https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=216093 You guys get the honor of hosting the last qualifyer this go-round against Panama. Rejoice.
This is great. I hope we've clinched a top 3 slot by this game. I hope we see 4 Revs in the starting line up.
Ay ... more work. I don't like this ... at all. Midweek game, US will have already qualified, we'll be lucky to hit 15k. This should have gone to a smaller stadium, a city that doesn't get too many of these. This is a pity game for the Boro. Oh well ...
Have to agree with Monty: while I'm happy to see the USMNT at Gillette again, I don't think this will be a big draw, and it would have been nice to see another city get this match; we've been more than blessed with a good number of matches over the years, and it would be nice to spread the wealth. That being said, you can pretty much guarantee that the Riders will once again be good hosts... maybe they'll even allow for a 3-hour tailgate for this match? The Magpie
This is really a boneheaded move by Robert Kraft. Not only is this a midweek match with presumably no or little consequence. Nope. In addition, it's also the eve of the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Bob Kraft should know this and he should be somewhat ashamed. As such, I'm out (and I'm a little angry that I have to miss yet another WC qualifier). Now, I know that the Jewish demographic is not a major consideration towards attendance and I really don't care any which way, but as a Jew, I'm a bit insulted by this. And I do ask that this does not become a thread gone wild on religion. I'm just making an added point about the need for Foxboro to host this match.
Well since there was a qualifier scheduled on Easter Sunday in Mexico I don't think the guys at CONCACAF care about religion too much.
We will have a great time at this one........I am quite excited about the fact that there are 2 qualifiers in the area
Actually, I believe it's FIFA who sets the international fixture dates, so Kraft probably bears little, if any responsibility here... Be thankful: you could have the Brimstone or Atlantic Cup... Four words "Fannies in the seats..." No Weber King at the tailgate? O.k., I take it back - two hours is fine... I can feel your frustration... but again, I believe FIFA sets the dates Jon; there's something like 25 other World Cup Qualifying matches being played around the world the same night of the U.S. vs. Panama. The Magpie
Houston, Reliant Stadium and the footie mad people in South Texas are good enough for "Crowd of the Year" in 2003, but for a World Cup Qualifier we're not??? C'MON USSF WTF! Its understandable for a WCQ against Mexico, even though that matchup rocked in atmosphere and was the game that showed the USSF what kind of pro U.S. crowd can be pulled in a very patriotic yet diverse Houston. So against el Tri or our central american rivals, Reliant is out of the question. However, IMHO an IronEagles-Ticos showdown would be a great contest in Houston, like it was in K.C. back in '01, there are enough ticos to make the atmosphere combative yet not enough to overload the 35-40K that's pro U.S.A. And as the South has shown there is a solid and knowledgeable soccer base that is pro U.S. down here. As said above, these Qualifying matches are on a 4 year cycle and need to be in proven places for pro U.S. support but yet in different stadiums to grow the National Team's image and connection with our footie culture. Not to mention that T&T, with its people in Houston would create a buzz for the match, yet not enough supporters to drown out a U.S.A. following at Reliant. The USSF couldn't kick the ball into the ocean if they were standing on the beach!
no offense intended, but "weber king" and "simpsons line" just go hand in hand I'm sorry, all I can think of is Skinner on the phone: "I know Weinstein's parents were upset, uh, superintendent, but, but -- but I was sure it was a phony excuse. I mean, it sounds so made up: 'yom kip pur.'" Seriously, though, that does bite. It'd be interesting to see one of the players pull a Sandy Koufax.
This game should have been in Texas. I'll be there, but the Qualies should be better used to market the sport in the US.
Shudda---Smudda---Pudda A "Qualifier" at our house in the early Fall with the leave turning. A chance to host our friends in Sams Army from around the country. I'm delighted. Thanks for the gift who ever made the decision. It will be a GREAT OPPORTUNITY to see the USMNT on their way to Germany. Also a GREAT OPPORTUNITY to introduce friends to the game at the hightest level. I'm excited
I don't want to sound ungrateful but it's too little, too late. Foxboro deserved a better game then this and we got nothing. I believe that we will have qualified by that point and and this game will have no meaning. Arena will turn it into another JV scrimmage and the ticket sales will tank.
Come on. We can't complain about Foxboro getting better games. We've had the lion's share for years now. With other MLS markets opening up, and other owners willing to open up sss's, they've got to spread the wealth around. We've got some GC games, the final home qualifyer and the T&T qualifyer in New England. And the Panama game might have a lot of meaning in some contexts, our own Taylor Twellman not being the least of those possibilities.
there is no way im missing any game directly related to the World Cup within driving distance. even if it was a friendly- if there were Rev players involved -id feel it was my duty and my pleasure to attend. ill be there.
Agreed. I for one would have been quite happy to see Frisco get this as a partial means to break in their new stadium.
That is correct. It's the window they set up for these games to take place. The Krafts/US Soccer have no say in this at this point.
Noted. As such, then it is much worse. FIFA scheduling games on two of the holiest days of the year for a large contingent of the world's population... End rant.
i thought it was a celebration of the Easter Bunny bringing chocolate and hiding hard boiled eggs what is religion?
A hell of a lot of good that will do! Y'see, Canada celebrates their holidays in a slightly different way, just to keep you guessing. For example, Yom Kippur is actually on LaboUr day weekend, and Canada's LaboUr day is May 1. Easter is a couple of weeks after the Greek Orthodox Easter, just for the hell of it, and Thanksgiving is Cow-lumbus Day weekend. New Year's Eve comes after New Year's Day, just so you can get in another night of drinking to calm the New Year's hangover. So while you are getting all upset about Yom Kippour, remember that it is really Rosh Hashona north of the 48th parallel.
Seriously, I recall Kraft objecting to the kickoff time of a Patriots game a few years ago, making sure it wasn't a late game becuase the Jewish holidays begin at sundown of the day before. There was a big to-do about the networks, but they relented and let the Pats play the 1:00 game that day. It's a hell of a long walk from Foxboro to Brookline. Given that, I would have to say I'm surprised that when the USSF said, "OK, we've got a Wednesday night game with a 7:30 kickoff, who wants to host?" that Kraft bid for it if it was coinciding with a sacred religious holiday. Hey, I'm not complaining that we got a game, but I am well aware of the importance to spread the wealth around a bit. This could have been a nice way to break in the new Dallas stadium, and soon Chicago is also going to have their hands out when it comes to US games (come to think of it, maybe they figured they should take the games now, because they probably wouldn't get too many more in the next few years) Tom
We're actually a very, very small contingent of the world's population. Seriously, if you listen to what the dinosaurs at the top of FIFA have to say about women's soccer , could you seriously expect them to have any respect for religious holidays? And if you ask FIFA to set aside the holidays for what is, at best, the 6th major religion in the world (probably lower, I would think), then where do you draw the line?