Pundits and Meteorologists forecast a damp start for San Jose’s 2017 season. Quakes fans revel in a long-awaited win illuminated by attacking-style sunshine.
SNAP SHOTS: Shaking the seismograph from the very start!
Before we even get to San Jose’s season opener, let’s pause to appreciate Quakes Fan Dunstan’s commute to get to Avaya before the 2017 kickoff:
Journey to #Quakes74 season opener starts at London Heathrow at 3a Pacific pic.twitter.com/UD1gU3OWsk
— Dunstan Allison-Hope (@dunstanhope) March 4, 2017
[LOBINA Pro Tip: Sipping Bloody Mary’s over the entire length of an intercontinental flight—especially East to West—counters Jet Lag like your liver wouldn’t believe]
QUAKES SEASON OPENER DRINK OF THE MATCH:
Toast #Quakes74 season opener w/ a "First Love":
2/3oz Champagne
1/3oz gin
Tsp sugar
Dash cherry liqueur
Shake w/ ice
Serve w/ goals#SJvMTL
— LOBINA (@LOBINA_QUAKES15) March 4, 2017
REMINDER: In addition to pre-match parties with the San Jose Ultras in the parking lot next to the train tracks, local nearby stalwarts like Jack’s Bar and Golden Gate Brewery also celebrate game days ALL DAY LONG.
WATCHING AWAY:
Catch San Jose Earthquakes matches—especially away games—at local watering holes with fellow fans!
San Jose: Ultras usually gather at Golden Gate Brewery, SJE staff & fans at Rookies.
San Francisco: Check out San Francisco Athletic Club or Rogue for more Quakes crowds, though the Footie Force is always strong at Mad Dog in the Fog & Danny Coyle’s in the Haight.
Oakland: Currently under discussion, so please ante in: would be great to have! (Especially near a BART station :)
Walnut Creek: Stadium Pub has 20 Kabillion TVs and will flip a few over to Quakes games on request (staff very used to Champions League crowd taking over Tues. / Wed. lunches)
SNAP SHOT:
When the Ultras have been banned in the past due to smoke being lit in the section, Ultras Montréal stood with their San Jose counterparts, holding up signs reading: “SJ ULTRAS / USED FOR MARKETING / BANNED FOR PASSION.”
Instead of a big, fancy tifo production for the season opener, Ultras instead chose to reciprocate with solidarity—a banner proclaiming “Different Clubs, Same Ideal—Cheers, Montréal Ultras!”:
#SJvMTL pic.twitter.com/UmgQEgLyiB
— Sam (@SamHJs) March 5, 2017
Wow! Les ultras de #SanJose saluent leurs rivaux montréalais en français! #classe #pasToronto #imfc #SJvMTL #quakes74 pic.twitter.com/xX46VEZJn0
— Patrice Cinq-Mars (@patrice5mars) March 5, 2017
MLS in one tweet. RT @gary_singh: English, Spanish and French all flowing in the press box right now. Quite cool to hear. #SJvMTL
— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) March 5, 2017
Is Dunstan going to make it back to Avaya in time for kickoff?
Stage two of my 5,500 mile journey to the #Quakes74 season opener: MVP wife as chauffeur pic.twitter.com/R3IecqbHop
— Dunstan Allison-Hope (@dunstanhope) March 4, 2017
Such a Win-Win-Win situation! We salute both of your efforts to support Quakes in person! #RelationshipGoals
Lineups:
RAPPEL | XI v #Quakes74
ICYMI | XI v @SJEarthquakes#IMFC #SJvMTL #FIDÈLES pic.twitter.com/20IgpsJF9S
— Impact de Montréal (@impactmontreal) March 5, 2017
Introducing your #Quakes74 starting XI for tonight's Home Opener! ⚫️ #ForwardAsOne pic.twitter.com/Kp4ekD4ZUg
— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) March 5, 2017
SNAP SHOT:
Hey San Jose FO: Improve readability of the social media lineup card.
Fails to provide player position or picture
Names need to be larger than “Starting XI” title
Make Radio / TV channels more distinct and where to find them
Delineate between “Pre-Game Ceremonies” and ACTUAL “Kickoff Time” (Ridiculous for FO to list KO as 6:45pm when CSNBA doesn’t even start broadcast until 7pm & actual KO is 7:10+pm).
SNAP SHOT:
Can we be done with national anthems for club teams? Might have been a great advertising technique for 1918 baseball games during WWI, but now holds zero relevance for multinational corporate sports teams featuring international rosters entertaining multicultural fans. The U.S. is the only country that plays the National Anthem before every, single game, and fans shouldn’t have to take a kickoff-delaying “Patriot Test” to enjoy a soccer match. Instead, imagine the entire stadium singing the San Jose club song! (Which is _________ ? Exactly.) Liverpool has “You Never Walk Alone”, Manchester City has every Oasis song—it’s time for all San Jose to rock our Quakes song. Which can be anything except Smash Mouth.
