We Love AJ, Hopefully you do too!

That’s right Angel City Brigade!  AJ DeLaGarza has answered the questions to your must know hearts…everything from growing up in a tiny town in Maryland, to starting his first professional game with the LA Galaxy.  I’d like to thank Sergio first and foremost for setting this up and I’d also like to say thanks to all of the ACB members who posted questions for the future outside back hero of the LA Galaxy. So, without further adieu, I present to you AJ (I’ma make your backline legit F’n) DeLaGarza.
Cheers,

Pox

ACB: What gets you pumped up before and after you walk out of the tunnel for a game?

AJD: The screaming fans really give me the chills while I’m waiting in the tunnels and while I’m walking out onto the field.  The passion that they bring to the game is just remarkable and the commitment that they’ve shown through the years is amazing.

ACB: What has your experience in LA been like…the city, the fans, the stadium. Which one stands out the most?

AJD: My experience since I came here has been so much more than what I had ever expected.  I was born and raised in Maryland, which was 21 years of my life.  Living in a city as small as Bryans Rd Maryland which has a population of about 5000 people then moving to one of the biggest cities in the world would be kind of a shock to anyone. But I really love the city (except for the traffic).  So the city of LA probably stands out the most, just because of where I lived for 21 years.  But the fans are second to none in the MLS, and that shows by all of our supporter groups.  They really are the ones that give the stadium life and make it what it is.

ACB: What are your favorite spots in Los Angeles? Any hidden gems?

AJD: There are so many places in Los Angeles that I know I haven’t seen half of what’s out there.  I’m kind of picky with what I eat so when I find a place I usually become a regular. Silvios is a Brazilian restaurant down in Hermosa Beach that is pretty good. I just don’t know what people see in In N’ Out. (I don’t either AJ, it’s all about Tom’s if you’re looking for a good burger!)

ACB: Who is the toughest opponent you have ever had to mark?

AJD: I’ve faced so many players in my first year and they all bring different aspects to they’re game that it’s hard to say who the toughest is. I played against Ven Den Bergh who can put pinpoint crosses into the box from the left flank.  Then there’s players who can use they’re speed to beat you like Mansally and Zakuani.  Lastly, there are players who have some of the best footwork and ball skills to beat you like Kljestan and Pappa.

ACB: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

AJD: I would love to be in Los Angeles still, but I think I will have to weigh my options in Europe if that opportunity presented itself.  If I were in MLS I know that there is nothing that can compare to what the Galaxy has here between the tradition, coaches players and fans that it has created through the years.

ACB: What’s your favorite moment from last season?

AJD: There were so many great moments from last season.  If you had asked me before the season I would have never dreamed of experiencing what I had. Getting to start my first MLS game against DC United in the season opener then getting engaged later on that night was something I will always remember. Obviously making it to the MLS Cup final and getting to play my rookie season was an experience I will never forget.  Then there was the opportunity to play with and against some of the best players on the planet like Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry.

ACB: What effect do the fans have on your performance on the field?

AJD: The fans are what really get me going.  Obviously I need to do what I’m supposed to do whether there are 500 fans or 15,000 fans, but my adrenaline really goes when the fans are an active part of the game.

ACB: What did you take from last season to make you stronger and better this season?

AJD: I learned so much from last season and I really tried to take everything last year and use it as a foundation to build on for this season so I could help my team any way I can. I know what I need to work on to become a better player and I will be doing that day in and day out.

ACB: How do you really feel about Ch*vas USA?

AJD: Throws a TV out of the 8th story window at the Marriot where the interview was being conducted AAAHHHHHH I HATE THEM FOOLS!!!!

Ok ok, so he didn’t do or say this.  AJ has a bit more class than I do.  Read on.

AJD: Next question! Sike, ok obviously there is a huge amount of passion both from the players and the fans when it comes to this rivalry.  We share the same stadium and before this season we would see one another on more than a couple of occasions. Obviously things are intense, having had to play them five times last year with every game being close and physical and every one of them meaning something.  Having said that though, I would say that the harsh feelings generally stay on the field.

