Great night and to say the least I was surprised. First off, the attendance was shocking to me. Once again, I have to give a thumbs up to the FO for bringing in people. It makes it better for everyone, even if it is a little hard to swallow for people who paid more, if more people are there. Next, I found it rather funny that after this entire season of moving players around, finding new players, trying to figure out what works best... we ended up where we left off pretty much. I do think, however, that Andy has more than earned himself a spot in the starting XI, especially against TFC this Saturday. The play was, for 78 minutes, so similar to the WCF that I nearly was in tears from pulling my hair out. So many missed opportunites or just pure luck on the end of NY prevented RSL from getting a more than deserved goal. Then it looked like, on their single opportunity, NY was going to grab the lead. Luckily whoever that ball fell to inside the 18 couldnt hit the broad side of a barn and wasnt named Dave Van den Bergh... Once Andy came on the game changed, things seemed to move quicker and with better possession. I was WAY pissed when Findley came on though. Not that he was the choice, but that Kreis decided to take off Yura. The guy is known to score in the late drama kind of games, I would have much rather prefered dropping Beltran or Wingert... but it worked in the end. Well, this team has done it again, at least for the moment. If we win out, in just 2 games, we make the playoffs. Throw the rest of the season out the door, the next two games are all that matter now. If we win em, we are in (99.7% chance or something like that right?). I think we can do it. I dont think it will be pretty or come easy by any means, but this team showed in the second half that they can play with intensity and put the opponent on their heels. We need to be better in taking advantage of opportunities, but the end result is all that matters. Overall, just a wonderful night. The weather, the soccer, the crowd, everything... it just all clicked tonight. I love soccer at this time of year, especially in that stadium, it just has its own feel
And what UTEFAN said bares repeating - LBR didn't do a damn thing different from any other game all year. FO better jump on this or we will be hemorrhaging passionate fans like no other. Might as well rename the stadium Rio Eccles or something...
is it just me, or has the acutal size of la barra (people that show up) been shrinking? This has to do largely if not entirely with the treatment they have recieved this year. Hope it gets fixed cuz they are a wonderful part of the stadium, without them, no offense to the other supporter groups, the stadium just isnt the same now
I don't think it's worth keeping on a guy who makes the wrong decision 90% of the time just because he occasionally gets lucky at the end of a game. A more aggressive sub might have worked, but I don't know if we really wanted to go down to three in back when Yura hadn't looked all that dangerous all game.
Good hell RSL!!!! You've got to be kidding me. Get this damn security thing under control.... Stop alienating your hard core fans and best supporters!!!! Did anybody attend the Chivas game and see freaking fireworks and flares pouring out of the upper deck? Yet, we're going to freak out about our own supporters jumping and dancing at a soccer match?????? Have they ever attended or witnessed a game anywhere in the world??? How about the US NATs game with Barra Brava, Sam's Army, etc? This is an absolute joke and embarrassment. I feel like I'm a fairly level headed fan - and can say with certainty they were singing and dancing the same way they always do. Clearly this can't be the whole story. Surely La Barra were not given grief for jumping up and down and dancing in their own section. Unbelievable.
A few thoughts: - Espindola should win GOTW hands down...what a beautiful curling effort. And with his non-dominant foot, no less. He deserved it after all the work he did and chances he created throughout the match. - The Davies tribute looked a-w-e-s-o-m-e. Huge ups to the FO for orchestrating that, especially on such short notice. I thought it would look chintzy (like it did at the WCQ game) but it came off great. - Somebody teach Nat Borchers how to do a bicycle kick. How rad would that have been? Come on Nat, if Chris Klein can do it so can you. - FYI, Andy Williams called his shot on his facebook page yesterday. I wonder if he can give me some stock tips? - I don't think Dave is forgetting about RSL yet...he was at the game in spite of all that's going on with him in the news. In light of that I didn't think he would be there. - And one negative after a long list of positives: Despite a good win, it was a struggle and did little to convince me that RSL is anything more than an average team.
Interesting and annoying. And ironic... ESPN's roving reporter did a great job describing Barra as the largest and most vocal support group for RSL, many season ticket holders and featured the 3 year old in the group who has his own season ticket.
This is what should be so embarrassing to the team: they use La Barra to promote the stadium atmosphere, but are unable to keep security -- who the FO ultimately controls -- from harassing LBR unnecessarily.
I would like to know what RSLFO_DAVY has to say about this, and maybe clear some things up that we are not informed about. Everything that has been said so far about this incident is absolutely true. I saw them leave and i only wondered 'why?'. What a phenomenal night for RSL. But, it was a little scary because it took 3 subs and 80 mins to get a GWG. I fear our chances at Toronto, but want them to win so badly!
If it's not the rent a cops it's the actual cops being total jerks. I love la Barra Real and believe that it would be a huge loss to lose them. The FO in my experience, especially a guy named Steve who sold our soccer league a bill of goods at the last home game, is really starting to disgust me. I did not notice when lBR left the game but i find it distressing. Maybe for the Crapids game we should fill that section. Good game last night.
