"Changing favorite teams is like changing blood types." And sometimes, a transfusion of a different blood type can save your life. I changed teams a lot when I was a little kid but I haven't since I was like 12. The last time I switched teams was after my first visit to Fenway in '86 when I abandoned the Mets to become a Sox fan (admittedly not the best year for such a change). I've suffered through lots of crap and disappointment with the Sox, Bruins and Revs. But ultimately disappointment is an emotion. Anger is an emotion. Frustration is an emotion, just like joy and excitement. I don't need my team to win all the time or else I'll turn on them (I may live in NYS but this is the biggest reason I hate the Yankees). I know there will be ups and downs. But if you don't care about your sports team, what's the point? Over the last several years, not only have they given me nothing to care about but the organization has actively waged war against those who do actually care. Look at KC. For years, they had one of the most awful stadium atmospheres in MLS. It was little different than Gillette, except with a real playing surface. One of the most moribund clubs (I refuse to call them franchises). All it took was for management to actually put in some effort and suddenly they have one of the best atmospheres in MLS. They didn't win any trophies this year. And their atmosphere isn't yet as good as Seattle's or Portland's but there are great vibes around the team and the club. This didn't take 10 years to achieve. It took a few years to plan the stadium, one year of properly marketing the team and a lot of getting out of the way. The Revs organization is petrified of organic soccer culture. They want everything to be synthetic and managed with the cheerleaders and soccer mom nights and drawing a crowd reserving their noise for trying to get on the jumbotron (w/the game irrelevant to them). They would rather having 9,000 politely clapping when the jumbotron orders them to than 20,000 raucous fans where a dozen might have potty mouths. They stick the Fort where it can't 'contaminate' other fans when the whole purpose of a hard core supporters section is to fire up other fans. They don't want anyone to care and I'm sick of fighting them on this. They win.
I agree with you all the way...! I was a fan of MLS before the Revs..only because I knew they were talking about a league..and then the Boston/NE franchise was announced. And let me tell you..I was NOT HAPPY that Krafty was involved. But, I knew where I lived and fell in love with the concept of a pro team in my back yard. And have gone through the 16 years of listening to my Serie A, EPL and La Liga fans friends tell me how bad MLS is...in recent years though, with help from some great improvement by the USMNT most of these fans have begun to sway...although the Revs are still creepy crawlers at the bottom...Seattle, has proven it can go from expansion to USOC winners and has oodles of success. Our team..at the hands of these Savvy Morons, could care less for the game and more for their mall interest and getting foot traffic..blah blah blah..I'm actually sick of hearing myself!! I know that a coach will not a difference make..this reshuffle of Burns and Bilello is no more than a smoke screen. Apathy Alley will look at the moves as Oh My..that's so great..they've made a change and are looking forward..blah blah blah...Not until we get a KC type commitment is this team ever going to feel REAL..period!
I don't blame people for unfriending the Revs. I only hope that people make up their minds soon and then we move on. If you decide to jetison the revs, it should be permanent.
This wasn't a spur of the moment decision, one I've thought about for two years, so I'm not changing my mind. I wish you guys the best. There's enough soccer passion in New England that there's potential for a great atmosphere at Revs games if management allows it. I think the most great atmospheres in the league the better.
This is exactly where I'm coming from. It's funny, bigsoccer people only know my persona as hating on the Revs. I was probably the biggest KAD in the world until a few years ago. It's also funny how the other KAD's think every NNN is just a sour and negative person to their core. When, in reality, to be a Revs fan in the first place, you had to be a positive person and give the league and the team a chance. It isn't as though following the Revs or MLS was ever the cool, or bandwagon thing to do. So, why is it so wrong to question, or even bail on a franchise that has so often left the fans out in the cold? People treat the supporting of this franchise as if it is a club. It's not a community club. It's a franchise. It's a corporate entity that doesn't care about you beyond your dollars. I don't have a problem supporting a franchise. I don't have a problem giving them my dollars. I'll even treat them as though I would a community club. They just better make the product they are packaging and selling something that I feel proud about, and want to consume. The Revs have almost never done that. I'm tired of caring more than they do.
