What exactly are you protesting? The fact that someone might want to use this game as a vehicle to show their support for the Quakes? Their anger for the mismanagement and connivance of AEG? The complicity of US Soccer? What went down with the Quakes was a sham. If you want to make a Ron Gonzalez banner, I'm all for it. But if you just want to make a sign that says WE WANT OUR QUAKES what's wrong with that? What's inappropriate? Stinkey, I usually agree with you but you lost me here.
A demonstration is not necessarily a protest. Bay Area fans can demonstrate their feelings, without necessarily protesting anything. But a demonstration might be a good thing for potential investors to see. Now, you boys play nice.
Don't get me wrong, I have no qualms about the fact fans want to show support for the Quakes and they way they've been mishandled. I guess I just don't see any clear corelation as why a protest at this game was neccessary and who the intended audience is when I personally see the Quakes leaving was in large part as a local failure of abysmal local politics and poor leadership. I guess that makes different from most BS Quake fans who blame AEG/MLS/SUM/USSF and any other soccer related acryonim. I personally think no investor will come back until we can straighten up "our own" backyard. And our own backyard seems to have many conflicting/competeting interests. The most promising development of late to me is a local issue, that is, smacking down Spartan and forcing then to good faith negotiations. But without proper leadership, this will never happen. -I would never put down your right to protest. I'm guess I'm jaded and just not so sure who the "real enemy" is anymore.
What the heck are you talking about? If that's the case then why did one of our Board Members take time out of his afternoon to speak at the San Jose City Concil hearing today? Why do we continue to engage discussions with those involved in city government in San Jose? Isn't it our repsonsiblity to continue having discussions with other cities to keep all options open? And regarding the Frogs and Seals. Yes, we did just plug the Frogs because we only just met with them. It's my understanding that we are attempting to meet with the Seals as well. Once that meeting occurs and we have a better understanding of their goals we will give them a plug as well. WOW! That's about all I have to say about that.
You don't read the boards much do you? I think blame has been dished out prett evenly between involved parties...including local government officials. Ummmm...Yeah! That sounds like a real effective approach. Why smack them down when they can be a valuable asset in the process?
Any ways back to the subject in this thread... Do anybody knows if is possible to bring the big EARTHQUAKE'S banner at least to the entrance of the stadium. I'm sure the TV cameras will like to film something like that! and beside imagine the statement
I don't see what people want to do at the game as necessarily a "demonstration" or finger pointing at who they might see the "real enemy". It is just an opportunity to let the media and the soccer community in this country know that there are still a large number of passionate Quake fans in the bay area that want to get their team back. More power to them!
?? Maybe its just me, but I always thgouth San Jose was South of Santa Clara. The point was, after all the provincial mud slinging that goes on on these boards about how IF the Quakes were to move north many would disband their support, I find it ironic that some of the very same people int his thread are willing to use SF as a venue to get their demonstration across. that is all I have to say about that.
Appearantly not enough to tow the party line. And this is where I differ. To me it doesn't make much sense to blame MLS, AEG, SUM, etc. going forward, because it seems very unlikely to me (be nice now, I'm on the outside) any team will come to the Bay Area until local issues are resoved. The effort going forward should be to work on local officials, which I am aware SSV is working on. Eh, but like I say, have fun! I just rather see people supporting in red. It's called a figure of speach. How about, the City all has finally taken a position and stated that Spartan should take negotiations a bit more seriously? And would it be too crass of me to ask why anyone in the SJ City Council hadn't tried to pressure, oops, pursuade, Spartan before? Or maybe they have and I don't just don't read these boards enough?
You suggested that a Quakes statement was inappropriate at this game partly because it was in SF. Rather than finding it ironic, I think you were being provincial. Well, SF is my turf too. Never stopped me from being a Quakes fan. Who are these "very same people"? And anyways, who could blame them for using such an obvious opportunity in the campaign to regain their team? If this game was in Madrid, and we were going to have thousands of Quakes fans there, I say we have a rally in Madrid.
