Big D After Dark: Confidence Boosters & Blue Tears

Tonight on the live show, we drink some blue tears and talk about the confidence boost of a big away win. Hang with us at 9 PM CST on Facebook and Youtube.

Well, they did it again – FC Dallas beat Sporting Kansas City in Kansas City.

After a convincing home demolition of the Los Angeles Galaxy, FC Dallas took their renewed confidence, boosted it with goals from Jesus Ferreira and Paxton Pomykal, and held on for a solid win on the road, their first of the season.

Tonight at 9 PM CST/10 PM EST, the Big D After Dark crew (including Jose and Ben, and myself) will dissect the away victory and drink a few “blue tears”.

Blue Tears are a new drink produced in the Kansas City region when Sporting Kansas City, led by brewer-in-chief Peter Vermes, lose at home and decide to blame the refs, missed penalties, or their opponent’s tactics. Think White Claw but for sore losers.

I’m just giving my SKC friends a hard time, but it was a hard-fought game.

Does Luchi have Vermes’ number?

Why does Luchi have success against Vermes? Is it just plain luck? Is it respect? Or is it tactics? I imagine you can mix in all three and note that the Kansas City-Dallas rivalry has been a fun one over the past few seasons. Most games are physical and hard-fought. Players for both teams get up for the match and put on a spectacle.

We need a name for this rivalry… and soon.

Confidence Boosters: Paxton & Jesus

Both Paxton and Jesus are working their way back from injuries that have derailed growing buzz about the players.

It’s been a long and slow one for Paxton, with coaches and doctors taking their time. And we have seen why in the past few games. Pax is a difference-maker.

After the match, Paxton indicated to the press that he was beginning to feel like himself again.

To get that first goal of the season must have felt good, and he can only build on that with another slate of games and minutes this week.

Jesus too has worked his way back and getting a goal means teams are going to have to game plan against him more carefully in the coming matches. It’s the kind of scenario that this roster should pose. Pick your poison. Who do you focus on stopping? Ricardo Pepi? Paxton? Jesus? Schon? Can you lock them all down?

Also, can we talk about how well Tafari is playing and the gutsy performance by Twumasi? What a story.

Sipping Blue Tears

Our friends over at the Blue Testament released an article which didn’t age well, arguing that both goals by Dallas shouldn’t have counted. Halfway through, the author was informed that his reading of the rules was wrong. I appreciate him leaving up the retraction.

The mumbling and moaning on the internet about missed penalty calls reminds me of ElTri fan’s reactions to their most recent loss in the Gold Cup. When your team got outplayed by what you perceive an inferior opponent, it stinks. It sucks. But the refs didn’t cause Pax or Jesus’ goals to go in.

Peter Vermes and the rest of the SKC contingent love to argue that Dallas uses sketchy tactics in their matches, but SKC loves to time waste, loves to argue with the refs, loves to bring in extracurricular theatrics into the game. It’s the bread and butter of a guy like Vermes, who Luchi recognized as a successful and fierce competitor after the match.

Ultimately, the much-needed three points go to Dallas.

Links to the Live Show

We’ll talk about all of these things, the latest FC Dallas rumors, the upcoming schedule, and even playoff chances tonight at 9 PM CST with your comments and questions shaping the discourse. We would love to see you there!

Catch us tonight in the following places:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/BigDSoccer1

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpusJ_ER-TrIFQOUnk3lwEw

And if you can’t join us live, subscribe to the podcast: https://anchor.fm/bigdafterdark