It certainly has been way too long since the Revs last played. I actually had to see my family this past weekend. Thankfully, that won’t happen again anytime soon as the Revs are about to embark on an incredible stretch of matches. A portion of the schedule that would put even the deepest European sides in a tough place, never mind a team constrained by the salary cap among many other league mandated roster rulings.

Steve Nicol doesn't rest, he scouts!

The Revs could potentially play 10 matches over the next four weeks. Including, as I wrote a few postings ago, a stretch where they will be in three countries (Canada, Trinidad & Tobago, and the U.S.) within 7 days. Coach Steve Nicol, however, will have one more stamp on his passport than the rest of the squad when this wild ride is all wrapped up. He spent the past weekend in Honduras scouting a potential signing. No word on who or what team he was checking out but the fact that Nicol is still out there scouring the globe for talent is a very promising development.

The easy rumor is that he was out there in some capacity to lure George Welcome back to the Revs who claimed him with a discovery pick. The chances of the Revs signing Welcome, in my opinion, are very slim. With Taylor Twellman and Adam Cristman not too far off from full recovery and the youngsters Kheli Dube and Kenny Mansally already on board, the Revs do not really have a need at forward. Hopefully, Nicol is attempting to sign a defender or two to make up for the loss of Michael Parkhurst to the Olympics. If the player turns out to be Gabriel Badilla I would be very happy. Badilla is the versatile defender the Revs were linked to earlier in the season.

The hole in the back

Parkhurst will be doning a different Red, White, and Blue.

Speaking of Parkhurst, when I wrote a few weeks ago that Nicol wouldn’t allow Parkhurst to leave for Beijing I was not completely wrong. Apparently the USSF made no attempt to reach out to Nicol to request if the club would allow the player to leave for the Olympics. The organization just went ahead and made the announcement which left Nicol and the Revs in a tough situation. If they then decided to block the move it would be a very public affront to one of their star players who is also coming to the end of his deal. If he was not allowed to leave the squad the possibility of Parkhurst signing with the Revs would have taken a severe blow.

I’m still not happy Parkhurst is there but I do wish him the best in Olympics and I hope he shows the world what he can do. In his absence there is really only so much Nicol can do. If he sticks with a 3-5-2, who is the sweeper? I don’t see anyone who can do the job that Parkhurst does. The last time someone else tried to play his role was when James Riley filled in on a few occaisions at the beginning of last season. Those performances were certainly not memorable ones. I also could not see Heaps or Albright stepping into that role. The only person I could envision enjoying any success would be Igwe but he is still to raw and apt to give up a foul.

So with out further ado, let me give my best guess on the line up that will go out against Atlante on Wednesday:

———————Reis——————–

—–Albright—Heaps——Igwe——Tierny—–

—————Joseph–Larentowicz————-
—–Nyassi———Ralston———-Smith—–
——————–Dube——————–

The 4-5-1 is probably a little shocking but I think the more conservative approach is what needs to be taken in a one-leg playoff match up. Tierny played well in his only other match at left back and I feel that he is far more ready to play in such a big game than Valentino or Brill at center back.

That being said, I have decided to turn this week’s blog into…

Tailgating: SuperLiga Style

Sunday 7/13 vs Santos Laguna: A

Oh man. A late game start is the first ingredient to an absolutely glorious tailgate. The second is weather. Now if you have been reading my posts vigorously, you know how much I have been complaining about the lack of cooperation from Mother Nature for our pre-game festivities. Not on Sunday though. The sun was shining, the wind was calm, not a cloud in the sky. Beer was plentiful, food was exquisite, and music was pumpin. Everybody was excited for the Revs inaugural SuperLiga match at home. Great stuff all around, including the Santos fans who joined in a little “Wipeout” after the game to celebrate the good times.

Wednesday 7/16 vs Pachuca FC: n/a

And of course a tailgate review wouldn’t be complete without another mid-week game. Seriously, what the fuck. Another mid-week game? Gimme a friggen break. I understand that this is a special tournament, and time and scheduling come into conflict with both the league and the Open Cup, but I just can’t stand these times. Either I miss the match, get in late for the match, or take time off from work to make the match. If you have no problems making these games, consider yourself fortunate that live and work close to Gillette, or you don’t have to work normal hours. Because thats the only way your making it for the entire tailgate.

