MLS Road Trip - Boston To Toronto

Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed

By Evan Ream / MLSRoadTrip.com

It has been two weeks since I checked in, but I assure you, MLS Road Trip is still going strong. Our lack of recent posts haven't been due to the lack of games we attended, actually the opposite. We are currently in Columbus, Ohio, but in the last two weeks, we have been to four games in two countries!

We headed to "Boston" to take in the New England Revolution game against the New York Red Bulls. Right when we got to town, we were welcomed like brothers into New England by the Midnight Riders. Not only did we take in a game with them, but we also tailgated, played pickup, and watched three 0-0 draws with them!

"The Fort (the area where both supporters groups sit) capo, dressed in shorts and Tevas, constantly cracked jokes with the fans. French jokes (directed at the absent Thierry Henry), f-bombs and New Jersey jokes were all part of the agenda.

Grade-school children dressed in navy blue with mohawks start chants from the tenth row. New England flags are constantly waved.

The atmosphere is more like a college house party in which everyone knows each other than an English soccer game. The laughs are just as abundant as the songs.

At the end of the game, instead of leaving, the fans pile on top of each other near the field. Every player comes over and thanks them. Some even toss their jersey into the stands."

After this, we headed to Toronto for the craziest game of our trip. People talk about great moments in sports, when TFC played Vancouver, there were two moments that I will remember for the rest of my life. When Darren Mattocks equalized late with an awe-inspiring feat of athleticism, the air got sucked out of the entire stadium. Nearly 20,000 people couldn't believe (even though it's Toronto FC) what happened. Even more unbelievable, was that Toronto actually won the game with a header by a former Whitecap in the 95th minute. You go to sporting events in the hope that you will see a game like this one. 

"Fans begin to leave the stadium. This draw is as disappointing as the rest. There will be no singing on the way home tonight. The air has been taken out of the crowd when Toronto wins a corner kick in the 94th minute. They won’t score. In their history, TFC has scored just two goals in stoppage time of a game.

Two-time World Cup veteran Torsten Frings trots over to take the corner. He swings a perfect ball in to the box. Terry Dunfield, a Whitecaps castoff leaps for the header.

What happens next is a blur; the fans can’t believe it. Several fans double-check the scoreboard to make sure that the 3-2 scoreline is correct. They have just won their third game in the season.

U-Sector marches out of the stadium ironically singing, “I just can’t get enough.” Their voices echo throughout the warm Toronto night. As they march under the train tracks to go home, not a single fan is quiet."

What's on tap (pun intended):

As MLS Road Trip enters added time, there are a few stories that we are behind on. For games that we have already been to, expect a second story from Toronto, as well as stories from both Philly and New York!

Saturday, 7/21 - MLS Road Trip will entrench ourselves in the Nordecke for the game against DC United! Here's hoping for a Frankie sighting.

Meet: Fluffy White Rabbits by Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project (Somerville, MA)

Being that this beer was 8.5% ABV, my notes weren't extremely legible the next morning. This Somerville, MA beer actually reminded me a lot of 21st Amendment's Hell or High Watermelon Wheat in a Can. I mentioned this to the Midnight Riders and they all made fun of me for liking what is apparently the lamest 21st Amendment beer. What I do remember is how smoothly this beer went down and how sweet it was. To me, this was a beer for a seafood lover, which makes sense given that its a New England Beer. Next time you're in any of the six New England states, try to order one with your lobster roll!

Tags: Major League Soccer, MLS Road Trip

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