My Salt Lake Story

by Dave Clark on Dec 28, 2009 8:32 PM MST Comment 2 comments

This story isn't really about me, nor about the Sounders. I am posting it right where it belongs, on a blog dedicated to the current holders of the MLS Cup - Real Salt Lake. It is a story about the fans, but not the hundreds that I met over the MLS Cup Final weekend, but instead it is about those that traveled to the regular season match here.

You see I started this little tradition of visiting the away support section and thanking those that travel to support their team. I can't travel right now, the economics don't work out, but I love those that do. Even those that support the opposition.

When I visited the San Jose fans they threatened me with violence (Brad Pitt wannabees), and mocked me for not supporting the Sounders in the past (my first Sounders match was in 1999). I should have asked them why they didn't support the Bay Seals.

When I visited the Toronto fans they were just Canadians who live in Seattle full time. Mostly they were from BC too, which should be real fun in another year.

When I visited the Fire fans - wait those were Timbers fans. I didn't visit. They took the worst of the TA and paid them to put on Fire gear. There was nothing to thank.

Throughout the season I did what I could to shake a few hands and say thank you. Sometimes security didn't want me to do so, and then I just shouted thank you.

But I had the good fortune of going right into 203 during Salt Lake's visit to Seattle during the season and talking to those fans. Not only were they pleasant, but disappointed, they were also welcoming. So much so that a man and woman I had just met said "When you come to Salt Lake on a road trip you can stay in our basement."
I say again, this couple invited my seatmates and I to stay at their home for a proper weekend of soccer. The understanding was that there would be a sporting battle on gameday between the lines, but that before and after there would just be joy, love of the game and companionship.

It lead us to thinking, if our group of five does one road trip this year, it will be to Salt Lake. Not to take up that offer, but because we want to be welcomed into a city, even as rivals in the stadium.

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The way it should be

Now I poke fun at fans from different teams, heck I remember that match and while not all the Seattle fans in the stadium were happy to see us, it was a different story all weekend.

See while I wasn’t in the stands (I was on the sideline taking pictures), I was one of a group of about 20-30 people who came into Seattle on Friday morning and spend the day showing my friends the town (I lived in Seattle for 4 years about a decade ago). A trip to the space needle, the pikes place market, a couple bars and everywhere we went we were in full RSL gear; jerseys, hats, scarves, hoodies, you name it. Not once was there an issue, instead just lots of high fives with Seattle fans and the occasional RSL fan.

Saturday was more of the same as we went from brewery to pub, to brewery all afternoon and each place we ran into friendly faces. Heck even at Fado’s, Elysian Fields, and the Pyramid where many Sounder fans were gathered, there was some good natured ribbing, and me earning free drinks from newbie fans who couldn’t name 5 players. It was a lot of fun, and when the fans from Seattle make the trip south to Salt Lake this spring, I have no doubt we will see more of the same.

I am a firm believer that MLS needs all the fans it can get, and if you can travel to support your team all the better, if not then get to as many matches as you can at home. There are always a few bad apples in every crowd, but I believe that most of the RSL fans love it when opposing fans (well other than the Rapids fans) come to town.

If you make it out to Salt Lake in a couple months let me know, I know I can help you get media credentials and give you a tour of the stadium.

by denz on Dec 28, 2009 10:14 PM MST reply actions

Awesome.

I can echo what Denz said, as I went up there for the first match of the year and for the Cup. I’d never been to Seattle before, and it’s a great town, full of friendly people (even the homeless people were about the friendliest I’ve ever met). With the exception of one drunk asshole trying to start fights after the match—there’s one in every town—all of the fans we met were great, and even the ones taunting us were doing it in a pretty good-natured way. It was the same for the MLS Cup. I’m damned jealous of the numbers and atmosphere that you guys get, but it’s great for the league. Because of the atmosphere and the people (and the fact that I didn’t have time to make the Science Fiction Museum either trip), Seattle’s definitely going to be on my list of road trips any time I’m able to make it.

Hope to see you guys down here next season. Stop by the tailgate and have a beer with us.

by lurpy on Dec 29, 2009 3:04 AM MST reply actions