July 5th, 2015
Ford, Steel, and I travelled from Seattle to Vancouver BC to watch the World Cup Final. We had seats the in fifth row behind the goal, two sections over from American Outlaws supporters’ section.
Talk about a wild ride, we were in tears in the first ten minutes finding ourselves up 3-0 to Japan and KNOWING we were going to win this cup. In the fifteenth minute Carli Lloyd infamously chipped the keeper from half field. The ball seemed like it was coming straight at us, no one except the keeper had a better view of that goal. We went absolutely MENTAL screaming, hugging, crying, and falling all over each other in a pile. Now all we had to do was park the bus, and wait (and wait, and wait, and wait).
Second half was less exciting, and included an own goal. But still up 4-2 we felt good, and Tobin Freakin’ Heath put another one in the net to reverse the own goal. 5-2, just blow the fucking whistle already! The next 40 minutes felt like 40 days, and I’m pretty sure it took at least 10 years off our lives from the stress.
Fast forward to the 89th minute, Alex Morgan had just been subbed off. Still 5-2 and we were already discussing if we were going to storm the pitch. Looking down at the security staff on the pitch, we figured we had a shot at escaping them (they didn’t look fast enough to catch us). Collectively we agreed that storming the pitch would be fun, but probably not a good idea. Whoever goes first is going to get roped, so we decided we would not be the first, but we were definitely not going to be last.
90th minute. We can’t even hold ourselves still. Like three drunken idiots about to cash a winning lottery ticket, we were jumping up and down going absolutely HAM. I could barely see from all the tears in my eyes. That’s when a very polite usher came down to us (in the fifth row!) and calmly asked us to sit down. We looked at him as if he just asked us to grow a second head. The look of utter confusion on our faces and complete lack of understanding must have been obvious to him, so he repeated himself.
Usher, “Gentleman, please sit down so others can see.”
Me, “You want us to SIT DOWN in the 90th minute of the World Cup Final?“
Usher, “Yes sir, others are sitting down and cannot see.”
Me, “Well they need to stand the hell up then, we are about to win the World Cup!”
The usher looked around and other fans nearby must have heard the conversation because one older gentleman nods in agreement, stands, and turns around to motivate everyone else. Within 30 seconds the whole section joined us just in time for the final whistle. I apologized to the usher, he accepted, and at that point we decided not to push our luck on the pitch and just enjoy the memory.
So to that usher, I apologize for being a drunken idiot. However, I will never apologize for standing during the 90th minute. And to all the people that joined and literally stood up for us, THANK YOU.
