MLS Season Begins - Rapids Show Colorado Sports How to do it!

I had a brand new experience, tonight. Those of you who know me know that I am pretty much a follower of two sports, hockey and football, usually in that order. Recently, however, I have discovered the world's game. Soccer.

It all started when one of my friends in Colorado Springs told me that their Rapids support group, most specifically the Bulldog Support Group, check out their facebook page on that link, was going to go an Avalanche game.

Those of you who follow me on twitter, @TheSinBin, remember how much fun that was. The group was loud, on their feet the whole game, making noise, even when the Avs were down 5-1 and the rest of the building was busy knitting or something. After that event, I decided I had to check them out in their element.

Tonight I went to my first ever Colorado Rapids game as a member of the BSG, and let me tell you something. The rest of Colorado sports fans can learn a thing or two about how to support your team from the Rapids fans. Opening night, PACKED HOUSE. It was also banner night, as the Rapids celebrated their 2010 MLS Cup Victory at the start of the game. Then the game began, and what action it was!

Soccer, coming from a guy who has never really cared for the sport, is exciting as all hell to watch in person. Especially when you are in a group that is standing the whole game, chanting and singing to support the team or dog the visitors, telling the referees what they can do with their whistle, and jumping up and down during every chant and after every goal. There is a lot that goes on! Even the visiting team brought their own supporters who had their own chants. It was an amazing atmosphere.

One thing that people have been complaining about a lot in Colorado Sports this past year is the lack of fan support. Broncos complaining about having more Steelers fans than Broncos fans in the stands, Avalanche fans not filling the Pepsi Center (or playing video games on a tablet throughout the whole game. That's right kid in front of the BSG in 374, we saw you), Rockies never really filling the house, etc... Rapids fans were out in full scale tonight. Dick's Sporting Goods Stadium was filled. Rapids flags waved all game long. Support groups drove the Portland supporters into silence for most of the game. And the Rapids came out with a 3-1 victory.

Seriously, Denver sports fans need to remember what it is like to be rowdy and noisy and to make the team want to put hide under their benches because we're so loud. If you want a reminder of what that feels like, as I was given tonight, you need to go and check out the Colorado Rapids. It is MORE than worth the price of admission. Once Denver fans get the spirit back like the Rapids fans have, people will remember what a great sports town Denver really is.

GO RAPIDS!

The World Cup Finale!!

Well, now that I'm writing pretty consistently again, I figure I should go ahead and actually say something about this one. So, allow me to begin!

First, to all Americans who hear people around the world to refer to the game as football, and then try to correct them, please stop. We are the only country in the world, except for possibly Canada, that refers to this as soccer. Just live with it and accept it as one of life's funny little quirks, or just another self-serving reason that you give yourself as to why America is "better" than everybody else. Settled? Awesome!

Next, I have to say that I never really liked soccer all that much until I went on a trip in high school. It was 1998, and I was part of People to People Student Ambassadors. For any of you who don't know about that program, you can check out that link, but it is essentially a way to get youth in the states to get a chance to visit other countries and experience a culture other than their own. Well, part of my experience was a home stay in the Netherlands. This, I hardly need to remind you, was right in the middle of the World Cup that year! As part of my experience, my host sister brought me to one of the local pubs to watch the round of 16 game between the Netherlands and Yugoslavia. Again, I had never watched soccer before in my life, but the intensity of everybody was insane! I loved the game, and have, ever since, been at least a casual fan of soccer, a fan of Dutch soccer, and have stopped bashing it as a boring game. It is not boring in the least. So that's my back story.

Now, this year we have heard a lot of things about the World Cup, mostly revolving around the horrible officiating, and the ridiculous gamesmanship (I mean come on, what a panzy play to just flop like that. Let's introduce that guy to Bob Probert, give him a reason to flop like that) but we have also been treated to some great games. Both Semi-final matches were incredible! The Dutch score fest and Uruguay rally, followed by an amazing nail biter between Spain and Germany. That is what the World Cup should be remembered for, not insanely botched calls that have a long lasting effect on the game. Luckily, the great play has been towards the finale, which will leave a longer lasting memory in our minds, in my opinion.

As for the final itself, I have to stick with my heart. I have loved the Dutch ever since I visited the Netherlands, so I am going to say that the Orange Crush will win the day, and capture their first World Cup Championship ever.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!
Had to be done.