Let me preface by saying reasons aren’t important, but it took me 3 days to fully recover from our trip to Columbus, for that I apologize. Additionally, if you were waiting for a full recap because you weren’t there, well you should have been and you’ll have to wait four years to experience something like it!
Timeline:
3:29 PM – While outside, I discover a group from Grand Rapids, who just happen to have a 
meteorologist with them. Lightly raining, all of a sudden I find that I’m speaking to myself and have rain pelting me in the face. Apparently I ignored Meteorologist Jim’s warning about the clouds in the distance and became soaked for the first time that day. I guess weather guy’s know what they’re talking about sometimes.
4:03 PM – Still drying off and knowing that the storm outside isn’t a one-off, I decide to dress in layers and put on all my waterproof clothing. I wish I’d done this earlier.
4:50 PM – Last call for MCS. The Claddagh chartered two busses over to Crew Stadium. One at 4:50 and one an hour later. Wanting to make sure we arrive for the fan march in, the group goes on the earlier bus and we wait.
5:12 PM – We’ve moved about half a mile. Columbus rush hour, how’d we not think of it? Mind you Crew Stadium is only about 6 miles from the Claddagh, we were in the Brewery District, where I guess a lot of traffic occurs.
5:50 PM – We moved another half mile.
6:10 PM – A drunk fan vomits at the front of the bus, and we’ve moved a couple more miles.
6:45 PM – “Hey, look the rain stopped. Hey, look we’re pulling into Crew Stadium. Hey look isn’t that the other bus from the Claddagh that was supposed to leave at 5:50?"Major fail on our part.
About 11:00 AM -- We find out that the US is playing Honduras as Soldier Field on June 6, the day before the Bucks play at Kalamazoo. I supposed we’ll have to be there...
Special thanks to MCS members Andrew and Dan for helping with photography.
Timeline:
12:30 PM – Arrive in Columbus. We meet a bunch of US fans as we step out of the car to check in to our hotel. The town is painted in US, not Buckeye Red. After checking in, the Motor City Supporters Group heads over to the Claddagh to meet more US fans and start with match-day libations. By the way, its beautiful outside. I tell MCS member Alan, "I don’t care what the meteorologists say, I think this beautiful weather is going to carry through the game."
1:18 PM – Someone from Sams Army runs through the bar offering up commemorative USA-MEXICO World Cup Qualifying Scarves. Interested in adding to my scarf collection, I along with a few others purchase one. Best $20 I’ve ever spent, although I’m positive I’ve said that a number of times before. Also at this point the bar is pretty full, people poor out into the beautiful weather to play a little footy in the town square outside the Claddagh…
2:30 PM –Waiting on the rest of the MCS to arrive, we run into Bradd a huge Crew fan, who live in Oakland County. We know Bradd from a few Bucks games, he especially enjoys going to matches against Kalamazoo. WHOA! DID YOU SEE THAT ROBINHO GOAL FROM YESTERDAY!?!? Bradd offers to buy me a beer, but I tell him that I need to stay level headed for the match. As Jose would say, still fantastic outside.
3:01 PM – The rest of the MCS crew FINALLY arrives. I think they might have brought bad weather with them, its gray outside and the wind is picking up.
1:18 PM – Someone from Sams Army runs through the bar offering up commemorative USA-MEXICO World Cup Qualifying Scarves. Interested in adding to my scarf collection, I along with a few others purchase one. Best $20 I’ve ever spent, although I’m positive I’ve said that a number of times before. Also at this point the bar is pretty full, people poor out into the beautiful weather to play a little footy in the town square outside the Claddagh…
2:30 PM –Waiting on the rest of the MCS to arrive, we run into Bradd a huge Crew fan, who live in Oakland County. We know Bradd from a few Bucks games, he especially enjoys going to matches against Kalamazoo. WHOA! DID YOU SEE THAT ROBINHO GOAL FROM YESTERDAY!?!? Bradd offers to buy me a beer, but I tell him that I need to stay level headed for the match. As Jose would say, still fantastic outside.3:01 PM – The rest of the MCS crew FINALLY arrives. I think they might have brought bad weather with them, its gray outside and the wind is picking up.
3:29 PM – While outside, I discover a group from Grand Rapids, who just happen to have a 
meteorologist with them. Lightly raining, all of a sudden I find that I’m speaking to myself and have rain pelting me in the face. Apparently I ignored Meteorologist Jim’s warning about the clouds in the distance and became soaked for the first time that day. I guess weather guy’s know what they’re talking about sometimes.
