Filed under: Supporter Culture, Uncategorized, US Soccer | Tags: Des Moines, Des Moines Menace, NASL, PDL, Soccer, USL Pro
Last Wednesday, Andrew McGreen posted a link titled “Donovan Talks, U-20s, and Brek Shea” and 57:07 on the American Outlaws: Des Moines facebook group. I have much time for soccer podcasts, but I do like the Best Soccer Show, and I had three minutes, so….
The clip from 57:07 starts out with someone who’s written in to ask why hasn’t Des Moines been considered for NASL or USL-1 expansion? My heart just about burst. Eleven years ago, I worked for the Stadium Foundation as the Event Coordinator. We were working to build what, at the time, would have been the 4th soccer-specific stadium in the US, which would have allowed Menace Soccer to move from the PDL to what was then the A-League, and is now USL-Pro. It was a great plan, that would have given Des Moines the soccer street cred it deserved. At the time, we were (and still are) out-drawing teams in higher leagues, we had the highest participation per-capita in US youth soccer, and we have a sports fan base that supports semi-pro level sporting events well. It killed me when the Urbandale City Council voted down the proposal to build the stadium in their land-locked suburb. I thought it was incredibly short-sighted, and a decade later, I could write an entire post about why it was the wrong decision for Urbandale and central Iowa soccer. Suffice it to say that I have always believed that Des Moines is a “diamond in the rough, with a beyond competent front office”, and belongs in a higher league than PDL.
While I recovered from my mind-explosion that someone read my mind and then wrote to Best Soccer Show about it, I was hurtled back down to Earth by Jared and Jason’s response. Here’s a clue: when someone says “No offense to Des Moines” it’s probably really offensive to Des Moines. I had to roll my eyes at “the thing about Des Moines is that it’s Des Moines.” Oh guys….really? Maybe 20 years ago, when I moved here from the New York metro, Des Moines would have skulked off, apologizing for how uncool it is. Not anymore. Now we’re consistently ranked not just best place to raise your kids, but best place to start a business, be a young professional, and the list goes on. Plus, we have Raygun, the greatest store in the Universe, that is making a fortune mocking the fact that you don’t know the difference between Idaho and Iowa (here’s a hint, we’re no where near Cascadia).
I don’t buy the argument that we’re “so far off the map from a pro-sports perspective.” We’re not asking for an MLS team (yet) and we actively support our Iowa Cubs and Iowa Barnstormers, as well as turn out in droves for college athletics of all kinds. We have Drake Soccer and Iowa State women nearby, and you’ve already praised our turn out for Des Moines Menace. Your suggestion to form a supporters group just shows how little you know about Iowa. We founded the 38th chapter of American Outlaws in 2010, and we travel strong to US soccer games. You know that big flag in the supporters section? That’s the Midwest Mama, and AO DSM owns it and brings it everywhere. Back at home, the Red Army has supported the Menace for years, not just with tailgates, but we roast marshmallows after games, just because we’re Iowa Nice.
You’d rather be in LA even if Des Moines would out draw a team there? Short sighted and dumb. Come to a market where you’ll be supported and appreciated. Where fans won’t have to drive 45+ minutes fighting traffic to get to a game (unless they’re coming from Ames or something). With more start ups and mergers (you know about Meredith Publications, don’t you?) Des Moines is the next ultra-cool place to be. Try to sign us up before the bidding war starts. (You heard we just hired our new GM away from an NASL team, right?)
And a message to Kyle Krause, Des Moines Menace owner, I keep telling you it’s time to restart the Stadium Foundation project….I’m waiting for your call.) Des Moines’ time has come, and it’s only a matter of time until the rest of the soccer world figures it out.
Filed under: Family Fun, Supporter Culture | Tags: Football, hockey, Miracle on Ice, Soccer
Several of my soccer friends are also hockey fans, and while I can’t appreciate how many Miracle players ended up playing for the Bruins (alas, too many of them are also from Boston, but I try not to hold it against them) it did get me thinking about this game and what it meant in my own world.
