"But it's still a point," Kreis said. "So for me, that's two road games at the most critical stretch of the season, and our guys came away from two road games with four points, and I think we have to feel very positive about that."
"You can only dream about opportunities like this — when results truly count and we're gonna have a sold-out stadium," said Borchers. "So I think every single guy in the locker-room is very excited ... and obviously there's gonna be a lot of pressure on us to perform in our first game on opening day for the stadium."
Your mind takes you back to what unfolded that balmy afternoon on April 16, 2005, when 25,287 soccer fans flocked to Rice-Eccles Stadium to see their MLS team for the first time and left happy when defender Brian Dunseth headed home a late winner to propel RSL to a 1-0 win over Colorado.
Dave Checketts vividly remembers the day Salt Lake County's mayor shot down his funding plan for a new Real Salt Lake stadium in Sandy, forcing him to confront the possibility that his vision for a new home for his pro-soccer team might never be realized.
"Does playing within those four walls immediately make you a better team?" general manager Garth Lagerwey said. "No, it doesn't. But it allows you do things that will."
Someone should write a book chronicling the back-and-forth wranglings of Real Salt Lake and local politicians throughout the Rio Tinto Stadium funding process. The way everything unfolded was a political mess, one all parties share the blame for. A book might help future cities and teams avoid similar negotiation pitfalls.
But RSL also aims to use Rio Tinto Stadium as a means to continue to raise its stock locally by offering it as the new home to several local sporting events.
A few months ago, Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts took a tour of the then generically named Sandy Stadium to monitor its construction progress. Immediately, something didn't seem right...
Fans and team executives aren't the only ones who are gushing over the brand-new Rio Tinto Stadium. The RSL players themselves couldn't be happier about their new digs.
The soccer company built only a few hundred parking stalls in conjunction with its 9400 South stadium. However, Real has signed contracts with Salt Lake County, the Jordan School District and a handful of surrounding businesses to provide stalls for up to 20,000 fans per event.
"To me, it fits together very well, much better than I thought. Obviously the architects knew what they were doing from the Home Depot Center and Chicago's (Toyota Park) and other venues they've designed," said Steele. "They did a great job. I'm very pleased."
In RSL's 59 home matches, late-match drama happened so often it bordered on ridiculous. It sure kept fans on the edge until the final whistle, and it taught us reporters never to take the 85th minute media elevator down from the press box.
Post Match Quotes...
Real Salt Lake at New England Revolution October 4, 2008 - Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
REAL SALT LAKE HEAD COACH JASON KREIS
We told the players already, that, for me, if someone offered me a point before we even played the first minute tonight, that I’d taken it with no question about it. That said, the way that we got that point is not a bit disappointing, but it’s still a point. It’s two road games and it’s the most critical stage of the season and our guys came away with four points. So I think we have to feel very positive about that.
On Nat Borchers’ goal line clearance on Taylor Twellman’s shot in stoppage time
It’s big. If that goal had gone in, it would have been a different message completely. You wouldn’t have seen even a half of a smile around here. It was a big play on his part.
On out-playing New England in the first half
That’s mostly to do with how they came out. They played a lot better soccer and figured things out in the second half and were able to put things back into our court a little bit. I thought in the first half they looked a little bit flat and confused, and we looked very sharp. So in the second half, they came out with more vigor and played better soccer and put us on our back. Then we take the goal against the run of play, which oftentimes is what happens, and obviously from that point on, we’d have liked to see better stuff. But, again, at this point in the season, I just don’t think that there is any time to hang our heads, and feel sorry for ourselves and beat ourselves up about it. We have a game in five days and it’s a pretty massive one.
On Javier Morales
He is a special player, and he showed it not only in his goal, but he showed it in his assist and he showed in a lot of the possessions he had tonight.
REAL SALT LAKE MIDFIELDER KYLE BECKERMAN
We’re trying as best as we can right now, but we know we lost two points. What we’ve been saying is if we were able to take a point in the game without playing the game, we would have taken it for sure. In that, we’re happy but, you know, whatever. Even after the game was tied up, we still had chances to win the game. But we’re alright. We’ve got to get on with it … we’ve got a quick turn around so we’ve got to be ready.
On the Revs’ two goals in three minutes
It was kind of like a three-minute lapse, some weird things, just some weird plays and it fell right to them. Taylor (Twellman) got a little space and they finished. It was just a lapse for three minutes.
On the second half
In the second half we were up a goal, so we’re thinking, “Let’s counter attack.” I think the first half we did a really good job, I think when you’re beating a team up like that you’re using a lot of energy. So second half we didn’t come out very good the first part of it. They sort of got it together and scored a really good second goal. We actually had a really nice chance to make it three, but (Matt) Reis came up with a big save. It was just a three-minute little brain fart.
REVOLUTION HEAD COACH STEVE NICOL
Two-nil, it was absolutely a point gained. The goals we gave away were horrendous. We can’t give goals away like that. We tried to pass it and we tried to do the right things, but we were just off. We tried to do the right things, but the pass was just a half-yard short, or a yard too far in front or behind. We just weren’t at it. You see the character of the team, though. Two-nil down at home, 20 minutes to go, and they don’t give up. We end up with a point and nearly steal it. We can’t be too disappointed being two-nil down.
They kind of out-worked us in the first half. They put a lot into it. They defended well. They got people back in numbers, tried to get long balls and get in behind us. Our passing wasn’t on – we were either a half a yard ahead or a half a yard behind, which made us stutter. And we give bad goals away – and they had a couple of other chances, but that’s only because we were chasing the game. We have people taking gambles and chances, and we almost scored at the end, but we probably didn’t deserve to win the game.
On the team coming back from a two-goal deficit
That’s down to individual ability. It’s always good when you have people who are capable of doing that. The character, though – there’s no question about the character of the players. But we have to tighten up. We have to do the small things better … It’s huge that we’re two-nil down at home and come away with a point and almost steal it. It just tells you that we’re never down. It’s another reminder to the players as a group that they’re never done, and never count them out.
REVOLUTION MIDFIELDER STEVE RALSTON
Going down 2-0 in the 75th minute is a big hill to climb, but its not undoable. We would have liked to have gotten three points - and it would have been nice to clinch a playoff spot tonight - but we needed to come out with more pressure to start the game.
The midfield was tight in the first half. They do a good job with two of their outside guys pinched in a bit and they closed the open space down. Playing a few more balls over the top would have kept them more honest but we didn’t try to force it.
On his goal
Khano (Smith) crossed it and the bounce just set up right to me. It was pretty fortunate because they had a lot of guys in the box, but it just snuck through there, maybe on a deflection.
Get On the Bus!
Planning on attending the final RSL match of the regular season? Join your fellow supporters as they travel from Salt Lake to the wrong side of the Rockies to watch the RMC finale v. the cRapids.
When?
Depart on the morning of Oct. 25th (Saturday), return Sunday evening.
How much?
$55 bucks (this includes bus fair and match ticket--hotel and food is extra)
You can email Ethan at primuscomics@gmail.com for any further questions.
Boz's RSL Stadium Slideshow 9/3/08...
Boz Note...
If anyone out there fancies a specific photo that I've posted in the past, or perhaps a specific player, just drop me a line and I will email you the raw shot--for Free-Fifty-Free.
Just tryin' to spread that RSL love one photo at a time.
