Ukrainian Unity: Why the War Plagued Nation Should Be People's Newly Adopted Team

By: Kevin Saad (@KevinSaad93)

The dog days of summer have arrived. ESPN is flooded with wall to wall NFL coverage about suspensions and training camp. MLB playoff races are heating up but have not yet hit their stride. 

All is quiet on the horizon of the American sports world before a wild fall commences. However, some of the best European clubs around the world have been making stops all around the USA to tune up for their upcoming seasons and grab some cash before they start a new campaign. While this fine tuning is taking place across our country, one league already began play last week in the midst of a national tragedy. 

Ukraine’s Premier League made the decision to start the season on time after flight MH17 was gunned down by pro-Russian rebels last week, killing 295 people in the process. Unless you have been living under a rock, you can tell how this has affected people worldwide and it is obvious Russia’s involvement in the conflict has devastated the Ukrainian people. 

Events revolving around this conflict has been ongoing since the beginning of 2014, when Russia claimed part of Eastern Ukraine and made it their own. With heavy hearts and a heightened sense of war, the conflict has spilled over into the sports scene.

Back in March, the United States Men’s National Team had to move their World Cup tune-up match from the Ukraine to Cyprus due to the conflict. Ukraine is a country with little soccer history, but a significant amount of success compared to other programs of the same age. 

The national team formed in the early 1990s and qualified for their first World Cup in 2006. The Ukrainians made a dream run to the quarterfinals, where they bowed out 3-0 to Italy, the eventual champions. Ukraine co-hosted the European Championship in 2012 with Poland and was knocked out in the group stage. After winning the first leg in their 2014 World Cup Playoff match against France 2-0 in November of 2013, France stormed back in the second leg to eliminate the Ukrainians from the World Cup 3-2. Ukraine was placed in a relatively easy group in 2016 European Championship qualifying, with Spain as the group heavyweight but very weak challengers rounding out the rest of the group.

America is no stranger to using sports as an antidote to tragedy.  The September 11^th, 2001 tragedy will always bring back memories of Mike Piazza walking off against the Braves all over Queens. This first sporting event held in NYC after the attacks brought people together in the midst of a horrific time in our nation’s history.

We all saw how Boston embraced the Bruins and Red Sox on their playoff runs this past year. Now imagine this love and support bringing together not just a city, but an entire country torn by war for the past 6 months. 

From moments of despair and destruction, opportunity arises. It is easy in America to turn a cheek to the problems that those in other countries face, especially when they are ignored by the mainstream media. However, I can’t help but be fascinated by what the Ukrainian National Team has a chance to do during the next World Cup cycle. 

If you need to find me, I’ll be on the Ukraine bandwagon.

Are you jumping on the Ukraine bandwagon too? Leave a comment below the link.

Be sure to follow Kevin on Twitter (@KevinSaad93) and tune into his radio show, The Beef, on St. Joseph's University Radio in the fall.

The Sports ReKap, hosted by Nick Kapetan and DJ Vogt, will begin airing again in September on MarquetteWire.org.

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Be sure to visit Chicago Soccer, the newest sponsor of The Sports ReKap, for the latest in soccer apparel. Visit their website chicagosoccer.net.

Make sure you head on over to Sobelman's this summer, the official sponsor of The Sports ReKap, and try their array of mouthwatering burgers. Visit their website: http://www.milwaukeesbestburgers.com/

It is still over 9 months away but please start considering joining a Relay For Life team at your school next year. For more information on how to join a team at Marquette please contact Kristen Krawczyk at kristen.krawczyk@marquette.edu. 

The Sports ReKap is happy to announce the additions of Kevin Saad, Michael Felish, Chris Linskens, Matt Barbato, Kevin Clancy, and Brendan Garrity as full-time contributors to the show. If you want to be a part of the show this year email Nick at nicholas.kapetan@marquette.edu.