Tired but Funky

Wow...readers are coming out! Thanks V and Jas for the comments. The video below is dedicated to you two.

If I felt South Carolinish a couple of weeks ago, I feel like this today:

Well, not entirely. I stayed up last night until 2 in the morning playing FIFA 07. I created myself and put me as a striker for Arsenal. I made myself around the same height and build as my real world greatness. But...I made myself 21 and souped up my attributes. My victory dance is The Robot followed by the Running Man. Being 5'4" no matter how good you are doesn't give you much of an advantage when you're running against 6-footers with 4-foot legs. I couldn't win a match until 2.

Now I'm at my old job finishing notes. I'll be here for another month. I'm that behind.

This weekend was full of celebration and drinking. Friday was my going away/marriage license party. Lots of free drinks and good people. Saturday was the last Victory match. We lost, but went out with alcohol, semi-pitch invasions, flares and smokebombs. I got two jerseys from Chucky Kim! They smell like death but their mine! Sunday was the Raiders home opener. More drinking and yelling. After the game I felt so ill that I had a quarter of a head of iceburg lettuce for dinner.

I've been heavily relying on the services of Twitter. So all of you loyal followers...all 4 of you...you can keep up to date with me there. I will try to post more interesting entries soon. I only really have time for updates.

4.2 at 4:42 and April 2008

Like the rest of the Bay Area blogosphere, I am posting about the crazy earthquake that happened this morning. The epicenter was about 3 miles from where I live. I think I slept through the first second of it. The second 4.2 wave definitely shook me awake. Things fell off shelves. La grasp my arm. A second later it ended and I fell right back asleep. I guess I'm becoming a true Californian.

In other Earthquake news, the San Jose Earthquakes are definitely coming back in 2008! I already got my season ticket reserved! I'm so excited about the MLS coming back to the Bay Area. I'm a bit worried with what the fate of the California Victory will be. People have told me that traveling to SJ from SF or Oakland gets old pretty quickly. And that there's a certain pride of the Victory being SF's team. The Vics will have to do some amazing things to prevent turnover from ruining the club. Right now, the crowd averages a little under 1000. Who knows what that will become when a club that knows how to handle its business and its fans comes back into town.

Status Update (or: Sports Day, the Vics Win)

Yesterday I took a day off from work. I've had a cold for the last 4 days. So to cure my illness I went to the A's game vs. Red Sox. It was a mostly boring game, other than Schilling almost having a no hitter until the bottom of the 9th.

We finally got our first win!!! And to the defending champions! I'm so glad that at I was at this match. I was feeling very ill (I have a cold) but it was well worth it.

I'll leave the commentating to those who could give it justice. But from my observations, this is the first time the boys looked competent on the pitch. They had possession more consistently and on our 1/3 of the pitch. They seem to be working the flanks a lot better and attempting switches more often. The back field is finally gelling and they are getting more creative in the front. Most of the attempts were for naught, but it's refreshing to see that they now have the courage to try to make some good plays.

I feel somewhat better today. I think I'm kicking this cold.

Status Update:

* Twitter status: Alvin... celebrating the Vics first win 3 minutes ago
* On repeat: Cover songs: Crazy by Ray LaMontagne, Creep by Damien Rice and Nothing Compares 2 U by Stereophonics
* Reading: The West with the Night by Beryl Markham
* Current Obsession: California Victory's first win
* Last unnecessary purchase: Kubb set and an Oakland A's cap

Addendum to Last Post

I've got a fever...

More Cowbell!

I unleashed the cowbell on Saturday when the Vics hosted the Whitecaps. I never realized how much power that thing holds! The chants were sporadic and a few came up spontaneously sans cowbell. But the supporters really came through when I started beating on it. I was a bit tentative about using it this first time. I didn't want to be annoying. But without taking the lead, the group was too quiet. This coming Saturday, I will have had all the nerves shaken off and will try to fill the air with noise as much as I can.

Sadly, the Vics lost 3-1. I was pretty tipsy throughout the whole thing. After the match, got more beverages at the pub. I talked to a few of the players and might have been a little harsh. But I snapped out of it and told them that we were out there for them and will always be cheering for our team.

This is my drunk ass trying to start a wave in the crowd. The guy behind me is whaling on the cowbell to rile them up. I was surprised how unresponsive the crowd was and how out of shape I really am. We'll see how they react next week.

