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SNAP SHOTS: Meteoric August Ends With Quakes Shaking Stars Out Of LA Galaxy

After Awful July, Quakes fans celebrate an Awesome August as San Jose & Coach Kinnear continue late-season magic, winning last 4 matches 9-0, including first CaliClasico at Avaya.

By LOBINA

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Avaya illuminates its own galaxy of supporters & streamers as Quakes destroy Los Angeles. Again.
Avaya illuminates its own galaxy of supporters & streamers as Quakes destroy Los Angeles. Again.

WEEK 25: SJvLA

What a rock-n-rollin’ rollercoaster of a summer it’s been, Quakes fans!

Kids out of school & players out for Gold Cup duty.
Big Teams from Beyond Boarders coming to Avaya to sell jerseys & prop feet up on counters.

Triptastic Transfer Window in which we watched other teams splash cash, but WOW! San Jose end up with some quality contributors on the pitch:

Quincy Amarikwa
Marc Pelosi
Anabel Godoy

(more on them later)

While we lost Achilles-esque warrior Jordan Stewart, we didn't lose his smile:

or his style:

Who else could rock jorts so well?
Apparently Stewart's been practicing some smooth mooves on his new scooter :)
We wish our defensive stalwart well, and hope to see him speeding across the pitch soon!
(Until then you can catch him circling around LOBINA for pictures & pitchers)

THE 2015 CALIFORNIA CLASICO Part III
BIG HEART: 1
BIG MONEY: 0

As if demolishing top teams in both West: Kansas City (5-0) and East: DC United (2-0) weren't enough to earn a blip on the national soccer radar, Quakes hosted the red-hot L.A. Galaxy in the first true CaliClasico at Avaya Stadium.

2015 CALIFORNIA CLASICO Recap:
PART I: After going down a goal at Stanford, Quakes rock back with 3 quality goals by Wondo, Goodson, & Cato (3-1 SJvLA)

PART II: Amarikwa scores a brace at Stub Hub before "rookie" Gerrard awes fans (with a goal & assist) & ref (with every phantom foul called in Stevie G favor) as Keane & LA rock the Quakes 5-2.

The mood going into PART III was buoyant: sure LA benefited from ANOTHER MLS rule change and added Mexican International dos Santos to a roster that includes Keane, Gerrard, Zardes, Rogers, Leonardo, Juninho, Gonzalas, former Quakes Gordon & Gargan, etc. etc., creating probably one of the greatest teams in MLS history.
Sure LA was on a hot streak, with mlssoccer.com's ExtraTimeRadio trumpeting "Can Anyone Stop The LA Galaxy?
(Spoiler Alert: YES).

The Quakes were also hot & rearing to rip LA a new one, winning the last three games by a combined score of 8-0.

Mucho Drama discussed en route to & within Stadium!

There was the usual "Empty Seats" bleat:

No matter that entire stadium was filled, and Quakes fans can see & shout just as loud from the LOBINA terrace as from up at the wind-swept upper walk way.
And, as you can see from the lead photo, as well as this opposite view: stadium was full & eager for the CaliClasico!

One LA Galaxy fan walked all by himself among Quakes supporters along the freeway overpass towards Avaya.  While quiet until called out, he good-heartily engaged with the surrounding sea of Black & Blue:
--Both teams rocking hard now, so match should showcase some magic
--Gio dos Santos not called up to Mexican National team?  Probably more Bruce Arena / Jersey Sales than new Mexican coach.  Bruce doesn't like to lose players to International duty at key moments, yo.
--Came down from Sonoma to celebrate soccer: first time at Avaya & very impressed on approach
--Wait: I can't bring these two supersized beers into the stadium? I'll hang here at the fence for a sec.

Wonder if he ever found the LA Galaxy supporters section at the top of 134, because Quakes fans didn't notice any during the match.

Other LAG fans weren't as respectful of the greatest rivalry in MLS:

In fact, there were more Liverpool jerseys than LA in the stands, which was great as:

In fact, Marc Pelosi, ostensibly "filling in" for an injured Fatai Alashe, dominated the midfield, especially slightly higher up:

While Godoy continued his defensive-dominating-&-attack-springing-all-while-90-PLUS-% passing completion streak going. Godoy + Pelosi = quality midfield control & distribution:

Look at all those completed passes!
In every direction & length possible!

You'd have to go back to Simon Dawkins marauding around midfield in '12 to find a Quakes "Full Bucket" around the center circle, or passing completion 90% or over!

And it's not only Quakes fans who've noticed.  Bleacher Report national MLS writer Joe Tansey:

Many have lamented the absence of "Bash Brothers" Alan "Oh, NOW LA Likes Him?!?" Gordon & Steven "Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?" Lenhart, but many fans & pundits have recognized Kinnear's struggles & successes to bring possession-based, quality football to San Jose, including TheBestSoccerShow (starts at 37:07) & SI's Planet Futbol (starts at 35:44).

[FYI, Quakes have acquired two new target forwards:

A bit under the radar, but currently developing under the great SJ academy system!]

