Why I Love New York Red Bulls

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Some of you have you known me for a very long time. Some of you have known me only for a short time. Some you have known for longer than most and less time than a few. But if anyone knows anything about me, it is my support for the New York Red Bulls.

I got sucked in back in the summer of 1994, with the World Cup on our doorsteps here in the United States of America and the promise of a first division league that would be called Major League Soccer.

I went to games at Giants Stadium to see the brand new MetroStars and the veteran stars I knew of: Tab Ramos, Tony Meola, Peter Vermes, and Roberto Donadoni. And quickly there were brand new heroes: Giovanni Savarese and the gleaming bald head of “Mr. Clean”, Rhett Harty.

And then a crazy Mohawk hairdo from Georgia exploded into my life with his goals and celebrations: the “I Love NY” shirt, five goals in one game - Clint Mathis probably pushed me over the edge with this club. I couldn’t turn away when he played.

And there were plenty more legends along the way.

The T, The I, The M, The M, The Y: Tim Howard started his MLS career in swampland the MetroStars called home in his day. And, of course, the Long Island man who once promised revenge for a fallen comrade (‘keeper Mike Ammann) and then returned as coach to bring the club its first piece of silverware - the 2013 Supporters’ Shield.

Before that moment, the club was led through some highs and lows by the classy Colombian Juan Pablo Angel. He combined grace with fearlessness on the field, never holding back in his pursuit of goals but always representing the club with poise and professionalism.

And we can’t forget the French Maestro, Thierry Henry: the dazzling master of making something out of nothing.

Henry’s Olimpico gets some competition from Danny Cepero’s goal - also against Columbus Crew - for most surprising goal ever scored for the club. But Cepero surely edges that contest since Henry was hired to do the incredible in front of goal (or way off to the side of it) and Cepero was mostly supposed to keep the ball out of the net.

So many great moments, I almost forgot Woly Magic - the wonder-goal scorer who went on to win the USL double as head coach of NYRB II.

Add all of those moments up and you get a big part of the reason why I haven’t stopped following this club since day one. From the MetroStars of 1996 to the name-changed RBNY of the present day. From swampy Giants Stadium to Harrison, NJ’s Cathedral of Football, Red Bull Arena. This club has given me and the fans I’ve shared those moments with too much to enjoy for me to ever walk away - I might miss something.

In a few years, I’ll be talking up the exploits of Bradley Wright-Phillips, Luis Robles, and Sacha Kljestan, while we watch a team led by Homegrowns like Alex Muyl, Tyler Adams, Sean Davis, Derrick Etienne Jr., and Brandon Allen. I can’t wait.

The Championship trophy will come. I’ve watched every forward and backward step since 1996, and I’ll watch every one that comes until the day the big Cup lands in our team’s hands. And then I’ll watch the steps that come after. I have loyalty, I faith, I have love for the New York Red Bulls.

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