It's been awhile. 6 Months - just as many matches.

6 months ago - and that is being generous considering we are 2 days from the month of November - since we last posted.  There is one thing that makes this less sad - we did attend 6 matches in this time away from posting.  Matches 13 to 18 are complete.  The ratio of matchess:time is significantly sad compared to the ratio we were upholding from December 27 2011 - late March 2012 - 12 matches in 4 months.  But I also admit that this is a highly snobby whine. In reality, the ability to even attend one professional match in a lifetime is amazing.  So I won't even try to stoke for sympathy for the privledged stresses of bills, jobs, and other responsibilities.

Game on. 

Ideally I would be able to construct a worthy post about each of the 6 matches Shawn and I attended, but ideals are a bit overrated, no?  
So perhaps like a kid sitting in detention doing make-up work, here is what I remember from each of the matches.  At least it isn't math.

Match 13: Vancouver v SKC mid-April, final score 1- 3 goals by Collin, Bonjour o.g., and Kamara.
     Vancouver is a beautiful city. The bar where we went pregame, to see the gathering of Whitecaps fans, to have a beer. The bar was good size but not industrial - rather well portioned out cozy sections all completely packed with fans.  We walked over the stadium - a gigantic dome - following an impressive mid-week match march by fans.  Bravo to the organization for making a dome as intimate as they have.  With tarp strategically positioned to deflect one's eye from the mass of seats at the upper half of the dome, the pitch was made to feel close and the players closer.  When the teams come out their size helps illustrate how close the corners are to the stands.  This proximity to the pitch combined with the low-feeling ceiling - and I'll admit really nice temperature - made the spectator experience quite enjoyable.  Highlights included seeing Jay DeMerritt play - since Shawn and I had just watched his documentary and on the flip side the overall strength of Sporting KC at this point in the season.  Kamara made you take notice.  His energy was admirable and he just seemed to be everywhere.  And I remember this from 6 months ago. 
Our seats were at a corner, which made for a nice viewpoint for said kicks.  And while not packed, the crowds were present and the supporters section loud.  We were handed a cheatsheet of songs and chants by Whitecaps fans - grateful for the hospitality but Columbus 'til we die.  Thank you Charlie Slagle and  Whitecaps head coach Rennie for the ticket hookups. 
SKC took this one decidedly...and in a few days time we would see them take on Portland at Jeld-Wen.

Match 14: Portland v SKC mid-April, final score 1 - 0 o.g. by Meyers.
    The MLS Timbers team may be new - but the history, passion, and dedication to soccer is old, honored, and damn impressive.  At the bar pregame - the walls are lined with posters, scarves, memoralibila for Timbers teams past - talking way back NASL 1975.  Before I was born and Shawn was a mere baby - the soccer supporters of the Timbers were present and impressive.  A sound, sight, and experience carried on today.  And I'm not just talking showing up for a good time.  The Timber fans know their club, their history, fellow fans who gather right off the train line, outside the stadium prior to gates opening to prepare for matchday.  It is a community.  And as Crew 96 fans - original MLS team, first soccer specific stadium in America (to have a game played) -- this history of stateside soccer was awesome.  It reminded me why I liked this sport so much in the first place - because it is old.  It is tradition all around the world  Soccer, the city, the fans - it is a love affair contextualized by language, religion, peace, wars, poverty, success, scandal, politics, and a genuine love for the game. And for a girl who has never once been called a traditionalist - this is a significant connection for me. 
  Jeld-Wen field is very cool.  While it is clearly a reconstructed minor league baseball park to any baseball fan - the spirit, music, and energy was pure soccer.  An entire side of the stadium - behind one of the goals to be exact - never sat, never stood silent, and usually made standing look lazy.  It was loud.  Yes there was the goal (o.g) that sent the Timber Joey to power up his chainsaw, but the fans were the M.O.M.  Ever wonder how groups gained followers?  Timbers fans place a good argument for working with pure joy, loud exuberance, and an unapologetic good time.  Who would want to say no?  But don't worry - the reason why I can describe this is because the Nordecke did the same for me years ago - but if you don't know what I'm talking about, you need to get to more matches and one day your will find your supporters section too. 

Perhaps this is why soccer is so weird in the U.S. Other than proximity to one's residence (at least at one point in history) there is no generational attachment.  My grandparents and parents instilled in me the love of the Cleveland Indians, Ohio State football, and an affinity towards the Browns. The expats I see every weekend at Hooligans are (fill in the team name) fans because of their grandfathers, fathers, uncles, brothers. Perhaps in a decade MLS fans will have similar histories with their clubs - and the best evidence stateside I've seen for this argument is Portland.

More to come... for real ;)

Pacific Northwest here we come

In less than a week I head out to the Pacific Northwest for our next two matches. Beth is already in Vancouver for a conference, and I head out on Tuesday. We are going to see Vancouver and Portland take on The Wizards.

Yea I said it the Wizards. I head into this next let of our challenge with a little pride. We are watching one of the first teams in the MLS take on two "expansion teams".