Status Update (or: My 2 new obsessions)

Hey Folks,

Things have been crazy lately on both the football and personal level. So all my writing, both here and journal, have been suffering. I went down to L.A. for a friend's graduation, but also got to see a Galaxy match. It was amazing to see 22K people to watch a football match! I really hope that the Quakes come back.

In local football, Victory aren't doing so well. Even so, I've caught the Victory fever. And I bought the only prescription to cure it...a cowbell. I went to the first match on Cinco de Mayo against the Mexican team, Necaxa. It was fun to meet other fans that I met on the discussion boards. Our group even made the SF Chronicle. I'm the fool in the back with the scarf La knitted for me.

I missed the home opener (I was at the Galaxy match) but I will try to make as many of the home matches that I can fit without La getting mad at me.
I'm still very active on the BigSoccer discussion boards. I seem to be checking and replying for most of the day. The supporters' group hasn't yet gone "official" with it's name, but it seems to be "1906." I don't like it, but whatever the name is I will still support the boys for the whole 90. This weekend they play the Vancouver Whitecaps (last years champion). If you're down to go, let me know. We need all the support we can get.

Another strange update is that I started playing Gears of War. I'm behind about 6 months. One day one of my clients starts talking about Counterstrike. He tried to convince me to get on it so I can play with him. The same night, I find out some friends in NY have it. They are gung-ho first person shooter fans (I, more of a sports video game player), and talked me into getting it. I have to admit, it is enjoyable. I might put down a deposit for the upcoming and highly anticipated Halo 3. Even now, after a few rounds of GoW, I take comfort and wind down by playing a few matches on UEFA Champions League.

Finally, my status update:
* Twitter status: Alvin... typing notes in the dark (undefined)
* On repeat: Here Come The Victory
* Reading: The Price of Privilege by Madeline Levine
* Current Obsession: California Victory
* Last unnecessary purchase: A Cowbell and Gears of War

Victory Fever

4
The number of times per minute I refresh a discussion board page.
I've been very active on the BigSoccer forums for the California Victory, bordering on obsessive. The first home match, a friendly with the Mexican club, Necaxa, is this Saturday, Cinco de Mayo!

On the boards, we've been discussing potential names for our supporters' group. I've been brainstorming like a madman. A lot of my suggestions are being incorporated. I think my suggestion for the name of our area of the stadium is sticking: The Praetorium. Just enough intellectual esotericism to keep people on their toes. I'll be totally psyched if that name gets finalized.

It's so much fun being a part of the birth of a supporters' group. All the power and potential of creation in the hands of those who are most enthusiastic. It'll be a little weird meeting these people that I've been chatting with on the boards. Brings me back to my days of IRC. Ah...those were the days.

FCD 0-1 RBNY Boo Yah!

Not to rub it in anymore than I need to, but the Red Bulls are still unbeaten and still haven't conceded a single goal yet (an MLS record). 10 points and #1, thank you.

DCU had a bye week, but will be playing Columbus on Saturday. They better win, because this RBNY/DCU rivalry is getting a bit boring *yawn* I sort of want them to win, so that La doesn't get so downtrodden and hopeless. But, I really do want that jersey.

Second place, Fire, will be playing Dynamo. Dynamo is pretty pissed that Red Bulls beat them, so I'm sure that they'll be coming out with guns blazing. It's going to be a fun weekend.

In other football news...
I just received the season tickets to Victory. It's so sweet to hold a whole season's worth in one fist. I'm so psyched!

Victory! kind of...

I was in a state of panic when I heard the news that the deal that the San Jose Earthquakes will play in Spartan Stadium for next season did not go through. Big Lew has said that he has "other options" but really what can they be?

I'm really jonesin' to watch live footy. While I'm down in LA for a friend's graduation in May, I'm gonna hit up Galaxy match. The USMNT v. China is coming up in June. I totally forgot that the California Victory is having their inaugural season as an expansion team for the USL! They're going to be playing in SF, just a hop skip and car ride for me. As for every expansion team out there, there's not much expectation that they will be good this year. But professional football in the Bay Area is good enough for me. It's unfortunate that their first home match will be the same day that I'll be watching Galaxy. But their next home match is a Friendly with Necaxa on...

*wait for it*

Cinco de Mayo!

Who's with me?!? I've been up on the message boards of Victory fans. It's been fun to witness the birth of a fan club. They've been discussing what their name should be, organizing chants, finding meeting places and deciding where they want to be in the stadium. I can't wait for the season to start!