Crapping on the beautiful game
It would surprise few to find out that I love to play soccer. In fact, it easily tops the list of my favorite thing to do. I have been playing consistently several times a week since I was in elementary school. Boulder has definitely been the best soccer town I’ve lived in so far. There is a wonderful indoor facility about 5 minutes from my house and an equally nice outdoor complex even closer. In the fall, winter and spring, I generally play lunchtime pickup at the indoor place. I also play on 2 different indoor league teams at the same facility.
Well, tonight I played in a game against the owners of the facility. They are all seasoned soccer players who have played and coached at a highly competitive level. They currently coach the reserve squad for the Colorado Rapids. Well, tonight my team beat their team 9 to 6. I played just as hard as I ever play. On defense, I always shut the player down as quickly as I can and anyone who has played with me will certainly attest to the fact that I’m an intense player. In fact, I pride myself on my hard work and intensity on the pitch.
Tonight that intensity came back to bite me. It rubbed the owner, Rodrigo, the wrong way and after the game he informed me that I would never be allowed to play in the facility again. Keep in mind that I did not harm another player, I did not lash out against anyone, and I walked on the field at the end of the game to shake hands and was refused this show of sportsmanship from Rodrigo and was instead told to “F’ off” and told that I would never play in that facility again. I calmly explained that I played no harder than any other player who plays there every single night. It fell on deaf ears.
My hope was to talk with the referee, who called only a few fouls on me throughout the game….even though the opposing team screamed bloody murder every time I challenged for the ball. As I walked outside, the referee was crying with hysterical frustration because the owners had yelled and cursed him out on his performance. He had just quit.
The entire episode seems unreal. I would love to find another facility to play in, but there just isn’t one here in Boulder. So, I’ve started my own Boulder Pick-up Soccer Meetup group. If you are in Boulder and want to play pickup soccer for free, without worrying about unfairly being banned from a facility for life, please join the group.
6 Responses to 'Crapping on the beautiful game'
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on July 18th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Wow man. Is it not self-evident that Rodrigo is a little bitch? This reminds me of the Italian Government official who said he wouldn’t let that South Korean player into Italy after he scored to beat the Italians in the World Cup.
The beauty of the game is that there is so much passion, a passion that
disavows reason or logic. That’s also one of the problems.
I think Rodrigo will get over it.
on July 18th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Rodrigo is a little bitch
on July 18th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
sorry, that guy sounds like a kid throwing a hissy fit.
on July 19th, 2008 at 1:06 am
“It’s my sandbox and I’ll say who plays in it.”
Way to rise above Adam. The big man gets the best view.
If I was anywhere near Boulder, you’d see me out at the pick-up
group. I’d like to play the position of “rodeo clown.”
on July 22nd, 2008 at 8:59 am
An accurate, if unfortunate, description of Rodrigo’s behavior on the field whenever things don’t go exactly his way. I’ve seen him complain like that even when his team is up by 4-5 goals and he’s scored a handful himself.
This is not an issue of “passion.” This is about a little man who can’t let his frustration go even when the game ends.
on July 24th, 2008 at 12:30 am
He sounds like a spoiled and arrogant idiot… a spoiled and arrogant idiot who co-owns a nice facility… but a spoiled and arrogant idiot nonetheless.
A few options I would like to throw at you:
1) Tell Rodr-idiot: “It won’t happen again, I’m very sorry!” And then do what it takes to DO IT AGAIN (but this time, at the end of the game, do the chicken dance, the samba, the funky chicken, the Napoleon Dynamite, the mashed potato,… you get my drift!)
2) Tell Rodr-idiot that you had not observed such great Argentinian sportsmanship since… Maradona’s “Mano de Dios” 22 years ago!
3) Write a letter of apology to Rodr-idiot for BEATING HIM FAIR AND SQUARE! (And perhaps add “BUT IT FELT… OOOOH, SOOO GOOD to beat you in your own house!”
4) Write a letter to all Boulder Indoor Soccer owners that, in light of the events that took place, they may consider changing one of their webpages (http://www.boulderindoorsoccer.com/about_us/about_bis.php) from:
“For us, soccer is not just a sport, but a significant part of life that further defines who we are as human beings. We have a devotion to fostering the development of players young and old and giving them the opportunity to discover even more about this truly international sport”
to:
“For us, soccer is not just a sport, but a significant part of life that further defines who we are as human beings, which is why we will kick you out of our facilities if you happen to outplay us on the field. We have a devotion to fostering the development of players young and old and giving them the opportunity to observe disgraceful behavior, arrogance off the field, and post-game UNsportsmanship, and otherwise ill-spirited character.”
5) Advertise your pick up group as “come play with the guy who outplayed Rodr-idiot on his turf… and made him cry” or “Come play with the guy who REALLY “owns” Rodr-idiot’s house”
6) To sponsor your pick-up group, create tees saying:
-”Princess Rodr-idiot can’t hang in our games”
-”The only crying we do after our games is from laughter [and in smaller print: “for other types of post-game crying, contact Rodr-idiot”
-”Our group plays REAL SOCCER [and in smaller print: “For touch soccer, contact Rodr-idiot”]
7) Check the legality of his threat, and… SUE HIM! (and create a tee that says “I beat Rodr-idiot on the field… and in court!”)
8) Inform the CSSA (Colorado State Soccer Association… for board of trustees: http://www.intermark.com/cssa/default.asp#bot), Boulder Indoor Soccer sponsors (http://www.boulderindoorsoccer.com/about_us/about_sponsors.php), the Colorado Rapids leadership, and perhaps some Boulder newspaper of the events that took place.
Just my $.02…