Either way I made it solo for about 30 minutes before the game and everyone seemed to be packing it up and heading inside for the start. However, with that said, it did seem like the tailgate was pushing the B- range on the grade scale. So thats alright. Good job Riders.

Corner Kick of the Week: Soccer Resort Tournament (Lexington, MA)

Fresh out of ideas due to you not emailing me with questions (or just lazy to think of one to put here), this week I am here to plug a tournament I will be playing in this weekend. It is also relative because the winners of each division are receiving complimentary tickets to a Revolution game later this year. I am hoping after my team wins they have some sort of celebratory thing on the field so we can get recognized for our mad soccer playing skills. Either way, we get free beer at the after party sponsored by Carlsberg. So think about it - if we win, we get free beer and a trophy. If we lose, we get free beer and more free beer. Its a lovely win-win situation. So if you have nothing better to do, come watch me and my team (Maniacs I believe, not sure if it has changed) put on a smoke show known as soccer.

Well drop a line at the address below. Peace out cub scouts. And go fuck yourselves TeamOps.

Craig’s Corner writer Fiero can be reached at fierogt20@yahoo.com

Farewell, Chase Hilgenbrinck. You accounted for yourself well in your brief time in the Revs’ red, white, and blue but now you are off to the clergy. I hope we get some allocation money or at least some cash considerations in return. One thing is certain, Chase, you willl be in my prayers to the Flying Spaghetti Monster in the Sky.

Hilgenbrinck’s departure, all future sainthood aside, appears to be the type of transaction that you find in small print at the end of the sports page. Hilgenbrinck is just a back up after all. A glance at the schedule ahead quickly ratchets up the importance of even the seldom used bench players on the Revs roster. If you thought the Revs faced a fixtures glut at the beginning of the season just wait until you see what is in store in August. Couple this with the news that the Revs could be without Michael Parkhurst due to Olympic team duties and the depth that Hilgenbrinck provides makes his role with team seem even more important.

Parkhurst could potentially miss up to nine matches for the Revs including the Super Liga semifinals and finals, the U.S. Open Cup semifinals and finals, and their first leg against Joe Public FC in the CONCACAF Champions League. Being without Parkhurst for these big matches, potentially some of the biggest of the season could really hurt the Revs chances of earning some silverware this year. Without Hilgenbrinck the Revs are left with only one defender on their bench with real game experience against another first division side (Amaechi Igwe) and as a result, if Parkhurst is lost Shalrie Joseph, Pat Phelan or Jeff Larentowicz will most likely be forced into central defense. Playing one of your more important players like Larentowicz or Joseph out of position is not something that a team that is competing for two international club trophies should need to do. This is why I think (and hope) that Steve Nicol will not allow Parkhurst to travel to the Olympics. One look at the upcoming matches and how important they are should be enough for even Parkhurst to draw that conclusion.

The upcoming schedule is a lot even for Steve Nicol. Nicol spent much of his career globetrotting with the Scottish National team and of course aiding Liverpool in successful quests for European glory. He knows a lot about a busy travel schedule but he has never played in 3 countries in one week, which is what the Revs will do when they take on D.C. United at Gillette Stadium on August 20^th, Toronto F.C. in Canada on August 23^rd and then wrap up their international tour on August 26^th taking on Joe Public FC in Trinidad and Tobago. The wildcard in all of this is the fact that U.S. Open Cup final is also scheduled on the 26^th. I can’t, for the life of me begin to predict which match will take precedent if this occurs but either way it would make for another fixture cluttered week.

Sure, the pressure of all of these extra matches may wind up wearing down the Revs but this year they seem to have the depth to cope, and when you consider the alternative of not playing in any competitions outside of the MLS this seems like a pretty good place to be.

