Oscar De El Dinero: Should He Pay?

In recent days, messages were sent to Oscar De La Hoya on Twitter by Dynamo fans and supporters – some reaching out for help, some suggesting he should step up and make something happen, some even demanding that he support people who couldn’t make the trip.

After looking at all of this and trying to make sense of De La Hoya’s role in the Dynamo organization and the reactions I was seeing from my fellow supporters who have grown frustrated with him not being more involved with the club and its fans, I sent him this Open Letter yesterday via Twitlonger.

Since he has come into the our supporters section several times and played on our drums with camera crews in tow, I think its fair to ask him some tough questions.

I haven’t received a response yet. My hope was that it would eventually get to a point where he either A. expresses a desire to connect with us or B. makes it clear this isn’t a priority for him. I’m ok with either. But I think its a bit shameful to ignore people who reach out to you.

It got about 25 retweets, 40-something likes on facebook, and 25 comments yesterday

Here’s the open letter:

http://twitter.com/#!/cougarclaws/status/135070674338316288

I’m one of the Dynamo supporter group leaders who you met after the stadium ground breaking ceremony in Houston.

I’m sure by now you’re irritated by Dynamo supporters demanding you help get them to the MLS Cup next Sunday.

On the surface, it may appear that you’ve been put in a lose/lose situation. If someone demands money or property from you and you give it to them, you’re giving in to those who unjustifiably feel entitled to your hard earned possessions and rewarding bad behavior.

If you reject their demands, then you are vilified – unfairly labeled greedy and apathetic towards the fan base, many of whom have idolized you for much of their lives.

I’d like to suggest to you that there is actually a way for everyone to win in this situation. The answer lies in a simple question that some of us believe you may not have ever asked yourself:

What do you want your relationship with the Houston Dynamo supporters and fan base to be?

From the moment you bought a stake in this club, you have had an opportunity to form a real relationship with a community of some of the most passionate people you will ever meet in your life – a bond that means much more than walking into a section and beating on a drum for 60 seconds. I respect that everyone’s situation is unique… but I’d posit that a minority owner like Drew Carey has found a lot of fulfillment being involved with the Sounders and having a close relationship with its supporters and fans. And the people love him for it. But its not about the popularity. Living for popularity is like trying to fill a bucket with holes in it. What is meaningful and where I think Mr. Carey has found a lot of fulfillment, is the real connection to the fans and a real presence with his organization.

Your time and your money are yours. You’ve earned them and no one has the right to demand either from you. But I hope you see that you have an opportunity to write a new chapter of your legacy. These people… they love you. And I think a lot of the rude comments and unreasonable demands coming your way are frustration over people not really knowing whether or not you give a fuck about this team, this city, or its people.

As I look up on my office wall and see the orange construction helmet that you signed, I remember you talking about how you were counting on us to do it up big in the new stadium. Since then, our groups have reunited, we’ve reclaimed our place in the elite tier of MLS Supporters, and the Dynamo are the hottest team in the league. We’ll be ready to do it up big in the new stadium Oscar. We just have one little piece of business to take care of in Carson, California first.

In the meantime, I thought I’d just write and point out that if you’d like to reach out / support / or just tell them that they matter and you care, there’s never been a better time than now.