I feel the source of our discontent is an anxiety that perhaps the rivalry itself is being undermined and is in jeopardy.  Certainly not for the die-hard Quakes (and L.A.) supporters, but part of what made the rivalry so special in the past is the way in which it was able to weave a spell over all those who came into its web, whoever they might be.  The return of Judas match in 2005 was filled with tension and passion, not just from the supporter’s groups, but from every square inch of Spartan stadium.  The famous miracle comeback in 2003 had every last member of that crowd jumping and screaming by the end of it.  Given this rich history, so much of what I witnessed and experienced on Saturday just felt wrong. 

 Much has been made of the Beckham effect, namely the throngs of curiosity seekers and young girls attracted to Mr. Posh wherever the Galaxy touch down.  What most in the media have failed to take into account (or don’t really care enough to find out, I’m looking at you Merc), is that while this is fine, albeit annoying, in Chicago or D.C. or anywhere else in the league, it is absolutely damaging in the Bay Area.  Part of what is so invigorating about the rivalry, as I mentioned, is the way in which it joins every person in the stands (minus the traveling Galaxy fans) into one united entity willing our collective champions to victory.  When this is taken away, and L.A. goals are greeted in our supposed “home” by deafening cheers, it rips at the soul of our rivalry and the hearts of Quakes fans.  I went down to L.A. for the opening game of the season, and I have to say, the experience was not that far removed away from the match in Oakland two nights ago.  In both cases, being in the heart of the supporter’s groups felt like a case of us against the world. 

Is this all an overreaction?  Maybe.  But part of what Quakes fans are going through this season is the realization that we must win back everything we had before.  I don’t think any of us expected a championship team again right from the start, but some of the things we did believe we could have right now haven’t come to fruition either.  Namely, a squad of guys, no matter how untalented or inexperienced, who would leave every last piece of themselves out there on the field against our most hated rivals.  The problem is our players out there, for the most part, don’t hate L.A.  I think it was a strategic mistake on Yallop’s part to play down the rivalry, even though I applauded his decision at first.  Make your team understand the history of the match-up, make them understand how important it is to the fans, make them understand their responsibility.  Yes, that’s a lot of pressure, but at least you make the stakes clear.  We’re not asking for victory necessarily or even a beautiful game.  Just get out there and fight your hardest, and maybe we won’t be happy, but at least those wounds will only be of the flesh, able to be mended by the sweat of those who play for us.

 At the end of the day, Quakes fans felt persecuted in their own home, betrayed by their own players (rightly or wrongly), and worried that perhaps San Jose may become irrelevant to L.A.  Yes, I said it.  After two years absence, what if things have changed and that rivalry can never be recaptured?  Those are the stakes for us fans.  Only if you understand that can you understand the reaction from Quakes’ fans, the deep bitterness so evident in the past few days.  At times, perhaps Quakes fans have come off as being “ungrateful” or too quick to complain about every little thing, especially after we were fortunate enough to get our team back.  However, in the end, if nothing else, we only ask one thing from the front office, from Lew Wolff, from anyone else in charge.  Don’t give us back a body with no soul.  We need this rivalry.  It is part of our identity and enriches the entire league immeasurably.  If that means changing the venue to preserve the spirit, make it so.  If that means losing out on some revenue, so be it.  I know that’s not the logic that will win out in the real world, but I’ll tell you this.  A vibrant Quakes-Galaxy rivalry, the kind that creates memories that will last a lifetime and stories that blend into dreams, will ultimately do more to bring in committed, long-term soccer fans than a legion of Beckhams.

End rant. 

After practicing all week at Buck Shaw, the team then has to travel up to Oakland, play the game, then go back to practicing at Buck Shaw the next week. Add to this the fact that the games chosen to play in Oakland (Chicago, Los Angeles) are more likely to attract neutral supporters/supporters of just one player (Blanco/Beckham), and any trace of “home field advantage” has been all but thrown away. And here is our Catch 22 – we play in a different venue to attract more fans to support Earthquakes soccer, but those fans are treated to the team getting beat 3-0. And if you are going to tell me that the team would not have played any better at Buck Shaw, with 10,500 people chomping at the bit to yell/scream/curse/hate on the Galaxy and Beckham, well, I’m not sure what to tell you.

