By: Erik Bartlett
HARRISON, NEW JERSEY—-If you’re a betting man (or woman) and predicted the San Jose Earthquakes to march into RedBull Arena and upset the star-studded, top seeded New York RedBulls and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, I’ll be bringing you along the next time I go to Vegas.
Maybe the Earthquakes were inspired by their Bay Area counterpart San Francisco Giants, who stunned the sports world earlier in the week by upsetting the higher ranked teams the pundits and experts picked and winning their first championship since moving to California in the process.[picappgallerysingle id=”10131056″]
Or maybe this is the culmination of the hard work and dedication of the front office, coaching staff, and players alike since the team was reincarnated.
Whatever this is, it is historical. This will most likely be regarded by Earthquakes fans as one of the more memorable moments in franchise history, and could spark much needed attention in the Bay Area in hopes of building a new stadium near San Jose International Airport and inspiring the fan base.
While many children grew up in the Bay Area a decade ago idolizing such players as Landon Donovan, Eric Wynalda, and John Doyle, this new version of the Earthquakes is sure to inspire many to follow the exploits of Chris Wondowlowski, Bobby Convey, and Geovanni.
Amazingly, a team that features international stars Theirry Henry and Rafael Marquez goes home embarrassed and disgraced. This isn’t a result the powers-at-be in MLS wanted to see. Yet again, the New York RedBulls have failed to make an impact in the playoffs.
However, for the San Jose Earthquakes, this journey is only getting started.