But if you’re adamant about respecting people and where they’re from, then why didn’t we honor Montréal by singing the Canadian National Anthem in French? No biggie, as long as you have no issue being honored with “La bannière étoilée” when we play in Québec. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
First Half
That tune you're hearing at kickoff:
Never Say Die (Earthquakes Version) https://t.co/ekBkswbpVc #SJvMTL
— Gary Singh (@gary_singh) March 5, 2017
San Jose has their logo cut into the grass? Cool. Super cool. #SJvMTL
— Soccer guy (@Revs_fan_in_USA) March 5, 2017
Lima beats Piatti in a footrace to force the corner #SJvMTL
— John Marshall (@johnprostsoccer) March 5, 2017
(Ignacio) Piatti, tell me how our grass tastes. #SJvMTL
— Jeff Hisaoka (@teriyaki240) March 5, 2017
Filthy chip by Godoy! #SJvMTL pic.twitter.com/aYNFu7bfvl
— Ben Jata (@Ben_Jata) March 5, 2017
Quakes no longer rely on crosses. Sweet!!! #SJvMTL
— Quan Tran (@therxist) March 5, 2017
Clearly @SJEarthquakes practiced everything in preseason: excellent team celebration for Godoy's goal in #SJvMTL. #Quakes74 #MLS #MLSisBack pic.twitter.com/W1ASjHO3wZ
— Jason Foster (@JogaBonitoUSA) March 5, 2017
#Quakes74 on ANOTHER counter, Thompson's shot saved by Bush. Seriously like what they're showing on the attack & counter.#SJvMTL, 1-0, 32'
— Jeff Weisinger (@MrWeisGuy) March 5, 2017
Urena nearly gets one past Bush. #Quakes74 pic.twitter.com/i6Z6PcjnU4
— Quakes Epicenter (@QuakesEpicenter) March 5, 2017
MLS caption this / bad lip reading contest. Right now. #SJvMTL #MLSisBack pic.twitter.com/3HpDxohOaI
— Rapids Rabbi (@rapidsrabbi) March 5, 2017
The pure hustle by Urena is something the #Quakes74 missed DEARLY up top last year. #SJvMTL, 1-0, 45'
— Jeff Weisinger (@MrWeisGuy) March 5, 2017
Halftime
Dutch Media chiming in (expanded global coverage another bonus from signing Hoesen?—Just think if we signed a quality Japan, Korea, or Australia player!)
Dankzij een heerlijke goal van Godoy staat San José op voorsprong bij de rust! #SJvMTL #MLSisBack pic.twitter.com/XZB1rkrivf
— Michel Mulders (@michelmulders) March 5, 2017
Finally able to watch @SJEarthquakes from overseas... wish those in @LOBINA_QUAKES15 could pass me a beer! #SJvMTL #Quakes74
— William Olson (@DeadSexyWaiter) March 5, 2017
The Quakes are doing their highlights to SKA and it's making my evening. #SJvMTL
— Josie Becker (@JosieBeckerFC) March 5, 2017
@SJEarthquakes have looked so good in the first half, I haven't worried about politics for 45+1 mins. Thank you! #Quakes74 #SJvMTL
— Andrew M Thomas (@Andrew_M_T) March 5, 2017
SNAP SHOT:
One of my social media minions conducted a very scientific poll* on whether Quakes fans preferred the new offering of Curly Fries if San Jose scores in the second half to last year’s Two Tacos.
Curly Fries: 68.3%
Two Tacos: 31.7%
[*Sample size: 7-10 people within talking distance of Eli in the Lower Supporters’ Section]
The poll did not include online responses, which overwhelmingly blasted the Curly Fries usurpation:
Forget curly fries Where r the free tacos ?!!! #SJvMTL #Quakes74 #MLS
— K. Oehlschlager (@katpwr) March 5, 2017
SNAP SHOT:
The New Quakes’ kits are a hot fire winner. When revealed a few weeks ago at a rockin’ event at San Pedro Square, the new Black jersey with fading Blue impact stripes wowed some (like infamous kit nerd Robert Jonas) and just whelmed others. But time and witnessing the uni’s in action (especially winning action) seem to have converted many into believers:
That San Jose kit is so HOT right now! #SJvMTL #MLSisBack #SoHot pic.twitter.com/L1dQtwRpr0
— david bechtel (@insomniousdream) March 5, 2017
Further proof: Quakes After 90’s Dom—who hasn’t sprung for a San Jose jersey in a few years—announced on the most recent pod he’s going to rock the new Black Home with a Homegrown Tommy Thompson across the back.
