I love soccer and sports in general, and I don't think a town can have too many sports teams.

Having confessed that, could somebody please explain how Real Salt Lake survived to play another season in Utah while work now begins on its $110 million stadium?

Not since I watched RSL snatch victory from the jaws of extinction last August against D.C. United have I been so surprised by a sudden turn of events.

After months and months of economic due diligence and political leaders behaving like true public servants, following the lead of public opinion polls against the deal, Real was denied taxpayer help with its stadium and thus its future in Utah.

Then, in a space of time that amounted to a political parallel to Jeff Cunningham scoring those two last-minute penalty goals against D.C. United, the taxpayer deal was not only resurrected but enhanced. Where Salt Lake County and Mayor Peter Corroon said no, the state of Utah and Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. said yes, and also let us buy you dinner.

Overnight, a deal that had been studied upside down and sideways for nearly two years by the county and declared "too risky" by Corroon was declared "a solid investment" by Huntsman.

What was that all about? Other than proof positive that a governor trumps a mayor?

I don't get it. Why is RSL so special? With a few exceptions, the Jazz being the most prominent, other pro sports teams on the verge of collapse have looked for government assistance and gotten basically the same reception as someone trying to butt in line at the airport magnetometer.

And no matter how great soccer is as a sport, no matter how many American kids play it at least until they're 14, RSL is no Jazz and the MLS is no NBA.

Major League Soccer is a second-class league with a reputation for losing money that averages 15,000 fans a game — 2,000 less than when it started 11 years ago — and is hanging its latest hopes on a benchwarmer from Europe married to an aging pop star who is being offered a salary that, with bonuses, could exceed the payroll for the entire rest of the league.

Forget Real Salt Lake, there's no guarantee the league will be around in five years.

Knowing all this, when I had the chance to talk to the governor, who is looking more and more like First Fan than First Man, I had six words to say to him in one of those statement-questions journalists are so fond of: "It can't be about the soccer?"

To my surprise, he agreed.

"This isn't about soccer," he said. "This is about lost or missed opportunity. This is something I believe over time will prove to be valuable in terms of our economy and our quality of life. My job is to look at what is right for the state 20-30 years from now. For others, their job is looking at the here and now."

The governor is thinking that our children will one day thank us on bended knee, that the soccer team and its stadium will be seen as a great, visionary idea, in the same view as the Jazz and their arena, or maybe Alta.

Others, including a whole bunch of county accountants scratching their heads, are thinking more along the lines of the Great Salt Lake pumps.

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Lee Benson's column runs Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com and faxes to 801-237-2527.