We will be back

I left Saturday's SSV "Wake" in a surprisingly confident mood. A lot of this is due to the Founders themselves. As pained and exhausted as these folks felt, it was clear that after getting a little sleep this holiday, they were going to pick up the banner again and keep charging ahead. This is really inspired leadership and they did have some irons in the fire they told us about that just might work if the cards can be made to fall just right.
At the end of the meeting I also had a chance to meet and speak briefly with Johnny Moore and thank him for his principled actions back with AEG & Club America (does that seem like a long time ago, or what?). During the 'Wake" he also had a few words for us which really illustrated how unique the Quakes/fans situation has been here in the context of US soccer.
I was not really aware of soccer in the NASL days; it took having kids in the sport to get me involved, beginning with the Blackhawks. When MLS & the 'Clash" came in I thought this would be something great to be involved with "from the ground floor". I wasn't there when MLB and NFL began, but I could be for MLS and maybe could tell my grandchildren, "I was there when..."
Spending a decade with Clash/Quakes also gave me an appreciation for the NASL Earthquake legacy and how this community's soccer population was different (I'd suggest "better") than many other locales.
Of course I recognize many problems and flaws in MLS and owners like AEG... which would make it that much sweeter (and maybe a great book someday) if EQ fans could actually revive the franchise yet again, in spite of all of those obstacles.
In fact, right now the soccer to me is almost secondary compared to the challenge of taking on and BEATING the powers-that-be using a grassroots effort. Sort of "They said it couldn't be done, so we DID it!". If it can be done along a Johnny Moore-type-vision of a lasting and symbiotic club/fan base, something special will have been done. It would be an object of envy elsewhere, and perhaps a model for others. The more operations like that who vote in MLS boardrooms, the more reduced AEG influence becomes.
That being said, I want to toss out a couple of ideas while SSV is resting up for the January battle.
The first is that of boosting SSV's profile.They asked that people urge San Jose and MLS to include them at the table as reps for the fans. If they can do that, they have a chance to secure the name/legacy etc , and also possibly influence/guide other discussions.
So how do we best do that, and doesn't that need to be done sooner rather than later? After all, MLS and AEG really care most about money. Excited fans and inter-city rivalries are great as a PR tool to sell their product, but that doesn't necessarily engender respect. And the politicians care about being reelected, or about serving public needs as demanded by the public.
SSV has no real power. Its only leverage is the threat to give a negative PR spin to SJ or MLS plans, and sometimes this can happen only after the fact. Garber would like to use SSV now as a booster for PR purposes, too.
However, power can really be increased if others PERCEIVE that you have power. Therefore, if we can cause the main players to have that perception, they will include SSV. The best way to make that happen right now is to convince the Mercury News, the local City Councils and MLS that SSV is a force to be reckoned with, and that this be done before January as much as possible so SSV will have just that much more credibility when it needs it.
Therefore now is the time for anyone and everyone who is attached to some organization or well-know person (sports, social, etc), to collect "letters of reference", preferably with impressive letterheads, and get those shipped to the Mercury News or other news or media outlets, as well as to Garber and to the SJ Council. Brandi Chastain's editorial for a soccer stadium is a great example, except that it needs to be touting SSV instead. The more testimonials that the involved parties (MLS, SJ) or local opinion-leaders (Mercury News, KICU, KLIV etc) receive, the more they will assume that SSV really IS the "community voice". If the Merc is anti-Gonzales and anti-Norcal, etc, perhaps the "abused, neglected fans" represented by SSV could be an angle they could use as an example of how bad government hurts things. If SSV is seen as prestigious, it will be harder to brush them off.
A final point. SSV has asked for letters and support, and many people have responded - they've posted some copies of their efforts here. However, if someone out there has email/mass mailing experience perhaps they could help SSV out and organize the writing campaigns. Right now, people tend to write when asked, but it might be better to keep a steady flow going, to keep the idea of SSV as a force that needs to be reckoned with always upfront.
For example, suppose there were different cadres of letter-writing people could be asked to volunteer for. One could be the "on-demand", where you write in once on an issue as directed by SSV. Maybe another group would be people willing to write letters (this would work with phone calls, too, I suppose) say, twice a month. You might even be able to get a few hardcores who would be willing to do it once a week.
Then the organizer could solicit and direct targeted letters, by sending out instructions to the cadres as needed. That would ensure a constant flow (even if only a few) getting to imortant recipients, thus keeping the SSV name in front of them all the time. Then, if particular events need extra attention, additional cadres could be called in to support those.
With so many people on BigSoccer, you could probably get a large amount of people willing to help a fellow fan-group at least one time. And if this is all done towards boosting SSV, SSV will get in the door and its influence will multiply. We want every media outlet to already know of SSV and to seek their opinions on all issues.
And if other organized MLS fan groups could give petitions or letters-of-reference to MLS touting SSV, that might increase the MLS perception that much of their fan base/PR base also cares about how SSV is treated.
If you've read this far, thanks, and I apologize for being so long-winded.

