(WECK 1230) — Darren Rovell is a man I greatly admire, but a Twitter post from the CNBC Sports Biz reporter forwarded yet another “report” aimed at shouting down soccer in the United States.

From the esteemed “SportsMediaWatch.net”, comes a report titled “WNBA Up on ESPN2, Tops MLS.” It uses some factual numbers to make an illegitimate comparison:

“ESPN2 is averaging a 0.20 U.S. rating and 290,000 viewers for WNBA coverage, up 11% in ratings and 15% in viewership from last year (0.18, 253,000).

The 290,000 viewers for WNBA coverage actually tops the average for Major League Soccer on ESPN2 this season (251,000 through 14 games).

Despite the increased numbers this season, the WNBA All-Star Game suffered in the ratings. The game — a 99-72 blowout of the WNBA All-Stars by Team USA — drew a 0.34 U.S. rating and 429,000 viewers on ESPN July 10, down 15% and 17%, respectively, from last year’s game on ABC (0.40, 519,000).”

Shall we begin?

Comparing the All-Star Game of the highest-level of women’s hoops to an improving-at-best middle of the road soccer league (on a relative scale, no slight intended) is ridiculous. Would you say ice hockey is more popular than soccer in England if eighth-level English soccer was out-viewed by the SkySports broadcast of the Elite Ice Hockey League finals between the Coventry Blaze and the Belfast Giants.

I like the MLS. I was a Toronto FC season ticket holder and have hit up a Columbus Crew game. But, it is not a top product yet.

Rovell messages me after I posted a Tweet critical of the report with: “Are you aware that the MLS 09 all star game had 484K viewers???”

Yes, and it was against Everton who, even with Yanks GK Tim Howard, is not a household name. This year’s is against the biggest club in the world, Manchester United, and it’s happening next week. Waiting just a few days would make the report more responsible.

I’m not even blasting the WNBA. I do play-by-play for UB womens hoops, and it’s a lot of fun. Women like Candace Parker are super-talented (and I can’t resist adding super-attractive). Best of luck to her and Celtic forward Shelden Williams on their new family.

But us soccer supporters tend to read into casual reports that will be used irresponsibly by toolboxes like Colin Cowherd. My gut instinct was that Rovell was better than that, and he is to be sure. But with Andrew Breitbart fresh in my minds, we have to be careful what blogs we call “journalism.”

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go register “Thebiggesthockeysourceever.com”

Email: nickonweck@gmail.com