Readers, bigSoccer.com members, and WorldClassSoccer.com members have pointed out, sometimes in strong terms, that I have falsely used the term league in articles when I should have said team. They are completely correct. I apologize for the error. I have corrected this error on NeighborhoodNet.

I am also embarrassed to say the Kansas City Star just published a letter to the editor from me in which I made the same mistake again. I received a message on my phone that I listened to last night from the Star asking confirmation that I had written the letter I submitted. I called back and left a message confirming that. Then I re-read the letter, realized I had blown it again, and immediately called back asking the term league get changed to team.

My error was not fixed, which is not surprising, given how late my call was.

If a pro-soccer activist had made the equivalent error I made, I would have been pretty steamed, particularly if I had clearly brought the error to his attention and he did it again. I also would have been convinced it was deliberate.

It was not deliberate - it was ignorance and carelessness.

Thanks to those of you who brought this to my attention. Several of you were quite polite and not the least bit harsh and, whether you were or not, I appreciate your taking the time and effort to bring this to my attention.

Sincerely,

Bob Phillips

NeighborhoodNet