So at what point do you make a change in the venue schedule, or do you? I’m not sure how much Lew Wolff cares about our “home” games not really being as such, because he just drew 40,000 fans, instead of 10,000. But he should care. Not because of the fans not liking the stadium, but because his coaches and players don’t. You would think you would want to put your team in the best possible position to win. Or not.

One more note on the Oakland thing; being at the game, I knew I didn’t like the atmosphere in general, but I could not figure out why. The scores of clueless fans at the game for a particular player, the distance from the field (and the monolith stadium in general), the efforts of The Wave, the cheering for In-n-Out Burgers, the P.A. announcer telling the stadium to “get loud!!!”, the mortgaging of home-field advantage to make some extra dollars off the big name players…. And then I finally figured it out.

I was at a NASL match. To call it a “match” is an undeserved compliment. It was less a match than it was a spectacle. And one that should be looked at with a careful eye by the Quakes front office, because if you don’t think we are going to drop another L on August 3rd against the Galaxy, well, you’ve got another thing coming. The worst part about that August 3rd match is that all of the Beckman lovers have gotten their fix, so they aren’t going to throw $50 for a ticket. Its also a noon start time, in August, which will make a lot of people stay home. So now you are looking at closer to 20,000 people, and for what? So that Bill Lumbergh Lew Wolff’s stock will go up. A quarter of a point.

The end of that second half was pure drama. And when Salinas had his opportunity, the girl sitting next to me grabbed me and I swear we were holding onto each other like the world was about to end. But here’s the deal: he f*cking missed but damnit he was in position. Here’s a great quote from Yallop about our Kei Kamara and Juan Pablo Angel that I think sums it up best:

“People like [Juan Pablo] Angel are not dribblers or tricky,” said Yallop. “They just hold the ball for the team, lay it off to their team to support them, and then they’re the one that finishes the play. Kamara is no different. He needs to get to where his general play is decent. He doesn’t need to be fantastic; just hold the ball and get in good positions.”

Love it. This sh*t is not rocket science (although, did anyone actually pay that ginormous fee to attend Yuri’s Night last night? Bah! Total racket). When our Salinas finally made his appearance in that game, he immediately did the one thing that constantly eluded us in the first half – he put himself in a good position and whalla, he had an amazing opportunity.

So yeah, we lost but I’m feeling oddly optimistic about the whole thing. I’m ignoring the fact that I have a pretty lousy hangover today, that I spent much of last night in a bar being told I have a guilt complex, and that my flaky roommate is cooking something right now that smells absolutely disgusting. Maybe its all just this amazing weather talking. Either way, I say we need to work with that second half midfield line-up and our forwards need to get a little bit better at putting themselves in dangerous positions. Oh yeah, and I really don’t know how to explain it (yo, I’m a blogger not a coach), but since we seem to be good at keeping possession, we should perhaps use that to spread out our opponents a bit more so when our forwards do magically get themselves into good positions, they don’t have every defender and most of the midfield on top of them.

If I can get my crap together today, I’m gonna write a limerick for Shea. Check it. I totally rhymed. And to the supporters groups: quit arguing with each other. Its harshing my mellow. Time to get the hell outside and enjoy the sun.

Ok, one gripe. The O’Brien passes. WTF? And how many yellow cards do you think Ryan Cochrane is gonna walk away with this season?

Deer In Headlights — Deer In Headlights

Chicagoan Till Chicago Ends — Ned — Norway Was Too Cold — Overpaid?

Already Deserves a Raise — El Capitan — Houston Was Too Hot — Already Deserves a Raise

David Beckham

Pretty standard lineup that worked well during pre-season but basically fell apart last Thursday. And since very little news leaked from training this week, I’ve no idea if we’ll see any changes. Its possible O’Brien might move to the center for a pairing with Corrales which would re-open up that R-mid spot for Salinas. But its just too early to determine whether Salinas is better for us as a forward or a midfielder.

Who is out? No-one! This may be the only time during the entire season we are at full strength. Savor this moment people.