Put the Red, In ‘Red, White, and Blue’

A case can certainly be made that Jeff Larentowicz is most underrated player in the MLS. His consistency and high work rate have made him a perfect complement to Shalrie Joseph in the center of the Revs’ midfield. This season, however, Larentowicz has turned in some performance that should drag him out from behind Joseph’s impressive shadow. One match in particular, where he dominated current national team member Maurice Edu, gave me reason to believe that Larentowicz should be given a shot to wear the red, white, and blue. He plays a position where many players have been given a shot over the past few years and no one has really stuck. If Ricardo Clark and the aforementioned Edu are given the opportunity there also must be a chance for Larentowicz whose passing and vision this season have really improved greatly.  If Bob Bradley wants to give his son some room to roam he should look no further than Larentowicz for protection.

So let the campaign begin, lets not let Jeff join a long line of snubs from the national team!

Of course, let’s just hope he doesn’t have to miss any important mid-season matches to get the respect he deserves.

Upcoming Match

Match day two in the Super Liga for the Revs is fast approaching on Wednesday and I see the same line up making its way onto the field to take on defending Super Liga champions Pachuca CF. There is a prevailing opinion that Pachuca is the best of the bunch in the Revs group which includes Chivas USA and Santos Laguna but this does not give me a reason not pick the Revs here. They played pretty conservative at times against Santos Laguna but I think they got some of the opening tournament jitters out of the way and couple that with a home field advantage I see the Revs clipping this one in a similar fashion to that of Santos Laguna match, 1 – 0.

]]> http://midnightriders.com/blogs/camille/2008/07/15/kicker-to-vicar-and-other-various-soccer-thoughts/feed/ http://midnightriders.com/blogs/pion/2008/06/29/beat-your-heat/ http://midnightriders.com/blogs/pion/2008/06/29/beat-your-heat/#comments Sun, 29 Jun 2008 20:53:34 +0000 fiero http://midnightriders.com/blogs/pion/?p=10 Ahhh, another successful venture into the chilly Razor.

Last night’s match against an upstart Toronto side had fans coming from each side of the border, which led to an incredible tailgate. No surprise though, there always has to be something that doesn’t quite push the tailgate into that “A” range. At least this time it was something that nobody can control - the weather.

Almost all the tailgates that we’ve had this year include some sort of lame weather. Cloudy. Rainy. Cold. All the above. And the ones that did have nice weather were the games that the scheduling geniuses placed in the midweek; a.k.a. no time to enjoy it. Last nights weather was no different, as the fans enjoyed their time in the 66° air. Ok maybe not so much enjoyed, but put up with it and made the best out of it. With that said, let’s get right to the meat and potato(e)s.

Last Game’s Tailgate: B+

Really good tailgate. There is really no other way to put it. Food was great, people were great. No complaints from me. Aside from there being no sunlight for the duration, everything ended up working out alright. I enjoyed my time with the usual crew, with my car pumping the party mix from the ipod. We whipped out the oakie and played a few rounds. We enjoyed new brews thanks to Luke’s Liquors in Rockland. I must say that Monty Python’s Holy Grale probably has the greatest name in the history of beer. But for the topic of this weeks blog/article I went and spoke with the man who made ladder golf famous at the Riders Tailgate, Rorvis!

Corner Kick of the Week: Ladder Golf

When I first told Rory I would be highlighting his game this week, he was ecstatic. So I asked him to send over the rules and such and received this really long piece on how its made and scoring. So this is my attempt to shorten up said game.

How to play, score, make, and do anything else regarding the game.

So there ya have it! Honestly though, its a really great game and the best part is that his is made out of the piping, which he says is much easier for transporting it to and from the tailgate. Another great aspect is that you can make so many friends just by walking over and saying “hey, what is this?” and next thing you know, you’re tossing the bolos like a champ.

Well thats all for this week. Like I said numerous times, the more you get involved the more I can do. Cmon folks lets get a Q&A going! it will be fun! Later gators!

GO REVS!

There were no emails in my inbox regarding my column.

Now this means one of two things. Either you have a huge lack in ideas, or you’re not reading. Now most of you are intelligent individuals, so I am going to go with the lack of reading. So… TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THIS BLOG!!!!

