So I have always been a sports fan. Anyone that knows me that I can talk at length about any of the major American sports and even some of the ones that aren't played here. I can tell you about the great NBA teams from the 70s as well as reciting all the great Jordan era moments. From the years 1987-1998, I consistently watched Jordan vs whomever while doing my homework during the week. If you want to know why Willie Mays is my favorite baseball player or why the Brooklyn Dodgers make me wish I was born decades ago. Joe Montana, Steve Young, and Jerry Rice are my all time Football (American version) players of all time. Some of my most favorite memories is watching football with my dad in our apartment in Honolulu. (In fact, we even watched this year's Super Bowl together in Manila just like old times, which is one of my most favorite moments during the trip.) He liked the San Francisco 49ers so of course that was my team throughout my childhood until I moved to Seattle (where we have our own team). I remember how emotional it got during the Seattle Seahawks' run to the Super Bowl in 2005, and how I drank a whole bottle of champagne when they lost unfairly to Pittsburgh. I really hate those Steelers up to now. NFL, NBA, MLB, college, you name it we can talk all night.
But last week I truly became a soccer fan. I attended the league debut of the Seattle Sounders FC vs New York Red Bulls (what a terrible name), and what an experience. I have been to countless sporting events: Professional and college football, NBA, baseball, even hockey (not very impressed). I must say that a live soccer match is probably the best experience so far. It was the first soccer match that I have ever been to and something the city has been anticipating for over 18 months. The hype definitely delivered as evidenced by the accompanying YouTube video.
I have always liked soccer even though I never understood the obsession. Most of my experiences have been tangental and never direct. I never had a rooting interest in a team nor did I grow up with the culture. I remember being excited about the 1994 World Cup that took place in the US, and then disappointment in a Final that ended in penalty kicks. I remember visiting France in the summer of 1999 and the streets of Paris celebrating winning the World Cup...from the year before. It was really loud. There was disbelief when I was following the US Men's team in the 2002 World Cup advancing all the way to the quarterfinal round and losing only 1-0 to Germany. I arranged 2006 World Cup viewing parties at 6am as the games took place in Germany. (side note: drinking beer and eating BBQ at 7am is ridiculously awesome).
In the last few years, I have really started to follow some of the club teams around the world in addition to the international matches. I really love the English Premier League especially since Francesca is from there, and that a lot of the games are shown on the soccer channel here. I developed a particular fondness of Chelsea because of the blue jerseys and Didier Drogba.
Now, I have my own team. And it feels so much more visceral and more immediate, more life and death. There is nothing in sports like rooting for your own hometeam and being in the middle of a crazy fanbase. I felt that during the 2001 Mariners' run in baseball, 2005 for both the Seahawks and Sonics in the NFL and NBA respectively. But this Sounders experience seems much much different. This is only the first game. Seattle fans are naturally subdued and reserved as is the Northwest nature. This is the first game of the season and the place was going completely bonkers! And soccer in person is remarkedly different than watching it on TV. You can see all the plays developing earlier and how "small" the field really is on the player level. Plus all the chanting, singing, and celebrations with strangers that I don't even know make it so much better than any sporting event I have ever been to. We stood up for the entire match! As my friend told me, this chair is a "coat rack, nothing more".
Sorry this is generally incoherent. It has been almost a week and I still cannot wrap my head around this night. I know, I know, sports is just sports, right? It doesn't matter as much as the economy or terrorism or almost everything in life. But you know what? I was never under any allusion that sports is bigger than what it just is. The best thing is that we the fans feel like we really own this team and they represent us. Maybe that is all that matters.
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