June 10, 2016: at Grand Rapids FC (NPSL Regular Season)

June 10, 2016
Houseman Field, Grand Rapids, MI
NPSL Regular Season Match
Grand Rapids FC 5, Detroit City FC 2
DCFC Jeff Adkins 12′
GCFC Scott Doney (Greg Timmer) 20′
GCFC Scott Doney (Peter Brown) 23′
GCFC Tyler Fischer (Trent Vegter) 41′
DCFC David Edwardson 59′
GCFC Joseph Brookhuizen 67′
GCFC Joseph Brookhuizen 75′

Our first trip to Grand Rapids. I was able to arrive in town early and have lunch with a high school friend at Schuler Books & Music. It was from him I learned that, during my drive, hockey legend Gordie Howe, had died. With Muhammad Ali’s funeral being held this day, the sporting legends of our childhood were leaving us. Gordie had the biggest influence on me over the years, which I reminisced about on the weekend.

After lunch and spending quality time at Schuler’s, I met up with the Northern Guard at Logan’s Alley. My friend informed me that the local sports talk radio station announced that we were going to be there. Our reputation precedes us, I suppose. It was from there we marched to the match.

I have attended and wrote about fifty-eight previous Detroit City FC matches. And though there have been losses, this was the first match where the team’s performance was just not there. Cody Lang, the keeper, had just flown in from the west coast and rode a bus to arrive in time for the match. However, his jetlag should not have rippled throughout the entire team. Yet it did.

We took the lead early, but then allowed the next three, taking us down 3-1 into half time. They were beating us on crosses in the box. Dave Edwardson drew us within reach in the 59th minute. But as we pressed for the equalizer, it left us exposed in the back, allowing Grand Rapids to bang in two more past us.

Everyone, in every line of work, has a stinker of a day some times. It took Detroit City FC to (my) Game Number 59, over four-and-a-half seasons, to have their first stinker. On the positive, I guess that means we’re good until 2020 for the next sour performance.