Remember: Season Ticket Holders get 20% off Quakes all year!
Second Half:
Love watching @nick__lima take on Piatti. Really wants to prove he belongs on the starting XI #Quakes74 #SJvMTL
— Rique (@Akiraique) March 5, 2017
SNAP SHOT:
Tommy Time! Fan fav and Homegrown Tommy Thompson continued his impressive off-season performance with an electric season opener.
Like, you may not care about this, but I do, and his teammates do, and Dom Kinnear does. This is making skill functional. #SJvMTL pic.twitter.com/1JeaOA0GfA
— Matthew Doyle (@MLSAnalyst) March 5, 2017
@mattr1chards0n Tommy's 2-way performance is on a whole other level too. Dealing w an AFCON-winning FB well
— Matt Richardson (@mattr1chards0n) March 7, 2017
Tommy has bulked up, sped up, & skilled up (possible?!?) to become a seriously dangerous and effective MLS winger / midfielder. Quakes fans initially bemoaned San Jose letting Alberto Quintero’s loan lapse, but Tommy has proved himself throughout preseason to be a ready and willing replacement—with the added skill set of quick-cutting inside and taking the ready shot.
Avaya has also revamped the LOBINA scoreboard, to visually assist any player who doesn’t speak Referese:
In terms of technology, while Avaya prides itself in being a “Cloud-Enabled” stadium, some longtime Quakes fans prefer the Old Skool radio wave connection:
Television, radio, internet—Quakes fans have so many quality ways to watch the games, but nothing beats being there in person!
Post Game:
Game over. Quakes win 1-0. Great debuts from Lima & Jungwirth. Multi-pronged attack for the first time in ages.Should have been 4-0. #SJvMTL
— Gary Singh (@gary_singh) March 5, 2017
BREAKING NEWS
Still no love for the Ultras from anyone outside of Avaya:
Bad news everyone. It's 2017 and this is still happening. pic.twitter.com/syyXMdgstb
— Total MLS (@TotalMLS) March 5, 2017
"Bad News" or "Bad Nudes"—@SanJoseUltras are neither.
Awesome presence in Avaya for #SJvMTL & great tribute of solidarity w/ MTL SG. https://t.co/m0rkyxeeWK
— Eli Stuart (@goldenballzen) March 5, 2017
But National Media (GASP!) might start showing a little love for Godoy:
Aníbal Godoy for MLS Player of the Week
- 1 Goal
- 3 Key Passes
- 47/54 Passes
- 16 Recoveries
- 5 Interceptions
- 9 Fouls Won
- 5 Take-ons pic.twitter.com/9BGdunOIhg
— Ben Jata (@Ben_Jata) March 5, 2017
While a bit clearer than the BCS playoff selection process, the Audi Player Index still befuddles and bemuses most MLS fans. But hey, Godoy tops the group this week:
The 10 best players in Week 1 (so far) according to the Audi Player Index pic.twitter.com/FPlvqxAqu8
— Total MLS (@TotalMLS) March 5, 2017
So we got that going for us. Which is nice.
Congrats to Quakes Florian Jungwirth, Nick Lima, and Anabel Godoy for making the first week’s MLS Team of the Week! FYI: San Jose rocked more members than any team in MLS, AND matched all reps from the entire Eastern Conference!
⭐️ The stars from Week 1 ⭐️
Team of the Week: https://t.co/HfAG5wSBbR pic.twitter.com/rGxbUs5Tli
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 6, 2017
LOBINA Bar Talk:
While all of the online #Quakes74 conversation grows and grows, the true foundation of San Jose’s success lies with our fans. We’re the ones who rock the stands, open the wallets, and hold every win, loss, successful cross, misplaced pass, YC’ed challenge, unsung run, shanked shot, and buried goal deep in our hearts.
Following #SJvMTL, LOBINA met with Quakes fan Esteban to discuss the 2017 season opener:
We hope to meet with many fans over the 2017 season, to have conversations and share views about everything Quakes: from game-time rosters to bouncy houses to Avaya beer selection to Dom’s tactical decisions and hairstyle(s) to individual performances on the pitch (including Q’s take-down of any invaders)—we hope to hear your opinions!
Either meet up with our Social Media minions on gameday, or feel free to contact LOBINA anytime:
EMAIL: lobina.sjq15@gmail.com
TWITTER: @LOBINA_QUAKES15
Don’t forget your bag of Godoy Chip!
.@a_godoy03'a classic chip. Goes great with any dip!
by assistant kit man Eric Weber. pic.twitter.com/gmUEQ6R1sI
— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) March 6, 2017
See you Saturday night at Avaya for the next home match: San Jose vs. Vancouver!