Football Mundial!
This past Saturday I had the pleasure and privelege of partaking in an event unlike any other I have ever experienced before. The Chicago Fire football (soccer to most anyone else who ever comes across this diatribe) team had a match against the Columbus (OH) Crew. It wasn't a great game by any measure with the final result being a 1-all draw. This follows the 1-all draw from the prior weekend against the New England Revolution. Granted, that match was the Fire's third in seven days, which is always difficult. But it's paramount for a football team (or any sports team for that matter) to WIN those home matches to keep the fans happy and willing to part with their hard-earned money. Heck, it has been $60 for tix for myself and the daughter to attend, plus the $18 to park, plus (usually) $8 for the daughter to eat and drink (I abstain to save $$). Not a cheap father/daughter date, but well worth it. The down side is that I was out of town for two of what will likely be the best matches of the season, where the Fire one 5-2 and 4-3. Very unfortunate. Of course, I'm beginning to believe the problem is that I'm at the matches and I'm screwing with the team's luck/skill/whatever. But that's only a LITTLE paranoid, eh?
Anyway, back to this past Saturday.......this past Saturday was a bit more expensive. This past Saturday was a double-header with the Fire playing Columbus (as I previously mentioned) and then, and hold on to your hats, Real Madrid (with the Brits Beckham and Michael Owen, Zinedine Zidane (the best player in the world by any measure according to those that know) Figo (another great, but didn't do too well Saturday), Ronaldo and Raul, whom my sister used to have a crush upon) vs. the Mexican powerhouse Chivas de Guadalajara (unquestionably Mexico's most popular football team)! One interesting thing about Chivas is that they ONLY sign Mexican players to their squad. This is a very unusual quirk in today's very global perspective of footballer signings. This was the first time I have ever seen such top-drawer non-USA teams playing and it was a total treat to be able to see such names as Zidane, Owen and Beckham. It was a very, very special day for myself. The result? you ask: 3-1 Real Madrid. Chivas did score a second goal (they scored first in the match) but it was disallowed for a penalty against the goalkeeper. While Chivas fans were vocal about the reversal, the players seemed to recognize that the foul had been committed.
The first half of the match was mostly controlled by Real Madrid. They had possession and the best shots on goal, including one that ricocheted off the post. Chivas did get one decent opportunity and a second that might normally have been a goal against any other squad, but not against Real Madrid. I think the biggest problem was that Chivas gave up the ball in the midfield way to easily. But for all the better work by Real Madrid, they didn't score in those first 45-minutes. The second half was a different story. Chivas came out of the box firing on all cylinders. They took the match to Real and gave them all sorts of fits. Eventually Chivas fired in the first goal and those around me and myself hoped that this first goal would bring about even more frenzied play. Mind you, the level of play exhibited by both teams was far above anything I have seen by MLS teams. Over the years of watching English football on the t.v., I had come to the conclusion that MLS wasn't too far behind some of the teams in the English Premier League ( the top division of football in England - there are four divisions altogether), but not those at the top of the division; more like those teams nearer the middle and bottom half (the last 10 teams in the division). This event further confirmed my belief that MLS is pretty far behind the top squads in the world's various football leagues.
I can also say that those fans around me were really very nice. I was surrounded by 13 persons who took part in conversations throughout the matches. Well, that's not completely true. Only about half of those around me were there for the Fire/Columbus match. The other half were really there for the Real Madrid/Chivas match and as such they didn't show up until nearer the end of the Fire match. Shame. Clearly these folks love football, but they don't support their 'home' team. It was horribly hot and humid though Saturday. High around 92, but maybe a bit lower at the lakefront (where Soldier Field is located), very little wind (the redesigned Soldier Field doesn't let in as much lakefront wind as the old Soldier Field did) and the humidity was up above 60 or 70%. Very unpleasant and made even more so by the fact I (and my fellow fans around me) were sitting on the East side of the stadium, up high, and thus stuck in direct sunlight for all but the last 10-minutes of the 5+ hours were were there. I had gooed myself with sunblock before leaving home (applying a bit more on my face during the matches) and brought an extra shirt so I could trade back and forth (one always drying in the hot sun). I was a sweaty and greasy monkey by the time the matches were done.