Given the history of troubles in our league with CSC security and MLS fans, in particular with support groups, I had my misgivings from the moment I entered Rio Tinto for the first time last fall and saw that they were going to be the security company for the new stadium. Across the league, they seem to have difficulty understanding the difference between fans that are acting in a disruptive, dangerous, or unsportsmanlike manner (when they should of course step in and take care of matters), and fans who are enthusiastic, energetic, and passionately supporting their team. One guy in particular (the one with the black headband) seemed to have a bee in his butt last night. In the first half, RSL had what seemed to be a sure goal deflected at the last moment and a single streamer, likely thrown by someone anticipating we would surely score, came down and he started yelling and pointing up at Barra Real. A couple more streamers came down after he started yelling but that is all it was. A few minutes later he was talking (yelling actually) with a couple of the other security people and using some very un-family language that was heard by many of the south end fans. Throwing out the entire Barra Real section is total garbage. Sure if they positively identify someone that is throwing items or lighting fireworks or has had too much to drink and is bothering other fans, then it's reasonable in many cases to take actions against that fan, but you don't throw out an entire section of fans just because they are singing and dancing and adding atmosphere to the match. Then after Barra Real was thrown out, you could see CSC getting into it with the supporters down in section 9, and then after the game, CSC was firmly directing everyone in the south stands to leave by going to the east side (rather than the west which provide easier access for those heading south to their parking spots) so perhaps there was still something going on down in that area behind the stands. I really feel that RSL needs to re-evaluate their relationship with CSC and needs to have some security people in there that know how to provide protection in a reasonable, professional, and more civil manner. You should be able to get people in there that can do their job without being jerks about it. They either need to get CSC to figure out how to do that or get someone else in there who can. And to Barra Real, thank you for all the atmosphere and support you have provided to the team this year and for helping get the soccer-loving Latin community involved in supporting RSL. I truly hope you will be at Rio Tinto in the future, but fully understand if you decide not to come back. At least twice now you've really been treated very rudely and it is unfortunate that CSC apparently did not learn from the mistakes made a few months ago. KUDOS for your members that while leaving, went onto the mezzaine area and gave Andy one last cheer for his goal.
no dancing, no standing up, no banners, where will it end? Congratulations to the team for the win, and for the "I want it" attitude they showed all night, now take that attitude to Toronto. we'll be watching quietly sitting in our church clothes, so we can learn manners for the next home game
From my perspective, much of section 26/27 stood at when the clock read 8:00; Leo did not stand up in front of section 28 until the clock read 9:00...
Seriously, this pisses me off to no end. The front office should be ENCOURAGING banners around the stadium as long as it doesn't cover paid advertising. A small streamer thrown onto the field???? What's the big deal???? Use some COMMON SENSE RSL - And yes, I'm squarely blaming the Front Office for this because I would think they can have some say in this. It's part of the atmosphere. Streamers and Confetti should be encouraged. Flares and fireworks should not. USE SOME COMMON SENSE - This is a unique sporting event where people should be encouraged to create atmosphere and have a good time. Unless there is a missing fact of information (which if there is let's hear it) somebody within security needs to be FIRED and replaced with somebody who understands the difference between "dangerous" illegal acts and "singing/dancing/throwing confetti" And as a season ticket holder who puts a lot of money into this club I would appreciate an explanation and an apology from the front office. If the intent of the Front Office and their security detail is to make this the crowd equivalent of a tennis match then I'm NOT interested in continuing to pay money to attend - That's part of the reason I love attending the matches - because it sure as hell isn't the substandard product on the field. And yes, I'm one of the few thousand in the crowd that actually pay full price for their tickets, if that matters
You nailed it for a lot of us. The team's performance sometimes (hell, more like nearly always) leaves much to be desired but I keep on paying full price for my season tickets year after year so I can stand, yell, sing, chant, raise a little hell and have some fun. Much of my fun is participating in ways I just listed and in enjoying watching and listening to other groups who are doing the same. If this stops being fun, then my tendency is going to find other ways to spend my time and money.
I missed the "Olave is a VERB" sign--awesome! "Cepero just got Olave'd." (One of my favorite moments of the match, BTW. I think having Olave in his face rattled Danny a little.) Also, who picks the "highlights" for mlsnet.com? Where's Johnson's laser that Cepero kick-saved? If that goes in, Will's up for GOTW again. It didn't even make the "Cepero save reel" for some reason. But you gotta love Andy's goal--watching the whole thing makes it even better. As it was, standing in the north goal, Andy just kinda appeared on the end of Findley's pass. Watching him get down the field to be there at the precise moment he needed to be is a thing of beauty. That's what I go to games for--those precious few moments where everything comes together. Fortune favors the bold, indeed.
Real Salt Lake Starting Lineup 18 - Nick Rimando (GK) 2 - Tony Beltran 4 - Jamison Olave 5 - Kyle Beckerman 6 - Nat Borchers 8 - Will Johnson 11 - Javier Morales 82 14 - Yura Movsisyan 69 16 - Fabian Espindola 17 - Chris Wingert 84 - Clint Mathis 63 Substitutes 1 - Chris Seitz (GK) 3 - Robbie Russell 10 - Robbie Findley 69 19 - Pablo Campos 20 - Ned Grabavoy 82 22 - Nelson Gonzalez 77 - Andy Williams 63 Great game played by our impact players of the past two years. We spent alot of wasted time playing players that added nothing to this roster. Alot of work is needed in off season to add some good players to this core not just ones with a foreign name.
OK, and agreed. I have been there since the beginning and really want to support the team, but what are we going to do? We all get on here and bitch and moan, but are any of us REALLY going to give up our tickets? I am seriously on the fence, but feel that if i try to "take a stand" here and give up my season tickets all that will happen is that one of you will take them (midfield front row) and i will just be kicking myself in the years to come.