There’s that feeling again, and I can’t help but supress a smile. Even this gloomy weather can’t dampen my giddiness because the first game of the season is tomorrow! Two and half years is a long time to wait for a season opener. I had almost forgotten what it’s like to be be consumed by Quakes fever, but it hasn’t taken long for it all to come back to me. As the week goes on, and game day gets closer and closer, you find that your mind’s ability to focus on anything else gets weaker and weaker, until you reach the level of clinical obsession. I feel today like a kid on Christmas Eve. The beautiful (and terrifying) thing about match day and and Christmas’ as a kid alike is that you never know what you’re going to get. It may be that pair of socks or gruesome sweater that you desperately try to half-grimace, half-smile your way out of, only to be forced into taking five different sets of photos with the offending items. Or it may be just what you wanted, that glimmering toy that’s been haunting your daydreams for the past few months. Needless to say, I’m hoping to unwrap a big fat box of three points against the Galaxy tomorrow night. Either way, though, I’m just happy to have a present to open after two barren years.

This will be my second trip down to the Home Depot Center. My previous experience was a monumental one: MLS Cup 2003. Ekelund’s early free kick and superhero goal celebration are images indelibly embroidered onto my brain. as is Jamil Walker’s sublime through ball to Donovan that made it 2-0. Chicago struck back after the half, but the Quakes responded almost instantaneously with a Mulrooney goal. This was definitely dramatic stuff, especially when a Chris Roner own goal, followed by a Roner-induced penalty kick threatened to level things up just when it looked like we had the cup in the bag. But when Onstad calmly served up a miracle and saved Razov’s penalty kick, I knew we had it. The rest is history, Donovan sealed the deal with a fourth goal, and I was happy that I didn’t travel the six hours to L.A. just to see an irrepeatable season be scuttled. I have never been so nervous in my life as that MLS Cup game. There were times when I could barely watch, but I’m glad I did, because it was a beautiful torment.

Ironically, what I’m thinking more about than that actual Cup match as I ponder heading down to L.A. for tomorrow’s game with my girlfriend, is how last time my buddies and I came up with the absolutely genius idea of camping out in the mountains the night before instead of getting a simple motel room like normal humans. Why we did this I still have no clue, other than being cheap and impulsive. The campsite was called Chuchupaute, a name that still lives in infamy for the three of us who took up that little adventure. Somewhere along the way we forgot that it was November, and that mountains = cold. On the way in, we saw a warning about Bubonic plague-infected squirrels roaming the area. That should’ve been the clue for us to turn right around and head for the nearest Motel 6. Instead, we endured a night of freezing cold, made only worse by the presence of the only other campers there, who persisted in blaring 80’s hair-metal into the late hours of the night. Between the unbearable cold, which kept me awake throughout the night replaying all those TV documentaries in my head about people losing limbs to frostbite, and having to suffer through the joys of Ratt and Winger, I stayed awake all night. Finally, when morning came, we rushed into the car and I placed my feet onto the heater vent, eventually regaining feeling in them after an hour or so. Was the MLS Cup the next day worth it? Of course. But its not an experience that needs to be repeated. A hotel room and not waking up with frost on my blanket will do just fine.

With that said, what am I expecting to see tomorrow?

Pre-game Match Analysis: Quakes vs. L.A. 04/03/08

Let’s break down the teams and see how they match up.

Goalkeepers: No contest here. San Jose has one of the best goalkeepers in league history, Joe Cannon. By contrast, L.A.’s young and relatively untested keeper, Steve Cronin, was torched for four goals last week against Colorado. His confidence will be in the toilet, and he’s not well-protected by the defense in front of him.

Advantage - Quakes

Galaxy Forwards vs. Quakes Defense: A tough one. L.A. has placed most of its emphasis and resources on its attack, while the Quakes have so far done the same for their defense. The injury of Carlos Ruiz in last week’s match against Colorado not only leaves the Galaxy’s forward corps far less potent, but deprives them of the franchise’s all-time leading scorer against San Jose (six goals in his career against the Quakes). Alan Gordon and Edson Buddle are both inadequate replacements. Still, Landon Donovan is always a threat, and will have added inspiration going against his old team. The Quakes defense of Riley, Hernandez, Cochrane, and Garcia, is very solid and has played well in pre-season. But they also have only had two months to develop into a cohesive defensive unit.

Advantage - Even

Quakes Forwards vs. Galaxy Defense: At first glance it appears this is also a tough one to call. L.A.’s defense is definitely their weak point, while for the Quakes the entire pre-season has been filled with anxieties about the potency of their forwards. However, I’m giving this one to the Quakes. All the prophecies of doom surrounding the Galaxy’s defense seem to be true, borne out by its horrible showing against Colorado, allowing four goals against a half-strength Colorado team. While both Kei Kamara and his likely starting partner, rookie Shea Salinas, are relatively untested as starting forwards (with Salinas’ natural position being as a winger), they possess tremendous pace which matches up well against L.A.’s slow and unorganized defense. Advantage - Quakes