Seriously, this is written for you – the fans. I am here to help the rookie fan or the seasoned veteran with their tailgate experience. Whether it be adding some ideas with activities, or subtracting things that may enhance (the whole addition by subtraction notion,) the tailgating aura, I am here to help. Consider me something like the Dr. Phil of tailgating. I can mediate your tailgating sessions. Maybe I am more like Radio Shack - you’ve got questions, I’ve got answers. The success of this column/blog is highly based on your participation. If you can send an email, I can add a Q&A, or a recipe of the month, or a game of the month (like the one from last week’s entry).

With that out of the way, let’s get to the next item on the agenda…

Last weeks tailgate: N/A

I didn’t go. After what the Riders in the Fort went through with the front office only a week before, along with the fact that gas is well over $4.00/gal, added with my work schedule (I don’t leave until 7), all on top of the fact that I would be fighting traffic on a Friday night at the peak of rush hour, I am proud to say that I made it home well in time to plop myself in a highly comfortable seat with a lager in hand ready to watch the Revs take the lead on FC Dallas. OK so I missed Christman’s 5th minute tally, but nobody needs to know that. Either way I read a lot of people’s opinions on the match and how things went, and I am pleased with my decision. I hope you were all as equally satisfied.

Next up is this weeks topic, and a lovely one at that - drinks!

You know the type. Samuel Adams. Red Stripe. Guinness. Killian’s. Stella Artios. Harpoon. Yeungling. Blue Moon. Bud Light. Corona Extra. Smirnoff. Skyy. 99 Bananas. Jose Cuervo. The list can go on and on. I personally have never seen so many (nor tasted as many) beers as I have since joining the Midnight Riders. Last year alone on an away trip to Denver, Colorado, we visited the lovely Falling Rock Tap House who had over 50 different brews on tap.

My personal favorites are as follows (with season; and notes in parenthesis):

• Samuel Adams Summer Ale (summer; at tailgates and bars)
• Samuel Adams Winter Ale (late fall, winter; parties and gatherings)
• Guinness Stout (year-round; during meals, excellent with heavier foods)
• Red Stripe (summer; parties, tailgates, bars, while on vacation in the tropics!)
• Coors Light (year round; when you are poor, when there are no other alternatives)
• Jack Daniels and Cola (summer/winter; when beer just wont do it and you need something crisp)
• Bombay Sapphire and Sprite (year round; helps reduce the chance of a hangover)
  • Honestly, I usually drink 2 of these after a night of high consumption (whether it be beer or liquor, it doesn’t matter). And the next day I have never woken up with a hangover. I am guessing it is because of the mint and gin from the Bombay and the sugar from the Sprite, but I didn’t pay that much attention in chemistry class.

Now keep in mind I love many more brews, but these are some that come straight to mind, as I drink them often (including the Sam Summer, which I am enjoying as I write this).

So ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, please drop me a line with your favorite brews, your games, your recipes, or just anything regarding this column, I will be glad to answer any and all questions in a brand new Q&A section (assuming I get questions of course). Please, even if its hate mail I will respond. For the love of Jèsus just write me anything. Email is at the end. Peace out cub scouts!

Go Revs!

(|) Rovers FC Update (|)

[] [] [] Last: 2-2 at Zoinks FC

[] [] [] Next: home (4-0-3; 15 pts) vs FC Americana (3-1-1; 10 pts)

Craig’s Corner writer Fiero can be reached at fierogt20@yahoo.com

]]> http://midnightriders.com/blogs/pion/2008/06/14/whats-happening/feed/ http://midnightriders.com/blogs/pion/2008/06/05/the-second-time-around/ http://midnightriders.com/blogs/pion/2008/06/05/the-second-time-around/#comments Fri, 06 Jun 2008 03:48:37 +0000 Fiero http://midnightriders.com/blogs/pion/?p=8 Well here goes number 2.

We’ll start by grading the last tailgate: D+

Honestly, midweek games are probably the worst time to have a game, so knowing my (or the Riders) luck, we have 5 this year. Sigh. With the game time slated for 7:30 in Foxboro, I knowingly took a half day from work just to be able to enjoy the full tailgate time, which starts at 5:30, allowing for delays in traffic. I mean seriously, we live in (or around) Boston, so we know how terrible traffic is and can be.