I was an eight year old kid the day the US played Russia in the Olympics in the game affectionately nicknamed “the Miracle on Ice.” I was the daughter of a stay-at-home mom with a Masters in Education and a PhD research Chemist, so we had lots of talks about politics, science, and other geeky pursuits, and I was a bit of a tomboy. There were lots of boys my age on my block, and my Dad, not having any sons, taught me to play ball, fish, and to rotate tires. But my favorite thing to do with my Dad was watching sports. He would spend hours talking to me about various players, and intricacies of rules, it was probably the most concentrated extended attention I got from my Dad.
Of all the memories of all the games I ever watched with my Dad, the Miracle on Ice is the clearest. He had explained to me the political ramifications of the game, and as we watched it together, me laying on my belly, chin propped up on my fists. He became more and more agitated and excited as the game went on, and I was riveted. My father is a very intense man, but I’d never seen him so passionate about any game before in my life. And the more excited he became, the greater my need to understand what this game meant to him. This wasn’t “his” team, and it wasn’t even the medal match. My eight year old mind could barely fathom how this game could be so important to him, but as the minutes clicked off, I had to suspend reason and just enjoy watching history made, next to my Dad sitting on the edge of his big green recliner.
I’d like to think that February 22, 1980 was the first step on my path to becoming a soccer supporter. My father was so happy that day, and watching it was powerful enough to lock in a lifelong love of sports and national team. It allows me to cheer for the underdog, and gives me faith that one day, despite the US being decades if not centuries behind in love of soccer, one day, there will be the miracle on the pitch and my kids will watch me lose my mind over a World Cup final. It will probably never be the political laced sporting achievement that the Miracle on Ice was, but it will probably be enough outpouring of joy to make them sports fans for life.
Filed under: Major League Soccer, Supporter Culture, US Soccer | Tags: coming out, gay, Robbie Rogers, Soccer, sports
I got the news of Robbie Rogers’ coming out via my 10 year old daughter reading his blog post aloud as I was driving, with her five year old brother listening. His message is a bittersweet and poignant reminder that our society is far from a welcoming utopia, but to hear his words through my daughter, and hearing my children’s reaction gives me hope.
It’s school intercession this week, and since the kids and I will be spending Spring Break in Denver, we’ve been working pretty hard on our house project (the blog/project that keeps me from posting more here). We were taking a drive out to southwest Iowa to check out a new fireplace mantle, listening to NPR, waiting for Science Friday to talk about the asteroid flyby (I know, I have a five and ten year old who ask to listen to NPR, we’re a geeky family, what can I say?) While we waited, they had an interview of some hateful man ranting about the Boy Scouts and gays, saying things that were nothing short of horrifying. I want my kids to know about the world, but do I really want them exposed to hatred?
They know homophobia exists. When my daughter was the flower girl in my Aunties’ wedding, our former next door neighbor found out that we (gasp!) don’t mind having gay friends and family, and had her daughter stop playing with my daughter. That was basically the last straw in staying in that house, and we soon moved to our current neighborhood, River Bend, which is much more in line with our world view: economically and racially diverse, and is affectionately referred to as “the best damn gayborhood in Des Moines.” Viva diversity!
NPR turned to Science Friday soon enough, and we continued our mission for the perfect fireplace mantle. We were on our way back to Des Moines when my phone beeped the notification from a writer/soccer friend from AO Iowa City had just written me a Facebook message that just said “ROBBIE ROGERS!!!!!” in vaguebooking style of leaving message open to anything from Rogers in near-fatal accident to amazing trade/score/news. I wrote back “What?” and flipped open Twitter in attempt to answer my own question. It took no time to find this blog post in my feed, but since I was driving, I asked my 10 year old daughter to read it.
