« It's officially official: Quakes are back in 2008 | Main | Waking up from a dream plus two video features »
July 19, 2007
Time to celebrate! But first, the news...
First off, we'll take this opportunity to once again invite everyone to our "Return of the Quakes" party this evening at the Britannia Arms in downtown San Jose. We hope to see everyone their to celebrate our two-time MLS Cup champion San Jose Earthquakes—oh, and by the way, the MLS All-Star Game will be on TV starting at 6:00, too...
On to the news:
- Video is available from yesterday's "State of the League" address by MLS Commissioner Don Garber (alternate link is here—thanks, Goodsport.) The announcement regarding the Earthquakes starts around 10:27; Lew Wolff takes the stage for some remarks at 14:37. (Thanks to blog reader Will for the link!)
- David Pollak of the Mercury News gives us "In Quakes' revival, Wolff emerges as driving force and 'ideal' owner." In addition to quotes from SSV's Don Gagliardi and Colin McCarthy, Pollak touches on the future home of the Earthquakes here:
The fact Wolff now has a team in place, Mayor Chuck Reed said, makes the issue "more immediate and a lot more exciting to talk about than if we're just dealing in the abstract.
"Without a team," he added, "it's easier to let it slide."
- Grahame Jones of the LA Times checks in with San Jose Earthquakes are reborn. The long-time soccer writer for the Times shows off his knowledge of history by stating that, "The Earthquakes have been around in one form or another since the days when George Best played for them in the old North American Soccer League three decades ago," but our favorite bit is this bit, which begins with a quote from Lew Wolff:
"Three or four years ago, Tim Leiweke asked me to attend a game down at the Home Depot Center as a guest in Mr. Anschutz's box and sit behind him," Wolff said. "(Phil has) always been quite a quiet person. I was sitting behind him watching this game and he was extremely animated.
"It surprised me and I thought, 'There must be something to this game that is really intriguing.' I called my partner, John Fisher, and said, 'You know, we ought to start taking a real look at soccer.'"
Fisher's subsequent visit to the 2006 World Cup in Germany provided the clincher, with Fisher, according to Garber, strolling around Germany with an American flag painted on his head. A true fan was born.
Yup, you read correctly—not only was John Fisher at last year's World Cup, he decorated his balding pate with the stars and stripes—which means our owners are way, way cooler than any others in MLS.
- Next up is Tom FitzGerald of the Chronicle, who spoke with Lew Wolff before filing his story, "New Earthquakes look for new home. He focuses primarily on the venue issues facing the Quakes right now, but FitzGerald leads with this:
Lew Wolff thinks the reborn San Jose Earthquakes will be competitive "immediately'' when they begin play next year.
As for when they might be able to challenge for a Major League Soccer title -- which the previous Earthquakes team won in 2001 and '03 -- he wouldn't say. But he added, "We're not in this to finish last.''
Oh, and about that temporary venue? Sorry, San Jose State—it's not going to be Spartan Stadium.
"They don't want us, and we don't want to go where we're not wanted,'' (Wolff) said. "Other, better options are available to us.''
- Debbie Arrington of the Sacramento Bee sends us "MLS retrofits with Earthquakes' return." She tracked down the Earthquakes' David Alioto in Colorado, who told her that, "Right now, we're looking at a few temporary venues in Northern California -- and we're not telling anybody where they are. We're still in negotiations. ... We hope to finalize that in the next month or so," and added, "There are three or four good locations in the Sacramento area where we could play a few (exhibition) games."
SSV gets some ink, too:
Within hours of the announcement, Earthquakes Soccer already had deposits for more than 500 season tickets, Alioto said. All those came from Soccer Silicon Valley, the fan group that lobbied hard for a new team.
"This is a reflection of the power of soccer in the Bay Area," said SSV president Don Gagliardi, who estimated his group's total membership at 30,000 fans throughout the region. "This is probably the top soccer market in the country."
