Final night time, the Seattle Reign saluted their queen when the crew retired Megan Rapinoe’s jersey, #15.
The ceremony included movies from Jay Inslee, Macklemore, Eddie Vedder, and Christine Gregoire.
Rapinoe made a brief speech after the jersey was offered (“They put me on a time restrict,” she stated, “which might be greatest.”) She thanked her household and the “prolonged Reign household” for being there, earlier than turning her consideration to the respect at hand.
“If you take a look at [my jersey in the rafters], nicely I assume you’ll be pondering of me,” she stated. “However simply know that each time I take a look at that quantity, I’m gonna see you. I’m gonna see each delight flag, and each trans flag, and each Black Lives Matter flag, and each equal pay flag, and each ‘Fuck Portland’ flag. And I’m gonna see purple hair and pink hair and a brief stint of blue hair. And I’m gonna see households that I really feel like I grew up with…. So simply know that whenever you’re wanting up and fascinated by me, I’m wanting up and fascinated by all of you, and the entire unbelievable moments that we shared.”
“I used to be a part of the primary 11 years of the membership as a participant,” she stated. “I will be part of the following hundred and eleven years as a fan.”
In honor of Rapinoe’s coronation, 16,598 followers confirmed as much as Lumen Subject, the second-highest standalone attendance in membership historical past.
After the ceremony, the video games started! The Reign performed towards the North Carolina Braveness, and received 1-0. The win was Coach Laura Harvey’s one centesimal win—the primary time that milestone has been hit within the membership.
I received to be there for the entire occasion. And whereas I’m an enormous fan of the concept of ladies’s sports activities, I used to be actually there for the Lesbian Cultural Second, and am not a sports activities journalist. Over the course of 4 hours, I went from an enthusiastic observer to a very stoked fan. The temper on the stadium was contagious. I hope you take pleasure in my notes from the night.
4:30: The baseball sport is getting out simply because the crowds are beginning to come collectively for the Reign sport. I ponder if anybody is doing a double characteristic at present?
5:20: Made it into Lumen. There’s free meals for credentialed press! I had a Southwestern veggie wrap and it was surprisingly good. 9 out of 10, would suggest.
5:30: Noticed a reporter with two commemorative bucket hats on their head. They’re solely out there at present. It’s black and lavender and reversible—one facet says “Reign” and the opposite facet says “Rise.” I would like one though I’ll by no means put on it.
5:35: Watched somebody spray the sphere down with a firehose for at the very least 35 minutes. Photographer confirmed that it’s Astroturf.
5:40: The entire pressroom narrated the hose man unintentionally dragging a neon inexperienced cone throughout the sphere with the hose. He seen like 20 yards later, and tossed it a pair ft away. Looking ahead to fallout.
5:50: One reporter simply got here again to the press field with an enormous waffle cone of ice cream. He says that there’s an ice cream stand that solely opens once they open the sphere to the general public. Reporters within the know go proper when it opens and efficiently keep away from the crowds. This reporter was not within the know.
5:55: Heard reporters speaking in regards to the bucket hats. I’m not the one one who can’t discover them.
6:00: Noticed Megan getting into the world. She’s not carrying a crown but.
6:01: I noticed that there’s in all probability no scarcity of small lesbians with pink hair at this venue. Which may not be Megan.
6:03: Overheard one reporter saying that, in contrast to the Sounders video games, Reign video games don’t have seating charts within the press room, as a result of it’s not crowded sufficient. Somebody ought to inform all of the individuals carrying “Everybody Watches Ladies’s Sports activities” T-shirts.
6:05: Watched Rapinoe (or her tiny lesbian look-alike) stroll into the identical tunnel our photographer is about to return out of. Keep in mind to ask in the event that they walked into one another. [Ed Note: They came close, but did not.]
6:06: The gang is beginning to take their seats. All of them have bucket hats. This reporter is jealous.
6:09: The reign simply got here out to heat up. Somebody’s waving an enormous trans delight Reign flag. We like to see it.
6:35: I see Sue Hen, and so they simply began taking part in “Texas Maintain ‘Em.” I refuse to consider that’s a coincidence.
6:36: Fuck yeah, Shania Twain.
6:38: Okay, I’m legit pissed that this stadium is as empty as it’s. The ceremony is about to begin. Plus, do you see how scorching these soccer gamers are?
