Now where did I put those shoes?

"This has to be a marathon, not a sprint."

This oft used sports cliché is usually used to describe the philosophy a team takes over a season to help win a championship. Steadily building up the team over months to peak at the end of a season.

In this case, Lew Wolff is using it to explain the struggles he's had in running the Earthquakes. For me, this cliché doesn't quite work. It really hit home for me as I watched the Seattle Sounders take home the Dewar Cup as U.S. Open Cup champions. This team in it's first MLS season is already successful on and off the field. Yet, my dear Quakes struggle on and off the field in its second season back. If this is a marathon, the gun went off last year, and the Quakes are still at the starting line.

What's the answer? If I knew, I'd have a job. Toronto FC showed that you didn't have to have a winner out of the gate to bring in fans. Chicago and Seattle showed that you can have a good team on the field right from the start. Are soccer fans in the Bay Area that fickle? Are we that poor? I know I couldn't afford season tickets this year. Could it be a combination of all of the above and more? Again, I wish I knew the answer.