(KU made the ball do what it is doing on David's shirt a lot during the Ohio State game. More than them, in fact)
With all of the annoying conference realignment noise in the news,
it’s refreshing when two powerhouses meet up for an early-season non-conference
throwdown. Even more refreshing when the Big 12 representative puts a whupping
on the Big 10 team. And yes, statisticians bemoan the inaccuracy of placing a
10 or 12 in either conference name, as the number of teams in both leagues has
changed more than KU’s quarterback. But there are some numbers in this equation
that do matter:
2 – Ohio State’s rank before the game.
13 – KU’s rank before the game.
46 – KU’s current non-conference home game winning streak.
21/7 – Thomas Robinson's total number of points and rebounds.
17 – Approximate number of tasty jams by KU (this number might be
slightly exaggerated).
10 – Number of rows up David and I sat behind the KU bench.
114 – Decibel level it reached in Allen Fieldhouse, equivalent to
that of a rock concert (think NIN as opposed to Hall and Oates).
3 – Number of centimeters vertical that KU’s Jeff Withey jumped, in a
previously unseen feat of longitudinal prowess. (He did not grab the rebound)
2 – Number of obesity jokes cracked by new head football coach,
Charlie Weiss, in his first address to the KU public at halftime.
Beatdown – This obviously isn’t a number, but it’s exactly what
happened to Ohio State.
(If you're a KU fan and this video doesn't make you cry, you're a robot. And we're not friends!)
And David and I were there front and center to see it all. Front
and side, to be accurate. He made the “extra ticket” call and I happily
obliged. All I had to do was supply him and his family with Dean and Deluca lunch, then buy him a pre-game brewsky for his troubles. Hey, what are brothers for?
The seats were ridiculous. 10 rows behind the KU bench, straight
out from the endline. We somehow avoided pesky face-painted neighbors, and were rewarded
with a direct view of the basket all game long. We could see Bob Knight and Jay
Bilas working the game. KU alum Scott Pollard working radio. Ex-baller Mario
Little dressed as a bum in the student section (we were legitimately concerned
for his well-being as he was sporting a ridiculous beanie, flannel shirt, vest
and boots combo).
(As a longtime season tic holder, David said this was the loudest game in recent memory)
Weiss was there just 9 (and possibly 8 and 7) rows in front of us. His
coaching counterpart was there as well, pacing the sidelines. Bill Self must
have internal radar for when ESPN’s cameras are pointed at him. The goofy,
self-deprecating Self we see on the telecasts and from the rafters was not the
same dude 10 rows in front of me. He lit into players and refs with equal
venom. He red-faced it with the best of them. Ironic that he showed his
emotions openly while Bob Knight sat calmly in his front-row chair, pondering a nap.
(Last time I saw this guy, students were pelting him with snowballs (true story) at a Notre Dame football game)
That’s not to say his anger wasn’t merited. I’d certainly be ticked
if my starting center forgot how to box out (Withey). Or my point guard
completed more passes to Ohio State than to Kansas, bum knee and all (Tyshawn).
Or the refs’ forgot that Ohio State’s seventh foul in a half meant we were
shooting one and one. I actually hold him in higher esteem now...not sure why.
(Self having to remind his point guard that our team is the one wearing white jersey's)
The game, for all its high emotions, was never really close. Ohio
State came within four, I believe, but KU was never in danger of being
overtaken. Each time they crept back in, Self subbed out Withey and crossed his
fingers that T-Rob wouldn’t be baited into another silly foul. The resulting
dunkage pretty much did the trick.
(Dunk you very much)
One question remains: how different would the game have been with Ohio
State shoo-in All-American Jared Sullinger in the lineup? I’ll answer that
question with another question: how much better would KU be this year with the
Morris twins? OK, not my strongest argument, but college basketball is all
about rolling with the punches. Injuries are jabs, suspensions are hooks,
academic ineligibility is when two boxers hug it out, and graduation is a
haymaker. Early entry into the NBA draft is Mike Tyson eating a chunk Evander Holyfield’s
ear. And Mike Tyson got busy with KU in the offseason. That said, I would have loved to have seen T-Rob and Sullinger go at each
other. But as is, they're left with the knowledge that they've had the same experience as Big 10 newcomer Nebraska: an Allen Fieldhouse Loss.