6:39: Photographer dispatch from the sphere: “So many well-groomed individuals simply arrived.” The celebrities are within the constructing.
6:43: THERE ARE WOMEN FALLING FROM THE SKY. RED ALERT. WOMEN FALLING FROM THE SKY.
6:44 Reign Metropolis Riot is taking part in “Poisonous” by Britney Spears.
6:50: They’re taking part in a video montage of the Pals of Pinoe, filmed from their iPhones. Macklemore despatched one in; so did Jay Inslee. He was on the Bikini Kill present on Friday, too, as a result of he’s Cultured. Now Christine Gregoire. And Eddie Vedder. He’s in his “cover your age with equipment” period.
6:52: Megan’s speech is beginning! It’s being piped into the press room, so I can nonetheless hear it though we’re behind very thick plexiglass.
6:53: “They put me on a time restrict, which might be greatest.”
6:54: “I don’t assume ‘thanks’ is even near the phrase that I’m in search of proper now, but it surely’s all I’ve.”
6:55: “If you take a look at [my jersey in the rafters]—nicely, I assume you’ll be pondering of me, as a result of it’s my quantity. However simply know that each time I take a look at that quantity, I’m gonna see you. I’m gonna see each delight flag, and each trans flag, and each Black Lives Matter flag, and each equal pay flag, and each ‘Fuck Portland’ flag. And I’m gonna see purple hair and pink hair and a brief stint of blue hair. And I’m gonna see households that I really feel like I grew up with. And those who I shared loopy moments with, like scoring on the left flank and turning round and yelling at these guys who’re nonetheless over there proper now: “Are you able to consider it??” So simply know that whenever you’re wanting up and fascinated by me, I’m wanting up and fascinated by all of you, and the entire unbelievable moments that we shared.”
6:57: The 1985 US Ladies’s Soccer crew is right here! They’re very cute.
6:58: They’re elevating a flag of her. Will report again after I discover out the identify of the artist who made the flag.
7:00: The group singing the anthem is from a undertaking based by Macklemore. He’s throughout this factor.
7:02: LITERAL FIRE. NOT JUST FIREWORKS. LITERAL FIRE.
7:03: There are flamethrowers behind the targets, and so they shoot fireplace into the sky. I hope our photographer is okay.
7:08: MORE FIRE. WHY.
7:09: Okay, the precise sport has began.
7:11: Ah, the press room received lots quieter when the sport began. Clearly everybody else is right here for the game.
7:36: Heard a reporter whispering about “all of the lesbians.” Current.
7:54: The primary half is over. It’s zero/zero. Megan is high-fiving individuals within the crowd and it’s v cute.
8:00: Brandi Carlile simply confirmed up on the Jumbotron, and I briefly (foolishly) hoped that she was going to be the halftime present. Seems they’re simply having high quality household time. The Brittany Davis Band simply hit the sphere. Brittany is superior. The guitarist is bringing quite a lot of nipple to the equation. And the Jumbotron.
8:12: Somebody retains trying a wave. It made it a couple of third of the way in which across the stadium earlier than it died.
8:20: The Coach has indignant PE instructor vibes and I’m HERE FOR IT.
8:22: Noticed {a partially} grown-out undercut. I used to be starting to marvel if this was truly a lesbian sport, however now I’m satisfied.
8:30: Somebody simply introduced that tonight’s attendance is 16,598, second highest standalone attendance in membership historical past. That’s superior, however has anybody seen what number of empty seats are on this place?
8:41: Nonetheless zero/zero. You need to play quite a lot of soccer to get some extent on this sport.
8:45: We’ve received 10 minutes left within the sport and I’m stepping into it. I believe the opposite individuals within the press field don’t admire it.
8:56: The 2 45-minute halves are achieved, and we now have 8 minutes of stoppage time to make up for. The band simply received REALLY into the cowbell.
9:01: WE SCORED. THERE’S FIRE AGAIN. #47 slipped one previous the goalie after which did the Rapinoe pose.
The press field simply exploded. Apparently, as a rule, that doesn’t occur. One reporter stated they’ve solely seen that occur one different time.
9:03: The sport is over and the Reign received. Coach Laura Harvey is the primary coach to win 100 matches in NWSL.
9:10: Nonetheless don’t have a bucket hat. Noticed a man outdoors with at the very least 10. He stated he couldn’t spare one.
