History of the Casbah

Discussion in 'San Jose Supporters Clubs' started by ggayle, Apr 11, 2016.

  1. ggayle

    ggayle Member

    May 4, 1999
    Oaktown, CA, USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So with the passing of the 20th anniversary of the inaugural game, I thought it'd be a good time to reflect on the history of the Casbah.

    Last season while attending a tailgate, I was introduced as the founder of the group. I believe I was the third leader after founder Darrin Howells and Brad Shafer. I've got an old e-mail address for Darrin, and I'll reach out and see if he can come on and talk about the founding of the group.

    For those of you youngins don't know who I am, I'm the pretty one in the middle.
    [​IMG]
    I moved out to the Bay Area in the summer of '97 from Ohio. As most know, I was a Crew fan, and went to a few games in Ohio Stadium before I moved west (although I was never involved with any supporters groups there). I met up with the Casbah folks for the first time in Sam's Army during the Gold Cup in 1998. Those were my first national team game caps, and I got to meet SA co-founder Mark Wheeler. I believe that's also where I met longtime Casbah members Bill, Noah, and Nap. They all invited me to join them in the Casbah section for the next Quakes game I came to.

    I'm also famous (or infamous) for wearing my Crew gear in the Casbah section. I have seen the current signs against opponent support being in the supporters sections. Happy to have been an influence. ;)

    So, I'll be back here now and then to tell stories and such. If any of the old timers who were here at the beginning of MLS see this, by all means please tell the origins of the group.

    I'll ask the moderators to keep a tight leash on this thread. I know how y'all do. Let's keep this on the history of the group. That said, pull up a chair, grab a beer, if you drink that crap :), and let's tell some stories.
     
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  2. Smurfquake

    Smurfquake Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 8, 2000
    San Carlos, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    For what it's worth, I have Darrin as a contact on LinkedIn. I think I have you as a contact as well. I'll send you a note there and see if you can reach him there.
     
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  3. Smurfquake

    Smurfquake Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 8, 2000
    San Carlos, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    To contribute to the thread - it would be great if Darrin could give his version of the story, because he really got stuff together for the first season in 1996. In the mean time, here's part of my version.

    There was some communication over an email list, or something ancient like that - maybe a Usenet newsgroup? Somehow, a handful of Clash fans found each other on whatever pathetic thing passed for the Internet at the time, and Darrin became the point man. His goal was to have a European style standing section behind the goal. I already had tickets on the sideline, so I wasn't going to be in the standing section, but was interested in meeting folks for a tailgate before every game. He offered up his yellow truck as a meeting point before the game. This was an old school bright yellow truck which was very hard to miss. I'm not sure if I brought my grill to the first game, but whatever happened there, it was a lot of fun, and pretty soon I was bringing my grill to every game, lining up four hours before game time to be one of the first ones in the parking lot. I had a friend from work named Christian who I went to games with for the first couple of years -- he had a tendency to drink a lot and got thrown out of a couple of games for being a dick while drunk. If anyone here remembers him from that era, props to you. I moved to the standing section in 1998, Christian stopped going to games, so most of my early history is with the tailgates.

    Some other names from that ancient era -- I'm only bringing first names because I'm not sure if they are still around or anything like that.

    Darrin moved to LA some time back - he found me on LinkedIn like a year ago, so he's still kicking.
    Jim was an Ajax fan, maybe involved in the Ajax America fan club?
    Steve was a Kaiserslautern fan from his time in the Army. He ran the MFLS (Major Fantasy League Soccer) Clash division for some time even after I stopped seeing him at games.
    John was an American Indian who loved to grill and drink beers with us. I don't know what happened to him.
    Barrett was there, and used to post here, but moved to LA some time back. Lost touch with him.
    Steph, I still run into at games occasionally. She lives in Sacramento now. Mark and I went to her wedding.

    I don't remember when the other old time regulars joined. I think Brad was in San Diego when the league started, but moved back here in 1997 or 1998 and became a season ticket holder and Casbah regular then. Noah, Nap, Mark were fixtures since way back, but they'll need to post their own stories. Mike was heavily involved especially during the Soccer Silicon Valley days, I'm not sure when he started coming to events. Pat and Elaine, Louie and Debbie, Ron and Swanee brought the tailgates up a few notches a few years later, and now some of their kids are Casbah regulars.

    Finally, here's a picture - this was taken at a tailgate in 1999. That's Jose Clash (mark III) who came to visit us at a tailgate. We boiled a lobster. We did that once or twice, you know, because Jose Clash looks kind of like a lobster. Attached is the original picture - me and Jose with a lobster in the tongs I'm holding.
     

    Attached Files:

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  4. blacktide

    blacktide Member

    Feb 25, 1999
    Here is my version of the history of the Casbah.

    I had become a soccer fan in 1994 when I worked for a Brazilian in San Diego and he got me into watching the World Cup. In 1995 I moved to the Bay Area. On April 6, 1996 I was home watching ESPN when the first MLS game was on. I was fascinated and enthralled and resolved to go the next game. I bought a jersey and really got into the games. I ended up attending every remaining home game that season. (I didn’t have kids or apparently, a social life yet).