(When you hear this chant, you can begin to do what's going on in the next video...)
Seeing as the Monday polls had Ohio State remaining at #2 and KU
only moving up one slot, apparently the coaches, talking heads, possibly even
the BCS felt that it was a hollow win without Sullinger in the game. Well…they
didn’t see it. And David and I did. From ten rows behind the KU bench. We don’t
really care what everyone else says…we know it was a great victory because, did I mention, we were there...
I held out for years before I finally bought a Kansas City Wizards
jersey this past season. For good measure, Chad bought me one as well. With my
blue and white options, I was a proud dual-jersey, half-season ticket owner.
The Wizards sucked - an issue only exacerbated due to the fact that their home
games played out in a baseball stadium. Adding insult to that particular
injury, our seats were located directly behind home plate; though typically the
gem of baseball spectatorship, it proved to be the absolute worst spot imaginable to
watch soccer, seeing as we were an extra couple hundred feet from pitch, jutting
out from an odd angle off of the far corner, and management, for some baffling
and never-explained reason, refused to take down the giant netting that usually
protects spectators from errant foul tips, but in this context made it appear that
we were watching the game through a spider web. Also, once we were given
free Budweiser Chelada, which I suppose is an oxymoron since we all paid dearly for it hours later.
Attending a Wizards game had quickly turned into the same
experience as attending a Royals game. Tickets are cheap. Team stinks.
Concessions too expensive. You make it a point to over-party during the
tailgate. Parking attendant tells you that you have to enter because it’s the
sixth inning. You kind of remember the game, but mostly the conversation and
camaraderie. You mistakenly cheer when the Twins homer because you think the
Royals are batting. One team wins and the other loses. Das Boot at Lews after
the game. Coffee in the morning.
Considering the state of affairs, you would think Chad, Jaron, Neb
and I would have been whole-heartedly open to a change from Kansas City’s current iteration of a professional soccer franchise. So when the KC soccer brass announced the
Wizards were no more, and the new franchise name was Sporting KC, tipping their
hat to Portuguese powerhouse Sporting Lisbon, our emotions were mixed.
Initially I liked the idea, even if it perpetuated the trendy MLS wave of
European envy. I didn’t understand how changing the name would make the club
any less sucky. Mostly, I was pissed I now had two “legacy” jerseys.
We purchased our season tickets as we had planned to, our decision
unaffected by the recent events. As ownership kept repeating that
everything was going to change, we began to not only listen to this yarn, but
to see it unfold before our eyes.
They eschewed a lucrative stadium deal by partnering with Lance
Armstrong’s Livestrong foundation, resulting in the first major sports
franchise (though I suppose that term is relative depending on who you talk to)
to name a stadium after such an organization. We were invited to tour the
stadium while still under construction – sadly, no hardhats were handed out –
to see our seats and get a feel for the place.
(The stadium was impressive, and normally packed to - and beyond - capacity)
Our tickets arrived in a presentable box with the ticket book and
parking passes neatly tucked away in their respective slots. This was a marked
improvement from the previous year, when the tickets and passes were loosely
stuffed in a white envelope, so full to capacity that they George Costanza’d
all over the place when I opened it. The
free scarf coupon was the only loose item this time, but it was acceptable
because it was…a free scarf coupon.
(Lance's brand literally hangs over everything SKC)
They started eBombing us, but with mostly interesting updates. “Livestrong
Sporting Park signs on to host Team USA during Gold Cup”. Awesome. “Get
discounted concert tickets for all LSP shows”. Nice. “Come hang out with other
Sporting KC fans for road-game watch parties”. Cool. Not going to happen, but
cool nonetheless.
Excitement was building. They succeeded in making me curious about
what they’d do for opening night. Whether or not it made an impression on me
was to be determined.
