Falling concrete @ RFK Redux

Discussion in 'D.C. United' started by MeridianFC, Nov 24, 2004.

  1. MeridianFC

    MeridianFC Member

    Jul 26, 1999
    Washington, DC USA
    I might be doing a freelance story on the falling concrete incident from RFK a few years back. If anyone (well besides me) was in sections 309 or 310 on that date (I've got to go look up when the date actually was) or knows anyone who was get in touch with me. It's not a slam dunk piece but it might have some new/old stadium context.

    IIRC there was also a failure of the railing on the SE/BB side of the stadium during MLS CUP '97. If you have any input into that let me know. Hell if any piece of RFK has almost caved your skull in I'm curious to hear.
     
  2. Claymore

    Claymore Member

    Jul 9, 2000
    Montgomery Vlg, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Would you include something about the famous blackout?
     
  3. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Wasn't the failed railing on temporary bleachers behind the south goal?
     
  4. Serie Zed

    Serie Zed Member

    Jul 14, 2000
    Arlington
    No idea if this is relevant to you or not, but I can't count the number of times people have bit it at the bottom of the stairs between Sections 332 and 333. The corners of the stairs are slick and smoothed by age and every time it gets wet someone wipes out hard.
     
  5. Sundevil9

    Sundevil9 Member

    Nov 23, 1999
    Reston, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    After the home opener in 1998, the first year I had a ticket plan, my friend and I were about to leave through the exit to the left of Gate A (as you look at it from the inside). An elderly (OK they were older than us, maybe not quite elderly....maybe fifties) were crossing the exit threshold when the rolling door came crashing down on the man, hitting him on his shoulder and throwing him to the ground. An RFK employee went to help and once we figured that the guy was going to be OK, we proceeded to go through what we now call "The Gate of Death". We actually go out of our way to exit through the Gate of Death, as to not offend it.
     
  6. joshdcu

    joshdcu New Member

    Jun 29, 1999
    Washington, DC
    I was in 309 when the concrete fell. I remember looking over and saying "what the...?" But that's about it.

    Following the "lightning never strikes the same spot twice" theory, I now sit in 310. That, and the stream of expletives coming from Meridian during each match is well worth the price of admission on its own.
     
  7. greatscott

    greatscott Member+

    Dec 21, 2002
    Richmond
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i remember during MLS all star match at rfk a bit ago when the whole place was shaking and i saw the concrete crack on the floor. i though it was cool
     
  8. JoseP

    JoseP Member

    Apr 11, 2002
    I'm not sure where you are going with this article. But, when US played Jamaica in a qualifier, I, and fellow fan, went to our seats in section 302 to find them totally caked in pigeon crap. I'm not talking a few drops here and there; it was, at least, an inch thick.

    The usher's response, "It ain't my problem. My job is show people where their seats are. Nothing more, nothing less."
     
  9. greatscott

    greatscott Member+

    Dec 21, 2002
    Richmond
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    good employees huh
     
  10. JoseP

    JoseP Member

    Apr 11, 2002
    Well, my response was that if that is the case then she was doing a fantastic job. She then threw the F-bomb at me.
     
  11. Lanky134

    Lanky134 New Member

    Oct 25, 1999
    134, 3, 6
    I'm pretty sure it was the 8/25 game. I wrote a letter to the DCSEC after that incident and I think I still have Dalrymple's response somewhere. I'll try to dig it up for you, if you'd like.
     
  12. gocaps

    gocaps Member

    Sep 23, 2000
    With the SEs in 134
    Right in front of BB in 135. The players had come over with the trophy and there were a LOT of people leaning on the railing. It failed and a number of folks crashed down to the floor below. And CSC, of course, started to attack and hold down the people who had fallen after the railing gave way, as if they had purposely caused the railing to fail. I vividly remember Brad, who was one of the only bilingual people in the Barra at the time (there wasn't much English spoken there then :) ), trying desperately to make peace - speaking Spanish to the people who had fallen and English to the CSC guys. Chico, do you remember this?

    134 was really packed for that game too - for some reason we had a crapload of asshat seat jumpers who I hadn't seen at a game before or since, so the first several rows were all two to a seat for most of the game.
     
  13. CHICO13

    CHICO13 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Oct 4, 2001
    SECTION 135
    Club:
    The Strongest La Paz
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    Yeah, I was towards the rear working my way to the front when it happened. I think that was the start of our wonderful relationship with the CSC. :rolleyes:

    I remember Martin, an old Barra member going nuts in Spanglish asking the CSC dude to meet him outside after his girlfriend got roughed up a bit by security. Cooler heads prevailed and the team took the Barra banner and started jumping up and down with it. :)

    I'm going to miss that crusty old dump....
     
  14. nancyb

    nancyb Member

    Jun 30, 2000
    Falls Church, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You speak the truth.
     
  15. gocaps

    gocaps Member

    Sep 23, 2000
    With the SEs in 134
    Me too :(
     

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