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magicJack's Washington Freedom...of Boca Raton?

This article is more than 8 years old.
Dan Borislow holds up his invention, the magicJack, at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2010. (AP)

magicJack's Washington Freedom?


The women's pro soccer season set to open in just under a month will include a team called magicJack's Washington Freedom?

I have been a supporter of the women's pro soccer in each of its manifestations. When my daughters were still living at home, I took them to Boston Breakers games.

But magicJack's Washington Freedom?

I know that most soccer teams around the world feature the names or logos of corporations on the front of their shirts. I know that some of those corporations are vile and deceitful. I don't know that about magicJack, because I know nothing about magicJack, except that he sounds as if he should be a character in a bad novel about a drug dealer.

Still, magicJack's Washington Freedom?

Abby Wambach is certainly one of the more dominant forces in women's soccer today, but does she cringe when she has to tell people that she plays, not for the Washington Freedom, but for magicJack's Washington Freedom?

Is there no Freedom without magicJack?

Shannon Boxx and Lindsay Tarpley and Hope Solo are all veteran stars of the very successful U.S. Women's team that just won the Algarve Cup again, but they also play for magicJack's Washington Freedom. Do you suppose they are tempted to mumble the first three syllables of the answer when people ask them which WPS team employs them?

magicJack's Washington Freedom. Even my computer can't take it seriously. It keeps wanting to capitalize the "m."

Then there's geography to consider. This team that retains "Washington" in their name will apparently play most if not all of their home games in Boca Raton, Florida. This is because their new owner, Dan Borislow, the inventor of magicJack, works his magic there, Jack. Or his magicJack there. Anyway, he's in Florida.

According to at least one report, "Washington" has remained in the team's official designation because the uniforms for the 2011 season had been manufactured before the father of magicJack had decided the club's de facto home field would be in Florida.

I await acknowledgement from the WPS Commissioner's Office that this is just silly.

This program aired on March 16, 2011. The audio for this program is not available.

Bill Littlefield Twitter Host, Only A Game


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