- Five stars to whoever wrote this piece for the AP, which we'll link to at USA Today. Here's a sample:
The team is Silicon Valley's latest incarnation of the Earthquakes, a beloved nickname employed by three San Jose teams in three soccer leagues over the last 33 years...
The Quakes' distinct blue jerseys also are expected to be back, along with the passionate fan base that included Krazy George Henderson — the white-haired, drum-beating inventor of the Wave — and the flag-waving cadre of fans who make up the raucous Casbah behind the Quakes' goal.
Color us impressed. A mention of Krazy George and the Casbah? Wow.
- Finally, we regret having to pass along the news that the heat, humidity, and excessive pollution of the Houston area seems to have had adverse effects on the sensibilities of former Quakes standouts Brian Ching and Dwayne De Rosario. That's the conclusion we draw from this bit in the Houston Chronicle, anyway:
The news of the return of the San Jose Earthquakes put a smile on the faces of Dynamo stars Brian Ching and Dwayne De Rosario, but neither has any plans to return to California's Bay Area.
"I love (the Dynamo) too much to leave," said Ching, who played three seasons for the Earthquakes. "I'm not going anywhere."
De Rosario, who, along with teammate Ricardo Clark, will start tonight's All-Star Game, took it a step further.
"To me it would be like taking a step back," said De Rosario, who spent five seasons in San Jose.
"I'm happy in Houston; I want to keep that (MLS Cup) trophy in Houston."
"It's still not going to be the same Earthquakes. You can't build what we built during that time we were there when Landon (Donovan), Brian, me and the rest of the team were there."
Actually, there is one other explanation that comes to mind. Could it be Stockholm syndrome? AEG, free the Houston 11!
Posted by Jay at July 19, 2007 07:03 AM
Comments
Actually, that link to the press conference video won't likely work from here. Use the following instead: http://ww2.mlsnet.com/media/player/mp_tpl.jsp?w=mms://a1503.v115042.c11504.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/11504/v0001/mlbmls.download.akamai.com/11504/2007/open/allstars/071807_com_presser_v4.wmv&w_id=10369&catCode=special&type=v_free&_mp=1
Posted by: Goodsport at July 19, 2007 08:19 AM
The first one worked fine for me, but I've added your link to the item as well. Thanks!
Posted by: Jay Hipps, SSV at July 19, 2007 08:28 AM
Ching and DeRo's words don't surprise me. They're playing for the best soccer team in the league at the moment. Why would they as individuals want to leave for an expansion team?
However, pick up that entire team, bring it back here, and make Houston have the fresh start...it ceases to be a step back, doesn't it?
Posted by: Guy Gayle at July 19, 2007 08:46 AM
I think it is about teammates and following Dominic Kinnear. None of them want to leave the current team to go to an expansion team. The city of Houston has also treated them very well, but in SJ and Houston the team has had to develop a close-knit bond of "us" vs adverse circumstances. So the comments don't surprise me at all.
Posted by: Ned Zuparko at July 19, 2007 09:51 AM
It makes me a little sad that DeRo and Ching would say something like that. The fans always supported DeRo when he was not doing so great t the forward position, we upported him with cheers when he would come onto the field even though we knew that all he was goign to do was put his head down and run at the defender, but hey I stil love him, we all know that the players will always have us in their heart. But I am very excited on what players we draft and which players we select in the expansion draft, I am ready for the growing pains, hell, I was a Clash fan and a warrior for so long, I am zen when it comes to patience, Lets start over, SSV started from the ground up and look what they helped accomplish! GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES; BEAT L.A., BEAT L.A.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Dennis V. at July 19, 2007 01:41 PM
Here is an excellent interview of Lew Wolff on Wednesday:
mms://a1503.v115042.c11504.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/11504/v0001/mlbmls.download.akamai.com/11504/2007/open/allstars/071807_lew_wolff_int3.wmv
After watching this, all I can say is if I ever met Lew Wolff in person, I would give him a big bear hug!!! The guy is simply incredible. Lew Wolff is awesome!!!!!!!
Posted by: Will at July 20, 2007 02:06 AM