A Non-Fail

I want to keep my blog as negative as possible, but I have to write quickly about something I saw tonight.

Went to a Thunder game. They're the local soccer team in town, although they play in the second-flight United Soccer Leagues. However, the game tonight was part of the U.S. Open Cup, basically a free-for-all where every single soccer team in the country, from Major League Soccer all the way down to amateur, play each other for this cup. The Thunder was playing the Kansas City Wizards of top-flight MLS.

The Thunder went down 2-0 early in the first half, but they tied it to send it into overtime at 2 apiece. In the very last seconds of bonus/injury time in the first OT, the Wizards score on a penalty kick. However, in the second OT the Thunder re-tied it at 3.

We go to penalty kicks. I get down to the end of the field where they're taking place. Both teams hit their first two PK's, and the Wizards make their third. But K.C.'s goalie, Boris Pardo, stopped the third shot.

Before the Thunder's fourth kick -- a save here and the Wizards win the game and advance for the Cup -- Pardo looked at us standing on the bleachers behind the goal, taunting him with chants of, "Boris, Boris!" He got in goal, turned around, pointed downward and mouthed, I think, "My goal ... this is my goal." And he made the save; my team loses. After the game was over and his team piled on him in the middle of the pitch, he turned back in our direction. Even though most of the guys jumping up and down on the bleachers scattered, he still pointed down, boasting because he walked his talk. He redeems himself. A pretty big non-fail, dude.

I wish I had balls like that.