We will be posting details soon, but clear your schedules for the afternoon of Tuesday, 4 February. Let's introduce Earnie to what he can expect from DC United fans. The more the merrier! GM
i will certainly be there. i assume we will just meet at the International Arrivals as there is only the one gate all those flights come out of (i was there on 12/20 waiting for the wife and ray hudson cruised out of there and promised me he had found a forward, little did i know he was alluding to my all time favorite player...). i know that will mean a lot to earnie. he told me he always appreciates it when US fans travel to watch him play, whether for the USMNT or NAC etc. the players at NAC have a very close, personal relationship with the fans (earnie is the particular favorite of the Vak G), and i am sure earnie will love the way the fans here love the team. btw--i was fortunate enough to watch "Our Way" recently and the love earnie has for the US is pretty damn apparent.
yes, at the general international arrivals gate on the ground level. lets hope a lot of folks can make it!! i can help arrange transportation for anyone who needs it.
OK, here's the dealeeo so far: Red&Black is liaising with security for us. Drums are not allowed, but signs, voices and a few cowbells are encouraged. 5:15 on Tuesday, 4 Feb is the earliest Earnie and family are expected. We will assemble at the Dulles international arrivals gate (it will be crowded so pretend like you're at a game and secure space). We will soon announce a specific time by which we think everyone should plan to arrive (stay tuned). Plan to carpool. I'll defer to Red&Black, since he's offered, to coordinate transportation. Let's get at least 50 vocal fans there! GM
if i could get any folks willing to drive others to PM/email will contact info that would be great. also for folks on metro, maybe we could get someone to pick you up from the west falls church stop, i am planning to put pressure on my friends here on BS and my brothers from the Barra to not only show but help with transport. i think it is extremely important to get folks out. if nothing else, it is still a damn long time from Feb. 4 until the damn season starts so at least Feb. 4 is a good football activity. also, it is my understanding that some place in Reston, or some other hellhole out there (houlihan's or something) is thinking about showing matches--well greet earnie and then file over there for beer--hell put it on chico's tab. anyway, arrange time off work now, plan rides, get kids out of class, get a cowbell, let's really push. we got a damn fine turnout at our last happy hour, the least we can do is get one for earnie, hell i'll bring beer and we can have a tailgate in the short term lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here a map of the airport in case you haven't been to Dulles (or like me, it's been a while) http://www.metwashairports.com/Dulles/terminal.htm K
I also think heading out to Houlihan's afterword is a plan (lets show the soccer interest in the area and help get them to show games). If the dude who mentioned the place could provide directions that would be helpful. As far as drinking beer in the lot, if it's cold like it is today I'm not standing around. Also the airport folks are being pretty cool about letting us hang out, I don't think worth pressing their good will. Now if we want a little something to jazz up our coffees while we wait.... K
there is actually a bar not far from the arrivals section and the lot situation isn't really conducive to partying. however, just to make one thing clear--the airport people are not "letting us" hang out--it is a public place and we have a right to be there. they definitely appreciated the courtsey of telling them, but they said it wasn't really necessary, but they are happy we seem organized.
My last arrival party experience at Dulles seemed to go okay which was the great PM Honduras "disaster." Even then when there were 500 screaming Hondurans and about ten US fans... the cops seemed to be very professional... and even, GASP... polite.
You might want to warn the Fairfax and Loudoun County officials about all you "city folk" coming out to visit our rural areas.