However, that wasn't the end of the day.......There was probably about 50,000 fans in attendance at the match, as opposed to the usual crowd of about 10,000 for a Fire match. As such I knew the parking situation and subsequent getting out of the parking lot situation was going to be rough. I opted to hang around in Soldier Field for a while, then strolled to my car, dumped my crap inside and then took an hour walk along the lake front. Made it all the way to the Grant Park fountain! Anyway...I get back to the parking lot thinking/hoping that much of the crowd would be gone and I could get out nice and quick, but nope. Cars were still busy pulling out and plenty of folks were still there very busy tailgating and such. It was quite festive. But, I enjoyed my walk and once I got in my car I was out of the parking lot in less than 10-minutes. I'm certain it was MUCH quicker than it would have been had I elected to leave right after the match. Those cars were not moving when I dumped my crap in the car before walking.
Now, one last thing....at the Fire match against New England two Saturdays ago, Ruth asked me why I didn't sit in the Barn Burners section (major support org for the Fire). Or, for that matter, why I hadn't joined them when we lived in Chicago before. I had entertained the idea but there is a reason why I don't. And this past Saturday's experience with the fan sitting next to me (Sean) illustrated the reason perfectly. I love football. I also love Formula 1, World Rally and British Touring Car Championship racing. I also find curling and cricket pretty cool. But I'm NOT the sort of fan who busies himself with memorizing team and player stats and regurgitates them at the drop of the hat. I greatly enjoy supporting and watching my teams play/drive/whatever. But I draw the line there. Memorizing stats and knowing complete team rosters does nothing to enhance my sporting experience. Maybe it's because I never watched sports growing up, but it's not my thing. Period. And talking stats, no, make that listening to stats bores the shit out of me. Horribly boring. Sphincter tightening boring. That is why I didn't join the Barn Burners I was always afraid that I would end up hanging around other guys and gals who did nothing but spout stats from match to match. And what happens to me this past Saturday? Sean. He was a very nice guy. Knew the game and knew the teams and everything. But he also knew the stats. And worse, he loved to recite them with BBC Sports commentator authority. I was tired of it after the end of the Fire/Columbus match, but I still had the second match to go. Oh well, it could have been far worse....there could have been no Real Madrid vs. Chivas match at all!
Oh, and I lied, there is one more thing. At the half of the Real Madrid vs. Chivas match I noticed a couple of guys dressed with Columbus Crew wear about 6 or so rows behind me. I wasn't certain if they were players or what, but I thought I would introduce myself since they will be 'my team' once I'm in Dayton. I went up and introduced myself and determined they were players; I was speaking with Chris Wingert. I told him we were moving to Dayton and that I was curious as to how convenient the stadium was to I-70, which it is. He kidded around that I would have to lose my Chicago Fire jersey (which I was wearing) and I told him that it was okay, but that twice a year (when the Fire would be in Columbus) I would have to wear my true colours, but aside from that I would be all Columbus Crew. Mr. Wingert was very nice and I appreciated he took a few minutes of his time to chat with me.
Anyway, back to this past Saturday.......this past Saturday was a bit more expensive. This past Saturday was a double-header with the Fire playing Columbus (as I previously mentioned) and then, and hold on to your hats, Real Madrid (with the Brits Beckham and Michael Owen, Zinedine Zidane (the best player in the world by any measure according to those that know) Figo (another great, but didn't do too well Saturday), Ronaldo and Raul, whom my sister used to have a crush upon) vs. the Mexican powerhouse Chivas de Guadalajara (unquestionably Mexico's most popular football team)! One interesting thing about Chivas is that they ONLY sign Mexican players to their squad. This is a very unusual quirk in today's very global perspective of footballer signings. This was the first time I have ever seen such top-drawer non-USA teams playing and it was a total treat to be able to see such names as Zidane, Owen and Beckham. It was a very, very special day for myself. The result? you ask: 3-1 Real Madrid. Chivas did score a second goal (they scored first in the match) but it was disallowed for a penalty against the goalkeeper. While Chivas fans were vocal about the reversal, the players seemed to recognize that the foul had been committed.
The first half of the match was mostly controlled by Real Madrid. They had possession and the best shots on goal, including one that ricocheted off the post. Chivas did get one decent opportunity and a second that might normally have been a goal against any other squad, but not against Real Madrid. I think the biggest problem was that Chivas gave up the ball in the midfield way to easily. But for all the better work by Real Madrid, they didn't score in those first 45-minutes. The second half was a different story. Chivas came out of the box firing on all cylinders. They took the match to Real and gave them all sorts of fits. Eventually Chivas fired in the first goal and those around me and myself hoped that this first goal would bring about even more frenzied play. Mind you, the level of play exhibited by both teams was far above anything I have seen by MLS teams. Over the years of watching English football on the t.v., I had come to the conclusion that MLS wasn't too far behind some of the teams in the English Premier League ( the top division of football in England - there are four divisions altogether), but not those at the top of the division; more like those teams nearer the middle and bottom half (the last 10 teams in the division). This event further confirmed my belief that MLS is pretty far behind the top squads in the world's various football leagues.
