Thierry Henry Rumors Must Hold Weight . . . Or Else

As the World Cup nears, and domestic leagues across the board wind their seasons down, some truth to long held rumors begin to scratch and claw their way to the surface.

And sometimes, it is The Sun that could have truth on their side.

Earlier in the day, the English tabloid reported Thierry Henry had come to terms on a “pre-contract” agreement to play for the New York side. Subsequent stories followed, including an interview dug up by Metrofanatic with Erik Soler, whom strongly hinted at the arrival of a mega star shortly after the World Cup, and a piece by the New York Post that continued to fan the flames with their own “inside source” confirming the story. If you need a further fix, try Goal.com, or give Tony Parker a call, who has supposedly been imploring the French star to come aboard stateside.

Needless to say, everyone has a source, and everyone has their own information. Hell, even I do. Speaking to some people inside the organization, you would think he was already on the team. Many feel that his presence is a mere formality, and that Red Bull are currently banking on his arrival to draw the interest of fans to the team and their new stadium after the World’s most prestigious tournament comes to a close.

And a lot of the small goings on with the team support the rumors. From the availability of the #14 kit to the big words of a superstar signings from management itself, why would an organization float a rumor that, if proven false, would only serve to crush the spirits of an already disenchanted and skeptical fan base? (Sorry guys, you know I love you). To compare similar situations, think about how quick DC was to shoot down a rumor claiming they were in the race for Titi’s services. They saw the harm such a disappointment could create to it’s crushed fan base, and swept the story under the carpet faster than you can say the word ‘janitor.’

The same principle applies here.

Even as the team sits pretty atop the Eastern Conference, with a fairly comfortable points lead, and compounded with dominant play on the tournament side of things, they still struggle to meet the capacity of their 25k seat stadium. They have done a good job as an organization to get the hardcore fan base and the season ticket holders from past seasons to buy into the 2010 season, solely on the basis of a new Arena. But in order to garner the attention of the masses, a big name is needed. And Lord knows Red Bull has the biggest names on nearly every one of their sporting endeavors, from Shaun White to Lindsey Vonn and beyond.

How can Red Bulls American Sporting flagship, located in the middle of the media capital of the World, not enjoy the same luxury?

Take all these things into consideration, and ask yourself; Can Red Bull afford to float a baseless rumor this long without suffering severe repercussions? If they do no come through, and sign Henry, you have a recipe for disaster that could sink their aspirations. It would be a tease that this franchise could not bear to endure, and one that the fan base itself would not forget nor forgive anytime soon.

Don’t believe me? Flip your history books back to the year 1996, and observe how disenchanted a large fan base can become when big names like Roberto Baggio and George Weah are floated in their face year after year, and not delivered.

Their ghosts continue to haunt this franchise, and Henry’s name would be no different.

Logic and hearsay are pointing to one conclusion. But can Red Bull deliver? And if they don’t, what would your reaction be to this two year affair? Let me know after the jump.

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