    By the second half of the season, I had started figuring out that I could buy the cheap tickets and sit anywhere. I noticed this group in the north end zone that was having fun and started to sit by them more often than not. My recollection is somewhat fuzzy, but I think I introduced myself to Darrin and he explained what the “Casbah” was about. He had been in the Navy and had San Diego connections, so that helped me get to know him. I think he told me about the tailgates too, so I started coming earlier so I could eat before going into the games.

    The tailgate is likely where I met Bill and the most of the other early members. Bill and others have done a better job than I could with the names of the early Casbah members. Also, the tailgate seemed to grow larger even as the Casbah stayed about the same size. Pat and Elaine, Ron and Swanee, Mike T, and other non-Casbah fans joined up. Jay H was a guy who was real involved and worked as a team reporter for a while. Mike T started Club Quake (in 2001?) to be the “non-standing” fan club. That group morphed in to SSV which ultimately was able to get the Quakes back once they left.

    I don’t recall when Darrin left (after 1997 I think) and I took over as the “leader”. A lot of leading was trying to keep the yellow-jacketed security guys at bay when we were cheering and drumming and bringing in banners, etc. It was a pretty casual job but I got to do some cool things. I got up to speak at the Supporters Summit in 1998 in LA. I interfaced with the front office on occasion to try to get and keep banner and drum privileges. Once we organized a raffle to try to raise some money for the group and I got to call Eddie Lewis at home and ask him for a pair of his old cleats. Braeden Cloutier gave me a game worn jersey at the end of 1998.

    In those days, just being a big fans got us some cool perks. In 2001, before the first home game, I had had a Donovan jersey made and wore that to the tailgate. We use to get a player to come out and meet with us before games and Landon came out before that game and he signed my jersey. That was possibly LD’s very first MLS autograph. Later, I got to hang out with Eddie Robinson and Alexi Lalas in part due to the Casbah. We organized having a big Quakes flag made and unfurled that at the start of each game and when we scored.

    I truly appreciate all the time I got to spend with the cool people who made up the Casbah and the extended Clash/Quakes family. We were lucky enough to see two MLS Cup victories, a Supporters Shield and LD mature before he became a member of the enemy. Even when we sucked (1997-2000), I so looked forward to going to the games. I really cherish that time in my life.

    It is a bit weird to look around now in Avaya Stadium and think about where this all started. I am proud to have been a part of the beginning of it and thankful to see where the team and the league are now. Guy, thanks for starting this thread and thanks for all you did as a leader to keep SJ soccer fandom so strong. For all the newer fans, you’ve joined a team and a fan base with real history now and I, for one, hope that you can enjoy your experience as much as I did mine.
     
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  5. ggayle

    ggayle Member

    May 4, 1999
    Oaktown, CA, USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [​IMG]
    Probably the most famous photo of me. I still have the drum. I plan on turning it over to the Outlaws at the Copa America match. I recently found out my sign inspired a chapter title in Gary Singh's book on the Quakes.
     
  6. MaraDoyle

    MaraDoyle Member

    Oct 4, 2000
    Casbah
    Great memories!! Remember the indoor "Casbah" team that played at Off-the-wall? still have that jersey :)
    I took my tag-name from a chant we used to sing when Doyle showed some of his dribbling skills at games (MardaDoyle) !
     
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  7. bsman

    bsman Member+

    May 30, 2001
    MadCity
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Hey Guy -- it's great to hear from you again. I just (at the end of the last season) gave up my job as referee liaison for the Quakes, and this thread puts me right back in Spartan Stadium!
     
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  8. casbahman

    casbahman Member

    Jun 11, 2001
    Glendora, CA
    Holy crap, you guys are sending me down memory lane. I haven't posted to Big Soccer in nearly 13 years! Guy found my on Linked-In about 6 months ago suggesting that I post here. Well, he I am, late to the party. I don't get on Linked-In that much and ran into Guy's original suggestion to come here.

    The Casbah became a thing on the fall-ish of 1995. We knew we were getting a team, and *maybe* there was a name, but there were no players yet. This guy named Mike Brininstool used to run a server from his house that he named "Hoplite" (after Greek soldiers) and, as I recall, hosted a few soccer email lists LONG before Big Soccer existed. I think Sam's Army used to have a list there as well.

    Anyway, the hoplite server is where it all started. I basically solicited names of people who would be interested in joining a supporter's club. We were all talking about it, so it seemed the next logical step to make a list. I volunteered and that's how I got roped in.

    Our first official meeting was at a pizza joint near Mike, a Mountain Mikes or a Round Table, I believe the former. Mike was there, I was there, Ivo Austin I believe attended, a guy named Robert Salade who, wierdly enough I went to high school with or played youth soccer with, I don't remember. I don't think I saw him again after that day. I don't remember if anyone else attended. Dave Bohn may have been there as well. You might reemember him as the main driver behind our fanzine Bazaar Times (I still have copies I think). Dave was another weird connection for me. Turns out he and his wife lived in graduate student housing at UCSC where his wife was was a grad student. Well, my wife (at the time my girlfriend) and I were undergrads there and my wife baby sat his kid! I met his son (Luke I think) when he was only a few months old, 5 or 6 years before I met Dave!

