The Boys Cheer, but nothings ever happens

The Goats were handed yet another loss by the L.A. Galaxy at last nights Honda Super Classico at the Home Depot Center in front of 24,000 people. It was a fabulous display of athleticism, missed opportunities and ineptitude on the pitch. We have so much great talent like Nagamura, Braun(zilla) and coach that is supposed to be good, but like a bicycle trying to move forward with its wheels spinning at different speeds, it just won’t work.

Julio at the Barra Classico

Several months ago I was told by a former Chivas USA player that things in camp were just not working and to be ready for a bad season. I didn’t believe him, but as my Goats proved time and time again, he was right. The bad news is that Chivas USA now sits DEAD LAST in the Western Conference of the MLS.The good news is that at least we are not DC United, who has had an even more miserable season than we have as they are the worst team in the MLS with 21 points to Chivas USA’s second worse 25 points.

In the “better news” section, the Union Ultras beat the Angel City Brigade in its 3rd meeting of the “Barra Classico” supporters club friendly the night before the big game. The Home Depot Center has gotten on board and allowed us to play at field #5 (yes a real field instead of some ghetto ass park). There were several players as well as Coach Vasquez from Chivas USA that came to support the Union Ultras and that gesture was a class act! I did not see Beckham or Landycakes on the ACB sidelines…maybe they were to busy being “Hollywood” to give a thought to supporting the people that support them.

Chivas USA player and really nice guy Paulo Nagamura supporting the Union Ultras

The game itself was pretty damn heated and by all means there was a much higher level of game play than in previous years. There were some heated words, 2 red cards and a “mooning” by the ACB after its beat down by the Ultras. The game has the making of becoming a significant event in the future of all the supporter groups play, behave and remember why we are here in the first place.

Coach Vasquez and Unon Ultra Jim discuss the future on the sidelines of the game

So, where do we go from here? I don’t know…I guess the only place we can go is up! So here is to a glorious 2011 season for Chivas USA! I am ready for this one to be over, that’s for sure, but there is one good thing to think about….The Los Angeles Kings (NHL) starts next week and I have season tickets! Go Kings Go!!!

Great shot of the Legion 1908 Supporters section banner

Its been a pretty terrible year for Chivas USA to say the least. I think with the new coach, and the loss of some key veteran players/leaders Chivas USA faced an uphill battle from the beginning. In the early part of the season (well pretty much up until last night) the team looked lost, with no clear leader and no “Mojo” as Austin Powers would say.

I have missed several games this year due to work and travel issues, but I did mange to catch them on TV whenever I could, including the DC United game…while I was in a bar on the Disney Wonder cruise ship, sitting next to another Dad who was a DC United fan! It was fun, and helped pass the time whilst I drank my Martini’s! I will admit that my excitement for the games this year has dipped a little bit this year, I mean it gets old going to the stadium and watching your team lose time and time again. There has been one bright and shining star, a point of light at the end of a dark tunnel and he wears #17

Justin Braun, Chivas USA's shining star

I have noticed that 1 player this year has stepped up and become a force to be reckoned with on the pitch and that player is Justin Braun. When I first saw Justin Braun it was in the offices of Chivas USA, I wondered to myself if he was a high school kid because he looked about 16 at the time. This young skinny kid from Utah who 3 years ago was a timid late game sub that Preki had snapped up out of a community college in Utah after seeing him at a local tournament. Justin Braun in my opinion as a fan, has become the leader of Chivas USA on the field and is on track to become one of the few of Chivas USA’s legitimate homegrown superstar’s. The way he moves on the pitch, running like the wind and striking like lightning is impressive. He takes the energy that the fans give him and uses it to become a goalkeepers worst enemy! Justin can strike from outside the box, up close, or with a well placed header, he is deadly and he is ours! Watching him play with all his might for the entire game is awesome, its players like Justin Braun that got me into soccer, and I love the fact that I was there as a fan to watch him grow into the stud that he is now.

