More important? Wearing the same T-shirt or singing loudly for the USA?

If people gave me the cold shoulder, I'd hope it'd be because they hate DC, not because I wore just any club gear.

 

...or just ridicule you and sing the funny songs they've created over the years mocking [insert club here].

 

Understood. But giving the cold shoulder is different from wishing that someone would be somewhere else. Put into personal terms: for a chunk of the match, I was standing next to Thomas Fina. He wasn't wearing a Metros jersey. If he had been, would I have rather that he wasn't? Sure, for the reasons you described. But if he had been, would I have rather that he wasn't at the match? God, no. He was yelling and singing and supporting the team and being a great fan, and that's more important to me -- especially when we need more people who do so.

(I know you said you were done, Mike; but I just wanted to clarify where I stand.)

 

Euro 2004 was in Portugal. I was there, and there were a TON of club jerseys, but they were generally worn by fans of countries who had not qualified for the finals. Most common were all of the Celtic tops worn by Scottish and Irish fans who were there to (among other things) cheer on Henrik Larsson. For the most part, each nation's fans were a sea of a particular color at each match.

All this club/country crap makes me glad I picked up one of those "District of Columbia" scarves - that way I can represent my hometown without pissing anybody off...and maybe one day I'll bring a needle and thread and stitch it on to the 50 State Flags Flag, so I can stop feeling like the second-class citizen that I am, if only for a day. Come to think of it, how dare they bring that "State vs. District or Territory" sh** to a national team game! Take that crap somewhere else! (I kid, I kid...)

Personally, I don't really have a problem with club gear at national team games, but I respect the convention enough to follow it. For example, upon arriving at the tailgate, I removed my DC United hat and stowed it for the duration, to avoid pissing anybody off...right before those fools suffering from severe MPF came running by with that Metro banner that they just happened to have lying around.

 

Yeah, what a coincidence. We had a Metros banner in our van that we only take to soccer games and 85% of them are Metros games.

 

Yeah, I know. I got it confused with Euro 2000. I'm getting old.

<Napoleon Dynamite>

Luh-key

</Napoleon Dynamite>

 

I'm willing to accept that explanation (not that you should necessarily care, but there it is). Sorry for calling you guys fools. (I'm also sorry you had to lose John Guppy and Nick S. in the same year, but that's another thread.)

I don't even care that you guys ran around with your little banner, since (1) it gave us a chance to sing an anti-Metro song, (2) I knew you guys would be in the stadium giving it your all for the U.S., and (3) you didn't hang it up in the stadium like it was some kind of giant Rochester Raging Rhinos banner (and the only beef I had with that was that it seemed, um, a bit out of place...seriously, how many members of the current MNT play for Rochester? How is it that we've gotten this far in this thread nitpicking about who wore what shirt at the freaking tailgate, and no one has mentioned the fact that there was a giant club banner hanging up inside the stadium? Why am I even mentioning this? Now I have no one but myself to blame for what might ensue.).

 

Agreed. I have a lot of respect for Rhinos fans, but that banner didn't even mention the USMT. Is there a player who ever played for the Rhinos who earned a cap for the US? (Just curious)

I thought the Metro flag being run around at the tailgate was funny. I mean, when was the last time that you felt intimidated by seing Metro gear? When they had Baggio?

 

I thought it was funny, too. I see nothing wrong with a little banter at these things.

 

OK, OK , all you guys got me convinced.
At the next Qualie, everybody just wear their MLS gear.
That'll settle the red/blue dsipute. ;-)

 

I guess that means we'll have to bust out the DC United "cat in the hat" jersey.

 

And I'm busting out the Wzards '96 "Rainbow Jersey". That is a true classic.

 

I can hear the burning wiz jokes now

 

Well then, I'll bust out my Washington Darts jersey that will be more like a belly shirt, now!

 

Ok - here's a 'bikini' I could wear to the game:

 

Like this??



She had the right idea.

 

I don't think you want me in the second option.

 

Nancy, I think you under-estimate how much beer we can drink in the tailgate!

 

Well, if I'm there drinking it with you, definitely don't want me in option 2.

 

Wow there's been a lot less backlash than I initially anticipated as soon as I turned on ESPN2.

To answer your question; yes, Henry Gutierrez and John Wolyniec. Two future HOFers! And Yari Allnutt played for the '92 Olympic team in Barcelona. We've actually had more players for T&T's national team including the now deceased Micky Trotman who played against the US in Foxboro in 2001.

 

If I knew how old your daughter was, I'd start cracking jokes, but I don't so I won't.

and I've said it before, and I'll say it again, wearing and waving flags is preferable to any all color scheme. (adn of course chanting and singing.). I brought a pretty cheap flag before Guatemala at RFK way back when. (99?). Had it with me to every game ever since.