So, my first foray into the world of MLS

....... albeit an MLS team playing a Brit team in a friendly

I think I posted last week mentioning that I was off to see our old friend Brek Shea at Orlando. It was hard to tell if it had posted using a 6 year old Scroll Excel Android tablet on poor wifi, but hey, I tried. Thought I'd follow up with a review of my night out. Nothing like the standard of a Whitey blog, but here goes - hopefully pointing out some BBS comparisons.

So my son Tom and I like our football. He has a decent knowledge of European footie, and has recently enhanced that with a bit of MLS. He has wittered me for years to try get us to a Bundeliga or La Liga match, so I thought I'd make the effort while on holiday and at least get us to an American game. Choice was the West Brom friendly on the Wednesday or a Red Bulls match on the Friday. As we had fast pass tickets to meet Mickey Mouse on the Friday, West Brom was the decision.

We took a chance and bought tickets on the night but for those on here who go on about Ticketmaster, it would have been a doddle - all games covered and easy to use. Orlando is a fairly new team in the league and as such there is a fair bit of excitement around the City. their main sponsor is Orlando Health, and together they use the tag line "Our City, Our Team" Sound familiar ? I mistakenly thought the stadium was new too, but a quick search shows it is quite an old ground, though with several refurbs over the years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Citrus_Bowl_Stadium

We drove form our digs in time to drop the girls off for a nights shopping at Millenia Mall, then drove up a couple of junctions and found the ground. There were several folk around in official looking yellow bibs and fluorescent batons pointing out the parking. A few minutes later I was to find these are not official, but merely locals who will get you to park anywhere for $10. By that time, I had given a local $10 for him to direct me into a breakers yard ! ! Only a chat with a local copper told me I should have avoided. I thought I was either going to find my car crushed, be charged $100 to get out, or find it locked with the guy having done a runner and been nothing to do with the yard ! Turns out I was lucky though. I will use official park next time.

Stadium looked good, and there was a bit of a feel-good factor outside. There was a kind of fanzone on a grassed area over the road, games for kids on a mini inflatable stadium, rock group on a stage, catering vans, all very good and something that could easily be replicated at Oakwell. It certainly drew in the locals and the Brits seemed impressed (think it was the same day someone had posted on the BBS about Derby County setting up a fanzone ?). There were a few baggies fans around, and various other brit shirts. We queued for tickets with some Geordies, who shared our emotion that it would be difficult to support West Brom ! !

Into the ground, stewards aplenty, a quick frisk and in. Certainly secure, and plenty of staff so no worrying about queues. Inside was spotless, the concourse enormous, but for the first time I was a bit disappointed - namely because of the prices of a) the merchandise and b) the price of burgers and beer. Paid $11 for a can of beer (pint can) and over the odds for a burger, which wasn't the best. Tom wanted an Orlando shirt, but at $80 or $125 he said thanks but no thanks.

Inside the ground we initially sat behind the goal at the home end (to avoid the strong sun). Trouble is, this was what they called "the wall" with one of those artificial Middlesboro-style noisy zones. Bit of a gantry behind the goal where the bronzed adonis ringleaders tried to whip up "the wall" into a frenzy and started off the chants. Fair number of drummers too. Am not keen on this but am undecided if I'd like to see the same at the 'Well. It certainly worked, for a crowd that size, but I'd rather see it from afar rather than sit in it. They had their hard-core, many flags and T-Shirts with 'O-Town Hooligans' in what I can only describe as a poor effort to introduce some 'European-style' culture to the event. I'm sure they weren't real hooligans - they were as real as the poor attempts at Brit-style chants (there was even an effort of "Everywhere We Go". So we moved to the corner.

Ten mins before kick-off, I thought they were building a boxing ring in the middle of the pitch. Maybe a bit of WWE before kick-off ? No, it was for the fireworks. So pre-kick off, we had God Save the Queen for WBA (or WBA minus McLean) followed by the Star Spangled Banner. Then fireworks. All a bit much for a friendly, but would have loved to have seen it for the MLS match a couple of nights later. It is probably the only time I will ever sine God Save the Queen for West Brom (which I did loudly, with my hand on my heart, much to the amusement of the Yanks around us, and much to Tom's embarrassment To be fair to the Yanks, they respected it and stood to a man.

Kick-off. I could not believe they could play in that heat, but they did. I was saddened that in a sad reflection of his BFC career, Brek didn't show up. maybe he was being rested, bless. First observation was how the fans hate to see their man tackled. Just basic tackles, not lunges or anything. Any physical contact was vilified. Olsen tackled someone on the Edge of his box, decent tackle I thought, but there was hell on. So he was booked. West Brom were superb first half, I honestly thought they were brill. Orlando were pants. None more so than Donovan Ricketts (ex Bradford City) in goal. The crowd were on his back from the off. "That'll do his confidence no good" I mused, and sure enough he let a weak cross-shot across him and watched it roll into the net. This brought out the most 'Barnsley-like' response from the crowd, who ripped into him incessantly afterwards. He was subbed at half-time. A few decent chants and mexican waves got the crowd going and the team responded with a wonderful solo goal from Kaka, right on half time. He's a tall lad, never realised that. What a hero to the crowd too - they love him. What a goal.

