I'll come clean. I've always hated soccer. HATED it!

I don't like MLS. I don't like the World Cup. I don't like Posh Spice. I don't even like Jeff Bradley. (Okay, I like our soccer writer. I'm just still a little sore about him pitchin' me crap online for saying I enjoyed last season's high-scoring MLS All-Star Game. He wrote that that was reason enough to prove all-star games are a farce. But I digress.)

I even have this theory why soccer isn't a real sport: It can't be, because Americans don't dominate it (See: Curling).

Anyhow, a week ago I got invited to work out with the N.Y. Power of the WUSA (that's the women's pro league). And while I have absolutely no soccer background, I figured it would be good exercise. Plus, it was an excuse to get out of the office and run around outside. I figured, what the hell?

I even had a buddy of mine, who claims to be a Boston-area soccer legend from his high school days, give me a few tips: Something about keeping the ball low by keeping my knee over it when I shoot; which part of my foot to shoot with; and one really important piece of advice: Don't use your hands! He also mentioned which players he thought were really cute.

We were supposed to have our practice this Monday, but it rained like Katz (he's everywhere on ESPN.com, so I figured why not reference him here too) and dogs. My soccer buddy called me up and confessed that he was hoping I got injured while out there playing in the rain and mud. "Nothing serious, man. Just maybe a twisted ankle or a pulled hamstring." Nice, huh?

Anyhow, the weather bumped things till Wednesday, which was a perfect day to be outside -- sunny, 65 degrees, and not a dirty New York City bus in sight.

After two hours of running around sending passes in every direction and heading balls six feet over my teammates' heads, I started to realize soccer's a fun game to play. Of course, I must admit I haven't done this much apologizing since the day my seventh grade report card came out.

It was more fun than my last golf outing, and even more fun than playing with our office basketball team (I work in an office full of ballhogs) I learned how to head the ball, and pass, and even why my shots were hooking to the left (I have the same problem in golf).

The most important thing I learned was, if you want to market a sport, get your players to teach fans the game and let them have fun doing it. That's the best way to make a connection. Of course, this probably wouldn't work as well if Barry Bonds were teaching me how to hit a curveball. The secret is having likeable players, who care about the image of their sport -- and that's what the Power have.

Okay, I confess -- I'll be rooting for the Power, and I no longer hate soccer.

Now men's soccer, on the other hand ...

Bruce Feldman is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at bruce.feldman@espnmag.com.