Hate to lay more doom and gloom on everybody, but here's today's commentaries from Ian Penderleith and Bill Urban over at MatchNight: http://www.matchnight.com/?Page=PLENDERLEITH http://www.matchnight.com/?Page=ARTICLE&articleid=19980 Penderleith speaks my mind -- one reason why it's so easy to get utterly seduced by soccer these days is the sport has some of the very best sportswriting out there anywhere. Penderleith, in particular, never ceases to amaze. In the other commentary, on the other hand, Urban sets out in coherent form the angst and dread that folks on this board have been talking about for over a year now. Oh, the horror. Well, ultimately ours is not to reason why . . . I think that the reason why I started this thread is to express my belief that our guys will need support from the stands if we're to get past the Red Bulls. Now, it's up to us to give it up for United in what has every indication of becoming a hard-fought down-to-the-wire opening playoff series with New York.
Well, both Penderleith and Urban make some good points here, particularly in the case of Ian Penderleith. However, they are obviously unaware that Matt Mathai will be wearing his lucky never-lose-at-home shirt for the playoffs, and my tarot cards have yet to predict what happens after we beat NY. Points well taken here, but the fat lady hasn't even come into the rehearsal hall, so let's not assume she's even scheduled to start singing. She maybe practicing her scales at home in the shower, but that doesn't count... The way I look at it is--you need to be aware of what can happen, but the more doom-and-gloom is predicted, the more doom-and-gloom you're going to get. Self-fulfilling prophecies work *very* well, for better or for worse, and if the team goes in with a winning mindset without feeling desperate or cocky, that's a big help, along with healthy players and a good lineup. It all has to come together now, and it's gonna! -Patricia
Oh sure, pile on the pressure. Now I don't know whether it should be the Gelnovatch, the Peay, or something else. Perhaps it should be Norkus who gets a run out - the only way that name would ever sniff the playoffs... Maybe my signed Donadoni Metros jersey (which I would hide under a Galinov 'pink' jersey as penance for wearing a Metros anything.)
I don't understand, Matt - why? Is there really an expectation of impartiality on the part of someone who has a field pass to photograph the game? It's not like you're there in any official capacity.
I've always been given to understand that you shouldn't wear one team's colors or the other's. It hasn't been told to me as an MLS rule or anything. In most stadiums you're given a violently fluorescent vest to wear to make absolutely sure you aren't mistaken for another player (in someone's peripheral vision, I guess.) You don't have to be impartial - I'm not - but I think, at the least, it's poor decorum to be jumping around and cheering when your team scores.
You mean at an away game for your own safety it's wise not to do those things (specially considering that Hoffa is buried there). Poor decorum is putting a Dook ad in the DC United jersey...
*imagines jimmy hoffa's zombie spring up in midfield during the game and running to the sideline after MattMathai yelling.....braaaaaaaains..oh wait."