Big Week for Saint Louis FC

One week ago (1 September) saw the start of a big stretch of three matches at home for Saint Louis FC (https://www.saintlouisfc.com/). That night, Saint Louis hosted Hartford Athletic. I joined in the St. Louligans (http://stlouligans.com/) tailgate before the match and matched into West Community Stadium with them.

It was a closely fought match, but Saint Louis ran out 3-2 winners. We supporters were happy, and--after a brief fireworks display for the Labor Day weekend--the players serenaded us.

Three nights later (4 September) was in town for a match rescheduled from last May, due to flood threat to the World Wide Technology Soccer Park at the time. The home side avenged a 2-1 defeat in Ottawa the month before with a 1-0 win. This followed an abbreviated tailgate. I bought my dinner--featuring a pulled pork sandwich and potato chips--from the Sugarfire Smokehouse (https://sugarfiresmokehouse.com/) tent at West Community Stadium.

After the win, it was another serenade by the players for the St. Louligans.

Last night (7 September), I arrived at the tailgate from the Spirit of St. Louis Air Show. I was able to get a beer and a dinner after standing in line to pose with the Stanley Cup (https://www.hhof.com/htmlSilverware/silver_splashstanleycup.shtml). I posed for a picture, which I should be able to download in the next day or two. The St. Louis Blues (https://www.nhl.com/blues/) won the cup in June, and it's been on a world tour since. Jim Kavanaugh, Saint Louis FC's Chief Executive Officer, is also a minority owner of the Blues. What a treat to have the Stanley Cup at this match against Nashville SC. (Thanks to Mitch Maurice for the photo of me with the Stanley Cup.)

It was a closely fought match, but Saint Louis scored late to earn a 1-0 win. The home side was now back in the race for a playoff spot, just a few points out of the last postseason position. Sing when you're winning.

After the match, I met USA soccer legend Alexi Lalas, who attended the match and hung out with the St. Louligans.

Later.

Moment of Gloria for St. Louis Blues Fans

Last Wednesday night (12 June), in Boston, the St. Louis Blues (https://www.nhl.com/blues) completed an incredible playoff run by winning Game 7 of the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup Final. The Blues' 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins gave St. Louis its first ever Stanley Cup championship in the club's 52-year history.

I watched the playoffs on television at home, with my mother. I have been following the Blues since I was young. My parents took me to my first Blues game at the Arena in early 1970, when I was 6 years old. That Spring, my family and I watched on TV as the Bruins swept the Blues in the Stanley Cup Final. Through the years, I hoped the Blues would return to the Cup Final, but it would not be until this season that they would finally do so.

I went to a few Blues home games over the years, including a late season game this year against the Tampa Bay Lightning. I got the impression that night that the Blues--which had been in last place back in early January--would do so well in the postseason. By this time, the team had adopted as its victory song "Gloria," the 1982 hit by the late Laura Branigan. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HGaJHhUJR4). (I loved that song then, and still do.) The Blues finished the regular season strong, then began winning their playoff series one at a time. That's when I knew they could possibly win the Stanley Cup.

When the Blues won Game 7 last week and took the Stanley Cup, I was so happy. (So was mom.) I had hoped I would see this happen in my life, but was still shocked when it actually occurred. The Blues were Champions of the NHL, and claimed the last of the Big 4 pro sports trophies missing from St. Louis' mantle. (The Cardinals have won 11 World Series Championships, most recently in 2011; the Rams won the 2000 Super Bowl some years before returning to Los Angeles; and, the Hawks won the 1958 NBA Finals a decade before relocating to Atlanta.)

The team arrived back in St. Louis before dawn on Thursday, and began plans for a victory parade. While I was at work on Friday (14June), Mom got me an official Blues Stanley Cup Champions cap and t-shirt. Both look great on me.

The parade was held yesterday afternoon in downtown St. Louis, followed by a rally under the Gateway Arch. I was at the Missouri Professional Communicators planning meeting in Clayton that morning, and heard the first part of the parade on the radio as I drove home, where I saw the rest of the event on TV. (I recorded the whole event on my DVR.) It was quite a scene with the players interacting with the many spectators along the parade route. This was not something you normally saw in sports team victory parades, where the team members just waved from their vehicles. It was estimated that 1.5 million people were downtown that day to honor the Blues. Best part, though: No riots or other violent acts by anyone right after the Game 7 win or during yesterday's events. That's a great tribute to St. Louis sports fans.

This has been a great few days for the Blues and their fans--among myself.

Later.