Get To Know Big D Soccer

Blog name?
Big D Soccer

Team covered?
FC Dallas

Where did the blog name come from?
To be perfectly honest, I don't know the true origin of the name other than Dallas is typically known as the Big D. So Big D Soccer seemed like a good idea.

How did the 2016 season go for your team?
It went about as good as one could have hoped for outside of an injury to Mauro Diaz and an early playoff exit. The club got their second US Open Cup trophy in team history, ending a 19 year gap in that tournament. Then they followed that up with their first Supporters' Shield trophy and a second straight 60 point season.

For our lazier readers, sum up that answer in 5 words.
We were pretty damn good.

Summarize your 2016 season in a gif.

What are your expectations for 2017?
Before Tuesday it was a Champions League title. Now FCD has to turn their attention on getting back into the playoffs and going for a MLS Cup. In some small ways, it truly is a MLS Cup or bust type of season for the club.

How is 2017 going so far?
In league play, FC Dallas is unbeaten through three games going 2-0-1. Status quo may be the best way to describe that in my book.

Is there a player on your team that is crazy popular that someone that isn’t a hardcore fan wouldn’t understand? Why?
I wouldn't say anyone on this team is crazy popular but there are some really likable guys on this team like Atiba Harris, Ryan Hollingshead, Chris Seitz and Kellyn Acosta. There may be some guys in the Latin America community that are more popular but I tend to lean on those four when I gage who people want our blog to talk to from time-to-time.

Who from your team are we most likely to hate/dislike?
If Diaz were healthy, you'd have a love/hate relationship with watching him. He's so creative and talented that it is hard not to like his game but he will torment your team's defenses on any given play. Outside of him, you're probably going to be annoyed with guys like Hernan Grana, Roland Lamah, and Carlos Gruezo.

Does your team have any ties to Minnesota? Players, coaches, etc.? Outside of maybe spending the night in a hotel in Minneapolis, not many of this team have probably ever even been to Minnesota.

Does your blog have any ties to Minnesota? Writers, friends, weird coworkers that continue to remind you that it isn’t that cold out? Yes, one of our own (Mohammad Bushnaq) currently lives in Minnesota. I have some family from Minnesota as well.

What do you know about Minnesota United as a team? Outside of the defensive struggles, I know this was a team that was thrown together pretty quickly before the start of the 2017 season. Adrian Heath was an interesting coaching choice in my mind when the move was made to hire him but I do respect getting someone with experience in managing an expansion side in their first season. I also like seeing some of the young attackers that Minnesota has in Christian Ramirez and Kevin Molino.

What do you know about Minnesota - the state? I know you have a lot of lakes. You also have a weird connection to Dallas in terms of highways. We both have I-35 run through our cities, and in both cases it splits into an east and west version.

What, if any, Minnesotan stereotypes do you know? You all are obsessed with Prince (RIP). But if I am being honest, I base all my Minnesota stereotypes after the CBS show How I Met Your Mother's Marshall Erikson, meaning everyone is super friendly, you play weird ice sports and you all eat a ton of mayonnaise.

For Loons making the trip to Dallas this weekend, what breweries, bars, restaurants, etc must MNUFC supporters check out? Any pregame/stadium festivities they need to see?
The best brewery in my mind to check out is Peticolas in the Design District in downtown Dallas. You also can't go wrong with Lakewood Brewery or Deep Ellum Brewery. There are a couple good bars around the stadium as well that will be good places to stop in for a quick bite and brew before hand too.

How many lakes does your sad excuse for a state have?
One natural lake (yes just one). The other 150 or so are all man-made.

What does it mean to be a FCD fan? Is there a distinct attitude supporters of the team have? Inside jokes that you want to let others in on?
Supporting the team takes on a lot of different takes. You have the die-hards who follow everything. The folks that have been behind this team since the beginning in 1996. And then you have about everything else in between. Supporter culture has really improved with the team over the last few years too. Supporters expect a lot from the team and even those covering the team like myself.