Tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET, I hope to venture out onto public transportation for the first time in a looong time, all other things I may have been able to shoot I have declined. Yes, they have a totally different protocol for this game, little if any inside space, virtual pressers, 15 minutes or so after the game, fewer members of the press, it will be interesting. Watch the game on MSG, MSG GO and hear it on New York Red Bulls Radio. Tweet at #RBNYvNYC. 6:30 on MSG begins the pre game with Steve Cangialosi who was on at least one net based interview with the rest of the press, the man who gave me my first job in soccer some 37 years ago, Shep Messing and Michelle Gingras. Radio as it has been of late hosted by Matt Harmon starts at 6, en Espanol with Ernesto Matta from 6:30.
Oh yes, the game, one team started poorly, yet finished strong, NYCFC, RBNY did not do well other than their start facing Atlanta, to finish. It was said that the first few games had little to no impact to the just completed MIB tourney, I think those games however have an impact now. Everyone got a little taste of getting back at it in Orlando, now, it all counts, only the first 3 there did for the MLS standings. The games here are compressed, but not nearly as much as they were there, NYCFC will have 4 days between games other than one time where it will be 3, this holds for the current phase 1 only. They will both play out of RBA, this is a home game for RBNY who have 7 points compared to the 3 of their rival NYCFC. Red Bull hold the series edge, with 3 wins, one was a tie, BWP the top goal getter with 12 is gone, Royer now tops, has 5 overall.
This is just the 2nd game on the year here for the Red Bulls, equal to NYCFC who already have a pair in the CCL, RBNY have not been here since day 1, back on March 1. In business when you break something down to the smallest numbers to better understand it is called "reduce to the ridiculous", well, someone did that here. Last game at home for Red Bull was 173 days, that would be 4,152 hours, a mere 249,120 minutes and of course 14,947,200 seconds, why, I dunno? Here since 2010, they have the best home record, most wins and points standing at 108-27-34 great for 358 points.