Then the season began with a bang. Literally, as fireworks, then
massive amounts of smoke filled the stadium and nether regions our lungs. The
owners spoke. Lance Armstrong spoke. Sam Brownback spoke. Chad Ochocinco didn’t
speak, he smiled and flashed a peace sign. He did not see game action. Players were introduced to a very
loud and sustained cheer, something more akin to the Chiefs than the Wizards.
People were excited.
(Currently there's one gold seat in the house - this guy's)
Right before kickoff, a second round of fireworks went off. In the
stands. In the Chicago Fire fan section. That’s when we learned that there were
giants in purple shirts lurking seemingly under the bleachers, with one task:
remove hooligans. Thanks for driving, hope you like the view from the closest
bar.
(A fire breaks out in the Chicago Fire fan base)
That the game ended in a 0 – 0 tie, the shriveled grape of soccer
matches, worried me not. We had one goal taken back for a (presumably) bunk
offsides call. We were robbed of an obvious PK when Omar Bravo was blatantly
taken down. The end result, in fact, was the only thing we felt robbed of. The
experience was overwhelming, and beyond holdovers Kei Kamara and Matt Besler,
there were a lot of new faces on the squad. This is what excited us most. Some
were pretty (Bravo), some were ugly (Aurelien Collen), some were Brazilian
(Julio Cesar), which meant he had to
be great, and some seemed prematurely tabbed for greatness (Teal Bunbury).
One was The White Puma…
(A packed house cheered heavily in Sporting KC's inaugural game)
If opening night was setting the starter log in the campfire, the
rest of the season was chucking in some kerosene and a match. Here are some of
the highlights:
Sporting KC 1 – San Jose 0: First win of the season. Game winning
goal by eventual Rookie of the Year C.J. Sapong. Offensive prowess was a
constant for SKC, with a potent quad-headed attacking monster of Sapong,
Keimara, Bravo and Bunbury willing and ready to strike at any time. Soccer is flat-out more fun when dudes can score.
Expansion team Vancouver Whitecaps came to town, and with it,
national team defender and former British streetballer Jay Demerit. One of the bonuses
of the tempered success the MLS has been seeing of late is that veterans and
recognizable International players are signing at a higher rate. Sometimes I’m
more excited for who I’m going to see on the opposition than who will play for
us. This was one of those times. Just today, in fact, I ordered his documentary Rise and Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story. The
story of how this doc was even made is just as amazing. FIFA basically “loaned”
them the rights to World Cup footage – worth millions in rights – for a
repayment down the line. Unheard of. Can’t wait to watch it. Oh, and in classic
DeMerit fashion, he was yellow-carded for sliding through somebody.
(Grilling out in front of the stadium: Zach's level of interest is obviously high)
I’m always pumped to see Premier League teams, however the
Newcastle game was kind of a letdown. Compared to the (former) Wizards beatdown
– probably not an accurate descriptor – of Manchester United, it was a bit
underwhelming to see our B team limp to a draw with the Magpies C team. At
minimum a goal or red card would have been nice.
Due to stadium construction, Sporting KC was on the road for
much of the first two months. In recompense, we had five home games in the
month of August, going 3 – 2 during that stretch. Good wins versus Real Salt
Lake (and the hippied Beckerman), Portland and D.C. United were offset by close
losses to Seattle and FC Dallas. The Seattle loss was acceptable, because who
expects to best a team with former US mainstay Kasey Keller protecting the
pipes? The Dallas one was tough, because we were ahead much of the match, only
to let three unanswered goals slip by. We held their young mo-hawked stud, Brek
Shea – real name – in check most of the game, only to let him slip down the
left sideline twice near the end of the game (once in injury time) to deliver
perfect crosses that were easily knocked in. That one hurt.
(The Cauldron celebrates another SKC victory)
September brought on five more home games and further domination.
We had a weird one against LA. Having ascended rapidly in the standings after a
poor start, SKC was now in the playoff hunt, and meeting the west’s best team.
