I Went to a Major League Soccer Game

So the first thing you have to know is I don't like soccer. Well, it's not that I dislike it. More like, I don't care. In my opinion, nothing much happens. And the game can end in a tie. I'm sorry, in soccer it's called a draw. But anyway, you can sit and watch a game for three hours and it ends in a tie. Nobody wins. Including everyone watching.

But I got free tickets to FC Dallas' match against the Vancouver White Caps. So I went, because I have an open mind and like sports. My wife came along, because she was interested.

Things got off to a rocky start almost immediately. The game was at 3 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon. The temperature was a cool 95 degrees and our seats were in direct sun. There's also a no-bag policy, of which we were unaware. I had brought my camera in a bag, and my wife's purse wasn't allowed, either. So after walking more than half a mile from the (free!) parking, we had to walk all the way back to our car, ditch our bags, then walk all the way back to the stadium. Needless to say, we were a little cranky by the time we got in the stadium.

We immediately found a concession stand and bought water and Gatorade to quench what was now an immense thirst. We stood in a corner of the a concourse, in the shade, because there were no benches or other sitting areas. Going to our seats in the middle of the blazing sun didn't seem appealing at the time.

Eventually, though, we got tired of standing, and found our seats. The game was already underway. I watched as the ball was kicked around. I don't understand anything about soccer strategy, so I quickly got bored. There was a pretty ruckus group of fans behind the goal that was nearest to us. They constantly sang and shouted throughout the half. There was even a band that played nonstop. It was awesome, and gave the crowd a party atmosphere.

FC Dallas scored a goal at some point near the end of the first half, but I'll admit, I pretty much missed it. I was looking around the stadium, taking in the sights, because I'd gotten a little bored with the game. I looked up in time to see the ball rolling into the goal. The crowd started celebrating, singing loudly and waving silk scarves with the team's logo on them. It was fun.

My wife and I left during the half. If you really love soccer, I'm sorry. But we were both really feeling the heat, and the thought of spending another hour in the heat, watching a game I don't understand just felt unbearable.

I'd like to go to another soccer game, but with someone who really knows and enjoys the sport. Maybe they could help me see the appeal. We had a pretty good time, but I don't think soccer is for me.