ACB: Since you’re the first entry of our special blog (toot-toot), you will be the first player to pick your own player chant for your name. What song would you like?

AJD: HAHA I’ve never though about that and my name is so odd! (At least in my opinion) that I don’t even know a song that would go with my name.  I guess I’ll leave that one up to the fans.  Maybe you guys can do a survey or something.

Just when I thought I was in the clear I received a message from Rudy (the fantastic architect of this website) telling me to write another.  I decided to brainstorm with my new friend / accomplice / landlord who I happened to meet through ACB as to what to write about.  After a series of shots of whiskey (I was, after all, celebrating my acceptance into a Masters in Education Program at the University of Redlands) we came upon the decision to write a “How to Approach AND Join the Angel City Brigade manual.”  That’s right ACB familia! There is now an official “How To” manual concerning the ACB.

What should it be called?  Angel City Brigade for Dumb Dumbs?  Chicken Noodle Soup for your Supporter’s Group Soul?  We ARE!!!  THE BRIGADE!!! (out of touch Anti Nowhere League reference).  Whatever.  Personally I don’t care what it’s called.  I’m far more interested in the idea of NOT intimidating newcomers to the ACB experience.

There you have it, that’s my thesis and I’m sticking to it.  I’ve heard from people who I’ve met in person as well as people who have commented on the Angel City Brigade Board that people often feel intimidated by ACB’s close nit organization and physical presence in the stands.  Listen, it’s true.  ACB is an anomaly in today’s day and age.  We all walked into this experience as strangers and are now brothers, sisters, best friends etc.   This close bond of friendship and family can be VERY intimidating to people who have not been with the group in the first two years of it’s existence.  All of us, new and old members MUST remember this.  We are all representatives of this group.  Therefore it is our duty to represent ACB in the best light possible at ALL times.  Thus far our members have done this to the best of they’re ability.

That said here is my Guide to Joining the ACB.

-So you’re interested in joining the Angel City Brigade?  Here’s what you do.

1).  Join our boards!!!!!  I can’t stress that enough.  Please start an account in our new and improved forums.  Read through the pages.  Get a feel for what our members are like.  Remember, the Galaxy usually only play once a week and only half of those games are home games.  This makes the time in between the games important in fostering a relationship with other members.  I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that I feel like I’ve known members of the ACB for decades rather than two years.  This is due to the fact that I’ve essentially communicated with them everyday for the last two years via our message boards.  Most of our members go by they’re screen names so when you meet us in person you can ask “Who the hell is MotorJohn?  Pox?  Doughboy?  Pibe?  Skulls? Tubby? MDM? Brownie? B-Nasty” etc… trust me, we’ll know who you’re talking about (even my girlfriend calls me Pox).

Once you join our forums it is a must that you introduce yourself in the introduction thread.  You’ll be greeted warmly, I promise.  I also urge you to Private Message myself or any of the moderators or active members of the board.  Simply tell us who you are and that you plan on coming to the next home game.  We’re all nice I swear it.  I’m sure we’ll all tell you that we’ll have a beer or some morsel of food waiting for you in Lot 13.

After you’ve joined our forums and introduced yourself it’s time to face real life, which leads us to step two.

2).  Meet up with us in Lot 13.  By this time you’ve introduced yourself on our message boards.  You’ve figured out a few names in the ACB message boards and now it’s time to meet these strangers in real life.  I can’t stress this enough.  WE ARE GOOD PEOPLE!  ACB was founded on the fact that we are an all inclusive group.  No matter what your background or who you are you will be welcomed.  We are NOT a firm/ hooligan group.  What we are is a group of fanatical supporters who strive to support the LA Galaxy through passion, songs and tifo, through thick and thin.  We love LA.  We breathe the LA Galaxy and we strive for our colors.

