Let the Games Begin

I am among the throngs of people trying to find as many interesting away days to book as I can fit into my schedule. Once again, my priorities for the 2017 season: CCL, Voyageurs Cup, Cascadia Cup, Supporters Shield and MLS Cup. My reasoning is simple: No MLS team was won the CONCACAF Champions League. Caps can be the first. Voyageurs Cup gets us back into the Champions League in 2018. Cascadia is self-explanatory. As for the Supporters Shield and MLS Cup, the Caps can be the first Canadian team to claim it, however, they don’t get one of the US Soccer spots into the Champions League. Call it what you want, but that’s just a part of being associated with Soccer United Marketing aka Major League Soccer.

Obviously, I love travelling to Portland. I have many friends there who just love having me down there. We drink, we laugh, we have a good time and manage to hate each for a while, all in a matter of 3hrs. I did an entire piece on the dynamic of the Portland/Vancouver supporters relationship. That aside, there’s an interesting aura to Providence Park. I haven’t quite figured out what is it, other than being a renovated baseball park. I haven’t quite figured out how many additional (after the 2 Caps matches) trips I’ll be making down there.

The other biggie is Seattle. If they weren’t irritating enough as it was with their rave green rags, they can add MLS Cup Champions. Almost makes me want to join the Timbers Army in Seattle for their games. In all seriousness though, there are some decent supporters down there who aren’t hostile to Caps fans. Much like any city, there are a few bad seeds, and unfortunately, they caste a shadow over entire gaggle of them.

As for the rest of the schedule, I’m not fond of the mid-week Seattle away match, but it’s not like we haven’t done it before. Just more evidence that Garber doesn’t give a rat’s backside about Cascadia, probably stemming from the trademark dispute a few years ago.

As for the MLS newcomers, I’m a little disappointed that we have to wait until September to see Minnesota United come to BC, but it is what it is. Atlanta makes their first appearance at BC Place on June 3rd.

Much like it was last year, Decision Day will see the Caps and Timbers collide, this time at Providence Park.