t sports talk radio. Like the site, we’re not going to discuss what happened in the game, who the quarterback should be, or who the Phillies should trade for. Crossing Streams will be in-depth conversations with relevant guests.
Jeff Bell joined me for a first show. He is the director of the upcoming Sons of Ben documentary, which looks to be a terrific story on how the guys helped found the team. We talk about how it all started in bars and on message boards, how the SOBs would go to away matches in New York and D.C. chanting “Philadelphia” before there was ever a team, and how it was hard – at least initially – for supporters to embrace Chester as the club’s home (and how that has all changed). We also discuss the process of putting together the documentary, getting it to market, and how services like iTunes and Netflix make it that much easier for filmmakers.
We’ll be adding enhancements and some production values as we go on, but I wanted to get this one up there. Enjoy.
Listen here (or after the jump).
Show notes:
Trailers for the Sons of Ben documentary
Sons of Ben go to KiXX game for sole purpose of building support for an MLS team
Sons of Ben in SI before there was ever a team
Sons of Ben at 2007 MLS Cup: [video 1] [video 2] [video 3]
Follow Sons of Ben movie on Twitter (@SonsofBenMovie), Facebook and Storify.
27 Responses
I would rather watch a fucking Andrew Bynum reality show then anything to do with soccer.
We get it, the Sons of Ben love soccer and love the Union.
1) If the Sons of Ben had so much goddamn power to bring a soccer team to town, how come they couldn’t come up with a decent team name. This isn’t Europe. Philly Union isn’t associated with a Philadelphia Soccer Union that a whole bunch of people belong too. Its ridiculous and annoying.
2) In no way has the Sons of Ben or Philadelphia Union changed Chester in anyway. Its still a shit hole that has slightly more income coming in from the stadium. It it very noble that they are volunteering to help locals, but Sparkling Wiggles in that town are going to have to change themselves, or Weidner has to do it themselves in the same way Temple and UPenn are doing it in the city, buying each block. Or a bunch of Hipsters move in, get shot, and gain media attention. Or The state declares Martial Law.
3) The media and soccer fans need to stop acting like the Philly Union is the next big thing. Until you get more fans at sporting events than the Sixers, you are nothing. The Sixers have to compete against the Big 5 for spectators. Soccer has no true competitors
4) Jeff Bell is peddling donations for his film. next time, make a profit or have some group donate enough money to fund it in the first place, instead of soliciting for donations like the 1 limb girl who begs at 5th and Market. he’s an ass.
Tries (again) to get a podcast up and running. First one about soccer.
I’d rather stick my wilted, shriveled, infected, pulsating 1 inch erection into a bucket of used heroin needles than waste one second of my precious time down the shitter by thinking about soccer. Soccer is the sorriest excuse for a sport since fisting RHEA HUGHES red, scarred, chaffed, dry, diarrhea covered, jizz riddled anus, and I’d rather lick my mothers infected cunt then watch it. You’re the sorriest excuse for a fan in this city Kykle Snott. I hope someone sprays aids riddled diarrhea directly into your mouth you fuckin faggot. After that, when you’re done fucking your mom, RHEA HUGHES is going to ejaculate green sludge onto my wet anus so I can shit it back out into my children’s bag lunches. Hey Kykle Shitt, don’t finger too many boys this weekend or else they might shit on your pathetic finger. Doesn’t bother me. While you do that, I’m going to go cover my awful scrotum in super glue and jam it directly inside HORSEFACE HUGHES enflamed, welted, stringy cunt. Go fuck you all RAND PAUL 2016!
I’m just gonna say a few words to all the anti-Union people on here: go fuck yourself with a rusty knife. I hope you get Tetanus and die. Fuck off.
Real mature, Tom.
Yo Angelo- fuck youuuuuuuuuuu
You know what’s more annoying than American soccer guy? Bitch About American Soccer Guy.
We get it. You’re tough. You’re busy. You don’t have time between sets to watch pussies be pussies in pussified pussy games.
So change the fucking channel. Go to a different website. The internets is a large place. No one cares that you don’t like something.
From the bottom of my heart, grow up.
Isn’t this a sports website? Why are you posting about soccer? That shit’s not a sport.
