For some reason I never really found soccer all that interesting. After all, soccer is just a bunch of guys (or girls) running around on a pitch trying to kick a ball into the opposing teams' goal, right? Where are the bone-crushing hits? Where are the facemasks? I thought I had soccer all figured out, until I started watching the Seattle Sounders FC, the new expansion team in the MLS. It quickly became apparent, while watching my first game on the telly, that these were professionals! They played with such speed and grace it was almost unbelievable. Don't even get me started on their ball control either! It was just plain fun to watch. There is also a lot more strategy to the game than I originally thought as well. They actually do move around the field with a purpose.
So, I was pretty enamored with the whole thing already, but then I promised to take my nephew, Timothy, to a match and that has sent me over the edge. The Sounders FC were playing the San Jose Earthquakes in their first-ever matchup. The Sounders FC have some really fantastic players, many from Europe (Freddie Ljungberg who played in the Primere League), Latin America (Fredy Montero, Osvaldo Alonzo), and Africa. The captain of the team is the Kasey Keller. You know, Kasey Keller, goal-keeper from the US National team, who played in the Premiere League and is also from Olympia, Washington. Anyway, all great players that are fun to watch.
The evening started off with a HUGE hot dog and Coke (of course). It was a lot of fun to participate in the pre-game atmosphere. We checked a couple of team shops looking for team scarves, but none could be found! I was rather distraught. I had been dreaming of my very own Seattle Sounders FC scarf for days. What is a scarf you ask....just that, a scarf, only it is the colors of your football club, you wear it to every game and wave it about when your team scores a goal. The scarf is a European tradition, but it makes sense, right? It can get pretty chilly out during the early spring and early fall. Hey, what can I say, football has the infamous, over-sized foam finger and soccer has a scarf. I think soccer wins some refinement points for form and function. Anyway, more on the scarf later.
The game. What a game. Final score Sounders- 2 and Earthquakes-0. Lots of action, some yellow cards, sung some chants with the rest of the fans, and Drew Carey. Yup, host of the Price is Right and also part owner of the Seattle Sounders FC. The seats we had were very good, and we saw him before the game schmoozing fans and bigwigs.
We really had a fabulous time at the game, and I hope to catch one more game at Qwest Field before the season ends in October. Hopefully the Sounders FC will go all of the way and win the championship in its first year of existence. If not, I have the Seahawks to comfort me for the rest of the year. Go Hawks!
Oh, and by the way. I got my scarf!
GLOSSARY of SOCCER TERMS:
FC- Football Club (Yeah, I know we call it soccer, but it is a European thing.)
futbol- soccer
pitch- field
MLS- Major League Soccer
telly- television
match- game
Primer League- Futbol league in Europe considered to be the pen-ultimate in competitiveness.
Yellow card- a warning given to a player after a foul. Two yellows equal a red card, which means the player is ejected for the remainder of the game and also the next game.
chants- In soccer you don't just hoot and holler like a maniac, you actually have to learn the songs and chants of the club. It is pretty neat when the stands erupt into simultaneous song to rally their team. Again, style point for soccer fans.
My scarf!
Timothy and his pre-game hotdog.
Pregame festivities.
Kasey Keller warming up before the game.
Timothy's first MLS game!
5 comments:
Isin't that Timothy your namesake? Wow how old is he...I remember when your sister had him...wow that makes me feel old. Jason has been going to those too. Looks like a fun time. Ava is so adorable!
Soccer does rock. But yes, I am biased, coming from a country that likes to brag about its soccer (Italy what?). Hope you enjoy the season :)
How fun! I'm glad you got your scarf so you can look official at the matches. :)
I agree, the Sounders games are fun to watch and I've never been a huge soccer fan. And I don't know what it is about the scarfs but I love them too! How did you score one? Your nephew is a cutie. Sounds like a good tradition to keep up!
You really are hooked on Sounder soccer! Great description of your adventure with Timothy. That's definitely a keeper of a memory for the two of you. Now I'm curious and feel the need to experience it myself!
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