My kids are growing up Jewish in Iowa. They know what it’s like to be a minority and get teased for it. We talked about how hard it must be to feel like you have to hide who you are from everyone, even your family. When asked, my daughter said she didn’t think it should make a difference if a player is gay, full of child-like wisdom with “It’s who he is, all that should matter is how he plays.” Absolutely right, kiddo.
So we join in the outpouring of support for Robbie Rogers, which made me so proud yesterday, to read so much love and support for a player who really should only be famous for what he’s added as a player. While I look forward to the day when he wouldn’t have to have suffered so long with this secret, I’m so grateful that my kids got to share in his coming out message, and they now have a new role model for living an authentic life. Hopefully his step away from soccer will be short lived now that he knows the soccer fans and players can stay classy. Well done and best wishes, Robbie Rogers.
I know I should be upset, because we looked like crap, but honestly, I’m stoked. I’m looking forward to the Hex. I have what is (G-d I hope) not an over-rated confidence in Klinsmann. And tonight, as chapter leader for American Outlaws Des Moines, I helped move our chapter bar to The Keg Stand.
After several great years at Victor’s, it was time for us to find a bigger home for AO DSM, a place that we could settle into before the 2014 World Cup. Victor’s has been good to us (including this week, as they have been referring people to our new bar….super classy) but it was too small for our 2010 World Cup crowd. The Keg Stand has capacity for 600, offers more beers than you could hope to try in one game (one of our new guys said he’d had three different IPA that were all awesome). It has a soccer-friendly management, and it has a back room that in one game already feels like the AO DSM clubhouse. So yes, the play sucked, but I feel giddy that we found a new place that feels like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
But if you really can’t stand all the hearts and flowers, go read my AO brother Ryan Rosenblatt’s blog. He’s being silly tonight. Made me smile. And next time, join me at the Keg Stand with the rest of AO Des Moines. They made even THIS game not suck. And rest assured, Klinsmann knows what he’s doing. It’s all good people.
BRING ON THE HEX!
Filed under: Supporter Culture, US Soccer | Tags: Portland Timbers, USMNT, World Cup Qualifier
I’ve been pretty clear that I’m only 100% confident when I’m chanting “US Til I Die.” I am pretty passionate about soccer in general, and I’ll stand with almost any supporters section, typically with me US Soccer buddies from around the USA. But, as previously reported, I’ve had a special place in my heart for the Portland Timbers for the past eight years, and purchased several Rose City Til I Die items without a hitch of hesitation. Timbers were the centerpiece of last Summer’s MLS Road Trip, and it makes me happy to think of Timbers Army and the friends we made there, as it made me happy to read Grant Wahl’s tweets about Portland perhaps getting to host a World Cup Qualifier next Summer.
Then I read Andrew Brawley’s Op Ed on Timber’s hosting, and I can honestly say that I’m disappointed for the first time by a Timbers Army experience. He whines about the recent USWNT games held in Portland as being over-run by pre-teen and teen girls, and complains about AO’s chants being stale, and implies that they are below the awesome that is Timbers Army. In addition, he feels that Timbers Army is only qualified to bring it to Timbers games, which was as close as he came to making sense and sounding informed.
First of all, for those of us who’ve experienced USWNT and USMNT games, I think we can say that the two don’t look at all alike. Are the USWNT games drawing better atmosphere at meteoric rates….yes, absolutely. But it’s not the same as a USMNT match, and a USMNT match isn’t the same as a USMNT qualifier. Many of us who travel and bring the noise (and the giant flag) to US Soccer have to pick and choose our games. I dream of the day I can make every men’s game and every women’s game, but that’s just not practical, as I’m sure Andrew could understand, since he admits not even dropping the coin to see USWNT in his own back yard, a concept that’s insane to those of us for whom EVERY US Soccer and/or MLS game is a road game.
