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This past Saturday August 29th. I had the opportunity to go to one of LA's budding rivalries. Previously, I have gone to LA Lakers vs LA Clippers, LA Dodgers vs Angels, and Anaheim Ducks vs. LA Kings. However, I have never seen or rather felt what I felt on Saturday in the Home Depot Center. Any one that knows me should know I am a die hard Dodgers fan. I also cheer for the Lakers in B-ball and when it comes to ice hockey my team would be the Anaheim Ducks.
Out of all the sports teams that I cherish and follow none come close to the love I have for Chivas Rayadas de Guadalajara. It is a passion that flows through my veins, one such as for example that die hard Cubs fans, Red Sox fans, Yankees fans, Man U fans, Barcelona fans, Real Madrid fans might comprehend.
I remember when the MLS first debuted some 15 years or so ago. At that time there was no Chivas USA team. The only team represented in Los Angeles was the Galaxy. At that moment in time it was my team as well. They had Jorge Campos from Mexico which at the same time could play as a goalie or as a forward. Remember that first ignaugural season when they played the final and lost against San Jose. I was heart broken.
When I first heard there would be an expansion team coming to LA and it would be Chivas USA... my allegiances had to change. I could no longer root for the Galaxy. Not when Chivas is such an institution in Mexico. Not when I bleed red and blue and have always called Chivas my team. Not when no matter whether playing good or playing bad I will forerver be faithful to this team. The other day, jokingly, I told a co-worker of mine, before I was even born, I was already a Chivas fan!!!
Like I was saying, being a Chivas fan is beyond my control. I did not choose for it to be this way but at the same time I would not have it any other way.
So, I counted the months and the weeks until Chivas USA, the American reincarnation of my beloved Chivas to play in the MLS. At the beginning, as any expansion team, they were not so good. When they got to play against the Galaxy, well, let's just say things were not pretty if you were a Chivas fan. The Galaxy had to show the new-comers who were the masters of the Home Depot Center, for both teams claim HDC as their home.
The first seasons Galaxy totally destroyed Chivas. Little by little though things began to change. Chivas USA started to become a good team, no longer the laughing stock of the league. To the point they made it to the playoffs last year when they were ousted by another new-comer Real Salt Lake.
I have been to several Chivas USA games but had never gone to one against their arch-rivals, my ex-team. Now some people may feel that I turned my back on the Galaxy but you nust realize before there was Galaxy, before I was a Galaxy fan I have been Chivas fan all my life. If I had kept the Galaxy as my team instead of adopting Chivas USA, then that would have been turning my back on my team.
I purchased my ticket one week in advance and decided to pick it up at will call.
I knew it was going to be something special as soon as I got to the Stadium, but there was really no way for me to know beforehand the extent of what I was about to witness for I had no precedent to compare it to. As I was walking around looking for my seat I came upons something that caught my attention, something I just might consider getting for myself: a giant bottle of Tapatio.
As soon as I get to my seat, little by little people start to come in by the numbers and you could sense the intensity in the air. Now Chivas was playing as the road game so it was understandable we were going to be outnumbered by the legions of Galaxy fans, however the Chivas fans that I encountered were all very proud and loyal. Including myself.
As I was saying, this was the most intense sporting even I have ever been to. More intense than any Dodger, Lakers or Ducks game I had ever gone to. It was so intense I felt compelled to not sit at all during the entire game. I stood up the whole game, stiiting down just at the half.
Chivas USA does not have the roster or the star power that Galaxy has but for what we got we can hold our own. We do not have a Landon Donovan or a David Beckham. We do have a group of players that lay all in the line whilst playing especially against Galaxy. Which brings me to my next point. Everytime Becks set himself to kick the ball the whole stadium erupted and you could find no one sitting down. Some were cheering (the vast mojority) while others were jeering, me, myself and I included.
There are many opinions on Beckham and what he did or failed to do for the MLS and the Galaxy. Now I realize he is a good footballer but he is not the greatest and I do feel the Galaxy got the long end of the stick regarding all the Italian League/Galaxy/England team fiasco. I understand he needed to play in a more competitive league to show he still has what it takes to represent his national team. However before that I understand that he broke his word and by doing what he did proved he had no ounce of care and consideration for MLS or Galaxy or its fans.
