Two years ago today I walked the two miles from the Columbus Youth Hostel to Columbus Crew Stadium into one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I had been in the same stadium the previous October for the Costa Rica qualifier. That was a fun night with a noisy crowd boiling under a harvest moon. But it was nothing like the Mexico game. I arrived in the Sam’s Army section about 45 minutes before game time and it reminded me of Christmas morning as a child. The atmosphere was crackling with excitement. When the team came out we began a chorus of cheers that lasted during the entire warm-up. Josh Wolff wrote on his web page that the crowd reaction during the warm-up was one of the most incredible experiences of his life. The day after Columbus I wrote here that Columbus was like Woodstock; no one who was there would ever be the same again. Typical Flannigan hyperbole, but it was made in the atmosphere of delirious optimism in the wake of Columbus. We thought we had finally reclaimed our stadiums from foreign invaders and we would sweep the hexagonal behind fanatical home support. It didn’t happen. Hondurans jammed RFK and we stumbled badly, barely qualifying for the World Cup. We needed a miraculous chain of events, including a shorthanded Trinidad beating Honduras in San Pedro Sula, to beat out Honduras by one point. We thought Columbus would be the beginning of a new era. It may have been a unique event, never to be repeated. The USSF is embroiled in the very dangerous Humberto Martinez litigation that could make it impossible to segregate US fans and encourage vocal support. Immigrant fans are growing as fast as or faster than our own fan base, and their growing affluence makes future RFK disasters likely. The USSF has shown little interest in scheduling critical games in Columbus or other small stadiums far from opponent fan populations. I went to a Salvadorian restaurant in DC after the Honduras game and it was crammed with celebrating Catrachos. One of them told me: “What the hell did you put the game here for? We never could have beaten you in Columbus.” But for one glorious night we finally beat Mexico on the field and in the grandstand. It was a night to remember. It was a long time coming. It may well be a long time gone.
call me a loser, but that was probably one of the greatest nights of my life, if not the greatest. Man what an atmosphere, what a game, what a feeling.
Call me a loser too. I have been to almost every country in the world. I have danced in Carnaval in Rio, heard the Vienna State Opera 5 straight nights, been to incredible college football and pro baseball games. I even met Jerry Garcia for a few seconds. I have done all kinds of stupid things. Columbus is up there in terms of incredible experiences. But we have only begun to fight. I challenge YOU, American fans to do 2 or 3 Columbus-like events during the next round of qualifiers. OK, you were not there. But you can make it happen again if you want it badly enough. We might need this kind of support to qualify. I think it made a difference last time.
Feels like a long time ago. I was suprised that ESPNZone was going to show this match on their bigscreen, but I guess they had nothing else to show. I was nice and comfy in those recliners they had and nice and toasty with the brews. On each of those two goals scored, I was prancing in front of the big screen with my scarf while other US fans went crazy too. The rest of the restuarant looked at me as some crazed nut, which probably wasn't far from the truth. At least one employee there knew what was up as he came and high-fived us all. Yep, that was a great night for me, especially for my friends who witnessed me as a soccer fanatic.
I remember hearing about what happened in San Francisco. The place in Haight-Ashbury was packed and people were yelling. At the end I heard crowds walked out the door in unison singing patriotic songs, spilling out into the city. I think London had a smaller but equally fervent patriotic demonstrations by American fans.
What a night that was. My feet were freezing, but my heart and spirit were warm. Truly a great and memorable time.
I was in the Northeast corner - the corner where Josh Wolff turned two Mexican defenders and ran the ball along the end line before passing it to Ernie for the second goal. In the midst of the delirium, I was standing (or dancing or jumping or screaming) in the aisle and somebody pushed past me moving down the stairs toward the field rail. I looked down at the guy and saw that he was a Tri fan carrying a Mexican National team unifrom shirt in his hand. He walked very deliberately to the railing, reached back, and threw the shirt as far as he could onto the field. It landed about three yards into the field. Then, without waiting for it to land, he turned on his heels, walked down the ramp and disappeared under the stands. If I live 300 years, I will never forget that moment. Absolutely unbelieveable.
Wonder what he thought of his team's performance in the WC? I would have LOVED to been in the media room that night. http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2001/0228_usa_mex_ml_index.html http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2001/0228_usa_mex_wj_index.html 2nd link has .mpg's. The thing that rocks about Columbus is that we're still talking about it two years from then.
great stuff! "Call me a loser too. I have been to almost every country in the world. I have danced in Carnaval in Rio, " isnt that the famous carnaval? that really big one? i heard it makes mardi grass look like a carnival for kids.