I am worried about Justin Braun though, worried that as he gets better and gets more recognition in the soccer community, he will be gone. Guzan, Sacha and soon to be Bornstein he will get snapped up to Europe and we will be left with a giant void that will be left by his departure. So, I say this to Mr Hamilton and Mr Hunter and Mr Vasquez….Don’t let him go, pay him, keep him and let him lead this team into the team that the fans deserve! The Red Bull’s and the Galaxy can have 3 designated players and we have 0, we have to grow and develop our own. So lets do just that, don’t get rid of Justin let him continue to develop and lead our team to a championship that we deserve. I am growing tired of being the “Clippers” of the MLS, Justin Braun might be the one player to make us the “Lakers”….

http://www.cdchivasusa.com/news/2010/05/late-penalty-lifts-united-over-chivas-usa

Justin Braun,…wow he is unstoppable, a machine…maybe Bob Bradley should give him one more quick look!

Chivas USA striker Justin Braun is on fire this year

Wow, what a difference a week makes!

I knew that things were going to be a bit different at this game for Chivas USA, I felt a different “vibe” when I got to lot 11 to tailgate with the Union Ultras. The supporters “pre game” has grown significantly and Hugo was cooking up some wicked beer batter fish and chips (inspired by our resident Brit Simon no doubt).

Hugo and Jig's at the fish and chip table

The weather was great and  it just felt right, everyone was happy to see each other, happy to be at HDC  (but not happy to pay $15 to park). I was very impressed with a few of the new supporters, all decked out in Chivas USA gear…1 new supporter caught the eye of many of the Ultra men as she wore her Chivas USA gear, how shall we say it…very well!

The highlight of the pregame was the visit from Chivas USA President Shawn Hunter! Shawn come to lot 11 and actually hung out with the Chivas USA fans. I mean like siting down in a lawn chair and shooting the breeze. What a class act! I can’t tell you how great that was and what a big difference it made (team presidents don’t usually hang out and tailgate with fans), so a big prop’s to you Shawn Hunter!

A “march to the match” around HDC with the Ultra’s waving flags, banners and cheering helped set the tone for the upcoming match. Once inside the vibe continued into the stands of section 101!.

Now we all know that Sacha Kljestan is on the bubble as far as the US National Team right now. We all want him to play well and join Chivas USA teammate Jonathan Bornstein in South Africa for the world cup. Well let’s all hope that Bob Bradley (Team USA Coach) was watching cause Kljestan set the tone with the 1st goal of the evening. It was like watching a complete different Chivas USA team, passes were going where they were supposed to go, there seamed to be good communication on the field, it just looked good! The highlight of the game was no doubt when young striker Justin Braun smoked a pass right into the net in front of section 101. Braun had so much mojo and awante he ran and leaped like a track star over the barrier, running over to the front of section 101 to celebrate with the Union Ultras! The rest of the Chivas USA players, unable to contain themselves, leaped the barrier and had an impromptu celebration with the fans. That moment was in my opinion a turning point for Chivas USA, it showed a huge bond between the fans and the players. Justin Braun choosing the share the spotlight with the fans who cheer so hard for Chivas USA, instead of just running around the field basking in his own glory showed class and a return of the love his fans give to him.

You know doubt have heard the term “Lambeau Leap” for when a Green Bay Packer (NFL) scores a touchdown and jumps into the stands just behind the end zone.

I now coin this term for what Justin Braun has started…It is now and forever will be known as the “Home Depot Hurdle” for when a player hurdles over the barrier and embraces the fans after scoring a goal!

The game continued and my other favorite player Chuwudi “Chukie” Chijindu come into the game towards the later half of the second half…Running like the wind, dreadlocks on fire, he proceeded to spank another goal to make it 3-1. It was pretty much done at that point and the crowd knew it with many headed to the parking lot to beat the rush out of the HDC lot. San Jose scored an insignificant goal in the 90th min but nobody cared (well maybe Thornton did). I had e mailed Shawn Hunter just before the game thanking him for coming out to see the fans, he told me that they would have 3 points tonight…I was impressed by his confidence and the fact that he was RIGHT!