Second, nice to brag about being a “torch bearer among American Supporters groups,” but fold your hand before it’s been dealt in taking it to the next level of supporting American soccer. Does AO sing U-S-A more than I’d like? Yes. Is it a reasonable thing that happens in a new supporters group …particularly one that doesn’t play an annual regular season where we can meet up and practice an arsenal of song and chants? YES. I capo US Soccer games, and we sing a variety of songs and typically have new chants made up for that particular opponent. You might not hear them on the broadcast, but it’s there in the stadium. It makes me wonder if Andrew’s ever experienced a USMNT match in person? I certainly have, and I’ll say this about American Outlaws: we tifo stadiums, despite the fact that our members carry all that stuff in, paying airline check fees and not having the luxury of leaving it in a stadium storage locker. We sing songs and chants over multiple sections, with variety and unison that hasn’t happened before AO started. And we do it all without any local bar or HQ where we all get to meet up and organize week after week. Show some respect, son.
Third, I know you’re better than this Timbers Army. I blog as a soccer mama, so please picture my disapproving glare when I say “you’ve really disappointed me, I expect more from you.” When I came in for Timbers vs Chivas, I had the good fortune to meet Phyllis Hayes, and not Andrew, who probably would have freaked out that my pre-teen daughter might ruin his night. Phyllis showed my kids how to do some Timbers traditions, and made us feel welcome by running to the office to copy off the song sheet as well as the sheet of songs that were new to the Army that night. I’ve SEEN YOU INTRODUCE NEW SONGS!! I know Timber’s are capable of hosting USMNT and maybe, just maybe, teaching American Outlaws a few things, but that won’t happen with an attitude expressed in Andrew Brawley’s Op Ed.
I hope Timber’s Army and Portland do get to host a USMNT World Cup Qualifier this year. It is a great town with a great soccer culture. And American Outlaws are better than you give them credit for, as we were fully capable of singing along with Sporting KC Fans, because you know what? We all DO love bar-be-que! I’m sure we would be just as accepting of what Portland has to offer, even if “we all don’t love locally sourced gluten free” isn’t quite as catchy…I’m sure you have something we can sing. As for the AO songs you clearly haven’t heard, don’t worry Andrew, my five year old will show you how it’s done.
It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for, USMNT Fans! It’s been torture, waiting for US Soccer to give us some news. Sure, we all wanted to know where Hex games are before the holidays for our eight nights of airline and game tickets, or Santa delivering gifts of gas money and hotel rooms. But at least now we have some information on where we are headed in the Hex! Read on:
LINCOLN, Neb. – American Outlaws, acting unilaterally, is pleased to finally announce the home game sites for the final round of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup Finals. Due to the fact that the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) has not announced game sites, the nation’s premiere fan organization signaled where the group will convene on each game day in the hopes that the team will follow suit.
March 22, 2013 – Costa Rica – New York, N.Y. (Rucker Park)
June 11, 2013 – Panama – Des Moines, Iowa (Hatton Cottage)
June 18, 2013 – Honduras – Savannah, Ga. (East River Street)
September 10, 2013 – Mexico – Washington, D.C. (J.Edgar Hoover Stadium)
October 11, 2013 – Jamaica – Green Bay, Wisc. (Lambeau Field)
Home qualifiers start in New York City with a March 22nd match against Costa Rica. Historic Rucker Park will host the first home match of the hexagonal round at Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Stadium. Tickets for the contest will be available by contacting Fat Joe and Slim on the corner of 155th St. and Frederick Douglass Blvd.
For the first time in the history, US Soccer will play in Iowa as the Yanks hit the Heartland where it hurts by playing in Des Moines, Iowa. Infamous Hatton Cottage will host the match in the first match at the small pitch. The teams will play a 3v3 match on the grounds of the Victorian-Style Hatton House which will host the Outlaws Pre-Game Party & Clam Bake.
A week later, Jürgen Klinnsman’s team will be in for a street fight against Honduras on the cobblestones of Savannah, Ga. In a surprising choice, the Outlaws have chosen to come to the Hostess City of the South because drinking is allowed on the streets and the cobblestones of the city’s riverfront are much smoother than any football pitch in Central America. The city was founded in 1733 as the first Capitol of the Penal Colony of Georgia.
