Bob Ford: Soccer not real story

0 Comments | Philadelphia Inquirer, The, February, 2008 | by Bob Ford Inquirer Columnist

The face of Philadelphia sports will be altered a little this week when Major League Soccer lets go of a badly kept secret and awards an expansion franchise to a group of deep-pocketed investors who dream of transforming the rotting waterfront of Chester into a place where people will jog along a jaunty promenade, live in luxury townhouses and shop at fine retail outlets.

There will occasionally be a soccer game as well. For those aching to have a local team in the MLS, a league that has become consistent and entertaining, if not yet comparable to the top foreign leagues, the new team will be a welcome addition, even if the franchise is primarily a beard for the other development planned near the acreage donated by the Chester City Council. Whatever works, from that...