:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47165640/CAC_4334.0.jpg)
Dear San Jose fans,
The only reason I'm writing this is because of the playoff race. I mean, you had this great idea with the Heritage Cup. It's cute, and serves a real purpose in regards to American soccer history, but then you couldn't get buy-in. That's on you and your stupid team.
That's where the problem with the Earthquakes starts. The organization isn't even the fourth most important pro soccer team with ties to the original NASL. Besides one year where Lew Wolff sold his soul to some dread creature, the Earthquakes aren't as relevant as the lowly Timbers, and not even class organizations like the Whitecaps or the Cosmos. The year-by-year history is full of the phrase "Did Not Qualify" as some kind of banner declaring to the world, never be us.
From this conceptual Heritage Cup attempts at rivalry have stuttered. They include blatant attacks on the Sounders, rather than support for your own team. It's rather pathetic.
Huge game on Saturday! Come support the Quakes from the best place in the stadium - sections 117 & 118! pic.twitter.com/g4QApfmpRj
— San Jose Ultras (@SanJoseUltras) September 8, 2015
As a reminder: You aren't relevant, except as pertains to the playoff race. You aren't the Timbers, or the Galaxy, or RSL, or the Whitecaps. You aren't even the Sporks, or Dynamo, or Fire, or Dallas. These teams that have had some actual rivalry on the pitch at times.
You're San Jose. You're not even from the third most relevant city in the Bay Area. At this point only an airport and some sports teams bring you close to Palo Alto's level in the South Bay.
Great, you have a new stadium now, nifty. It's got a really big bar. Because I guess really big bars are necessary when your rebooted history includes more playoff misses than the Portland Timbers.
But, somehow this game on Saturday matters, because there are points on the table that matter. The MLS Cup Playoffs matter. Winning trophies and supporting a team with class are what matters.
Y'all can go about your fat shaming and your misogyny that earned you sanction. It's how you get attention.
The only thing that deserves our attention is a Seattle Sounders team that despite going 2-9-0 over 11 matches mid-Summer sits above the Red Line, looking down at San Jose as is right and just.