Long story short I ended up leaving work late and getting stuck in traffic the entire way; not only to my place, but from my place to the stadium. To put things in perspective, it should only have taken an hour from work to home to Gillette.

After arriving at 7:00, most people were already inside staging the protest, which is now notorious within the Rider population. Luckily I had a few friends who were willing hang out, down some road sodas, and grab a quick bite to eat before we headed in. The reason for the higher-than-’F’ grading is due to the fact that we got to tailgate after the come-from-behind 2-2 draw. The limited time and the lack of action at the tailgate before the game is what led to the D+.

During the postgame tailgate, we played oakie (I am sure you all have seen or asked about it, so be sure to look below for how it works) drank some beverages, ate more food, listened to some good tunes, and dealt with drunk newbies. So all was not lost. The midweek tailgate continues this Friday (tomorrow) as the lots open around 4:30 for the 6:30 NE-FCD kickoff followed by the Brazil-Venezuela match at 8. Now you can look at this two ways: Tailgate before and after the New England match, with extra long post-game tailgating thanks to the international tilt; or, tailgate normally before and after both games. It looks like a win-win situation to me. Now because I am part of the working class, I will be unable to attend tomorrow nights events. So please, someone grade the tailgate for me. An A+ would be = if the lot was full, grills and music are by every car, people are enjoying themselves with songs, dances, rituals, etc., food is awesome, games are played, and colors are uniform (aka BLUE!!!!). An F would obviously be the opposite. So whoever would be willing to pick up on that and add some notes, feel free to email me at fierogt20@yahoo.com with the results.

CORNER KICK OF THE WEEK:

This week’s kick is a game - Oakie (a.k.a. - Washers, Urban Horseshoes)

This game is played in a variety of ways, but this is what you have all seen in the Riders lot:

What you need: 2′x2′ squares of 1/2″ or 5/8″ plywood (sold at Home Depot pre-cut) (qty - 2); 1″x4″x2′ (qty - 2); 2×2 outdoor carpeting (qty - 2); super glue or all-purpose heavy duty glue (for fabric and wood use); utility knife, drill with hole-saw adapter (1 1/2″); and 6 big washers (I believe 1 1/2″, they were the biggest I could find at the store); 10 drywall (or outdoor) screws; and 2 handles (either door or drawer, but make sure they’re at least 3″ long, you will use this to carry the boards); utility knife

How to do it:

1. find the center of the 2×2′ and drill a hole using the appropriate sized hole-saw (slightly larger than the washers we found)
2. Drill 5 taps into the top of the 2×2 into the 1×4 evenly spaced with one in the center
3. Attach the 2×2 to the 1×4, with the 1×4 standing up tall, so it looks like /|
4. Attach the carpet to the 2×2 boards using the glue, and allow it to dry according to the glue instructions.
5. Cut the hole in the center of the carpet using a utility knife.
6. Screw the handles into the ends of the 1×4.

End results should be something like this:

Enjoy!

And remember, if you have any ideas for a segment, or if you have a game or recipe you would like to submit, drop me a line at fierogt20@yahoo.com.

GO REVS!

edit: Like fellow blogger Camille, I also play on Saturdays. My team Rovers FC are atop the D3 standings in the bssl. Come watch us this Saturday at 3pm at the Newton Fessenden School in Newton.

Despite what the front office and most of the media want you think, the Revs actually have a match this Friday against FC Dallas. Sure it starts at 6:30 pm and if you’re going straight from work you’ll likely miss more than a few minutes of action but we get to see the mighty Brazil right? Just make sure you save enough money for $40 parking and gas to idle in the parking lot for three hours after the match.

I, for one, will not be attending this match. I find the whole ordeal far too stressful and I would have to adjust my normal game day routine far too much for a team (Brazil) that I really don’t care about. I will be on my couch, with a beer (Coors Light perhaps) relaxing and enjoying what should be a competitive match.

Last time these two clubs met up it was in Frisco, TX and the Revs had reached rock bottom as far as injuries were concerned. They came out in a rare 4-4-2, Khano Smith netted a well-taken goal, and then the patchwork backline and Matt Reis buckled down and held on for the win.