I'm going to give l'Impact a chance. I'll probably end up being one of those fans that other fans sneer at- supporting two MLS teams. Maybe support isn't the right word. Maybe "follow" is better. I haven't been to a Revs game in two years. I try to watch when they're on MDL, but they don't disappoint anymore because I have no expectations. I follow the Revs but I can't say I support them anymore really. This makes me sad because I'd been a supporter since 1996 and didn't miss a match (or even a practice!) for several years in the late 90s before I moved home to Vermont. Hopefully in the future they'll win me back by showing that they care. Montreal makes too much sense to me. It's 1.5 hours from me (unlike Foxboro, which is more like 3.75). I'm half Quebecois like many people in my area and I speak French pretty well. I don't have a dog in the Bruins/Canadiens fight (I was a Nordiques fan, now I don't really pay much attention to pro hockey). So I'll follow l'Impact. Dunno if it'll ever be anything more than that. I have a strong dislike for the Saputos because of some business issues in my community, but hopefully they'll manage the team with some ambition and creativity.
I have more friends who were the "eurosnob" types who now watch and like MLS, but still think the Revs are a joke. That should say a lot to the Krafts. LOL wait, they don't care.
The league is improving, but the revs are still living in the original MLS mickey mouse world. Am I correct in saying that everyone but the revs and dc has their own stadium? and since DC is possibly being forced out, we are going to be the only team still playing in a gigantic, quarter filled arena. the "KC Commitment" is a perfect example of a team going from zero to hero in no time at all. KC went from being an embarrassing, bottom dwelling team with a stupid americanized name to the class of the league. Soon we will be the only ones left.
Bless my soul, Herc was on a roll; Person of the week in every Greek opinion poll Who put the Glad in Gladiator?
Yes, that's what really hits the core. A lot of local soccer fans see the Revs as "proof" that "the MLS is crap." Not so. The league is fine, and there are lots of clubs in other places who do an excellent job of putting their best foot forward for the sport, about 3/4 of the league. Unfortunately, we are not one of those cities, and until the people who run things can understand this, I don't see this changing. Imagine the irony of the Revs taking lessons in "best practices" from teams that are less than 5 years old. Nah, that would never happen. Anyone who does things differently is just wrong, that's it.
I know the decision is already made, but why not just put one's fanhood on HOLD? Listening/watching a game here and there; reading news about the team from time to time; suffering silently the separation, waiting that things beyond our control to get better? You know, it is not that one is expecting a winning team to jump into the bandwagon, but actually that he could identify himself with the team again...
I had the same thoughts. The team will be sold and move or fold in a few years so we won't have to worry about conflict of interests. The suffering is tougher than simply pulling the plug would be.
Why would Kraft sell it? He's probably making money, especially with the United Healthcare deal. Unless attendance drops below 10,000(?) he has no reason to sell the team.
Because I can't follow a sports league if I don't care about a team in it. It's why I occasionally watch bits and pieces of the Bundesliga or Ligue 1 if nothing else is on, I'm not really engaged by it. I love soccer too much to put my interest in it on hold.
Talking about re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic... after giving the architects of 4 poor/abysmal seasons in a row promotion, now the Revs hire a head coach with zero coaching experience and, judging by his agonizing-to-listen-to commentary, a deep commitment to ‘robust’ (skill-free) soccer. Just when I thought they’d bottomed out... Either you guys will need a lot of valium the next few years or maybe those guys who fire guns after the rare Revs goal should aim their muskets at the Krafts’ office window.
They never actually take out any of the opposition players on the field. I doubt they can hit the lux box that Krafty and Son populate!
saabrian, welcome to the club, I jumped ship before this season (was in it from the beginning, even volunteering to help staff game days at the old stadium) I bought the MLS package to watch games online this year, didnt watch as much as I would have liked, but watched odd games here and there, mostly Seattle. Looking forward to Montreal, one of my favorite cities.
Lol Dan I'm surprised you went as far to say that Kraft and son are at all the home games. I don't think they do at all.
Haha I caught that but I think Dan implying the Krafts were there in the luxury box is the most credit he's ever given them that I've witnessed. Maybe it was a moment of weakness.
Sorry to lose you. I may be the unpopular one here but why can't anyone support another club. There is a drummer in the Fort who used to be in DC's Barra Brava. He is great with the Revs now. Go see a few Montreal or Red Bull games. Keep the football passion alive. I started following the Revs because I said if we football-crazy fans don't support a local team, who else will. Now I'm not sure anyone cares if we support the local club or not...