I can also say that those fans around me were really very nice. I was surrounded by 13 persons who took part in conversations throughout the matches. Well, that's not completely true. Only about half of those around me were there for the Fire/Columbus match. The other half were really there for the Real Madrid/Chivas match and as such they didn't show up until nearer the end of the Fire match. Shame. Clearly these folks love football, but they don't support their 'home' team. It was horribly hot and humid though Saturday. High around 92, but maybe a bit lower at the lakefront (where Soldier Field is located), very little wind (the redesigned Soldier Field doesn't let in as much lakefront wind as the old Soldier Field did) and the humidity was up above 60 or 70%. Very unpleasant and made even more so by the fact I (and my fellow fans around me) were sitting on the East side of the stadium, up high, and thus stuck in direct sunlight for all but the last 10-minutes of the 5+ hours were were there. I had gooed myself with sunblock before leaving home (applying a bit more on my face during the matches) and brought an extra shirt so I could trade back and forth (one always drying in the hot sun). I was a sweaty and greasy monkey by the time the matches were done.
However, that wasn't the end of the day.......There was probably about 50,000 fans in attendance at the match, as opposed to the usual crowd of about 10,000 for a Fire match. As such I knew the parking situation and subsequent getting out of the parking lot situation was going to be rough. I opted to hang around in Soldier Field for a while, then strolled to my car, dumped my crap inside and then took an hour walk along the lake front. Made it all the way to the Grant Park fountain! Anyway...I get back to the parking lot thinking/hoping that much of the crowd would be gone and I could get out nice and quick, but nope. Cars were still busy pulling out and plenty of folks were still there very busy tailgating and such. It was quite festive. But, I enjoyed my walk and once I got in my car I was out of the parking lot in less than 10-minutes. I'm certain it was MUCH quicker than it would have been had I elected to leave right after the match. Those cars were not moving when I dumped my crap in the car before walking.
Now, one last thing....at the Fire match against New England two Saturdays ago, Ruth asked me why I didn't sit in the Barn Burners section (major support org for the Fire). Or, for that matter, why I hadn't joined them when we lived in Chicago before. I had entertained the idea but there is a reason why I don't. And this past Saturday's experience with the fan sitting next to me (Sean) illustrated the reason perfectly. I love football. I also love Formula 1, World Rally and British Touring Car Championship racing. I also find curling and cricket pretty cool. But I'm NOT the sort of fan who busies himself with memorizing team and player stats and regurgitates them at the drop of the hat. I greatly enjoy supporting and watching my teams play/drive/whatever. But I draw the line there. Memorizing stats and knowing complete team rosters does nothing to enhance my sporting experience. Maybe it's because I never watched sports growing up, but it's not my thing. Period. And talking stats, no, make that listening to stats bores the shit out of me. Horribly boring. Sphincter tightening boring. That is why I didn't join the Barn Burners I was always afraid that I would end up hanging around other guys and gals who did nothing but spout stats from match to match. And what happens to me this past Saturday? Sean. He was a very nice guy. Knew the game and knew the teams and everything. But he also knew the stats. And worse, he loved to recite them with BBC Sports commentator authority. I was tired of it after the end of the Fire/Columbus match, but I still had the second match to go. Oh well, it could have been far worse....there could have been no Real Madrid vs. Chivas match at all!
Oh, and I lied, there is one more thing. At the half of the Real Madrid vs. Chivas match I noticed a couple of guys dressed with Columbus Crew wear about 6 or so rows behind me. I wasn't certain if they were players or what, but I thought I would introduce myself since they will be 'my team' once I'm in Dayton. I went up and introduced myself and determined they were players; I was speaking with Chris Wingert. I told him we were moving to Dayton and that I was curious as to how convenient the stadium was to I-70, which it is. He kidded around that I would have to lose my Chicago Fire jersey (which I was wearing) and I told him that it was okay, but that twice a year (when the Fire would be in Columbus) I would have to wear my true colours, but aside from that I would be all Columbus Crew. Mr. Wingert was very nice and I appreciated he took a few minutes of his time to chat with me.