At the end. We lost. By one point. Of all people, by David Beckham. Considering or regular goal keeper is injured and we played with a back-up... I am rather proud and must say we did an excellent job. We withstood and even almost scored a couple of times, but at the end with ten minutes to go they scored. At one moment in time I would have stood up and cheer like a mad man but no longer. I am a Chivas USA fan now. I am a Chivas fan. Chivas 4 LIFE!!!
Out of all the sports teams that I cherish and follow none come close to the love I have for Chivas Rayadas de Guadalajara. It is a passion that flows through my veins, one such as for example that die hard Cubs fans, Red Sox fans, Yankees fans, Man U fans, Barcelona fans, Real Madrid fans might comprehend.
I remember when the MLS first debuted some 15 years or so ago. At that time there was no Chivas USA team. The only team represented in Los Angeles was the Galaxy. At that moment in time it was my team as well. They had Jorge Campos from Mexico which at the same time could play as a goalie or as a forward. Remember that first ignaugural season when they played the final and lost against San Jose. I was heart broken.
When I first heard there would be an expansion team coming to LA and it would be Chivas USA... my allegiances had to change. I could no longer root for the Galaxy. Not when Chivas is such an institution in Mexico. Not when I bleed red and blue and have always called Chivas my team. Not when no matter whether playing good or playing bad I will forerver be faithful to this team. The other day, jokingly, I told a co-worker of mine, before I was even born, I was already a Chivas fan!!!
Like I was saying, being a Chivas fan is beyond my control. I did not choose for it to be this way but at the same time I would not have it any other way.
So, I counted the months and the weeks until Chivas USA, the American reincarnation of my beloved Chivas to play in the MLS. At the beginning, as any expansion team, they were not so good. When they got to play against the Galaxy, well, let's just say things were not pretty if you were a Chivas fan. The Galaxy had to show the new-comers who were the masters of the Home Depot Center, for both teams claim HDC as their home.
The first seasons Galaxy totally destroyed Chivas. Little by little though things began to change. Chivas USA started to become a good team, no longer the laughing stock of the league. To the point they made it to the playoffs last year when they were ousted by another new-comer Real Salt Lake.
I have been to several Chivas USA games but had never gone to one against their arch-rivals, my ex-team. Now some people may feel that I turned my back on the Galaxy but you nust realize before there was Galaxy, before I was a Galaxy fan I have been Chivas fan all my life. If I had kept the Galaxy as my team instead of adopting Chivas USA, then that would have been turning my back on my team.
I purchased my ticket one week in advance and decided to pick it up at will call.
I knew it was going to be something special as soon as I got to the Stadium, but there was really no way for me to know beforehand the extent of what I was about to witness for I had no precedent to compare it to. As I was walking around looking for my seat I came upons something that caught my attention, something I just might consider getting for myself: a giant bottle of Tapatio.
As soon as I get to my seat, little by little people start to come in by the numbers and you could sense the intensity in the air. Now Chivas was playing as the road game so it was understandable we were going to be outnumbered by the legions of Galaxy fans, however the Chivas fans that I encountered were all very proud and loyal. Including myself.
As I was saying, this was the most intense sporting even I have ever been to. More intense than any Dodger, Lakers or Ducks game I had ever gone to. It was so intense I felt compelled to not sit at all during the entire game. I stood up the whole game, stiiting down just at the half.
Chivas USA does not have the roster or the star power that Galaxy has but for what we got we can hold our own. We do not have a Landon Donovan or a David Beckham. We do have a group of players that lay all in the line whilst playing especially against Galaxy. Which brings me to my next point. Everytime Becks set himself to kick the ball the whole stadium erupted and you could find no one sitting down. Some were cheering (the vast mojority) while others were jeering, me, myself and I included.
There are many opinions on Beckham and what he did or failed to do for the MLS and the Galaxy. Now I realize he is a good footballer but he is not the greatest and I do feel the Galaxy got the long end of the stick regarding all the Italian League/Galaxy/England team fiasco. I understand he needed to play in a more competitive league to show he still has what it takes to represent his national team. However before that I understand that he broke his word and by doing what he did proved he had no ounce of care and consideration for MLS or Galaxy or its fans.
At the end. We lost. By one point. Of all people, by David Beckham. Considering or regular goal keeper is injured and we played with a back-up... I am rather proud and must say we did an excellent job. We withstood and even almost scored a couple of times, but at the end with ten minutes to go they scored. At one moment in time I would have stood up and cheer like a mad man but no longer. I am a Chivas USA fan now. I am a Chivas fan. Chivas 4 LIFE!!!
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