I won't deny being provincial just as many SJ fans living in the San Jose and Santa Clara valley are as well. I see nothig wrong with having affinity to a geographical location where you grew up or live. What I said was I thought it was a bit ironic that those who have already pointed out that they would hate to loose "their" team to SF every time the subject has come about would us SF as an oppourtunity to demonstrate for SJ. (you can search the threads to see who these people are, I'm not gonna start calling out names here). Would I rather see an MLS team in SF? Of course I would. I've never minced my words on that. But I also know it isn't gonna happen, so if I want to support MLS, I will support the San Jose Earthquakes. However, the ironicism was not my initial point, it's that it is a USMNT match in a city that is not San Jose and a demonstration that seems aimed at the wrong audience in my opinion. however, with that said, I will admit to not being the world's most passionate SJ Earthquakes supporter, so that is probably why the difference of opinion. To each his own. I respecftully say this is where we can agree to disagree.
I think the most important thing right now, the thing that matters above all else, is that we all come together to support our Quakes. But that does not mean that anyone should be forced into doing anything they don't feel is right or don't want to do. What it means is that we stop arguing with ourselves on how to do it. We are all here because we are Quake fans. That is the bottom line. We are the most passionate of the passionate. That is why we are on these boards. It is also why there can be arguments that pop up from time to time. We want to have our Quakes back so bad that we lose sight of the fact that this is a process. It won't happen tomorrow because we all wear blue to a national team game. But it will happen if we all remain positive and stop arguing with ourselves. Keep the passion! Now, that said, I won't be wearing blue to the game on Friday. I'm standing in Sam's Army. Out of respect to Sam's Army, I will wear red. That is part of standing in Sam's Army and has been tradition for years. But I won't be mad at anyone who does...or say they are less of a fan...or say they aren't supporting our cause or whatever.... I absolutely support the Blue Out idea. I hope to see a ton of fans there with Quakes gear on. I hope to see a ton of Bay Area fans there period...dropping comments to anyone and everyone (hello ESPN) about the Quakes! But I personally will not wear blue simply out of respect for Sam's Army.
that would be very dumb to wear blue since most of the people in the stadium will be rooting for japan it will make our numbers look even smaller please do not wear blue red red red red red red only red.
I think the intersection of the sets "would hate to 'lose' their team to SF" - (a very small set to begin with - how many Quakes fans would object if the team returned in SF, especially if it involved SSS, etc.? I can think of one vocal one but that's about it) and "wants to use SF as an opportunity to demonstrate for SJ" is close to null. Besides, I don't think it would be "demonstrate for SJ". I think it would just be "demonstrate for the Quakes".
Remember, this is being held in San Francisco in February. Wear whatever color shirt you want, it won't matter - it'll be covered by your jacket/sweater/etc. if you have any brains.
Umm.... My sweater is a bright red Nike sweatshirt with USA on the front of it...courtesy of some "friends in certain places" that are sending it to me.
Hehe. I have my Garth Brooks Live CD in my car.... And that was playing this morning. Probably why I used that term. But these are friends in the right places.
This bears repeating: if wearing blue to this game is dumb, then Sam's Army are a bunch of idiots. Tell me, what color did Sam's Army wear when we played: Costa Rica, Trinidad/Tobago AND Canada in crucial World Cup qualifiers? China AND Wales in the most recent Bay Area national team games? Portugal, South Korea AND Poland at the 2002 World Cup. Every one of our group games. Guess what colors those teams wear? Give up?
I'll be wearing a red sweatshirt over my blue Quakes jersey. If I wasn't in the Sam's Army section, I'd wear whatever I wanted. Lee
I'll be wearing a blue Earthquakes sweatshirt (courtesy of W. Man) under my red USA jersey. I have no idea what to do if the camera points my way.