Kicked Aside

Whenever the Red Sox want to drum up extra goodwill around town, they have an easy tactic: They just trot out Hyde Park idol, pitcher, and community event all-star Manny Delcarmen. It's the sort of localized marketing muscle that'd really benefit the New England Revolution, which has, oh, a slightly lower profile than the Sox. But when the soccer squad recently tried signing a Boston-bred bluechipper, the potential hometown hero aimed higher—and now the Revs are left rooting for him to fail.

The player is Michael Videira, a Milford native, former standout at Dedham's Noble and Greenough School, and All-American at Duke. Before January's MLS draft, he made it clear he'd pursue a career in Europe, where soccer (and pay) is notably bigger. That scared off everyone except the Revs, whose soccer director, Mike Burns, saw Videira as "a risk worth taking" and plucked him with the draft's 18th pick.

As the Revs' season kicks into gear this month, Videira has been true to his word: He's off pursuing clubs across the pond. "I hope for our sake that it doesn't go that well," says Burns, who makes it clear he has no problem being second choice.