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Not speaking here formally on behalf of SSV, but we could certainly use a continuing drumbeat of letters and emails, from all quarters to all the powers-that-be, that Quakes fans expect their team to return in 2007, expect full cooperation in that effort with SSV, who represent the voice of the fans, and we as Quakes fans are fully behind them. The thread on "my letter to Cindy Chavez" provides a useful example.

By the way, SSV has already resumed charging ahead behind the scenes. We are not going to waste a day in our efforts. And we are never going to give up in our efforts to get our team back.

 

That being the case, I believe it is inevitable that victory will be ours!

 

As a supporter and founder member of FC United of Manchester, I am saddened to hear the plight of San Jose Earthquakes, I am however, delighted that you are not accepting the decision of MLS without a fight.

If you are not familiar with the sort of FC United, the club was formed in July 2005 by disenchanted Manchester United supporters after their club had been taken over by Malcolm Glazer. FC United is the latest in an ever-growing number of fan-controlled clubs in England, arguably, the most famous and to-date the most successful example of a fan-run club is AFC Wimbledon (www.afcwimbledon.co.uk) who were formed after their club Wimbledon FC was moved to Milton Keyns an unscrupulous money man with no consideration for the clubs tradtional support.

There are other recent examples of fan-formed clubs in Poland (Legia Warsaw) and soon to be in Austria (Red Bull (formerly Austria Salzburg).

I wish you luck on your journey and to let you know that you will always have friends in Manchester. If you require any assistance in creating your club I would suggest you refer to Supporters Direct (www.supporters-direct.co.uk) who have assisted in the formation of supporters trusts at numerous clubs in the UK and Europe.

If you need any help, advice or assistance - please do not hesitate to visit the FC United forum at www.fcunitedofmanchester.co.uk

Good luck.

 

This is all very inspirational to read during these dark days. This determination on the part of the fans is the best of what sports can be.

Here's a thought - we are all going to have more time and money on our hands next year that would have been devoted to the Quakes. Let's challenge everyone to dedicate a portion of that time/money to the effort to bring OUR team back. SSV, tell us how we can help.

 

I'm wondering if we can somewhow create a season ticket renewal letter or pledge and mail them to Garber's office in New York. We gotta keep on his aeg butt and make sure he's true to his word about San Jose in 2007 ... Keep the pressure on. He certainly got a lot of voice mails that he mentioned it in one of his press conferences.

 

SSV's board is meeting tonight. Hopefully, we will have some formal message regarding directing fans' energies following the meeting.

 

That's good to hear. Go SSV!!!

- Holly Ward

 

Very cool of you to stop by. Thanks.

 

Even though the kits have been blue since the beginning of MLS, the Quakes have always been in red, in my own mind. In the last couple of years, there have been some memorable games at Spartan Stadium. For me, one the favorites was the Dallas game when the Quakes were wearing the correct color. However, I am the first to admit that this is my fantasy and should not be confused with what really might happen.

All I can say is that Johnny Moore is THE class act of local soccer. It matters little in what capacity he might be at any given moment. I have seen him at many levels....co-ed games on Wednesday evenings in the summer (with him leaving my bald head in his wake), Sunday over 35 league (again leaving me in his wake), women's league (he was coaching the opponents of the women's team that I coached), professional player, consumate general manager of the Quakes, and always with a smile and warm handshake.