Who is gonna score? I’m crossing my fingers Ivan Guerrero sticks it to his former club for leaving him exposed in the Expansion Draft.

Who is gonna shine? John Cunliffe! His move to the expansion team is the perfect opportunity for him to finally blow the f*ck up in MLS. Basically, I’m going to be on the Cunliffe bandwagon until he does something really stupid (and he totally WON’T).

Meh, screw the preview. Here’s the important part – I get to attend this game. Not only that, I get to roll out of bed, put on a festive outfit, and hop on public transportation. I’m so excited about this, I could puke. I haven’t quite figured out what I’ll be adorning to properly support our boys, but my friend will be wearing a neon blue wig so I think we might rock this sh*t straight Burning Man style – but without the dirt, the techno music, and the nakedness. Although I am not against streaking on the pitch if thats what it takes to get our guys to score goals. But I have a feeling it may be easier for me to get past security at Buck Shaw than at the Oakland Coliseum. Ok, I’m totally kidding (or am I?). But seriously people. Our team is back and its the first home game in two years. Its time to bring the atmosphere. Its time to get wasted in the parking lot and yell at The Hunchback™ for 90+ minutes. Its time for me to finally fulfill my New Years Resolution of eating at least one hot dog at every Quakes game I attend. (I live in a world of low expectations.)

Speaking of low expectations, did anyone notice there’s a replica home jersey for sale at MLSgear in womens’ sizes? And its totally not one of those f*cking lame “soccer sweetie” shirts (epic fail). Wow! Thanks guys and OH SNAP its only $20. I swear you people read my mind or something.

Alright, tomorrow I’m gonna try to get to the Coliseum parking lot as close to 10:30am as my not-a-morning-person self will allow. And I leave you with this week’s installment of Song of the Week. Folks of a more prudish constitution may find the video a tad offensive (so don’t say I didn’t warn you).

Are you a morning person? Well you are in luck. Saturday’s itinerary begins at 10:30am right when the Coliseum gates open. I think basically all the supporters groups will be in Parking Lot A chillin’ and grillin’. And there will apparently be a pickup game between the San Jose and Chicago supporters to watch. Good times. Bring stuff to put on the grill or I think you may be able to purchase a hot dog or two off someone. Here’s a handy dandy map so you can find Lot A (or just follow the smoke).

Thanks to Allison for the map modifications. According to the Casbah website, there is a pre-game festival happening between lots A and D at 11am. No idea what that means. I’m hoping for a parade of some sort or maybe a rousing game of Marco Polo. The actual stadium gates open at noon and the official pre-game events start around 1pm.

Getting excited about the return of the Quakes? Unemployed? Hey! You’re in luck! The Quakes are hiring Security for the Buck Shaw games RIGHT NOW. And the pay is a whopping $9.00 and hour which I think still puts you at a higher salary than some of the players. I really do wish that was a joke.

* A special Earthquakes video on the stadium big screen (can anything top We Believe? lets all find out together!)

* The return of that blue mascot thingy “Q” (I wanna see some breakdancing!)

* The players and coaches will enter the field through a “human tunnel” consisting of a bunch of kids (crouch down guys)

* Soccer Silicon Valley will return the two MLS Cups to Lew Wolff (ok, this part is actually quite touching)

* Red Bull sky divers will land on the field to give the game ball to Earthquakes staff (is this supposed to top that jet pack from last year?)

Kickoff is at 1:30pm (gates open at 11:30am). Uh, when do all the above activities start? 9am? But I would like to add that its a relief not to have to sit through some sh*tty synchronized dance routine… unless its Sparkle Motion. Those girls bring it.

* Camp starts Feb 4th at the 49ers practice facility in Santa Clara. No official word whether its open to the public (but it probably is).