I expect different things from this match with the Revs having almost their entire compliment of players (Taylor Twellman not withstanding) at their disposal. FC Dallas is also in a bit of a slump, only winning one of their last five matches.

I see this as a match where the Revs break out of their home field funk, they are only 2-2-1 in the cavernous Gillette Stadium but are a surprising 4-1-1 on the road. A home and away split like that is a true rarity in the MLS. The Revs will be in their more comfortable 3-5-2 and should be able to dictate the middle of the pitch thanks to Shalrie Joseph. Joseph’s last match against Dallas was one of his best of the season and I don’t see any one player on the Hoops roster that could cause the big man from Grenada any problems.

The only potential issue I see for the Revs is containing Kenny Cooper who will look to use his size and surprising agility to get the better of the Revs defense and the smaller Michael Parkhurst. The size advantage that Parkhurst gives away is always something that people point to as a cause for concern but in his stellar career I can’t think of one time where Parkhurst’s lack of size has hurt the Revs in any way.

BOLD PREDICTION: With Parkhurst shutting down Cooper and Joseph dictating the tempo I am confident in predicting a 2-0 victory for the Revs.

News and Notes

This past weekend, Steve Nicol and Paul Mariner were on hand for Honduras and Venezuela’s 1-1 draw and Panama’s 1-0 defeat over Guatemala at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale. According to a source, the scouting trip unearthed one defender that the Revs were very interested in signing. Unfortunately after a short pursuit of that player he was deemed too pricey for any further negotiations to continue. Georgie Welcome, the U-23 Honduran striker who has been linked to the Revs did not play for the senior team over the weekend.

It is quite clear that a defender has been a priority for Nicol as of late. Just a few days back from this scouting trip he pulled the trigger on a different deal to bring in defender Pat Phelan from Toronto. Before Phalen’s arrival, the first man off the bench, as far as defenders are concerned, was 19 year-old Amaechi Igwe. Igwe has played well in limited time this season but after him the waters are dangerously untested. With our strike force showing surprising depth and our midfield still the strength of our squad I have no problem with Nicol going out and trying to sure up the team. Adding a young untested in rookie Phelan is a good move for the future but if the ever present injury bug strikes again there is no one tested enough to step into the backline and aid in a playoff push that Revs fans have come to expect.

Saturday League News

My Saturday League side, Groton House FC, is in action this Saturday at 10 am in Franklin, Massachusetts at EMC Field. We’re looking to put together back to back wins for the first time this season and continue to distance ourselves from the relegation battle. This is a rebuilding year for us and a mid-table finish would be a fine accomplishment. Come on you Groton Housers! You can follow our progress in Division 2 all season long on bssl.net.

]]> http://midnightriders.com/blogs/camille/2008/06/05/7/feed/ http://midnightriders.com/blogs/camille/2008/06/03/ill-try-my-best-to-be-gentle-since-it%e2%80%99s-your-first-time/ http://midnightriders.com/blogs/camille/2008/06/03/ill-try-my-best-to-be-gentle-since-it%e2%80%99s-your-first-time/#comments Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:47:25 +0000 camille http://midnightriders.com/blogs/camille/?p=6 So here I am with a new blog on a site that I have no idea how many people read. I know the subject has to be the New England Revolution but other than that the choice is mine. With no real direction and the knowledge that my writing will be compared with the other bloggers on this site I know that I need to figure out my niche. I had hoped that this would come easy, I would sit down and the idea would just jump into my head. I know I don’t possess the Matt Reis-like wit of Chowda or am as capable of endless; yet entertaining rants like Seamus, but there has to be something that I can bring to the table.

There have been a few ideas on what the focus of this blog should be, most notably the idea tossed around where I blog from the parking lot, completely drunk, during the post-game tailgate, but nothing has given me the inspiration to the point where I feel that this blog must go in one specific direction. So, for now, I’m going to start this journey off the way I start many of my life journeys, with no real plans but the hopes of having a good time. The end result will hopefully be an entertaining and informative day-to-day read from the viewpoint of a diehard Revs fan and not result with me passed out from drinking too much or crying in front of strangers, which is how many of my other life journeys have ended.

