November 8, 2012 7:30pm EST Red Bull Arena NBCSN TSN2 RDS2 Weather: 43@ Kick off; wind @ 15NNW Let the anger out of the bottle over on the "Postponed" thread. Here we can just focus on how to pound frozen red udders. DC is now the #1 seed remaining. Do we get Korb back? Since Najar's suspension ends today, is he eligble?
Why did we lose him in the first place? I noticed he wasn't in the starting XI as announced last night. Seemed odd.
Any criticism I have leveled against Olsen this entire year will be swept aside if he just beats the Metro tonight. I do not know if I have ever wanted DC United to beat an opponent so badly as I do tonight. I don't care if it is pretty or the line up and substitutions baffle me, just win boys. Just win.
Missing both of our outside backs (presuming the delay wasn't enough to get Korb back) is a pretty major blow. If I'm RBNY, I'm heading up the wings all night, then trying to find Cooper's big head with a cross. The more DC has to spread out to defend that, the more creases and lanes open up in the middle for Henry to exploit. It will be very tough for us to keep a clean sheet tonight. R.
Cooper ain't much for heading the ball, and neither Pearce or Lade are what I would consider speed demons or offensive juggernauts. Pontius and Deleon can keep them in check with good runs, and Russell and Neal can choose their runs appropriately. Control the midfield, pressure their centerbacks, and this game should be ours.
I'm pretty sure you have to actually serve the suspension from a game to have it end. No, he's not back tonight. Thx, Jay!
Here's the note I wrote and a number of Barra elders contributed to and have co-signed. Its gone out to the Post and DCist. Maybe we can gather more signatures and find a way to get this into Garber's brainspace. He needs to hear us. Good luck to the traveling team. We are the cause of justice tonight. Please crush the Metros. --------------- Don Garber MLS Commissioner Dear Mr. Garber, Last night I arrived home at 4:30AM, having spent more than 7 hours on buses going to and from Red Bull Arena and standing in the stadium for nearly 2 hours. With more than 700 other DCUnited fans, I took off most of a day of work and stood in the snow – only to be told first to wait, and then to go home. We know our team wanted to play. And we know the fans wanted to stay and watch the game. But the league’s actions have many of MLS’ most ardent fans – including me – wondering about your commitment to fairness, to fans, and to professionalism. Without question, the hurricane and last night’s storm were out of the control of the league. However, throughout this playoff debacle there were things the league could have done to maintain the integrity of the games and show respect for the fans. We want to know what you plan to do to make the league accountable. Switching the dates effectively took away home field advantage from the team that had earned it – yet there was no public discussion of how this might be addressed. Then the game was canceled because ONE team made the decision that it was too dangerous to play. How is that fair? And what message does that send to the fans? When the buses were arranged, we had days of notice that a new storm was coming, and hours of transit time while the storm was happening during which to postpone the game – and yet the game remained on the schedule. Despite these warnings, the league deemed it safe enough to encourage one of the largest away supporters caravans in league history. Why? What is the message to fans here? Then perhaps most galling of all was last night’s field clearing effort. Knowing the snow was coming, how was it that there was NOT ONE snow blower to clear a professional sports pitch? Watching a handful of interns with shovels try to clear the field, we have to ask – What image do you wish to portray for the league? It made many of us as DCUnited fans wonder if there was ever any real intent to play the game at all. If so, why not respect the fans by making minimal efforts to prepare? As die hard supporters of our team and the league’s core audience, these actions make us wonder – and they make us furious. What actions are you planning to take to address these fundamental issues? Who is accountable? Regardless of what happens in tonight’s game – if it happens at all – Mr. Garber, the league’s reputation for professionalism, fairness and commitment to fans is at stake.
Last night was simply gamesmanship by Backe and NYRB, because they suspected (I think correctly) that the conditions would hurt them and their style of play more than ours. The fact that the safety of 700 fans, including members of my family and friends, was put at risk didn't really matter. It was a bullshit move; and the league let them do it. It saddens the ******** out of me, but I suspect they'll be rewarded for their cowardice and cynicism in tonight's match. If that's indeed the case, it only makes it hurt a tiny bit less to cut bait on this joke of a league. I don't know when I will stop being mad about this. I won't be able to watch the first half of tonight's match (well, not live). I don't expect it to go as well as we deserve; but I really, really wish it would.
I think you are much too respectful of Mr. Garber. I think it's time for him and his corporate "money first" attitude to go. This isn't (or shouldn't be) the WWF where entertainment value is more important than competitive integrity. But having said all that, your letter is likely to accomplish a good bit more than anything I could say to Mr. Garber. asitis
I continue to get angrier and angrier that Backe simply refused to play the game because he felt his team would be at a competitive disadvantage with the conditions last night. I continue to get angrier and angrier that Geiger or MLS didn't simply tell Backe to either play or forfeit. I continue to get angrier and angrier that I've spent money and time and emotional investment on a league where one player has more pull with the commissioner, who should have the interest of the league at heart, than the very best fans of two old enemies. I could become less angry if DC won, but I think we all know that there is no way that happens tonight. I predict at least one penalty and at least one red card. Fvck them all.
Thank you for that letter. It expresses how I feel as well. I think Mr. Garber (and Mr. Chang for not manning up) at a minimum owes our team an apology. This whole ordeal has been really sad and fustrating to watch.
i would like to add my signature (and an ammendment) to that letter. I (and a few others from Richmond) left at 10am and did return until 6:30am
Last night wasn't on Geiger. I realize he officially makes the call, but Garber/Abbott/that VP were the ones who made that decision and told Geiger to cancel it.
The amount of damage that MLS HQ has done to its relationship with DC fans will last for years. For me this was the last straw. I would expect some solidarity from Red Bull fans who are also getting the Garber shaft with NYC2. There needs to be a louder and more unified voice amongst MLS fans against this single entity Mickey Mouse crap