Turning Pro Isn't as Easy As It Seems

But who, besides me -- an unapologetic soccer fiend -- and maybe a couple others, read on MLSnet.com that the best forward to ever play soccer at UNC is skipping his senior year to join MLS?

In case you missed it, Chris Carrieri, who rewrote the Tar Heel goal-scoring record books during the 2000 season, was officially signed by MLS last Thursday as a member of Project-40.

He'll join perennial All-Star Eddie Pope (D.C. United), Carry Tally (United) and Kerry Zavagnin (Kansas City Wizards) -- among others -- as former Tar Heels now playing in MLS.

"It's been a dream to play in the league since it started up (in 1996)," Carrieri said Sunday night. "I'm just thankful to the UNC athletic department for preparing me to move on to the next stage in my career.

"I'm disheartened to leave this school; I loved the guys on the team, the coaches, but right now, soccer is the number one thing in my life."

But unlike Peppers, Carrieri isn't being lured to the professional ranks by gobs of money. Carrieri will earn the MLS-minimum $24,000 next season.

And the most that Carrieri can hope to make in the near future (assuming that MLS doesn't drastically alter it's salary structure) is $250,000 per season.

As a member of Project-40, Carrieri is guaranteed the minimum MLS salary for at least two seasons and is given an educational package not to exceed $37,500 when he decides to finish his degree -- something that Carrieri said was definitely going to happen.

Project-40 is designed to acclimate players who have collegiate eligibility remaining to the professional ranks. When they're not playing with their MLS teams because of injury or because they aren't earning significant playing time, Pro-40 players are linked up with other professional teams in the country, usually in the A-League.

That way, these players are never sitting on a bench and are, in theory, continually improving.

After the MLS draft next month, Carrieri will be playing soccer and getting paid for it, even if the gig doesn't come with SportsCenter airtime and big-money endorsement contracts.

It's not easy to be a professional soccer player in this country. The money's awful, no one knows your name, and just try to find national press coverage of MLS.

Although the league averaged 13,756 spectators per game -- on par with major European leagues, which do not play regularly in front of NFL-sized crowds, contrary to public opinion -- MLS is viewed in this country as a minor league, struggling to achieve credibility.

But that's okay with Carrieri.

He spurned professional offers from the Belgian and Danish leagues -- offers that certainly would have been worth more money -- for the comfort of playing at home.

"I didn't want to go through the trials over there," he said. "My comfort zone is MLS for at least a couple of years. Maybe then, things will open up for me in Europe."

If he has his way, Carrieri will be donning the colors of the MetroStars (NY/NJ), United or the Tampa Bay Mutiny after the draft.

And next summer, as you watch him scamper down MLS sidelines, draw MLS fouls and score MLS goals -- as I'm sure you will -- he'll be living out his dream.

And you can say you knew him way back when.

Matt Terry can be reached at

mterry16@email.unc.edu.