3).  Attend ACB Gatherings and BBQ’s.  We try and have them semi-regularly.  These activities range from benefit shows / fundraisers to soccer games and BBQ’s in the park.  We also watch away games at the Off Campus Pub directly across the street from the Home Depot Center.  I suggest attending these gatherings, as they’re a little more intimate in the sense that there are only about twenty to thirty ACB members there as opposed to two hundred at a typical Lot 13 tailgate.  That way it gives you, the future ACB draft pick, a chance to have a more normal conversation with members and allows you to get to know them better.  That and you’ll have fun.

If anybody has anything to add to this feel free to in the comments section.

Cheers,

Pox

P.S. Here’s a tidbit to warm your offseason hearts courtesy of the English Media and Steven Goff of the Washington Post/ Soccer Insider that can be found and read at http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/ but most importantly LANDON DONOVAN!!!!

From the Times of London…..

Their latest success may have been aided by Sunderland’s generosity but that should not detract from Everton’s growing sense of confidence in a season that had threatened to go off the rails. The addition of Donovan, an intelligent, thoughtful footballer whose lively movement off the ball was epitomized by Everton’s second goal, has clearly helped in this respect.

From the Guardian…..

Chants of “USA, USA” marked the American’s first goal for Everton, showing there is still a football ground on Merseyside where that is acceptable.

From the Sun…..

While it opened Donovan’s account following his short-term signing from America, the biggest surprise was he did not end up with a hatful against a backline as slapdash as this. Having said that, George McCartney does deserve praise for a wonderful goal-line clearance after Donovan had rounded Craig Gordon.

From the Daily Star…..

The American’s 19th-minute strike sent Goodison Park wild as he finally found his mark for David Moyes’ men.

From the Daily Mirror…..

They have not yet reached the promised land of a European place, but at least Everton saw the Landon they were promised. Landon Donovan scored his first goal for the Goodison club to set them on the way to a comfortable win over sorry Sunderland, to leave his manager David Moyes purring over a polished display from the American.

via The Official Galaxy Blog

Check out the Official Galaxy Blog for news on the LA Galaxy

Unfortunately, or fortunately our resolve only lasted for about five minutes…hell, maybe not even that long.  We proved right then and there that we had about as much professional organization and self control as a six-year-old brat with shit on his shoes.  We opted instead to get completely hammered and talk about the first thing that came into our mind.  He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named (the first President of ACB) was drunkenly pointing out the pros and cons of each formation in Fifa and which one would suit our beloved Galaxy.  Carlos (that yahoo in the black leather jacket) was lamenting the loss of Cienfuegos in the middle of the field in between his Kraut Rock diatribes and James kept asking me “dude, why is your name Pox? Do you have a lot of chicken pock scars or something?”  All the while the empty pitchers seemed to multiply around us, flanked by pint glasses and us taking frequent trips to the patio to smoke.

“Oh yeah!”  Carlos would conclude while we were all rising out of our alcohol-imbibed graves around 3pm.  “We need twenty Season Ticket Holders to be recognized by the Galaxy as a supporter’s group.  So you guys should join us.”

At the time of this meeting there were MAYBE seven season ticket holders who had already claimed affiliation with the ACB.   The following months would see about fifteen or so active members doing they’re best to prepare for the opening of the season; banners, flags, songs, recruitment, shirts, logos, off-season bbq’s etc.  We would play friendly games between the IE members and LA members to help foster the growing community from our online message board. Looking back on it now it seems SO LONG AGO. Just before the beginning of the season we had finally reached our 20 season ticket holder count.  The Galaxy had officially recognized us as a Supporters Group.  The first few rows of Section 121 would be ours.