Exactly 16 years ago today I sat in the stands to watch the Columbus Crew destroy DC United. At that time I remember thinking that I was lucky to watch this and also wondered how many more games I could see. That day I became a fan.  

A few years later I was volunteering for The Crew and we just opened, arguably, the first soccer stadium in the country. This was the beginning of the new landscape of soccer in the United States. Since then there have been many more teams and stadiums added.

This next week I get a chance to reevaluate my thoughts of "how many more games. I get to see how far the MLS has come. Both Portland and Vancouver had the fans base built in with the former NASL teams, but since their addition to the league the fans have created an atmosphere rivaling those of the traditional 10. I can’t think better way of experiencing the new fans, and stadiums than with one of the original teams of the MLS.

However when I walk into these stadiums it will not be cheering on a team. It will be thanking the original owner of the now Sporting KC and The Columbus Crew for what a wonderful thing he has helped create. Thanks Lamar Hunt. Without you or your vision I would not have these games.

Olympic Dreams!! Games 11 and 12

Game 11 Canada vs Cuba:

After showering off the shaving cream, a few birthdays and lost lunches, we were back on the road to Nashville. While we were gone El Salvador beat Cuba, and Canada beat The United States. So the US head into this match in a must win situation. They currently sit in third place with only 3 points and what looks like, if Canada beats Cuba, a showdown with Mexico in the semi finals if they win tonight. Not the ideal situation.

Merry Crewsmas!

Match 10: Columbus Crew v Montreal Impact


Every year in late March, Crew fans make the pilgramage to Columbus Crew stadium to watch the first home match of the season.  We come from lands near and far.  In our own continency - he and she who tailgate with Jeff (my brother) and Highlife - we had 35 make the voyage.  This beat last year's total of 31.  Places of origin for this year included: Charlotte, Chicago, Washington DC, Harrison NJ, Cincinnati, Tipp City OH, Sarasota FL, and of course Columbus. 

Road Trip - Nashville - Cbus - Nashville

Match 8 & 9: Olympic Qualifiers... El Salvador v Canada and U.S.A. v Cuba, Nashville, TN.

We headed out for 5 more games in as many days.  Shawn kept bar at Hooligans the night before and paired with our 5am departure, he was operating on 4 hours of sleep.  But on a road trip, sleep is a luxury so off to Nashville we went. 

Railhawks vs Vancouver Whitecaps the New number 7

To say the least we were very disappointed that the games were canceled in Charleston. We so wanted to see the Crew v DC United match and the lineup. Word was out that both teams were going to field their starting XI. Oh well can't dwell on the past.

Carolina Challenge Cup Games 7&8 :(

We had a few days two enjoy ourselves in Charleston so on Thusday we went downtown. Luckily we had a previous Charelston native to show us around and saw some really cool places. Shawn had been to Charleston several times before and had not seen that part of Charleston with all of the courtyards. Thanks Stephanie! Also it was never a dull moment because Shawn and Jay learned that everything is better sung as a soccer chant.

Carolina Challenge CUP DC United (ugh) VS. Charleston Battery Game 6

Immediately following The Crew match was the second half of our double header DC vs Battery. As I said earlier we came down with our good friend Jay from www.rattletheframe.com, and he happens to be a die hard DC fan. He also can't get enough of good soccer conversation. So to get some additional insight and probably get a few jabs in he strikes up a conversation with our very own King Kev.

Carolina Cup Challenge Fire vs The Crew Games 5

It is Wednesday Feb 29th and we are in the car heading down to Charleston. Shawn had a statistics test and after hitting a few snags we are all in the car. It is going to be a big day of soccer starting with Italy vs US at 2:30 followed by 2 live matches.

Itchin' for more matches...

Less than 9 days away til the Carolina Cup Challenge and our accommodations in Charleston, SC are now secured!  Its been six weeks since our last live game, but that doesn't mean we have not been watching.

Upcoming Matches

Well hello from back on the shores of America.  We are in Newark Airport…

awaiting our flight to North Carolina and due to demand we have decided to post our itinerary so here it is with additional thoughts.           

Match #4: Fulham v Arsenal. January 2nd, 2012

From pre-match food and drink to post-match glory.

An ontological perspective would not place me as a Fulham fan.  Perhaps if the only biographical information provided was that I was reared in Dublin, Ohio and Chapel Hill, NC it would appear a seamless fit.  But it isn't.  It feels more like a ripped and ill-fitting prom dress to a dance I was never invited to in the first place.

Match #3: West Brom v Everton, January 1st, 2012

So match no. 3 had some good things going for it...first, Timmy Howard was going to be on the pitch.

Anticipation excitement disappointment. Game 2 Brentford vs MK Dons

This new years eve we get the oportunity to see the MK Dons. Being a fan of the dons is hard especially in the US. There is no way to follow the team except by gamecast, push notifications, and web postings. Needless to say I was very excited when I saw someone else wearing  a Dons jersey at the train station heading to Griffin Park in Brentford.