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 ;)