Right now, I’d rather watch the Union than the miserable kennel of mutts that’s the Sixers.
Must post about Bryz being overpaid and failing to bail the Flyers out today.
The sons of Ben remind me if the wolf pack
Soccer in Chester ? I moved out in 1987. my house got robbed..by white guys. Harrah’s and a Soccer stadium in Chester. Few years ago three people were shot dead same day. Did rennovation work in Baltimore Harbor ? not working in Camden’s Waterfront. throw some more money at it.
soccer never has been and probably never will be appealing to me. not enough offensive scoring for me. also, it drives me nuts when the ball is progressively moving up the field only for the offense to kick it backwards 20 yards thus the process begins all over again. still, while it is not my cup of tea, i realize it is a rather popular sport both worldwide and stateside. so, to each his own and as long as it is collecting sufficient revenue, then just let it be.
The Union name isn’t referring to a labor union, you fools. It’s referring to the Union of the 13 original colonies the capital of which was Philadelphia. Any clue where the 76ers got their name? History, my friends. If anything, the seemingly arbitrary name “Eagles” makes less sense than the Union’s.
Soccer, like any sport, requires a knowledge of the game. People that played (or play) soccer typically enjoy watching it because there are nuances to celebrate beyond mere scoring. This can be seen almost ubiquitously; people don’t begin to enjoy watching any sport until they learn to understand it beyond face value.
This post is for all the people out there who are capable of rational thought, the ones who will likely never post on this site. I’m not claiming everyone should like soccer, but it’s a worth-while excercise to explore why we do and do not like certain things.
I, for example, disliked baseball until I joined a baseball team and began to learn the brilliant nuances of the game. I never understood how a game that had so much “dead” time could be so interesting to people. Now, I try to watch every Phillies game.
Soccer might be the same for some people. Perhaps the fact that you can watch live action for 45 minutes straight without commercials would be surpringly refreshing to you!
Enjoy the day, everyone.
Look at this faggot Shen. Talking like he’s an adult and a big boy. You dumb fuck – you dress up like an asshole, drink beers, beat drums and sing like a retard while a game is taking place.
Sons of Ben is everything wrong with American Soccer. Don’t emulate what the big boys across the Atlantic do – do it your OWN way.
The Romans had the Coliseum. Today, every city has a coliseum. keep the masses fat and happy.
“are you not entertained ? ”
Well said Shen most of these fucks couldn’t run 4 to 5 miles in 90 minutes.
MM is a fat delco jean short wearing slob that grades toughness on a scale that consists of running specific distances in a certain amount of time.
what a joke
Shen, beat it cock sucker
I would love to hear ANGELO CATALDI’S view on the topic
Shen,
Union=13 Colonies? are you kidding me? That makes zero sense. Philadelphia United would be better. But I remember and recall them asking via poll which name was better between European sounding names. Its a shitty name and a feeble attempt, trying to make a European product in America.
Rico Brogna was 100% right. Soccer and the Sons of Ben need to stop treating soccer in America, like its Europe.
where is Drew Cohen?
After last night, I’d rather watch the Union than the Flyers after Lavy’s boys rolled over and played dead against Pittsburgh.
I’m not a Son of Ben. I do not beat drums at soccer games. Please, Mr. BROgna, tell me where my arguements are flawed? How is “Talking like he’s an adult and a big boy” a problem? Are you suggesting that we should talk like our pre-pubescent friend here in the comments, Angelo Cataldi? He’s the symbol of intelligence that we should strive to emulate? Enough said on the matter; you’ve made it abundantly clear that you don’t have two brain cells to rub together.
It’s interesting that non-basketball fans don’t get this heated over Sixers articles, and non-baseball fans don’t get this heated over articles on the Phils. Relax, people. My man, MM, brings up a good point that could be selling point for some on the sport of soccer. It is one of the most physically demanding sports. 90 minutes of running is not easy.
DERRRR, SOCKER SUXORS!!!! DERRRR
If you people hate soccer and SOB so much why bother writing such long comments about it? Its a Philly team, show some love or shut the hell up. Props to CB for the post. The Union have a following, go to any home or away game and find out what its all about yourselves rather than writing general douchebag comments filled with stereotypes about American soccer that make you feel like a big man.
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