Salt Lake City to Seattle:
The day is finally here! I am off to Seattle to watch my team, RSL win the MLS Cup.
It is the first time RSL has made it to the MLS championship; last year we should have been there but the ball just did not bounce our way. Many in my group are driving up and a few are flying, some are already up in Seattle getting things started.
I am flying out on Delta 1261 this morning, flying on a MD90. A snow storm was supposed to hit SLC but the weather is great today! One of my buddies from the RCB is on the same flight along with several other RSL fans.
Flight up to Seattle was smooth and went by quickly, thankfully so! I was seated next to a young lady, who did not quite fit into her chair.
I’m reading a really good book by Stephen Leather a British author, ‘Hard Landing’. I picked up one of his books in Split, Croatia in ’06 and really enjoyed his writing style.
Arriving in Seattle my buddy Greg and I caught a ride with one of his friends that lives up this way. We ended up hanging out with him at his place in Bellevue.
Some of our other RCB friends arrived in the afternoon after their long drive up.
A few of us piled into a car and headed into the city. We ended up down by Qwest Field and Safeco Stadium at a restaurant/bar that had an amazing Hotdog wrapped in bacon, deep-fried and covered in cheese. WOW that was good!!
I was dropped off at my hotel and got all checked in. Here it is only 17:00 and it feels so late and looks even later than it feels. I am staying in the Renaissance Seattle Hotel. It is a very nice upscale hotel in a large 28 story building. My room is on the 12th floor but I overlook I-5 looking North East; I can see a little bit of the harbor.
Heading out to get some snacks and drinks from the local grocery store the Seattle rain has finally arrived. I decided to get all my rain gear on and head down to F.X. McRory’s the restaurant/bar that RSL has taken over for the weekend. The walk down is in a downpour and I was definitely not singing in the rain! F.X. is packed with RSL fans but I am able to find some of my RCB mates.
We eventually head out to Owl ‘N Thistle pub where we have some good Magners Cider. As a group we are singing and chanting for our team, running into Seattle and LA fans along the way; we are now SINGING IN THE RAIN!
Then it was off to Fado Irish Pub where we find Strongbow on tap.
After hanging out at Fado’s I walk back to the hotel in the rain and call it a night. Tomorrow is the big day!!
11/22/09
Seattle Day 2:
It’s FOOTBALL DAY!!!
The MLS Cup is tonight and everyone is out walking around in their RSL gear. I have seen a few in LA gear but we outnumber them 10 to 1.
I also have seen a few people walking around in Houston Dynamo gear. I did see one guy in a Colorado Rapids shirt and I had to make sure I let him know what I think of the Crapids; I’m sure he appreciated my kind words.
I walked down to Pike Place Market for a little sightseeing/shopping and find some food.
I was shocked how many people are out walking around in RSL gear! Found a cool used book store and picked up ‘The Bourne Legacy’ since I am almost done with my current book. I ended up eating at 'Pike Place Bar & Grill' that is up on the second floor of the Corner Market Building looking over Pike Place. Hard to believe last time I was down in this area was over 20 years ago with my dad when he was in town on business and took me to Seattle for a 2 day whirlwind tour of the city and a Seahawks game. I have been back since but not down at Pike Market.
I’m back at the room now relaxing a little before heading down to meet everyone at F.X. McRory’s. From there we will mass together and march to the stadium.
Walked down to F.X. McRory’s and the sun was starting to come out finally!
I meet up with all my RCB mates down at the pub and we stood out on the deck singing our praises for RSL and letting any unlucky LA fan that happened by how we felt about them and their club. We had quickly gathered a large crowd of RSL fans around us that were either being amused by our antics, or joined in with us.
We eventually massed together and walked down the street to a square that was the designated meeting point for the RSL fans and Seattle Sounder fans. Drew Carrey was even supposed to be there to march with us into the stadium; this all included some stupid marching band. Well there was no way I was letting some home town supporters, Drew Carrey and some bloody marching band lead us into our championship match! A bunch of us from the RCB jumped out in front of the march and lead the way.
Where oh where are the Galaxy supporters? This was running through all our minds. They were nowhere to be found; sure we ran across a few idiots sporting Beckham or Donovan shirts and they were quickly berated.
Once inside this massive stadium we set off to find our section, which has been relegated all the way up to the nosebleeds. After an elevator ride to the top of the stadium we found our section. Good to see all the Seattle folk have great seats for a match that doesn’t even have their club in it! Wait a sec, is that the LA supporters clear down there? Sure enough, most of the LA fans are down in the lower sections across the stadium from us. Even our stupid supporter group Barra Brava…errr…Barra Real are down in the lower sections. Guess it pays off to either be an LA fan or the puppet of the RSL front office.
The match itself was very exciting, LA scored first but we were able to equalize which then sent the match into overtime. Throughout the match the entire upper deck of RSL fans were able to chant/sing down upon the pitch our support for our club. I was later told by a press member down on the pitch level they could hear us over the entire stadium. There seemed to be more RSL fans here than some home matches at The Riot!
With the score still at a draw with the overtime coming to an end it was looking like for the 2nd straight match RSL was going into PK’s to decide the outcome. All of us knew we had the best keeper with Nick Rimando in net, but still could we as fans survive another tense PK session?
Rimando was a stud and saved a few shots and then Donovan booted his kick over the woodwork! Robbie Russell stepped up and put the game winner in the back of the net and a mixture of elation and jubilation erupted in the RSL supporters section.
A rumor started circulating that we The RCB would be allowed out on the pitch with the team. So off we went on a mad mans dash down the large winding walkway from the top of the stadium all the way down to the pitch. The whole way down we are singing and yelling; 30 plus large guys mostly all dressed in black rushing towards you might look like a scary sight. No wonder why everyone was giving us a very wide berth as we ran past.
We finally made our way down to the front row which sits about 5-6 feet up off the pitch. One Seattle cop walked over and said, “Who is going to be the first to go to jail tonight?” The response was, “Not sure who that will be but we know who is going to be laying on the ground first!” Quickly backup was brought over to keep us from jumping on to the pitch. By this time my head was killing from all the yelling, screaming and hysteria that was the MLS Cup Final; I could hardly stand. We watched RSL receive the MLS Cup and the team came over to show off the cup and thank us fans.
Outside of the stadium we stopped by F.X. McRory’s for some drinks. Again we found ourselves out on the deck celebrating the victory. Along came a drunken LA fan who felt his five other friends with him were going to back him up. His friends took one look at us and decided it was time to drag his friend away before he got them all in trouble.
I finally made it back to my room and drank a bunch of Gatorade and took an 800mg IBP for my pounding head. After resting for an hour or so I headed off to the teams hotel to celebrate with the team. By the time I got there it was fairly mellow time down in the hotel bar. Was able to talk with most of the team and congratulate them on their victory. They were all so very gracious for us being there and supporting them all season long, through Victory & Strife.
REAL SALT LAKE, 2009 MLS CHAMPIONS!!
VAE VICTUS!!
11/23/09
Seattle to Salt Lake City:
Waking up in Seattle, the other night feels like a dream. Turning on Sports Center and seeing the highlights from last nights match.
Today I am heading back home to SLC.
I decided to take the train from downtown out to the airport. The mass transit here works great! Next month the remaining part of the ride from downtown to the airport will be complete, but for now one must exit the train and ride the bus a short distance to the airport. I am flying Delta back to SLC. Many RSL fans are on the flight this AM.
What an exciting trip this was. RSL delivered the state of Utah its only 2nd professional sport championship title, the last being back in the 70’s from the ABA Stars.
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