It’s time to get excited again. Last year, I was subdued. Sure, as a fan, I was in the stadium every game, vocal as ever. But, beyond the game itself, meh. Too many times I’d seen the team walk out on the field while the opponents ran. Too many times I’d seen the team get into position, but fail to put the pressure. Too many back passes, too many slow starts. The whole season seemed boiled down into that one sentiment, meh. It got so bad, that even the hurricane and freakish Nor’easter that followed didn’t motivate me to excuse the team’s final effort. They lost to DC again, and I was too apathetic to even bother with an excuse. Meh.
It seemed to me that, once again, we Metro fans were victims of the crime of the century. Yes, it was a crime that on the last game of our season, the visitors were more passionate about playing, and more disappointed that the snow cancelled the game the night prior. It was also a crime that our team was loaded with talent yet seemed lacking in desire. But, really, the true crime of the century against Metro fans was that while our team was bought by an owner that had the bucks to give us the best stadium in the MLS, in addition to some of the top talent on the field, it seemed as though it didn’t have a clue how to organize a winning team or even a winning attitude.
However, even though it seems it was an afterthought from our Austrian owners, I’m excited again. Mike Petke is head coach, and Revenge is Coming! Yes, this is my motto this year; it will be my stadium chant. Revenge is coming! Revenge for past failures, missed opportunities, and apathetic owners and coaches. Revenge is coming! Revenge for an empty trophy case and for the not-yet-sold out stadium. Revenge is coming! Yes, I truly believe that the passion of the fans will now be reflected on and off the field by the team itself. Revenge is coming! At this point in my “career” as a Metrobull fan, I will be completely satisfied with a team that follows the lead of its coach and bleeds on the field for the colors on their backs. Win or lose, revenge is coming for having to put up with the fear of failure and the passionless coaching we’ve been subjected to witnessing for the past several years.
Mike has the passion and the drive we’ve come to love as fans. He proved it as a player, and he’s starting to prove it as a coach. He doesn’t back off or back down. Sure, he’s fairly new to coaching, but he’s been around MLS. So, he’s not proven as a coach, and there is a good change he won’t be successful. It doesn’t really matter though, because I want to be excited about soccer again. I am like a 50 year old wife stuck in the 30th year of marriage! I just want my passion back!! I don’t care if we win or lose if I can be proud of how we fought.
So, I am excited. Mike Petke is head coach, and Revenge is Coming!