Beckham and Donovan were there, as was surfer turned soccer player Frankie
Hedjuk (who was once hilariously slapped by a Mexican assistant coach after a
US victory). Newly acquired Irish international Robbie Keane didn’t suit up,
nor did his one-time teammate, my favorite player of all time, the long-retired
Irish international Roy Keane. But that one made sense.
It was a raucous back-and-forth battle with playoff implications. Livestrong Stadium was as loud
as it had ever been. There were great goals and chippy fouls. Donovan subbed in
and quickly received a yellow-card caution for a lazy foul. Beckham, apparently
having spent too much time watching American football, received a yellow card for
trying to ice the kicker PK taker (video below). Omar was having none of
that. Though the tie was a slight let-down, Matt, Bethany, Melody and I greatly
enjoyed Garmin’s free seats, just a few rows up near the mid-line. It was a
nice deviation from our normal seats, but our hearts still belong in the south
stand.
(Beckham fail, followed by Omar goal)
The month ended on a high note, as SKC dominated the Columbus Crew
in a victory that we realized after the game, put us in first place. White Puma
(keeper Jimmy Nielsen) was running around the field like a track star, giving
props to fans and riling up his teammates. After a very s…l…o…w start to the season, SKC was
sitting alone in first near the end of the season. Peaking at just the right
time.
(More awesome than a double rainbow are double SKC fedoras)
October saw Sporting wrap up first place and gave us one
entertaining home game in the process. Livestrong Park was packed, anticipating
the arrival of the New York Red Bulls and their trident of stars, each of which, I’ll
use just two works to describe: Thierry Henry (The Legend), Rafa Marquez (he
sucks) and bright young talent Juan Agudelo (So Gifted). The win was a
relatively easy one as Henry kneed our Honduranian workhorse Roger Espinoza in
the head 19 minutes in, and was promptly shown straight red; Agudelo was resting and played
only the final ten minutes or so; and Rafa Marquez still sucks. Long-time US
Soccer fans such as myself recognize and appreciate this karmatic comeuppance,
no doubt a result of the pendulum finally crossing the pit that saw Marquez
violently elbow Cobi Jones in the face during Mexico's 2002 World Cup round of 16
loss to the US.
(Champs...like a Boss!)
Eastern Conference Champs!
Completing the hail mary that was an entire brand make-over, SKC
used their home-field advantage – and leveraged the ridiculous amount of second
half home games – to win the Eastern Conference. The tight race – just five
points separated the first five teams – took until the final weekend to
solidify, at which point SKC rested two points over second place Houston and an astonishing 23
points over last place New England. I imagine that management could have
predicted no better outcome. SKC entered the playoffs as a no-longer-longshot
to reach the finals.
A cumulative 4 – 0 stomping of last year’s winner Colorado put us
into the Eastern Finals. It also proved to be the first time I’ve ever prepared
to go to a game, stepped outside, then immediately turned back. Melody and I
felt the freezing rain and torrential winds that were outside and said ‘eff
that. I use the excuse that she was recovering from pneumonia, but I wouldn’t
have gone regardless. Nothing’s worth freezing my ass off like that. Jaron
soldiered through, however, and was rewarded with a great win and the requisite
humorous moments that occur on a slick and soggy pitch.
The Eastern Conference Finals against Houston…we won’t talk about.
While these are some of the tangible highlights of the season,
there were many subtle ones that centered around us the fans, not the players. Jaron,
Neb and I attended almost every game, sometimes hitting up the stadium twice in
the same week. Chad and Melody both bought official SKC jerseys. We had large
tailgates with many friends, grilling out and kicking around the soccer ball. Almost
everyone in my family attended a game with me, and they all left having had a
memorable experience. Beyond the high quality of play that we began to expect
with each passing, the experience proved worthwhile in that we knew we could
invite anyone – soccer understanding and interest notwithstanding – to the park
and they’d have a great time.
Here’s hoping we keep all of our weird-named players (Graham Zusi,
Soony Saad, Kei Kamara, Teal Bunbury and co.) and some of the normal ones too,
so that 2012 is even more successful than 2011.