And a solid streak of sold-out stadiums!!!!
Avaya is definitely OUR HOUSE, and visiting fans both enjoy & fear our cathedral to soccer.
(And near-by American Football field still wondering how to grow grass)

John Marshall recognized the home field advantage:

Quakes have majority of remaining matches marched home.
So make every section a supporters' stronghold!

Ultras were also sporting our traditional kits down at the "Beers of the World" bar at halftime:

Ultras rock it right!

Love hearing the Ultra's love shout across the pitch!

More Songs!
More Chants!
More TIFO!

Would be great for other supporters to mass behind LOBINA goal to create stereo / call-response beat-box with Ultras on Railroad End.

[Fun how we have trains on one side, planes on the other, yet no one can drive out of the parking lot post match!]

Speaking of politics, anyone who says soccer is above/separate from politics probably has their head buried in Qatari sand:

So we got that going for us.

Dom Kinnear surprised almost everyone by rocking the Univision Halftime interview in Spanish:

ESPNFC's Andrea Canales (one of the fab SoCal writers we hope comes to Avaya one day to play the "LOBINA #CaliClasico Foul Shots" drinking game) noted:

Speaking of drinking games, what's up with Bernárdez?
Usually we could count on him for 20+ whistles, 5 hard fouls, a Yellow Card or two, and at least one ball blasted over stands of fans blasted by how many drinks we took for every whistle he earned.

Not until 90'?!?
I'm sorry Muma, but this quality foul-free Center Back play is destroying liquor sales.
Keep it up & you'll save livers along with the season!

At the end of the 1-0 win, wild fanatics spewed crazy talk:

While most fans with cooler heads attempted to put the win over Mega-Budget, Spotlight-Stealing, Emperor Garber's Precious Baby LA in rational perspective:

On The Re-Watch:

--Amarikwa continues to amaze with constant high-energy work rate, quality touches, & putting his BODY OVER THE BALL no matter the opposition. He wins.
Hey Soccer Moms & Dads: if your kid isn't busting ass as much as AQ for a full 90 minutes, then STFU about lack of playing time.

--Speaking of Seeking Amarikwa: Wondo pulled off some wonderful split-second turn-pop/juke-crosses from that no-man's land between center circle & box directly into the path of a committed Quincy comet. They get each other. They enjoy playing with each other. Let's enjoy watching the tic-tac-toe / snap-crackle-pop of dynamic springs into box for the next few years

--Marvell Wynne. Kick-ass swinging cross to Wondo.

--Marc Pelosi: one minute he's marking Gerrard, then next he's stopping through-balls along the side, then next on Keane's hip to prevent the center-sucker-punch, then all of a sudden he's stripping Zardes IN THE GALAXY BOX!
[Hate to see a future Quakes centerpiece go, but a U-23 USMNT call-up is key, &  hope he helps bring home the gold next summer!]

--FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH: Just think of Kinnear developing a Quakes corps that includes Cato, Pelosi, Alashe, Tommy Thompson, Silva, Godoy, & Amarikwa (the "old man" at 27). Clone 3 more Jordan Stewarts for the backline & we're in there like swimwear!

--Remind us again why Quakes couldn't land San Francisco native Lletget?  And remind us again when he's rocking with USMNT in Russia 2018.

--Props to Imperio Sismico (again) for rocking a quality concentrated Quakes lower supporter section.  There's a reason why Imperio Sismico is featured so often on TV: drums, laughter, streamers, flags, uni's, passion.  These are Quakes fans who love soccer, love San Jose, and love cheering the Black & Blue in the new stadium.

They also host a great tailgate in the Gold Lot, starting 3 hours before kickoff (usually around 4:30).
REMINDER: During Quakes vs Impact game Wednesday, September 16 we celebrate Mexican Heritage Night!

Notes & Thoughts:

Think Local, Attract Global:

One Quakes fan, standing in the lower supporters terrace, secured his spot on the jumbotron (& signaled his wife) by wearing a red 2014 jersey.
A red beacon amid a sea of black & blue!
Want to be noticed on the screen?
Wear the red!
(Or stand next to that chap from Essex who appreciates a quality community football side)

Quakes still seduce supporters from all over the world!

Positive Vibes:

Even given the intense nature of "normal" SJvLA matches, and given that this was the first CaliClasico at Avaya, there was the potential for a lot of posturing, poo-pooing, & even punching.

It seems as though most fans cheered on their teams and that was that.  While there were reports of a fight out in the parking lot, that seems more a direct cause of (still) crappy exiting procedures from security/stewards.

DON'T MAKE PARKING HELL THE REASON PEOPLE STOP COMING TO WATCH THE QUAKES!!!

Livin' La Vida LOBINA:

After overhearing many fans discuss the supporters section issues (mainly upper Ultras & lower all others can't hear each other to coordinate, but many other issues involved!), LOBINA hopes that Imperio Sismico, Faultline, & Casbah can relocate to the terraces in front of LOBINA.

We want key Quakes supporters on the LOBINA side!

There are two sections of terraces directly behind the goal that has our name all over it!

Let's never see an away side standing in our space again!

Home Stretch! Let's Get Animated, Quakes!

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