wow. what an incredible game and atmosphere. I had so much fun at the game, and a lot of that was due to the passion of the mexico and US fans. I was a little uneasy going into the game, thinking there would be a whole lot of fighting, arguing...etc, between the fans because of the intense rivalry. i just wanted to say thank you to all of the mexican fans and US fans before, during, and after the game. not only were you friendly before the game, but you were a lot of fun, courteous and gracious after the game. I had a blast, and it would have been fun even if my team didnt win. Here's to many more great games with our rivals.
AWESOME MATCH!!! I must say, the crowd was nuts! I know that I must lead a sheltered life, but that's the noisiest match I've ever been to, including the USA-MEX qualifier for WC98 in Boston. I'd have to say it was just as friendly as every other match I've been to. It's amazing how the general public gets the spin that there is going to be all kinds of riots and violence because someone takes the "a little bit ugly" ad a little too serious, like some local radio stations. OK, off the brief stay on the soap box... My daughter and I had the best time in section 209 row 1. Didn't have the binoculars, but could recognize most with the help of the roster sheet. BTW, eviltwin, how'd you get home so quick. Oh yeah you're in Avondale vs Mesa. It takes a while when one is watching a serious 5 on 5 between you and the car in front of you
I AGREE! AWESOME MATCH! I came from Iowa to this game and was not disappointed. I had two tickets, and talked my brother-in-law on going. His second USA game; my third. We had a great time, standing, and being under the B.A. Flag. ONLY Problem was the traffic. PHOENIX Traffic was unbelievable taking almost two hours from Chandler. Then on the way home taking 50 minutes to move from our parking spot and 1 1/2 hours to get out of the parking lot. I thought I'd been in traffic, but the traffic control at U of P was terrible/negligible.
I couldn't believe they built the parking lot that way It took forever to get out, and yeah Phoenix traffic sucks but it's like that everyday. You just have to leave early for everywhere you go. No one was complaining about the highways 3 years ago when you could get around the valley as fast as you wanted, but now the roads are congested most of the time.
First time in Sam's Army. What a disappointment. The folks in the first four rows seemed to do their best, but the logistics of the section were awful. I read through the Sam's Army guidelines and I got my tickets through USSoccer. The tickets said Row 14 but I figured with the Sam's Army section being open seating, we plop down in about Row 10. Already there are problems, with about three rows of El Tri supporters in the middle of what is supposed to be our section. Then a suburban Dad and his family show up and demand "their seats". I explain about the Sam's Army thing and he says he knows nothing about it, he got his tickets through Tickettron. This scenario was repeat three times as other groups showed up wanting to stand in "their seats", and these were people who had specifically purchased their tickets through USSoccer to be in Sam's Army, and yet none of them seemed to know anything about the open seating policy. The worst was some totally classless guy who claimed he had attended Sam's Army game all over the country and Sam's Army always uses the seat on their ticket. Plus, when our group explained we're used to open seating all the time - we're LA Riot Squad/Galaxy supporters - he asked us if we've every attended a soccer match before. Before the match, I went to the head security/usher guy for the section and asked him about the open seating, standing, and segregated seating in the area and all of it was news to him. Fortunately, the El Tri supporters in the middle of our section were good natured, otherwise we could have had real trouble. So, a pretty bad experience for the first time in Sam's Army. I suspect the fault is not on the part of anyone from Sam's Army but rather US Soccer. Next time folks, can you make it really, really clear that this is a standing, general seating area, and could you make sure that there are no opposing supporters in the middle of the section? How hard can that be?
Were you the ones wearing Man U jerseys? My wife, old geezer pop and I were in 209, row 2, behind Fez and next to a guy who flew out from SF (hope the meeting went well this morning). Someone please rep Fez for me - he posted the club section presale password. Thanks to him we had a small but dedicated group of US supporters/Big Soccer posters, steadfast and passionate in a sea of green. Props for representing.
Great game. I saw more US fans than what I've expected. And yes the traffic and parking exiting arrangements were awful, however I didn't have to wait that long because my cousins lifted that cone-lazo thing and I just drove under it.
I had a great time at the game and enjoyed the good natured attitude of 99.9% of the Mexican fans. Seriously, most just wanted to party. I couldn't believe how happy they all were after a LOSS! I can't imagine how it would've been if they had won. I was also surprised how many actually seemed to cheer our goals!?!? What I don't get is why some Americans, who paid rather large sums of money to attend the game, wear Brazil, England or Beckham jerseys. What the hell is that? The bandwagon attitude of American sports fans is a joke. Get some US gear and represent. Your team is good enough to support. Even if it wasn't you should still support it. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed all the smug high-fives and looks shared with US supporters as I left the stadium. Another 2-0. Does it get any better?
hhmm that worries me abit about the Sam's Army section I hope it is more organzied in Tampa I was planning on getting into the stadium as early as possible so I can get good seats (to stand at) but I don't want to end up getting kicked out of my seats and end up behind my assigned seats cuase I can't bring myself to move another fan back
Just a quick thought here on this... I think history tends to show that this situation is more likely to happen when: 1) It's a bigger game with a lot of tickets sold. 2) It's held in a non-MLS stadium. It helps when their are people locallly who understand soccer and supporters clubs.
