Revolution v. D.C. United, 3.26.11

Fifteen of the current eighteen MLS teams will play their home games in soccer-specific stadiums by 2013. The remaining three teams, which as far as I know have no firm commitments to build soccer stadiums, are: the Seattle Sounders, who actually manage to fill most of Qwest Field; the D.C. United, who play in the old, relatively small and urban RFK stadium (no longer home to the Redskins); and the Revolution, who of course play in the suburban cavern that is Gillette stadium, which was built for the New England Patriots. That means the Revolution play their home games in what is almost certainly the worst soccer venue in MLS, with no prospects of playing in a better one any time soon. (If you want to learn more about a potential soccer stadium in New England, check out this 2008 Boston Globe article.)

This is a shame for New England soccer fans. I went to see a game in the new Red Bull Arena last year and it was one of the most enjoyable sporting events I’ve ever been to. I even rooted for a New York team—a first for me. I’ve attended dozens of sporting events, but I had never actually been to a venue specifically designed for soccer. My seat wasn’t anything special by the standards of Red Bull Arena, but it was well above average by the standards of an NFL stadium. In other words, I was in the upper deck but the players were discernable as human beings. So I felt connected with those players and also with other fans. I almost certainly would not have felt those connections had the game been played in the huge and faceless Giants Stadium, where the Red Bulls used to play. Above all, I sensed that the team was important to the owners and to the fans, that it was not a dubious, embarrassing, and doomed step-sibling of an NFL team.

While I don’t think the Revs are doomed, they’ll have to soldier on at Gillette Stadium for the foreseeable future. Thankfully, their home opener against D.C. United was a success regardless of the stadium. Matt Reis would have had a richly deserved shutout were it not for Charlie Davies's penalty kick in stoppage time. New French left back Didier Domi made his first start for the Revs and showed good foot skills and had some memorable runs forward, one in which he impressively collected a Sainey Nyassi pass that was well behind him, managed to shoot on goal, then settled a similarly difficult rebound and promptly get off another shot. The guy’s fun to watch, and I imagine he’ll only get better as he gets in better shape and more familiar with his teammates.

Second-year striker Zack Schilawski probably distinguished himself more than anyone else in this game. For starters, he had the only goal of the game scored in the run of play. He generally held the ball well, frequently playing it back to Shalrie Joseph to maintain possession. He also worked nicely with Nyassi and Kheli Dube, who came on for an injured Zak Boggs. Schilawski nearly had an assist on an impressive exchange with Dube at the end of the first half, and made a nice header towards the goal off a cross from Domi in the second. He’s a tenacious player, and it was characteristic of him to get in a United player’s face after a hard foul on Joseph at, I think, the start of the second half.

I was reflecting during the game that Schilawski might be held up as a typical American soccer player, if you had to pick one out. His foot skills aren’t going to make many highlight reels, but he’s determined and physical and he hustles, often running the length of the field while getting back on defense. There’s something about his confident but unassuming affect, his rumpled, fresh-off-the-pillow hair, and his doggedness on the field that lead me to think he could not have been produced by any other country than our own. You can just see him shuffling to class at Wake Forest (from which he graduated two years ago) in blue and white striped Adidas flip flops after a night of beer pong with the guys. I just read his player bio on the Revs’ site, which reveals that Schilawski was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, has a degree in biology and “enjoys snowboarding and going to the beach.” He also likes the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the movie Good Will Hunting. I'll rest my case there.