So with that said, let’s get down to business. There have been a few items of concern on my mind regarding the Revs and almost none of them have to do with the play on the field. The Revs have been playing above my expectations this year especially considering all the injuries. For the most part, when someone has had to step up, they have. Kheli Dube and Sainey Nyassi have been more than impressive and are a huge part of why we’re sitting atop the table at this point in the season. If I avoid thinking about wasted spots on the roster and allocation money, I can get really positive about where we are as a squad. If Twellman gets healthy we could be peaking at an ideal time, right before the Super Liga.

Now enough of all that positive stuff…

As we all know, when it comes to Revs, things can be peachy on the pitch but it is never paradise. Lately a string of poor treatment from the front office has once again driven many fans to the breaking point. I know there are some Riders out there who disagreed completely with the nature of the protest and there were others who were very quick to say that it wouldn’t change a thing. The fact of the matter is that something needed to give. Either the TIFO displays stop all together or people work together to find a solution to this problem. It seems that collectively the Riders have chosen the latter course and I think it was the right way to go. Clearly, it will take more than that one protest to make a point to the dead-behind-the-eyes front office but it was a positive, unifying, first step to supporting the club the way that they deserve.

The unity was great but there was something that occurred in the Fort last Thursday that I was a little miffed by. The protest required everyone participating to remain seated and completely quite. Yet, just behind the protesting Fort there was a “Stand Up, Speak Up” sign, in response to the now infamous comments heard in a Youtube video from last week’s match in Columbus. Don’t get me wrong, the racist language hurled at my new favorite player Kheli Dube were disgusting, but it is an issue that has been beaten to death and condemned by everyone in the soccer world this side of the Atlantic. The sign undermined the point of the Revs protest against the front office and probably went a long way to confusing other fans and the media. If those with the sign knew what the Fort was planning as far as the protest was concerned they should have left the sign at home or kept it under wraps until the 12 minute mark passed.

I look forward to hearing what you have to say about the protest, my take on a certain banner and what you would like to read about in this and any of the Rider’s blogs.

Next up, a preview of Fridays match and probably a lot of moaning about $40 parking and the pushed up kick-off time.

I will be writing about what some would say is the most important part of a match day, the tailgate.

Thats right, the tailgate. Not the ball, not the players, not the hype of the match or the rivalry created between two clubs (or in some cases supporters clubs). I will be talking about the beer, the food, the games, the atmosphere, the people to know (or in some cases, not to know), the happenings, and whatever else I can fit into this piece. Oh, and definitely photos.

Most of the posts will be following similar guidelines with some twists and turns along the way. I might do a personal diary of match day, just to give you all a taste of what I do for each game. I might give you some recipes from the greatest chefs the Riders tailgate has to offer. I will give you some great games to play while awaiting kickoff. I will tell you of the most popular brews along with the most tasteful. So much, so be sure to visit each week.

We will start easy this first week; music. The soul of every tailgate. You got your car in position, and the first thing most people do is start unpacking the grill and cooler. Ah, but in complete silence? Of course not! You have your 6-disc CD player, your cassette deck, your radio, your ipod, or your classic boombox with batteries. I just bought a 2007 Scion tC before the season started, so I have a choice between a cd, or my ipod which connects to an auxiliary port inside my center console. To do this I use a more complicated version of this http://www.hdaccessory.com/catalog/35mm6_thumb.jpg. But hey, if you still only have that cassette deck, there’s still hope. Go grab a cassette adapter, its only about $10 and they’re available almost anywhere where audio accessories are sold. http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/images/products/iPodCassetteAdapter.jpg

Generally I choose the iPod simply because of the larger amount and variety of tunes, along with the ability to find a song much quicker than on a cd (especially those mix discs where nothing is labeled so you don’t know what the hell is on there!).

I usually will choose my soccer mix, which include everything soccer related like the FIFA anthem, songs from EA Sports FIFA games, and Clint Dempsey’s “Don’t Tread”. If I am in an all-out party mode, mainstream artists Kanye West, Linkin Park, T.I., Foo Fighters, Ludacris, U2, and some lesser known artists like Jurassic 5 and Flobots will take center stage.

And all this even before the food is cooked.

Go Revs!