Meet the Team

It was Meet the Team night Tuesday at Rio Tinto for season ticket holders. I believe this is the BEST perk to being a season ticket holder. Ry, Liv, Brant, Jan, Erica and I ventured up to our home away from home and had high expectation that were met 100 times over. It was SO much fun*. Olivia was a little bit shy at first (I know you are shocked.) However, Kyle Beckerman changed her whole experience just by asking her to please "help" him hold her jersey so he could sign it. Kyle you are a stud!! She was thrilled he was talking to her. And I noticed he was actively interacting with EVERY kid who came up. Just that was worth the terrible traffic and the heat.

Thank you Kyle! (I love the grins on Ry's & Alvarez's faces)

It was an evening full of fun. We have met players before, but to have the whole team just hanging around the stadium, laughing with the fans, posing for pictures when they know they aren't suppose to, and actually making their own lines to keep signing long after security has tried to shut it down, made this an amazing experience. Do you really know of any other professional athletes who do this for their fans?? I don't. I've never heard of the Jazz making themselves available to meet fans at cell phone stores and other locations all over the state. I guess that's why we love soccer. These guys are what all pro athletes should be!! GRATEFUL! For fans, their jobs, and life in general. So once again THANK YOU RSL for making us, the fans, a priority.

I thought it was rather funny these three were at a table together. While there are other players that are injured, these three are the ones I wish were back! We decided it was the medical table. I have no idea what Ry said to Olave, but it must have been funny. Javi let us know his leg is on the mend (a question he probably got SICK of answering, but was nice enough to repeat himself for what was most likely the billionth time). Nelson was pretty quiet. I secretly wanted to ask him if anybody else calls him Speedy (his last name is Gonzales). I called him Speedy the first time I watched him play and had no idea what his name was :) But I refrained so as not to embarrass those with me.

This picture of Esypy smiling is my PRIDE AND JOY. I mean the man is called "The Angry Argentinian" and I caught him smiling!! That is quite a feat. He was so nice. Olivia's favorite thing about him.....his "super fancy shoes". Absolutely had to be very fancy Italian leather. I really should have taken a picture. Poor Gil (he is only 17) was bombarded with girls wanting a picture with him (totally against the rules). Ry and I are sure he must get an earful from the veteran players. And let's just thank heaven Paulo didn't recognize us from the watch party and the disaster that ensued when Jan tried to take our picture with him (We love you mom. It will ALWAYS be a funny story and memory).

Jean and Tony were pretty quiet too. But Tony for some reason talked to Liv for a minute. I wonder if it's because Ryan told him he should have been named to the All Star roster. Which is 1 million percent true!! The guy is awesome!!

We were very fortunate that we caught Sabo & Will & Wagner at the very end. I was really surprised at how short the line was to get their autographs. Wagner is literally BRAND NEW, but Sabo and Will....COME ON PEOPLE! They are studs! Totally amazing players. I was so glad to get them to sign our stuff. I don't know if it's because the average RSL fan only watches RSL games or what, but it seems to me most of these people don't understand soccer. It's a game of ups and downs. It's about being HOT at the right moment. It has a very different mentality to other sports. And that my friends is why Ryan has been able to sell me on it. Yep, I totally don't care that we watch 4-6 soccer matches a week. I may not have all the teams and players down in all the European leaugues (Liv knows them all) but I love this GAME!!!

And of course I had to add this picture for my sweet Erica, who leaves us for Omaha in just 2 short weeks.

:( We were so excited she came with us to meet her "boyfriend". We are excited to hear all about her adventures in the mission field. And just as a reminder.....you are stuck with us girl! We love you.

So to end this one......check out some soccer people!! You may just be surprised at how awesome the MOST POPULAR sport in the world is.

*My definition of fun equals standing on cement for 3 1/2 hours sweating to death :)