On September 10th, the Yanks host hated rival Mexico in a special one-off home game at the temporary J. Edgar Hoover Stadium which is located in the courtyard of the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. No admission will be charged for the contest and fans from both nations will be welcome in the first international match held on Pennsylvania, Ave.
The United States’ final home qualifier will be against Jamaica in Green Bay, Wisc. Historic Lambeau Field will host its first international match against the Reggae Boys on what is expected to be a frozen tundra. The game in Wisconsin will be the Yanks’ first trip to the state since falling to East Germany in 1990, 1-2. That game was played in Milwaukee.
For more information about ticket packages, please visit TheAmericanOutlaws.com. The official US Soccer Hexagonal Schedule will be released on March 21st, 2013 in order to give supporters plenty of time to sort out travel plans. All games will be shown on BeIN Sport. If you don’t have BeIN Sport, don’t worry, nobody else does either.
**Many thanks to my AO brother “Big Fudge” for the write up, and the Des Moines hat tip, in response to my lamenting the lack of information. Maybe if I ask US Soccer as nicely for information, they’ll write me a press release too. C’mon Sunil….tell us where we’re going this year!
Filed under: International Soccer, Supporter Culture, US Soccer | Tags: Guatemala, Livestrong, US Soccer, USMNT
We got to Kansas City last night and are headed to the stadium for what should be one of the best US Soccer atmospheres ever. We went to the Open Cup final in KC, and I was blown away by the atmosphere Sporting has developed for their MLS club. Fireworks, tifo, singing….this is not the supporter culture of their Wizards past. Tonight should be fantastic.
We got to the stadium at 10 AM to hang banners, set up the Midwest Mama stadium flag, and help American Outlaws lay out their stadium wide tifo. The usual security briefing is “don’t do this, don’t do that…” But at Livestrong Park, we were instructed that their goal was no arrests, no ejections, and a stadium so loud, the players wouldn’t be able to hear the final whistle. I’ve never working with stadium front office that’s so supporter friendly.
Combine that with supporters coming in from all over the US, and it’s lining up to be a great night. This is a special game for our family, not just because we get to see some old friends we usually only see at World Cups, but it is our family cap #97, 98, 99, and 100. (37 for Tanya, 31 for Doug, 20 for 10 year old Betsy Ross, and an even dozen for 5 year old Captain America…he outgrew the Uncle Sam outfit). So look for us by the Midwest Mama flag, singing our hearts out to victory and on to the Hex!
Full disclosure: I am the Chapter Leader for American Outlaws Des Moines. I didn’t campaign for this job, I was just the first person from Iowa to express interest in a chapter, and I continue to do it because I believe passionately in the soccer supporter movement in the US, and American Outlaws are doing it best right now in my neck of the corn field. I’ve been a member of Sam’s Army too, before AO started, so if you have a local Sam’s Army chapter that’s really making it work in your town, knock yourself out. This blog is about why you should support your local supporters group (SG).
This rant was started by a discussion on the Chapter Leader’s board for AO on a thread talking about members who didn’t want to pay to renew their AO membership. Let’s look at the member benefits, in addition to the T-shirt and bandana you get every year. The membership page of American Outlaws lists this:
“Benefits
- Discounts on Tickets to the supporters section of each US game
- Membership benefits at events such as tailgates, viewing parties, etc.
- 10% Discounts at http://shop.bigsoccer.com/
- Free gifts from great companies such as NIKE, FSC, and more… (varies based on events)
- Flight Discounts from Continental Airlines to any US Soccer game, anywhere in the world. http://www.continental.com
Supporting the next generation of US Soccer diehards”
Apparently, there are people out there that look at that list and think “well, I don’t go to games, so I’m not getting the full value of my membership, and therefore, it’s not worth it.” So let me tell you why I not only pay for membership for myself, but for every member of my family, including our kids who could get supporter tickets and travel discounts through our membership. It all has to do with that last line.