* And the pre-season schedule so far

Wed 2/13/2008 6:30 SJ Earthquakes v Houston Dynamo PAL Stadium
Thurs 2/14/2008 2:00 Houston Dynamo v TBA PAL Stadium
Sat 2/16/2008 7:00 SJ Earthquakes Houston v Dynamo Kezar Stadium
Tues 2/19/2008 7:00 SJ Earthquakes v DC United San Luis Obispo
Fri 2/22/2008 7:00 SJ Earthquakes v Columbus Crew San Luis Obispo
Sun 2/24/2008 7:00 SJ Earthquakes v DC United San Luis Obispo

Carolina Challenge Cup
Tournament Schedule
Sat…. 3/15/2008…. SJ Earthquakes Toronto
Wed….3/19/2008…. SJ Earthquakes Charleston
Sat…. 3/22/2008…. SJ Earthquakes New York

I don’t have the info on when tickets are available for the Houston games but when I do, I’ll post it.

On the Houston games against the Quakes: There are currently two supporters groups for the team. The Casbah is unofficially hosting the San Jose game and the 1906/Ultras are unofficially hosting the San Francisco game. One “supporters section” will be set aside for both groups to sit together during the games but each group gets the spotlight for whichever match they are hosting. What this basically means is: if you are getting fired up about the Quakes and want to get more involved, attending one or both of these games is a great opportunity to learn more about the supporters groups and pledge your undying allegiance and a bit of your free time to one. This holds ESPECIALLY true for the San Francisco game. The Ultras can really use some help to get ready for the Kezar match and to all SF Bay Area residents reading this, you really have nothing better to do around noon on a Saturday in February than head over to Golden Gate Park and help folks make signs and flags and banners. Oh and you are requested to wear Quakes colors which at this point I think means blue and/or black (I guess red is too retro?… or not retro enough?).

In other news, Northern California is bat sh*t crazy and super awesome. Here’s a snippet of the police report of an incident that occurred on Monday on the 880 freeway near Hayward/San Leandro:

Incident: 1495 Type: Pedestrian on the Roadway Location: NB I880 AT WASHINGTON AV Zoom Map: 691 5C info as of: 1/28/2008 9:36:29 PM
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
3:34PM RE: L-11, MORE BELLY DANCERS, STOPPING TRAFFIC/RUNNING IN THE CD
3:31PM ALMOST WAS HIT ON WB LNS
3:29PM PER ANOTHER RP, NB 880 TO SB 238 CON – CD
3:11PM PER ANOTHER CALLER XRAY RAN INTO THE #3, #4 AND #5 LNS IFO VEHS // BACK ON RHS
3:09PM XRAY IS POLE DANCING ON ONE OF SIGNS
3:08PM LADY DANCING NR THE ROADWAY PER 2ND RP
3:08PM PER ANOTHER CALLER//PED IS ALSO DOING A POLE DANCE USING THE LIGHT POLE
3:07PM WF, IN BELLY DANCING GARB, ON THE RHS, BELLY DANCING

Hrrrmmm… is that it for now? Basically, yes it is. Oh wait – here’s another thrilling installment of Song of the Week. Buried in that recent article in the Santa Clara University paper on Cochrane and Cannon, is the news that the first four home games of the season will be in Oakland. Is that a typo? Are TheShaw retrofits really that far behind schedule? Well, if this news is for-realsies true then it is absolutely time to give some local love to my town. Here’s a super rad collaboration between San Francisco’s own Dan the Automator and Oakland’s finest, The Heiroglyphics.

Great anthem for the Houston pre-season matches! Don’t hate the player(s), hate the game!

To order your tickets (get excited people), there will be an order form available on the official Quakes page (sjearthquakes.com) or you can call (800) 225-2277 or you can go to your nearest Raley’s Tickets.com outlets. (I actually had to look up what the hell this Raley’s is. Turns out the nearest one to me is in Fremont so no wonder I’ve never heard of it.)

Hmmm, I think thats it for now. I fired off some questions to the Quakes via email that included asking if there will be smaller 5 or 10 games package deals available soon. I feel like they spent so much time and effort pushing the season tickets, there really isn’t much available for those of us who don’t want to go that route. Hey FO! We need some more variety!

Also, some of the players will be appearing at the Oakland A’s FanFest, January 26th (12 – 12:45 p.m.) to sign autographs and stuff. They’ll also be at the California Youth Soccer Association Soccer Expo that same day (1:30 – 2:15 p.m.) to do more of the same. Of course, the information doesn’t specify exactly who will be there cause life is like a box of chocolates etc etc etc.