I ventured north to my second Sounders away game last weekend. Vancouver entered the league this year, and it’s nice to be able to go see the Sounders while driving less than a home game requires.
Border 1
Experience for yourself, the most interesting conversation I’ve ever had with a border guard.
“You guys didn’t take the bus?”
“Ah, no.”
“Good idea. It was nasty. I just got done checking it.”
“Yeah, they’ve probably been drinking for a while.”
“Yeah, they’d been drinking for a while. And it was all coming out. Down the aisles. Down the stairs. Nasty.”
“Oh, man.”
“Have a good time.”
Game start time stress
I suffer from a little-known malady I describe as game time start stress. I hate to miss a thing. A few things that contribute to this stress:
- Border waits
- Traffic
- Canadian drivers
- Parking
- Dining
- Walking
But it was all good. We weathered some slow traffic, found a free parking spot, had time to partake in some Vietnamese food, and didn’t even have to run to our seats.
ECS in the house
The Sounders and Whitecaps agreed to an allotment of 500 tickets for away supporters. I did not join in this festive group. I like to watch a game. However, when purchasing tickets of my own, I snagged the same section. Lucky for us, we were sitting directly below the fevered group. All of the energy, none of the obstructed views!
Our seats at Century Link Field have a great view of the supporters, but they’re a little far away to keep track of and join in chants. No problem hearing them this time. In fact, we couldn’t hear much else. I lost my voice for the first time this year, chanted away, and generally had an excellent time.
It might have been nice to be across the field, where maybe we could have heard some back and forth between the ECS and the Southsiders. Maybe next time.
Game on
In convenient bullet points:
- Early goal for Vancouver. Eh…
- Vancouver’s speed gave us a lot of problems, along with a linesman who had difficulty with offsides.
- Thank god Brad is back so someone can make PKs.
- The second half was better, with us controlling the game much more.
- Fredy Montero.
- Fredy Montero.
- Win.
Empire Field
Is a rickety thing, eh? This was the last game in this temporary stadium. It was nice to go there, I guess. But it will be nicer to drive half as far and take the SkyTrain directly to BC Place.
Cascadia Cup
Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver compete for a supporters’ trophy known as the Cascadia Cup. With our victory over the Whitecaps, we clinched said trophy for 2011. Conveniently, previous holders Portland (who took it last year when it was just between PDX and Van) where on hand to fork it over. So sad for them. Sitting where we were we had a great view of the trophy presentation. A few players hoisted it, and then it made its way up the stands to the supporters’ groups. Pretty wild, it was.
The Whitecaps even set off some fireworks to help us celebrate. Or, they were “Goodbye Empire Field” fireworks. We’ll take the three points and your fireworks, thank you very much. The Whitecaps team was walking around with a “Farewell Empire Field” banner. They looked pitiful and ignored. I felt a little bad for them, but then I saw Sounder Servando Carrasco’s girlfriend and US Women’s Natinal Team player Alex Morgan and I forgot all about it.
Border 2
“What did you do in Canada?”
“Watched the Sounders beat Vancouver.”
[Silence.]
“Are you bringing anything back with you?”
“Just the sweet taste of victory?” Oh my god what am I doing this guy is not amused oh man oh man.
[Silence.]
“Have a good night.”
Bonus State Patrol Experience
A little too wired on the way home. I missed the sign for reduced speed approaching Bellingham. I saw the patrol car ahead of me, checked my speed, and wondered why they were driving so slow as I passed them. They answered my question by immediately pulling behind me and flashing these really bright red and blue lights.
The officer gave me shit for living in Bellingham and not knowing exactly where the speed reduced, but then she noticed that it was my birthday in an hour and she chilled out a little and gave me a verbal warning. So my advice is to only drive past a cop going ten miles over the limit on the night before your birthday. Works every time.
And
I’m definitely going to see the Sounders win in Vancouver every year.