About twenty of us met up in Lot 13 three or four hours before the game would begin.  Rodney, ACB’s resident chef, had a feast laid out for us, each member in turn had a plethora of beer and we were all greeted with a bit of anxiety.  Harry Callahan (a lifelong Boro fan and Middlesborough resident/future ACB Living Hero) made his first appearance with ACB.  Viking Horns Mike began his silly (I mean mighty and invigorating) Viking hat tradition that day.  I recall talking to Sergio (our elected capo) about what songs to sing and when.  I remember about 20 or 25 proud members taking the first march into the Home Depot Center.  I remember reigniting my hatred for San Jose (as that was our first home game of the season).  I remember witnessing our first win with the ACB.  I remember seeing MotorJohn’s flag that smells like shit for the first time and being proud.  I remember meeting John and Vanessa for the first time and praying to the soccer gods that they liked ACB enough to return and bolster our numbers.  I remember leaving Lot 13 after the game thinking that this was quite possible the greatest group of people that I had ever had the pleasure to be around.

That first season for the Galaxy was a write off at best.  But that first season for ACB and myself was one I will never forget.  A group of soccer fans managed to unite and build as diverse of a community as I had ever seen.  Our group ranged from a Hungarian English Mormon to a van stuffed with fifteen punkers, from a lawyer to a construction worker, from students to teachers.  The ACB helped its members who were in need.  The group had managed to reach past its uniting bond as a soccer SG and become a family of friends.

When I was asked to write for the ACB blog I was trying to figure out what I should write about.  I came to the conclusion that the only fitting way to begin this blog is to begin it with my first experience with ACB.  I would have never guessed that when I met some of the founders at Liam’s that day in November that I would find myself so ingrained with the ACB, writing a soccer blog and cherishing all of the people I would meet in the following two years.  I can honestly say that ACB was a life changing experience and it’s impact on my life reaches well beyond the warm confines of the Home Depot Center and Lot 13.

I look forward to bringing you ACB information, Galaxy news and events over this next off season and season and I promise I won’t write like an old man pissing his diapers remembering the good ol’ days anymore.

P.S. Isn’t this new ACB website the bee’s knees?!  Be sure to give Rudy/Smartskidd a beer at our next ACB gathering as he is the fine architect of this new look website.

Sincerely,

Pox

lets get into it

1. Yes you do have to re-register on the boards again everyone is starting new. Sorry to everyone on the board that had 1k + post

in addition to registering for the board your avatar can take up 12hrs. to show this goes for the first time you upload as well as any time you choose to change your avatar.

2.Registration as of now when you register you not only get access to the board but you in fact register for the site.. meaning that in the feature “if” we decide to have member only content you will be able to access it as well as comment on the blog post.

Make sure to read the next post with all the information on how to use forum, change your avatar, and add your signature.

1. How do I access the forum?
register, or login to the site and it will grant you access to the forum.

2. How do I change my Avatar?
Off of the home page click Profile scroll all the way to the bottom upload an image on the “your photo” section, and hit update profile. Please remember your avatar might take up to 12hrs. to show every time you change it…. I know I know a pain in the @$$ right! we’re working on getting that fixed.

3. Where do I add my Signature?
Off of the home page click Profile scroll all the way to the bottom add your signature in the “Biographical Info” section, and hit update profile to save your changes.

4. How do I Post a thread/ topic/ reply to a post/ quote a post?
If you have ever been on a forum before it should be pretty straight forward.
To post a new topic click on the section you want to add the new topic and click on “new topic” button.
To reply to a post click on the topic/thread and hit reply at the bottom.
To quote a post on a thread click the “Quote” button.

**** Some one pointed out that getting back to the forum home page is some what confusing****
heres how you get back to the forum home

when in the forum page under your picture there is a mini nav click on home to take you back to the top (see pic)

Any other question leave a comment or see the forum thread here

links to wallpapers at the bottom if you want different resolutions just drop a comment

Have you really EXPERIENCED a soccer Match?
http://www.angelcitybrigade.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/third-soccer_wp.jpg
We Are the ACB
http://www.angelcitybrigade.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/firstfinal_wp.jpg
Who Are We ?
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Yup He’s one of us too
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Have you really EXPERIENCED a Futbol Match?
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Download them all
http://www.angelcitybrigade.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/acb_2010_wallpapers.zip