Re: The Heritage Cup 2011 I'm going to guess same as 2009, San Jose and Seattle only, first home game in Seattle doesn't count.
Re: The Heritage Cup 2011 I believe it will be Seattle and San Jose again this year as far as I heard. Rules are being discussed right now. Seismoenthusiast can give you the details. It is my impression that the first two games (of the three) between them during the season will be used to determine the winner. That would make it easier for the fan groups to coordinate the trophy handoff to whichever team wins. I think the Portland fan group may be willing to join when more teams come in; Vancouver seems more problematical. In any case, Rob or Don will know more than I do about that.
Re: The Heritage Cup 2011 Like who? I don't see the Aztecs or Rowdies coming in any time soon. Or even the Cosmos for that matter.
Re: The Heritage Cup 2011 I doubt the current Cosmos ownership group will be the ones that get the franchise, but I don't doubt that the NY2 franchise will be called the Cosmos.
Awesome, it gets its own thread! I'm up in the Seattle area already and plan to hit up Vancouver for the May 5th game. I'll see what I can do about talking to Southsiders about joining in 2013. That is, if y'all will allow me to talk to them on your behalf.
Hello folks. You will now find the 2012 Heritage Cup rules here, on the SSVCF website. We have an uneven schedule this year, so the August 11th and September 23rd will be the official Heritage Cup matches, and the game this weekend will serve as the possible tie-breaker. Watch this space for this year's Heritage Cup poster contest rules, to be posted in the near future.
On the Seattle BS site there is a discussion thread about the Heritage Cup. "roboatse", a Seattle fan who supports the Heritage Cup posted a picture to describe his feelings about Portland's failure to participate. No matter what your opinion might be about that issue, I think the picture is really funny. It is in posting # 26: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1923288&page=3
Seems Seattle is behind it overall, Portland are just dicks (we knew that already) and Vancouver are indifferent. Pretty much same as last year.
The 2012 Heritage Cup poster contest rules can now be found on SSVCF's site. We have widened the eligibility to all "genuine fans", so your geographic location is not an issue anymore, but you will need to be able to show verification that you are a fan of either team involved. Submissions must be received by Sunday, July 15, 2012 at 5:00 pm PST.
I'd like to see the Cup be on the line any time old NASL teams play. If that were the case, it would be on the line next week vs Ft. Lauderdale.
I have always been pleased that some Seattle fans stepped up to work with us to work with the Front Offices and made the Heritage Cup a reality between our two teams. (Vancouver and Portland haven't, but that is another story). There have been enough games now that many more people and players are now aware of the Cup. The Cup's purpose was to honor the fans in both cities who have been loyal to their teams since NASL days, and celebrate the shared heritage. This year, though, after yesterday's Open Cup game, this cup may become a representation of what is shaping up to be a real rivalry. You know that the next two games against the Sounders (one here, then one in Seattle where the Cup will be awarded) are going to be extremely hard-fought by both teams with fans who really want to see the other team buried on the pitch. If, on top of the results, there is a piece of hardware to parade around in front of the other fan base, players may really get into it, too. I hope soccer media will pick up on that and commonly use the Heritage Cup as shorthand for San Jose vs Seattle. I'd love to see the Ultras and Casbah get involved with that and communicate that to Seattle Supporters. And if any fans have Twitter or Facebook or other contacts with Quakes players, I suggest they remind our players about the Heritage Cup (which will be awarded in Seattle at the end of that game) and how they can rub Sounder noses in it if they win the upcoming game in San Jose and the following one in Seattle).
Portland is going to start a bigger fight in the next Arcadia Derby just to be sure we don't steal their superbitter archrivals.
In my mind, at least, the Heritage Cup is not about "rivalry" or rubbing anyone's nose in anything. It's about sportsmanship and shared history. Even though my team lost the other night, the Kezar Open Cup match was for me a great time, not least because of the pre-game party at Kezar Pub, where a few brave Sounders fans, save for the "Who Are Ya!" chants, went unmolested by wall-to-wall Ultras. (I also escaped unscathed a visit to the Sounders' pub at Ninth & Irving.) We fans had a few beers on a weeknight and got to enjoy a perfect summer afternoon and evening. That's what I'll remember, just as you and I, Ned, will both recall long after the result the great time hanging out with Seattle fans while unveiling the Heritage Cup in Elsyian Fields during our first game-day venture to Seattle back in 2009. The Heritage Cup is symbolic of something bigger than lousy refs, thuggish players, prima-donna coaches, or anything so mundane as a "rivalry."
The Heritage Cup is all those things you mentioned, but it seems like its turning out to be bigger than just that. Its not just about sharing heritage anymore. And when you read what players, coaches and even some of the podcasts say, they are talking about rivalry. not Heritage Cup. I cant stand Seattle more than LA now and I bet a lot of folks on here from what I have read cant stand Seattle just as much.
Remember the cartoons that show an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other one? Well, Don is the angel, and reading his post above (which happens to be totally correct) reminds me I should resist the little devil whispering in my ear. Personally, I have had nothing but positive interactions with Sounders fans, and I certainly do believe "Since 1974" should mean something in MLS. Get thee behind me Satan! Elichaz is right though, that games like the Open Cup game can drive rivalry; but maybe that is in addition to and not instead of the purpose of the Heritage Cup.