RSL vs Houston Dynamo: What we learned

Good morning heartache, you’re like an old friend, come see me again. I watched the match late via MLS Live. Ouch. Three minutes in I knew this one was going to be rough. So, what did we learn?

I’m going to be repeating myself for awhile, I think. Last week I said that we still have plenty of rough times ahead. The pieces just aren’t fitting. The talent is here, but a difficult culture has been built at this club and it’s going to take time to develop something new. I’m not certain that the pieces we have quite match the picture on the front of the box. There are still attitudes that need sorting, egos to be curtailed, teamwork established.

As an RSL fan, I’m finding an understanding of loss to be a worthwhile skill, a measure of objectivity that allows me to find some good even in the roughest of times. Sports fans tend to go off the rails, rant and rave, scream, shout.

And, let’s face it, professional teams are expected to win. To provide for their fans. It’s a symbiotic relationship: the team entertains the fans, the fans agree to financially support the team. It’s how sport works. But we’re certainly in a place right now where Salt Lake Till I Die really means something. With a winning team, till I die is something you say. With a losing team, till I die is a mantra that bolsters your club. We’re not here for the fair weather. We’re not here because we want to be. We have to be. RSL flows through our blood, it’s stamped on our bones, it’s etched into our skin. We’re here for RSL. You can take my money, you can take my time, but you can’t take my heart. It’s with RSL.

Now, someone do me a favor and acknowledge the sweet musical reference above! I dropped some Streetlight Manifesto a few weeks back, but only Nate seemed to get it. Well done, Nate. Well done.

Overreactions

That scoreline was, in and of itself, all the overreaction anyone needs.