4:03 PM – Still drying off and knowing that the storm outside isn’t a one-off, I decide to dress in layers and put on all my waterproof clothing. I wish I’d done this earlier.4:50 PM – Last call for MCS. The Claddagh chartered two busses over to Crew Stadium. One at 4:50 and one an hour later. Wanting to make sure we arrive for the fan march in, the group goes on the earlier bus and we wait.
5:12 PM – We’ve moved about half a mile. Columbus rush hour, how’d we not think of it? Mind you Crew Stadium is only about 6 miles from the Claddagh, we were in the Brewery District, where I guess a lot of traffic occurs.
5:50 PM – We moved another half mile.
6:10 PM – A drunk fan vomits at the front of the bus, and we’ve moved a couple more miles.
6:45 PM – “Hey, look the rain stopped. Hey, look we’re pulling into Crew Stadium. Hey look isn’t that the other bus from the Claddagh that was supposed to leave at 5:50?"Major fail on our part.
6:55 PM – Just as I step foot off the bus, the clouds open up and within a matter of seconds, I’m soaked again. Worried we’ll miss kickoff some of MCS gets separated and misses watching the match with the rest of the group.
7:10 PM - Anthems. Oh say can you see?
7:15 PM – KICKOFF!
7:20 PM – HUGE SAVE BY TIM HOWARD. I’m pretty sure my voice had already gone at this point.
7:56 PM – MICHAEL BRADLEY MAKES IT 1-0. Who ever said anything about nepotism with the National Team? MCS member Chad, who experienced his first ever cap comments that he’s never experienced anything like the celebration that ensued after Bradley’s goal.
8:00 PM – HALF TIME!
8:35 PM – Mexico captain Rafa Marquez gets SENT OFF for a dangerous challenge on Tim Howard. From our vantage point, we were quite surprised to see the red come out of Referee Carlos Batres pocket. What we couldn’t see was Marquez cleat Howard when he was up in the air to claim the ball. This is the sixth time in Rafa’s career he’s been sent off in an international match and second time against the US. Anyone remember his head butting of Cobi Jones in the 2002 World Cup?
8:47 PM – Feeling nervous, I comment to those around me that even though I predicted and wanted 2-0 (dos a cero), I’d take the score as is.
9:01 PM – MICHAEL BRADLEY AGAIN! On a shot from distance that Mexican keeper Oswaldo Sanchez should have had, the US completes another “dos a cero” scoreline. GREAT SUCCESS!
9:30 PM – Soaked, with a coarse voice, we finally meet up with the rest of MCS and head back to the Claddagh for the post match celebrations! Everyone, no matter where they’re from is high-fiving, singing, hugging and just generally happy. What a great day!
The next day, middle of nowhere, Ohio:
7:20 PM – HUGE SAVE BY TIM HOWARD. I’m pretty sure my voice had already gone at this point.
7:56 PM – MICHAEL BRADLEY MAKES IT 1-0. Who ever said anything about nepotism with the National Team? MCS member Chad, who experienced his first ever cap comments that he’s never experienced anything like the celebration that ensued after Bradley’s goal.
8:00 PM – HALF TIME!
8:35 PM – Mexico captain Rafa Marquez gets SENT OFF for a dangerous challenge on Tim Howard. From our vantage point, we were quite surprised to see the red come out of Referee Carlos Batres pocket. What we couldn’t see was Marquez cleat Howard when he was up in the air to claim the ball. This is the sixth time in Rafa’s career he’s been sent off in an international match and second time against the US. Anyone remember his head butting of Cobi Jones in the 2002 World Cup?
8:47 PM – Feeling nervous, I comment to those around me that even though I predicted and wanted 2-0 (dos a cero), I’d take the score as is.9:01 PM – MICHAEL BRADLEY AGAIN! On a shot from distance that Mexican keeper Oswaldo Sanchez should have had, the US completes another “dos a cero” scoreline. GREAT SUCCESS!
9:30 PM – Soaked, with a coarse voice, we finally meet up with the rest of MCS and head back to the Claddagh for the post match celebrations! Everyone, no matter where they’re from is high-fiving, singing, hugging and just generally happy. What a great day!
The next day, middle of nowhere, Ohio:
About 11:00 AM -- We find out that the US is playing Honduras as Soldier Field on June 6, the day before the Bucks play at Kalamazoo. I supposed we’ll have to be there...
Special thanks to MCS members Andrew and Dan for helping with photography.
I believe I mentioned in my last post on this topic that I get extremely nervous for this game every year, even if it’s a friendly. My nerves are already here, and I’ll likely be a wreck as I drive down tomorrow morning. Keep me in your thoughts. Remember gametime is 7PM tomorrow, live on ESPN2 and UNIVISION.
