A fine warm afternoon for an outing to RFK. This event is probably a pain in the ass for the players (literally, as they sit for hours under little canopies signing autographs and making awkward small talk), but a true treat for the fans.
Here's a chance to thank the players in person for their hard work, wish them well, and tear into the coaches.
Ok, maybe not that last thing. I thought about congratulating Soehn on doing better recently than the wretched and fired Manny Acta, but held my curmudgeonly tongue. The head coach, like his players, was gracious, grateful, and charming in person. In response to my congratulating him on last night's game, he smiled and said, "Well, one half was good, after they finally woke up."
Being of a prickly disposition, I have nothing but admiration for the politeness and patience of the players. Ben Olsen was his usual gregarious self. Emilio and Fred (my how their English has improved) joked around about being unimpressed by the impending game with Real Madrid, but you could tell from shine in their eyes that they were excited by the prospect of it.
Namoff, in particular, seemed to be enjoying the day, denying any knowledge of an alleged own goal in the first half of last night's match. At the end of the line, Moreno and Gomez held court, accepting tribute from their admirers and Gomez hearing profuse thanks for his return from every second fan.
It was all good, even though the event seemed a little subdued compared to years past. (Maybe it was the heat, or the players being tired from last night, or the absence of the playful Quaranta.) VW, with its typical tin ear for the needs and wants of its target market, was providing free waffles, which is exactly what you crave when you've been standing for two hours under the July sun.
It's always a somewhat strange experience, meet-the-team day, due in part to the gap in status between the fans and the players that they adore. On the other hand, those on either side of the spectator/player divide share a permanent bond from having participated in the same highly emotional events (albeit experiencing them in different ways) over the years. For all the business reasons why the guys in suits schedule this event to "thank" the fans, it is us who are most grateful in the end.
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