For the past year, you've read right here about the lack of soccer fields in the city. You know I've basically asked everyone except the Pope to step up and help.

And I know many of you have understood my frustration of late with the Protect the Parks group that should be spending less time with the birds, bees and worms and more time in "common sense land" to understand that the Chicago Park District and Latin High School should be praised for the $2 million turf soccer field being built in Lincoln Park.

If you don't believe me, here's what Mayor Daley had to say yesterday about the so-called controversial field that one group is trying to block: "It's a great thing," Daley said. "We have enough meadows up there. We have beautiful, beautiful recreation facilities up there. It's recreation. It's just adjacent to all the baseball and softball diamonds. Your want people to use the park. Parks are for people. You need soccer, and soccer is a big thing."