John Santos and I, John being all "serious"...and me being "me"

Well let’s hope that all is right in the world of the Goats and we can start winning some games. The team looked fantastic on the field and the front office went out of the way once again to make the game experience a great one! Can’t wait till next game!

Well I guess the only good thing right now is the fact that we can pretty much only go UP from here, I will be watching the action from my seat in section 101…Let Go Chivas USA!!!

I will leave you with a photo that brought me great pleasure to pose for last week in Mazatlan…

Oh by the way, I am working on Chivas USA iPhone app…its pretty cool!

Union Ultras-Swindon Town Supporter Simon shows his anger at the Goats gameplay

Well watching the superclassico on ESPN tonight it looks like Chivas USA still has the same problems. Missed passes, people running around and just not looking like a team. I don’t know what it is, but after Santos kicked that ball over the open goal from about 10 feet out…I am turning it off and watching the Kings give a beatdown to the Cannucks in Hockey…

Maybe next week it will be better next week..makes me wonder if Talley was still with us would things be any different?

It was supposed to be a new year for Chivas USA, a new coach, new players and from the size of the crowd (18,600) thousands of new fans. The front office worked hard in the of season to pump up the crowd and was rewarded with a nice jump in attendance , with the lower level of HDC packed to the gills with very lively fans.

The pre game started with a great tailgate, time for supporters from all over Southern California to gather, embrace, reminisce and talk about what a great season it was going to be for Chivas USA. There was hope and excitement. Lots of front office folk along with TV 34 hung out in lot 11 prior to the game watching the Narbonne High School band practice some Chivas songs…You may remember them from the Galaxy vs Chivas USA playoff match when they pretty much shut down the Galaxy supporters groups. The new front office inspired tradition of a “March to the Match” began from lot 11 and went “all the way” around the HDC…it was fun, but really didn’t need to go around the entire stadium and through the dirt path along Avalon. There was a nice sized contingent from El Salvador that was greated with open arms by the supporters. They had large banners and were all wearing the colors of the El Salvador national team in support of new Chivas USA player Osael Romero.

The Crowd

The fans did a great job of keeping the energy rocking inside of HDC the entire game. Union Ultras brought out the “mega trapo’s” once again after a long absence and negotiations with HDC and Chivas USA about “fire code” issues. It was nice to see them again as they really add to the atmosphere of the game and help set our games apart from the Galaxy games (well that and all the other crowd-energy things).

The Game

Hmmm….how can I put this, the game itself was “less than spectacular” and I think the new Chivas USA has to work on a lot of things. It just didn’t flow with the team last night. Passes were off, some players going in one direction, while others went in another which seams to set the theme for what needs to happen next. The team needs to find the right direction, to find a leader and to mesh as a team. It appeared to me that the players were not certain of what role they were playing and who was doing what. There was one highlight when Dan Kennedy made a nice diving save, but that was pretty much it. In fact, during the second half stoppage time, Chivas USA had the ball and all they needed was a good pass. What happened is the pass was made to the backside, missed and the ball slowly rolled towards Kennedy in the Chivas USA goal…just like my 9 yr olds AYSO team does.

Final Thoughts

Food…same old overpriced crap at HDC with the exception of El Pollo Campero, a Guatemalan based chicken chain which has some fantastic fried chicken.

The new Jerseys …meh…nothing spectacular, look like maybe they were made just a bit different so some people would by them…but alas they were not available at the HDC store. It was just the same stuff as last year, maybe someone will take a look at all the cool “other” Chivas gear being worn at the games (cool blankets, goat hats, fun stuff like that) and start making it for Chivas USA…cause maybe contrary to popular belief we are not all Chivas Guadalajara fans…and support Chivas USA only!

The team needs a lot of work to come together, with a new coach and half of the team being new, I know its going to take some time…lets just not take too long ok guys!