I hate singers who drag out the anthem, Alicia Keys at the Super Bowl was the worst. It's an up-tempo song, sing it that way.
And, strangely, there are more teams on the Atlantic ocean in the Metropolitan Division than in the Atlantic Division.
But how are they going to hock their musical talent to music execs without bastardizing our anthem? It is the American Idol disease I think that is a selfie by guy who resembles Pitbull.
OP thinks playing in cold weather is "bush league". I'm glad that the USSF has learned not to host WCQ games in migrant cities like Washington DC, Chicago, LA, etc. Qualifying for the World Cup is more important than selling some more tickets.
Yet, they still hosted it in Salt Lake. I'd think it's a bit unfair to deprive half the country of being able to see their team play a meaningful game. Then again, it is about winning too. If it weren't so damn expensive to travel...
Well you have to appreciate what the Hunt group has done in Columbus in bringing that stadium, the first, to MLS and the national team. I do agree it's time for retrofit, and finding a way to accommodate another 10k in there is going to be an important part of the future for the national team. You can't have games like this on the East or West. The most important matches need to be played close to the heart.
Phoenix is an exhibition location. I think they played against Mexico there. Seas of green in the stands... US hasn't hosted a game in the Bay Area for awhile. Usually it's friendlies with Asian teams like Japan and China.
The only complaint I could levy on Columbus was the ridicously long lines to enter the Stadium. It was still taking people 30 minutes to get in past security even at 7:45pm
I'm not saying host it in Phoenix, I know it'd be a 98% Mexican crowd. I make the drive up to Sandy, UT each time they play the WCQ there, but it's once every four years. I'd like to be able to attend more meaningful matches without spending a fortune.
The cost to add another 10k seats you might as well build a new Stadium. Crew stadium cost 35 mil to build. I see people complaining that they should tear out all the benches and add seats, Who is sitting down at this game? I have never seen anybody sitting at this game. For some reason they had to wand everybody and they don't do that for Crew games, must be a US soccer thing.
I "felt bad" for the really drunk guy in front of me who was sweating bullets when I informed him that they were going to wand him. He had two flasks on him. He entered the stadium going Cero a Dos.
Columbus is the only place we should play Mexico in World Cup Qualifying. If there is any doubt, I think we should put it up for a vote by the US players themselves. I have no doubt what the result of that vote would be.
Also, from now on Costa Rica in Denver. Seattle, Kansas City, Nashville, Chicago, Salt Lake, DC, Carson, et. al. can split the rest of the games.
There were several posts from crew folks warning about this...thx because we were though in less than five minutes cause we got there early...
Columbus should always host the US-Mex game, at least until the Dos y Cero magic wears off. But the rest of the qualifiers need to be in larger stadiums next time around. Allow more fans to attend and create a connection to the team. At the moment with the popularity of US soccer we could maintain a pro-us crowd in most markets against every other concacaf nation (with the exception of Mexico) without being restricted to MLS stadiums. Also please put at least one qualifier in California, please