Supporting the next generation of US Soccer diehards. That one line should be worth $24 a year to you if you love US Soccer. Maybe you weren’t around before AO. Before SGs, there was very little organization at games, no big meetups of fans at games, or in Vegas. There was no way for me to look up in any town where I might be traveling and find where I could watch a US game or the Euros. Maybe you don’t use that stuff today, but it should be worth $2 a month to make sure it’s around in the future.
Doesn’t it make you happy to see a group of psycho US supporters behind the goal? That costs money. The banners, the capos leading the cheers. The tailgate with enough social lubricant to get all those people singing. So even if you don’t get to games, your membership helps support building soccer culture in the US and on the road.
Look, I know we’re all looking for ways to cut expenses, but please….support the work that American Outlaws is doing to build US Soccer. They’ll even send you a free T-shirt.
Filed under: Family Fun, Major League Soccer, Supporter Culture | Tags: MLS, Portland, Portland Timbers, Soccer, Timbers Army
Oh Portland….how I love you! Somehow we made it safely to Portland in under 20 hours from Salt Lake City with two young kids and one driver (Mapquest it….it’s impressive). We stopped along the way to check out the Columbia River and a fish hatchery, but mainly, it was a long day of driving. By the time I got to Portland, I really wasn’t mentally prepared to learn a new city’s parking system, particularly one as, shall we say, bike/walk encouraging, as Portland. But from the moment we arrived, Timbers Army members were nothing but amazing. We got parking help from one fan, who helped us find the line for early entry wristbands. Then other fans pointed us to the Timbers Army merch van, where we glutted ourselves on scarves, stickers, and shirts. As if this lovely lady welcoming us wasn’t enough, things were about to get even better.
My goal for taking my kids to Portland was to show them the height of supporters clubs. I wanted them to see a club that sings the whole way through with tradition and wonderful stuff the whole way through. We’ve taken them to some great games with fantastic supporters, but I’ve never had an experience like the one I had in Portland in 2005 when they were playing on a baseball field and still in the A-League. I had to see for myself how they’d developed, and wanted to share with my kids what I consider to be the best supporters group I’ve ever seen.
Phyllis and the kids, Timbers pre-game
Enter Phyllis, previously a stranger, and our initial seatmate. Phyllis took to our little group right away. When she heard we’d traveled from Des Moines mainly for this game, she became our Timbers Army concierge. She got us song sheets and started teaching the kids the various Timbers Army traditions, such as changing the last line of the national anthem to “home of the Timbers.” She helped them tear up confetti for the end of the anthem. She taught them about all the things they should do as supporters. It was amazing. My kids have been to dozens of soccer games, but I’ve never seen them so engaged as they were after Timbers 101 with Phyllis.
The game was exciting. Portland had so many chances, 20 shots by the end of the game, and after every one, I had to turn around to and count off the near misses to Phyllis, who had moved a few rows back to be with her injured husband. We got to learn the Timbers two new songs as well as their old favorites, including Tetris. The Timbers Army sings through the entire game, including a call and response with the entire stadium. When Chivas scored the game winner in the 69th minute, the Army put their scarves up and kept right on singing. It was a beautiful show of support for their team, and I loved it almost as much as their show of discontent with their current coach, recently installed rather bluntly by management, after the game.
As I walked out after the game, I turned to my daughter and said “You know what we just did?”
“What?” she replied.
“We just drove 2500 miles to see our team lose.” She smiled at me halfheartedly. Then I said, “You know what that means? …..We’re going to have to come back.” The Timbers Army showed us such great hospitality, we barely noticed the loss. I’d gladly do this drive all over again (or maybe we’ll fly next time…) to come back for more. Thanks Timbers Army. I waited seven years to rejoin your ranks, and it was absolutely worth the wait.
Soccer....Family Style 