There was a 3 minute heat-break, which I could fully understand.

Half time made me make a mental note of the marketing and with it, the big screenS (yes, plural) and scoreboards. Three of them, 2 at the far end (streaming live all match) and the big main one behind us. Superb condition, superb graphics. Not so much from the tannoy announcers, but every bit of detail you could imagine on the big screens, they marketed tickets, merchandise, fixtures, sponsors etc to the Nth degree and there is no way you can say they didn't get their message across. Well impressed.

2nd half - plenty of subs. Kaka had gone off. The cynical part of me thinks that because it was a friendly it was in his, and the oppositions, contract to let him score before letting him go off ? Certainly they had never looked like scoring til the last minute of the 1st half. Look at the link at the end - did they let him walk it in or was it class ? The little lad who played 55 was pulling the strings for them, bit of a R Sterling lookalike. He was class, and Orlando were a different team, and WBA turned into a poor man's Barnsley. Terrible. A wonder free-kick put them ahead and they had countless chances before wrapping it up 5 mins from the end, another decent move. There had been a heat break in the second half, too. We made a run for it a couple of mins before the end - I needed to know if the car was still there. Phew. Decent policing meant the roads were cleared or closed to allow traffic away, and I was back on the main highway to the Mall in no time at all.

Overall I was impressed. I have seen various attempts at 'soccer' in the US ever since the first league in the 70's which I am pretty sure was just full of Beat, Marsh, vintage Brits and Brazilians looking for a last pay day. It was doomed. This time I think they have got it right and there is an appetite for it that is worrying for Baseball and 'Football' crowds. I think they are right too to concentrate on making it an American product, rather than trying to emulate the Prem League. stick to what they are doing and they won't go far wrong. There were 15.5k there, but over 33 vs New york 2 nights later. And boy is there some talent. As last nights performance by a load of New York 'kids' putting Chelsea to shame.

match goals here - watch Kak's and the free-kick. ....... i will try get some pics off my Go Pro if I get chance, see if I can post them on here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j88DKTUgwPA

Other thing to note ....... THEY PUT THE SPRINKLERS ON ! ! ! ! ! ! But I guess in 90 degree heat it's allowed.

And fitness. OK, I'm fast approaching 50, but am fit enough for my age. At the end of a reds match I generally jog down the car park, then up to Donny Road for the car. Tried running for the car at Orlando and was (not joking) fecked after 5 yards. There is just no air to 'take off' Fair play to the Pro's for even getting past a jog for 90 mins.

 

Pics

1st view of the ground


Outside the ground


Reet scoreboard

 

Pics 2

Ready for the fanfare and fireworks. Security guard in view was Trevor Macdonald


The 'Wall'


TURN THE FECKING SPRINKLERS OFF


Trevor Macdonald

 

Re: Pics

We might get it after they get a new one... just like we did with the New York Yankees one

 

Re: Pics

You should have done your research.
Brek had an operation a couple of weeks ago.

 

Re: Pics

Mid Life Soccer is f*cking awful. Marginally better than women's football. A good cure for insomnia, at least.

 

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wow top tip, any of you fkers looking for somewhere to park next season I'll be the guy on Pontefract Rd in the official looking bib !

 

Interesting read. Boy that free kick was good. Who Scored it?

I like seeing football matches in other countries. Always novel. My favourite was Boca Juniors in Argentina. Now that was mental! If I go to America I fancy taking in a MLS match. Would be somewhat different to our usual experience over here!

 

I watched an MLS game for the first time last week. And whilst the standard was still fairly poor, the fact that each team seems to have an obvious star player made it very interesting. It was New York vs Toronto, who had David Villa and Sebastian Giovinco respectively. They looked like 2 world class players plying their trade in the conference. It made the game exciting and between them, they scored 5 goals, missed 2 penalties, and 2 goals disallowed and hit the post twice. The final score was 4-4, albeit I think 3 of the goals were in fact penalties. But it was enough for me to give it another try the next time I get a spare couple of hours. With the likes of Pirlo, Lampard, Gerrard and Kaka over there, it could make for interesting viewing.

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I have lived over in Colorado for the last 4 years and seen many MLS games, I even had season tickets for the local team Colorado Rapids. It is awful to watch, it seems like there are 10 players withing 5 feet of the ball and I would rate the players are on par with non-league players, exept for old well known players coming for their last pay cheque (similar to the 70's) Like Pele etc. MLS stands for My Legs are Sore for the older players. The stadiums that are built are really well put together though and the beer is cheap!!!! My wife and myself go just to catch up with British friends.