Nope, that wasn't us, we left the ManU kits at home. We were the red-headed father-daughter in seats 9 and 10 (don't really remember the Manu kits in the first row...). My daughter was the noisy, jumpy one with the white USA kit, and I with the red Norway kit. I kept asking folks if they frequented BS, but to no avail... I wish I had met some of you guys... Cheers, TcDad.
Well, in my defense, I wore my Norway kit because my daughter wanted my USA one. Stopped by the local soccer shop on the way, only to find that they had closed... Oh well. Cheers, TcDad.
Are you Norwegian? I saw many guys in their late teens and early 20s wearing other countries' or club jerseys. That's more where I'm directing my comments. I have a lot of soccer shirts and jerseys, but when I go to US games I wear US gear.
Well I had a f*cking blast last night. All day even, on the drive from San Diego we would pass Mexican caravans and hold up 2-0 with our fingers... little did we know Re: Sams Army... We were really into it, and we had a decent number, but it just seemed as though if you werent in the first couple of rows, you werent that enthused... If we can get some more of the casual fans to get a little rowdier, that would help the cause a bit. And the stadium crew were dicks (Not George though, he was cool ) Oh - and I am thinking about writing to USSF because the prohibition of banners and the AWFUL parking lot situation should be remedied if we are going to play there again. It took us 45 minutes to exit the parking lot, and I didnt get back home to San Diego until 4am.
This is irritating. I also see it at Galaxy games. I see kids wearing anything soccer oriented, including the gear they wore to their game that morning. Cleats & all. Parents are not very invested in the sport that they bring their kids to, and it's reflected in what they choose to wear. I think it is a symptom of soccer not quite being mature in the American sporting landscape. I look at it as the canary in the coalmine: you know the team and sport has made it's mark when people want to wear the team gear, and nothing else to a game. Well, pants and shoes and things like that too...you know what I mean. I'd say about 60-70% of El Tri fans wore a green Mex National team jersey to their 2-nil loss to the US. That's how it should be on both accounts.
This was my first international game, and what a blast!!! I had an incredible time. I keep reading about how the Mexico fans were calm. Did anyone else get absolutely pounded with beer after the second goal, or were my three friends and I the only ones. I was in Section 136 in the corner. Did anyone happen to see the beerfest over there? It was coming down like rain from multiple decks. We had hundreds of cups flying at us.
Sam's was so completely outnumbered that they could have been the cast from drumline and still been drowned out. I don't think it was a fair test of Sam's there in Glendale...there were just not enough of us to make a dent. I met a ton of LOCAL US soccer fans (ASU students, etc) who had no idea there was such a thing as a US team supporters group. As miserably as the game was marketed (in english), Sam's marketed itself even worse locally. These guys have to get serious about marketing themselves or organizing better.
that was my second international game, the first being US costa rica in SLC. 12 hours of driving was SO worth it. absolutely amazing.
I've seen the cleats thing before as well but atleast the kids are attending pro games. Of course after I was about 8 or so I wouldn't have been allowed to wear my cleats on cement and they weren't even expensive brands but then eventually I started wearing Copa Mundials but by then I was old enough that I would've looked a little rediculous running around in cleats!!
I just got home. What a f***ing game! Two to zero feels so much better leaving the stadium with 62000 sad mexicans. The section would have been great for a normal game in normal circumstances , but it was extremely difficult to get anything going with the amount of noise in that stadium. It was incredible. The first four or five sections of the section were bumping , and i tried to get the back going , but I was right in the front , it wasnt gonna happen. The flag went up well , some tried to grab it and put it up during the mexican national anthem , so we had to pull it back down. The stadium was amazingly gay , they wouldnt let me hang the SoCal Brigade banner or anything else. I talked to Sunil right before the game as he was walking on the field. Hes a nice guy I havent felt that good about a game since kaiserslautern ...
I think the problem is... "what guys?" WE basically are "these guys" because all I know is that there is a magic order form that shows up and I buy tickets to sit with other US fans. Galaxian and I were leading songs and chants for much of our area but... since when are either of us leaders of SA? Never. So I basically dont even feel like there is an existing leadership, its more of a anarchical-yet-self-governing-communist-free-for-all
Yes, I agree about the beer, we were in section 103 and there was beer and soda being thrown at us and all around us. I was spit on by some cholo and I look at him and he was giving me the body language of 'wann a piece of me' The cholo section behind us also hit older cool Mexican fans, older Mexican fans were going to beat them, then the game ended and the cholo's left fast. Cholo's hated in the USA and Mexico On a positive note people were great (minus the cholo's) and am still in a glowing mood.
I was ready to witness shivving and mayhem, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, everyone took a little unpurchased beer home with them, but it really wasn't as extreme as I expected. That corner got it BAD though. It was raining cups... That stadium and their security organization had NO FREAKIN' CLUE what to expect and how to handle it. For the record, those who went will attest that there was NO SECURITY other than a visual search of people and inside bags. Even the glorious cathedral of US soccer at Victoria Street in Carson screens you through metal detectors. Uhh, hello...60+ thousand people all in one place sound like a good terror target, maybe? The traffic situation was equally as pathetic, but I digress further...
I was in that corner-section 116 and the problem was that everyone from around the stadium was coming into our aisles with no seats. There was no one checking tickets or clearing people out. After the beer got thrown I saw an old man(Mexican fan) with his finger in a young guys face yelling at him. There were the instigators in that section, but they were mostly hardcore fans not cholos. The parking lot as I said before was horrendous, and it amazed me that such a new stadium would have been so poorly planned.