Fireworks in LA: How the Fourth of July Cursed Three Hollywood Teams
The Dodgers, Angels, and LAFC all lost on Independence Day. Is it the players’ fault or Thomas Jefferson’s?
Tuesday evening, on the Fourth of July, the LA Dodgers, LA Angels, and LAFC all lost to emphatically average teams. Was it just bad playing– or fate?
It’s worth mentioning that none of the three teams had been in particularly good form as of late. The Dodgers had lost seven of their last fifteen games (including the San Francisco Giants’ three-game sweep in Los Angeles), while the Angels lost ten in that time span.
LAFC (one of two LA-based professional soccer teams) could not score goals since their devastating North American Champions League Final loss to Club León of México.
But on Tuesday, all three teams should have still had LA power on their side, right? I mean, everything usually goes right for the big-money, infamously popular teams when put under the spotlight — or in this case — under the fireworks…
Maybe that’s just the problem.
As soon as LAFC signed Welsh superstar Gareth Bale last year, the whole soccer world blacklisted the club, critics viewing it as a Hollywood scam. Their league championship title last year was over-publicized by the media, and overlooked by soccer fans around the world who expected nothing less than success for the Black & Gold.
The Dodgers have a similar problem. After going to the 2017, 2018, and 2020 World Series– and challenging for quite a few more– the baseball world has labeled the Boys in Blue the team to beat. Every team steps up a bit when facing the Dodgers.
Another way to think about it– no one wants to pitch against and Mookie Betts. Every strikeout feels like a game won for the pitcher!
Don’t believe me? Just ask Luis Ortiz and David Bednar after defeating the Dodgers.
The Galaxy definitely showed spirit when they beat LAFC on Saturday night. As soon as the referee blew the final whistle, the bench players and coach ran onto the field like they had just won the World Cup.
The players yelled and hugged and celebrated as fireworks filled the sky above the Rose Bowl, albeit without the passionate fans. They had already left to beat each other to the busy parking lots — a story LA sports fans, and practically any fan, can relate to.
So maybe one Hollywood club did enjoy our Independence Day– the Galaxy is an LA club, but one that’s been struggling for years.
Maybe the Fourth of July flipped the script on the problems?
That’s where it seems like fate may have come to play — big game days and expensive broadcast arrangements are the perfect time for Cinderella teams to step up.
It almost reminds me of when the underdog British-American colonists finally decided to step up to their powerful, world-renowned oppressors. Maybe the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, and LA Galaxy were all meant to win Tuesday night…
Who would’ve guessed they would be the metaphor for our colonists?
Thanks for reading my story! You can read more about sports, especially the beautiful game, here: https://medium.com/@gianlombeyda
Let me know what you think about the ever-changing sports world in the comments!
