Was that an amazing atmosphere for the Chicago-Toronto game on Saturday or what? Packed house, giveaway seat cushions flying ... it was spectacular. Got First XI thinking about the best MLS atmospheres in the league's 11-plus year history. Here goes, and you should know going in that I have favored games I attended:
11. 2007, Chicago at Toronto. Attendance: 20,148. Let's start with the one that's freshest on the mind. I did not see the game live, but when I went to the DVR later in the day, I was amazed. The crowd really willed TFC to its first-ever victory, and the seat cushions flying on the field reminded me of Yankee Stadium in the '70s when Reggie Jackson hit a home run on the day they handed out Reggie Bars. Needless to say, the field was littered with candy. Here's hoping the fans north of the border continue to provide such excellent support.
10. 1996 MLS Cup Playoffs, Game 3, MetroStars at D.C. United. Attendance: 20,423. Truly an amazing night in the league's very first year. After the MetroStars won Game 1 in a shootout, the burden was on D.C. to win the next two at home. United pulled off a 1-0 victory in Game 2, setting up an epic rubber match in the nation's capital. I felt like I'd been airlifted into Buenos Aires or something. While there were no seats sold in the third deck, there was so much action in the first two decks, you'd have never noticed. D.C. won the game on a last-minute penalty kick by Raul Diaz Arce.
9. 1997 MLS Cup Final, Colorado at D.C. United. Attendance: 57,431. Seems more people remember the 1996 final and the rain, but maybe since I was assigned to work on the field that day at RFK Stadium, I remember 1997 even more. I'm still thawing out 10 years later. A packed house despite horrific conditions, and a dominating D.C. performance for the first 75 minutes of the game. However, a late goal by Colorado made the final moments a bit nerve-wracking for D.C., which emerged with a 2-1 victory and a second consecutive MLS Cup.
8. 2006, Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Chivas USA. Attendance: 27,000. Saw this one on TV last year and wrote the lead to my Landon Donovan story in ESPN the Magazine about what I saw at The Home Depot Center. Galaxy supporters in one end. Chivas in the other. Nonstop noise, end-to-end action. Ante Razov scores through a storm of streamers in front of Kevin Hartman, but Cornell Glen scores two late (thanks to LD) and the Galaxy emerge. This match might have gotten the Super Clasico rivalry really up and running.
7. 1999 MLS Cup Final, Los Angeles Galaxy vs. D.C. United. Attendance: 44,910. I actually wrote an ESPN the Magazine story about this final called "United Way" and mostly it was about the caravan of D.C. fans who made their way up to Foxborough for the match. I remember interviewing many of them outside of Dunkin' Donuts and in the parking lot at old Foxboro Stadium. Then, I stood with the Barra Brava for the match. D.C. won its third cup in four tries that day, but I mostly remember the traveling fanaticos I met that afternoon.
6. 1996, Tampa Bay at MetroStars. Attendance: 38,621. A game that's close to my heart, and to many fans of the original MetroStars. Tampa Bay, led by Carlos Valderrama, build a 3-0 lead as Metro fans become irate. But when an own goal ignites the home team, the final 30 minutes become some of the most breathtaking soccer ever seen in MLS. Giovanni Savarese scores goal No. 2, and ties the game on a bicycle kick. All three goals are scored in four minutes. The MetroStars have 10 minutes left to try and win the game in regulation and have several glorious opportunities, but can't finish it off. Not until, that is, the shootout, which Tab Ramos caps when he dribbles the 'keeper and scores the decisive tally. Later in the year, we make a highlight video and base it on the four minutes when the MetroStars won over their fans for the first time.
5. 2006 MLS Cup Playoffs, Colorado Rapids at Houston Dynamo. Attendance: 23,107. I have to throw the Orange a bone here. From Game 2 of the opening playoff series vs. Chivas through the conference final victory against the Rapids, the Houston fans came to play, adopting the former Clash-Quakes as their own and guiding them all the way into the final. Love the intimacy of Robertson Stadium and the fiery orange show the supporters put on behind the goal.
4. 2002 MLS Cup Final, Los Angeles Galaxy at New England Revolution. Attendance: 61,316. Too bad the game did not live up to the atmosphere at Gillette Stadium when the Revs made a surprising run to the Cup Final and packed the house with home fans. A lot of defending, very few chances, and a golden goal by Carlos Ruiz. But if this game had gotten moving, this could well have been the greatest MLS atmosphere ever.
3. 1996, MetroStars at Los Angeles Galaxy. Attendance 69,255. I've written about this match so many times, but it's hard to beat close to 70,000 fans who, pretty much, showed up spontaneously at the Rose Bowl to watch the Galaxy's first home match. I remember Jorge Campos wandering out of his net a few times, just to get the crowd into it. I remember Cobi Jones blazing through the MetroStars defense to score. Mainly, I remember thinking, I'm so glad professional soccer is back in the United States.
2. 1998 MLS Cup Playoffs, Los Angeles Galaxy at Chicago Fire. Attendance: 32,744. Watched this one on TV in my basement and could not believe that Soldier Field, on TV, actually looked packed (except for behind the goal). The Fire and Galaxy tied the match 1-1, but the Fire would win in a shootout, with Jerzy Podbrozny providing the winning goal. The Chicago station on the game stayed with the match for a solid 30 minutes after the game to follow all of the celebrations. Again, the key here was the spontaneity of the crowd. There was a big game in town and the fans came out to be a part of it.
1. 1996, D.C. United at San Jose Earthquakes. Attendance: 31,683. Maybe I'm getting old, I dunno, but I'm certainly nostalgic. I remember getting goose bumps when I watched D.C. and San Jose take the Spartan Stadium field for this one. I knew only a handful of players that day, but knew in the coming weeks, months and years I'd know them all by heart. Eric Wynalda sent the home fans happy that night, and the good people of San Jose set the bar very high for all those who followed in their footsteps, from Miami to Toronto.
Jeff Bradley is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. Send your comments and complaints (200 words or less, please) to Jeff at jbradleyespn2003@yahoo.com and he promises to read (but not respond to) all of them. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com.