 

Let us know what we can do! My mourning is over, now I am determined to be part of the solution to bring the Quakes back to San Jose where they belong.

 

Think along in these lines. Add a bit of blue.

PS: Much better than the one made in 2004 to commemorate the NASL Quakes. Right now, I'm too sold on adidas.

 

for me, it's gotta be blue.

yes, there's a generation of fans that will always think of Quakes as red. But there's also a signifigant portion of the audience that only knows the Quakes in their championship blue. I'm in that second group.

I like a red road/alternate jersey. But blue for home. The blue/red Barcelona idea was intriguing. Actually, very much so.

I want the Quakes back, and back in Blue and Black.

 

Personally, I would prefer Blue and Black as well--but on the other hand, the fans who want red have been Quakes fans MUCH longer than I have been. I can't help but feel we should defer to their wishes, as a simple matter of respect to Johnny Moore et. al.

But as someone said earlier, I'd be happy to get them back in lime green and pink!

- Holly Ward

 

It says the thing is from Los Angeles. Must be something a Galactoscum fan wore. Could it be Topper's?

 

I think the team can come back in both red and blue. In blue you can have red as a second color. In red you can have blue as a second color.

Man U and Arsenal have red and blue colors.

I think it would be simple to have both as colors.

And with the organizational skills SSV has I think they should be part of the new Earthquakes front office. They should sell out the new stadium.

 

I want to see the Quakes back in San Jose where they belong. I don't care what color kits they wear or who makes them.

I want for the evil aeg to be completely removed from the San Jose picture (excepting of course that they will continue to own two or more MLS clubs).

In order for this to happen, some local owners need to step up. I leave those details to SSV, but promise to write, make, phone calls, whatever I can do to help.

And we need a stadium. One of the cities or the county will have to provide the land, or it won't happen. But the financing will have to be private.

I don't expect that the fans can actually buy the team, but it would be cool if there was someway we could contribute financially to the stadium. (Of course, you'd need serious long-term pledges from at least 2000 to 3000 fans. I'm thinking something like the PSL's the Traitors sold, but without the greed, graft, and corruption of that fiasco.)

QUAKES FOREVER!!

- Mark

 

Nah, couldn't be, it's listed as "young misses, sz 6-8".

I'm pretty sure he's not that petite.

 

Depends on what you mean by petite. Just ask his girlfriend or wife or whoever. I guess that it comes with the territory with the galaxy. Those that remember the cobi jones reference about being "petite" by a certain woman or blog will know that cobi and topper seem to have things in common ...

 

Sweet Jesus, that looks like something that even Goodwill would reject.

 

If I had it my way, this would be the new Quake's home kit.



I'm in favor of a return to red for two reasons:
-I see it as a statement of rejection to AEG's influence on the club (although I don't really know if AEG was in charge of the Quakes when blue became the team color).
- Red is the color that East San Jose youth use to represent their neighborhood and wear it to show pride for ESJ....That's why you see so many youth wearing red around ESJ (it's not all gang related). Hence, blue Quakes' jerseys and merchandise will never sell well amongst ESJ youth... IMO, connecting with the working class community of SJ is the key to the Quakes' success...when they return, that is. I'm flexible in this, however, . I'd be just as happy with the following kit as well.






While bue and red is used by other MLS clubs, I wouldn't associate any other MLS kits with this one. IMO, this is one of the nicest kits ever, and moreover, it's no longer in use by PSG.

 

Red is the color of the Surenos. They are a gang from LA. They are in an on and off turf battle with Notenos who are a San Jose based gang. Both colors are banned from all schools on the east side.

Where do you get your info about ESJ?

 

Ahh... It's been 10 years since I lived on the east side. Had to call one of my homies. Sorry. Reversed. Red is the Nortenos as is the number 14. Blue is Surenos as is the number 13.

Decent parents won't let their children wear these colors as wearing either can get you shot. At my kids school which has a high percentage of Latino kids, both are banned. At Downtown College Prep, they went with Green and Yellow to avoid trouble.

 

That's sad. I see "XIV" graffiti in my town but wearing a certain color isn't dangerous. What colors do the high schools in your area have for their sports teams?