Man, oh man...where to begin? The 15 hour drive I made the day before from Minneapolis to Columbus, leaving at 4 AM CT, getting to Cbus just after 9 PM ET... Going to breakfast at MickeyDs with my good friend and host, Dennis Acosta, and totally playing mind games with the Mexican staff there...I walked in wearing no coat and my short sleeved red US jersey...And got lots of stares from the employees (Hey, to me, it WAS warm...I left temps of -15 behind in Minnesota)... Walking around downtown for a few hours...there was a small, but definite buzz about the match... Arriving at CCS, seeing all those Tri fans in the parking lot, and thinking, "we're in trouble..." Memorable sign from one of the aforementioned Tri fans, "Next Time, Try Alaska." Hey, thanks for the idea! Being down in the SA section as the team came out before the team came out...and, after moving back up to Section 237, wondering where the heck the Mexicans were... The point during the National Anthem when the sound system failed momentarily and all you heard was the sound of 20,000 Americans singing... Never sitting down once during the entire match - most of which was due to excitement, but a little for self-defense, as well...hey, metal bleachers + 20 degree weather = frozen tush... Yelling myself absolutely hoarse...the FRIE-DEL chants in the second half..."Na-Na, Hey-Hey, Good-bye!" The hour plus it took to get out of the parking lot afterward... The drive home the next day not taking neeearly as long as the one down... Listening to Tony Kornheiser actually talking about the match as I was driving through central Ohio... KC was great too, but "La Guerra Fria" was my first cap, and will always be something special. Like Thomas, I've been to a lot of sporting events, including some of college football's great rivalries, NHL and NBA playoff games, A Rose Bowl, and even an Olympics. Nothing...and I mean nothing comes close to a February night in Columbus, Ohio. However, unlike Thomas, I'm a bit more optimistic that this wasn't just a one-shot deal...RFK debacles notwithstanding...but that's a subject for another time...
Great post, bluecat. I hope we get another Coumbus or two because we are going to need it. Lond, I have not been in Mardi Gras in New Orleans but I imagine it would be better than Carnaval in Rio due to safety considerations. Most people in Rio stay inside during Carnaval to avoid the crime. Probably the greatest street festical I have ever seen is the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, Spain. The place goes nuts in a way no big city can. I had a great time but got robbed too!
Columbus was magical that night. Great party. Great crowd. Rivalry. Important match with great timing. Tremendous Sam's Army section. Great stadium. At the time, who would have even thought it possible for us to win without Claudio and McBride? I may be 'chasing Amy,' but it will happen again on our soil. Portugal in Suwon was pretty amazing as a Yank fan, too.
I think it's very selfish of us not to include a Mexican perspective of that night. All of us who were there have great memories, but I thought it would be nice to hear from the other side. Here is a letter from a Mexican friend, Senor Miguel Verde, who was at the match As I walked to the stadium, I knew El Tri was in trouble. I've never seen so many Americans in America. And where were the vendors selling sombreros, Mexican flags, social security numbers, burritos, horns, fajitas, Tecate and urine bags like there are in LA, Houston, San Diego, Denver, DC, Phoenix, Chicago? Where were the mariachi bands, the sound trucks blaring meringue, the booths set up by La Raza? It was very strange. Once I got in, I made my down to midfield, only to be chased out of the seat by a large group of gringos wearing Ohio State jackets. Who knew that those numbers on the ticket meant something? Everywhere else I've been, I just sat where I wanted and nobody bothered me. I had to sit way up in the top instead. And it was muy frio, my friend. I haven't been that cold since the coyote left me in the montanas east of LA that winter night long ago. It was so cold that I didn't try to fill my bag with urine until I went to the bathroom. But another huge gringo wearing red saw me, grabbed the bag, and dumped it on my head. I was the only Mexican in there, so what could I do? Even the greatest goalie, AND forward, in the world was fooled by the thru-ball Mathis hit to Wolff. I thought for sure he would get to it. Better to be macho than right, we say in Mexico. Is Senor Wolff part Mexican, because I would swear he was dancing salsa as he left those two defenders in the corner before feeding Stewart. Only a Mexican could make a play like that against the greatest defenders in the world. I hope the USSF goes back to putting all games in Mexican cities like LA so I don’t have to suffer like that ever again. Adios, mi amigo.
Remember it like it was yesterday. The GREATEST night of soccer in my life (so far) & one of the greatest in the history of US soccer. The atmosphere in Columbus that night was ELECTRIC. A PRO-USA crowd, though not as HUGE as I would've liked. A GORGEOUS, soccer-specific stadium!! The passion, intensity & "hatred" between USA fans & mexican fans was NEVER more evident!! IMHO the FREEEEEEEEEZING cold just ADDED to the entire "show." I just hope that they will be more nights like those in the future!! Perhaps, at the HDNTC, which looks like it will be an AMAZING stadium!!!
Hate to ruin your parade, but I honestly believe that if there's a US-Mexico game where the result plays an important role in standings, i don't think it'll be played anywhere with a significant mexican population. But I am certain that HDNTC will see plenty of red, white and blue in the future.
I wish I had espn at that time. I recordered the game in spanish (thank you telemundo) and the pregame was one hour long! Unbelievable. I had to use two tapes just to recorder it. Anyways, that was one hell of a game and I wish I had been there. First time at that time that I had ever seen a pro US crowd at a soccer match. The whole thing sent shivers down my spine, every one was standing, yelling, singing, throwing sh** on the field. Beautiful man, just beautiful.
What a match! The U.S. schooled the Mexican's. The atmosphere was awsome. Josh's juke in the corner was beautiful. Kudos to Sam's Army and Lamar Hunt.