Wow. What an opening weekend for the Quakes. Wondo gets a goal in the 15th minute and we clamp down on defense to hold of the Revs down the stretch was riveting. The excitement of the preseason with our much-heralded player acquisitions and success with the new stadium permit was carried forward with a fantastic performance on and off the pitch.
Too often in the past at times like this, our organization had failed to live up to expectations. This time due to the support of our fans, the hard work of our staff, and the technical sides' adroit offseason player moves, our plan was realized. To quote Hannibal Smith from the A-Team "I love it when a plan comes together."
The hard work this offseason paid immediate dividends on the pitch. Honduran international and World Cup veteran Victor Bernardez provided the maturity and stability that we were missing all last year. Last year, we didn’t have a single 1-0 result in our favor and we got one right off the bat. We will need to win games like that to make and compete in the playoffs. Frank and John should be commended for acquiring Big Vic and establishing him as a field leader on the back line. I thought the most telling moment from Saturday’s game was when the Revs got a great chance in the box late in the match, but Bernardez was there to deflect Lee Nguyen's cross and allow Jon Busch to retrieve the loose ball. The great thing is what he did afterwards. He got up and barked at the entire team to motivate them and make everyone realize that we had to clamp down and close out the match. That situational awareness is critical, especially in a sport like soccer where the coaches cannot call out each play like in American football or baseball. Having that on-field leadership is essential.
I was also very impressed with the new style of play and increased speed that Shea Salinas and Marvin Chavez brought to the pitch. Seeing those guys pestering New England on the wings was just a joy to watch and it was awesome to see that effort and endurance. Credit is certainly due to the coaching staff for getting the boys in good shape this preseason.
While the win and three points was great, I was also thrilled about getting our seventh straight sellout at Buck Shaw. Our fans represented the Bay Area’s passion for professional soccer once again. Not only was it packed, but we also had both the Ultras in 109 and the Casbah in their new section giving a ton of energy to the stadium and our players. This was great to see. I thought the tifo celebration with Wondo's goal was especially effective with the wind. Pretty cool stuff.
Finally, Buck Shaw 3.0 shined in many notable ways. From the 10 food trucks (I devoured a Chairman Bau Bun and a Sam's Chowdermobile lobster roll) to the amazing new player graphics on the stands, including the club’s historical timeline, which was the brainchild of our VP of Marketing and Communications, Jed Mettee. Please let me know if you have any suggestions on making the experience any better. We are always striving for the best fan experience we can achieve. You can always email me at
president@sjearthquakes.com
or reach me via twitter @QuakesPrez. I've heard from folks about more locations selling wine and more face painters and we will address both areas by the April 7 match against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Next up is Houston at ATT Park on Saturday, March 17 at 2 p.m. Remember to wear a bit of green to avoid being pinched and to give us some luck of the Irish against our rivals from Houston. Let's continue to write new history for the club by putting the Dynamo in their rightful place behind the true Quakes.
GO QUAKES!
Dave Kaval
President
San Jose Earthquakes
Follow @QuakesPrez on Twitter
