REAL Salt Lake

I’m not a huge sports fan.  Actually, I hate sports unless I’m playing.  However, I don’t mind watching a game if I’m actually there, unless it’s football.  Over the years, I’ve been to a few college and professional sporting events.  I’ve had the chance to see the St. Louis Cardinals and the Utah Jazz play.  Both games were a lot of fun!

Anyway, my brother’s sister-in-law Annette invited Corey and me to the REAL Salt Lake game on Saturday.  I thought the game was at the same time the Children’s Book Festival took place, so I wasn’t going to go.  When I realized the game was later, Corey tried to get me a ticket, but the others had already been bought and so there wasn’t any way to get seats together.  I was a little disappointed, but I decided to plan a nice evening by myself.  On his way to the game, however, Corey gave me a call and told me that someone had bailed at the last minute so I could come if I wanted to.

We arrived about 20 minutes into the game.  The RSL team was playing against the Kansas City Wizards.  The first goal of the game was scored in the first half by Kansas City.  The RSL fans weren’t too happy about the goal because the referee didn’t see that the Wizards were off sides, which would’ve reversed the goal.  The second goal was scored during the second half, also by Kansas City. That time, it was a legitimate goal so the fans bucked up and stopped booing shortly after the goal was made.  I thought the end of the game was the most exciting as the plays were a little faster and the players were a little more violent.  Also, with only 10 minutes left, the RSL team scored a goal, but it was reversed because the referee called off sides that time around.  The fans were very unhappy this time around and booed for a long time.  The final score was 2 – 0 with Kansas city as the victors.

This was the third or fourth RSL game I had been to.  My first experience was in one of the box seats, thanks to our friends Nate and Dayna.  Sitting in the box was a lot of fun as I thought it was kind of cool to feel VIP-ish. The other two or three times have just been in regular seats, but this was the first game I’ve been to at the new Rio Tinto stadium.  Other than the seats being a little cramped, the stadium’s very nice; a lot nicer than Rice-Eccles stadium.

Corey and I had lots of fun.  Even though I have yet to see the RSL win a game, I do have lots of fun going because it’s something Corey likes to do and I like doing it with him.