Congratulations to Erik Abarca for winning the SBI MLS Cup tickets contest, sponsored by SBI and VW Road to MLS Cup
Erik won two tickets Sunday's MLS Cup final for his great entry which, I will admit, broke the 25-word limit in submissions, but did so in a compelling way that just couldn't be ignored. Erik, who is one of the hundreds of Red Bulls fans making the trek to Los Angeles this weekend, will receive two tickets to Sunday's MLS Cup final between the New York Red Bulls and Columbus Crew (3:30pm, ABC/Telefutura).
Here is Erik's contest entry, along with the latest video from VW Road to MLS Cup:
By Erik Abarca:
There's no way i can do this in 25 words or less, but here's my story anyway...I was 14 years old when i learned MLS will be in USA and the MetroStars was my team. I had a job working 4 hours a week, making $7.50 an hour. I saved $30 a week till i had enough for season tickets. At 15 I bought season tickets for the MetroStars opening season, all alone. I took public transportation to every game. In the summer, i went to practice every friday, only fridays because i had summer school mon-thru, lol. It was not easy to get to the practice in Union, i would leave my house in Paterson to catch the first bus at 5:30am to downtown paterson to newark penn station, to jersey city board st, then to kean college, then walk a few blocks to the site where they trained in Union. It took me 4 hours to get there, 5 hours back. Players took notice, cuz they saw me at every game when they walked into the stadium, and now they saw me every Friday at practice, so one Friday former MetroStar Chris Da Silva a fellow DBT alumni asked me “how do u get here?” I told him my story, then he asked “where u live?” I said “Paterson” he said “ I live in Paterson too, I’ll take u home, but I’m going to eat lunch with Gio (Savarese) first, wanna come” I said “hell yeah!!!!” It was history from there. Fast forward to today, I have as much passion for this team as I did back then. I go to every game and attend almost every viewing party. I LOVE this team!!!
Congratulations to Erik and thank you to all the readers who took part in the contest.
Here is the latest VW: Road to MLS Cup video for those of you who have started watching:
Ives Galarcep is an American soccer columnist for ESPNsoccernet.com and creator of SoccerByIves.net.
Have a tip, story idea or suggestion? Send it to:
a nice story
not nice enough to stop me from cheering on the crewww tho this sunday at the HDC
:D
Posted by: nels | November 22, 2008 at 02:14 PM
congrats erik. you deserve it. have a blast at the match!
Posted by: thumpjosh | November 22, 2008 at 02:16 PM
Have fun Erik, that is a really great story. Also, is anyone else as in love with these commercials as I am. They are so funny! "I feel the same way about cheese" classic line.
Posted by: Charley | November 22, 2008 at 02:35 PM
Congrats, Erik. Enjoy and brig us back that Cup!
The TV campaign is terrible.
Posted by: Michael F. | November 22, 2008 at 02:47 PM
wow, that's a really great story! Erik definitely deserved to win! Have fun and go Red Bulls!!
Posted by: Cindy | November 22, 2008 at 02:51 PM
5..4..3..2..1..cue people bitching about NY love fest on SBI...
Posted by: MasterShake | November 22, 2008 at 02:52 PM
Thank you!
Posted by: Erik Abarca | November 22, 2008 at 02:55 PM
..btw this episode was pretty funny..
Posted by: MasterShake | November 22, 2008 at 02:55 PM
I'll keep in mind the rules don't actually apply for the next contest.
Oh well--have fun, Erik
Posted by: disgruntled | November 22, 2008 at 04:24 PM
Has the whole world gone crazy? Am I the only one around here who gives a sh!t about the rules? Mark it zero!
Posted by: BJR | November 22, 2008 at 06:11 PM
I agree rules are rules....if i knew that the rules could be broken i would have written a lot more.
Posted by: luis | November 22, 2008 at 07:02 PM
Come on BJR,luis, disgruntled- You have to be joking that rules are rules. Since when do people follow rules. Look at people who won the purple heart.
Have Fun Erik, you make the mls what it is.
Posted by: rmiller | November 22, 2008 at 07:25 PM
I agree with BJR--this isn't 'Nam.
Really, though, I do agree that it's stupid to emphasize a rule twice just to say "ah, it doesn't REALLY matter." But honestly, if he said, "write a paragraph on why you should go," would anyone have written a better story than Erik's? Probably not.
Some might disagree with the judgement, but in the end it's Ives' contest. It's Ives' rules. Nice of him to arrange to give two tickets away to one of his readers. Nice to see the sight growing.
Posted by: Michael | November 22, 2008 at 07:54 PM
Cool story. That's one passionate fan. Now - GO CREW! CRUSH ERIC'S DREAMS!
(before y'all accuse me of being a heartless bastard: I've been an unabashed Crew fan for years)
Posted by: Brant | November 22, 2008 at 08:28 PM
(Rules are rules)....Am I Wrong? Am I Wrong?
No Walter, you aren't wrong...you're just an a$$hole.
Loving the Lebowski references...
Posted by: Ernie | November 22, 2008 at 09:20 PM
rmiller...are you referring to people being awarded the purple heart because you think the army doesn't follow the rules and guidelines for the award when giving it out? if you are, you really have no idea...
Posted by: John | November 22, 2008 at 10:04 PM
This is a very terrible video.
Posted by: huricano | November 22, 2008 at 10:17 PM
John what are you talking about. I was referring to people who win things like the purple heart, usually do something that they were not ordered to do(following rules) and ended up doing something great and then winning the award.
Posted by: rmiller | November 23, 2008 at 02:21 PM