    I don't remember what the purpose of the meeting was for. And I don't remember Mike Brininstool being invovled after that meeting, other than running the server. But that was our humble beginnings.

    The name, inspired by Rock the Casbah by The Clash of course, was suggested by this guy who's first name was Tim, I believe. His last name escapes me, but I remember that within a few years, he moved to China to teach English. When he suggested the name, I had a Homer Simpson "DOH!" moment. Of course that has to be the name. Why didn't I think of that? Especially since I listened to The Clash in high school. Thankfully, everyone agreed when we voted on a name.

    The first official "Casbahrians" were season ticket holders in a corner section. I think it was section 126. We were in the first couple rows. At the time I think maybe there were 15 of us, give or take. There was chaos during the first game as the whole section was supposed to be designated as a standing section and no one got the memo. Since we were in the first two rows, we were standing in front of everyone. And since it was a sellout, there were some unhappy people behind us. The whole event deserves a post of it's own, but suffice it to say, it was not a good start. There were actually 3 supporters groups put into that section, us, about 6 or 7 Argentinians with River Plate jerseys on, and a group of skin-head looking folks that insisted they weren't skinheads. Police surrounded the section and eventually moved in. In the chaos, I have clear memories of a non-skinhead skinhead girl riding a cop like he was giving per a piggy back ride while she gave him right hooks to the face, and a short non-skinhead skinhead dude yelling at the top of his lungs "Nazis!! Jack booted thugs!!" at the cops. Then I had a friend in the next section over yelling at me to get "my people" in line. Absolute mayhem.

    It took us a long time to outlive the bad vibes that caused in the front office. Luckily, John Tibaldi became our champion in the front office and we were eventually able to seperate ourselves from the culprits.

    Well, there is a lot more where that came from (the aforementioned Casbah soccer team, Bill's magic cooler [love telling that story], a friday night game against NY followed by a 10 hour overnight drive to Portland to see the US beat Costa Rica 1-0 on a Tab Ramos goal right in front of us). Damn, getting chills thinking of that again. Anyway, I've got to call it and get to bed. Hope this brings back happy memories for you guys.

    - Darrin
     
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  9. Oh_Teddy_Teddy

    Apr 7, 2003
    Mountain View, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Wow, guys, brings back memories. Darrin, nice to hear from you. I wasn't involved too much with the CASBAH once things got going as I was and still am game day staff. I do remember the early days of the team forming supporters groups. Peter Bridgwater had a few of us go out to pubs and other locations to round up support. I remember going to the city with one of the Quakes ticket staff (a former Blackhawks player), to the Edinburgh Castle to meet with a group. They ended up being the skinhead looking group Darrin talked about. They wanted to be the Unofficial Clash Supporters Club. Dock Martins, the whole bit. They met several times, and came in with a group of universidad Catolica fans to the opening match. That first game, about the 70th minute, someone threw something at Marco Etcheverry taking a corner (We were in section 125). Security asked who threw the item, no one fessed up, and security came in and cleaned house, and Darrin remembers better than I do some of the circumstances.
    The next morning I got two calls at work. One from Peter Bridgwater asking me to tell that group they were no longer welcome and one from the leader of the group, Big John, asking why everyone was so upset.
    They later went on to support the San Francisco Seals, and when Shani Simpson scored against us in the 1997 open cup to defeat us, he jumps into the arms of Big John and the rest.
     
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  10. Hawkeye17

    Hawkeye17 DynaChick v QuakeBabe v WildKate v Chewie23

    Aug 25, 1999
    Miami Vice 82
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #10 Hawkeye17, Mar 3, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2017
    Late to the party, but miss Darrin in these parts. The yellow Chevy truck was his trademark. Hey, hope all's well D. A ton has happened in 21 years. At least I see Bill now and then at Avaya--but he's mostly with his son kicking back. Noah is still around, while the few like Brad and Mark are also at Avaya, though in the seats. I've seen Steph at a game in the inaugural season at Avaya. Fun times!

    Best one probably was in 1997 harassing poor Tony Meola. I'll leave it at that. ;) A ton of adventures from MLS 1.0 (1996-2005) aka when I was a supporter. Still am but in other ways.
     
  11. AlexLallos

    AlexLallos Member

    Sep 5, 2000
    Monterey CA
    Cool thread. So many memories of those days. In our first season I was 13-14 years old I had my dad drop me off at games so I could hang with the likes of Darrin, Mark, Bill, Dave, Noah, Nap and the others.

    I remember the seeing the confetti on April 6 and then I was sold. How about harassing players outside the locker room? maybe that was just me. The first LA game in SJ with over 31k fans? those were good times.
     
  12. Kaitlyn

    Kaitlyn Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    Feb 25, 2014
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Anyone recognize themselves? This is moments after DC United scored there 4th on is in 1998. The long faces explain it all :p

    [​IMG]
     
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