Fellow Earthquakes Fans: About a month from now, SJ will do battle once again with all that is evil from SoCal. As I live in Boston these days and will be unable to attend either of the matches, I'd like to contribute in what small way I can. My proposal: compile a list of all that is wrong with the Galaxy. When the matches roll around, print this sucker out and hand them out to people as they enter the stadium. It's time to reinforce the notion that this is the game of the regular season. More people always come out for the LA game, but I want the love for the Quakes and hatred for the Galaxy overflowing from the stands and onto the field. Feel free to add on as many things as possible. Can't wait to see some Quakes action on the deuce this weekend! Godspeed, Charles
1. They're from LA 2. They besmirched our state's good name by losing 3 times in the MLS Cup final 3. Luis Hernandez 4. Cobi Jones 5. They steal our water 6. Alexi Lalas 7. Jorge Campos Bake 'em away toys...
I will add a GOOD thing about LA- 1) They don't make stupid lists and obsess about what they fans will think as they enter the stadium.
Fair enough. We used to do this at our home basketball games, though, and it worked pretty well. BC went from utter crap to Big East champs in a few years (the Earthquakes, as I'm sure you recall, took a similar worst to first path), and as a result, what were once crowds of 500 turned into sellouts (8500 kids). Of course, the side effect of this is that many of these new fans were casual. Not that that's a bad thing (it beats the alternative of fewer fans at the game), but there was a need to bring the new fans up to speed. There would be printouts on the seats before the games explaining who to cheer for, who to jeer on the other team, where the teams were in the standings, why this game was important. People loved it, and after a few games, it took off. In addition, pre US games, all the "Reason to hate ____" countries came up. Maybe this isn't the right way of doing it, but I think there is a growing need to emphasize the LA games. Back in the day, 20,000 would come out for the SJ-LA match. How many were there this season, like 13,000 or so? Here's my hypothesis about the SJ crowds. Through the management/ownership/name changes and whatnot, the casual fan couldn't keep up and lost interest. Now that more fans are coming to the Quakes games, they are not necessarily the old fans coming back. Thus, people don't realize the importance of the LA game (let alone implications on the standings, home field in the playoffs, etc.) Whether it be through in stadium give aways, extra promotion, press conferences by the players, whatever - the message needs to get out to the community that this is a big game. The players know it, the coaches know it, the hardcore fans know it. How is it, then, that there's been about 1/3 drop off over the past 5 years for what should be one of the big games of the year?
2. LA's fans take up too much room. I think next time they come up we should charge them like the airlines, make them buy two seats.
Re: Re: My contribution for the LA match It's only a problem when there are actually fans sitting next to them, they don't charge extra on an empty plane.
Re: Re: Re: My contribution for the LA match       And they also save money on meals, as they simply eat the fans next to them ala Sigi Schmid (and thus, the empty plane).       GO EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
1. crappy driver for a goalie....cut me off on the 101 and gave me the finger 2. their coach is a bad jabba the hut imitation 3. Lalas helped give me a bad case of alcohol poisoning.
It's LA, plain and simple. They don't need a sheet to hate them. I can understand a sheet that goes over the history/bad blood between teams, who to boo for, etc, but not a "hate sheet". I realize what you meant by it though
Let see you guys need sheets to figure why they "hate la", and you need the PA system to tell you when to cheer. Are you guys sure you're not the San Jose Short Bus Riders? PS - This is meant to be light hearted, so it doesn't turn into yet another flame war.