Meet the Rebels: Rich & Nate Murphy

This week, you get two Rebels for the price of one for Meet the Rebel.  We know you all see the kid walking around the parking lot and cheering in the front of the Fort with a mohawk.  He has been referred to as the mohawk kid by people who don’t know his name, but are fascinated by his hair.  I recently asked Rich and Nate Murphy some Revs related questions, and it’s kind of fun seeing the point of view from an eleven year old.  I know Rich also enjoyed listening to his son tell us what he loves about the team he loves.

I truly enjoyed reading both Rich and Nate’s responses to the questions I asked.  For them, this isn’t just about having fun and watching the game, but it’s a bonding experience that they will share for a lifetime.

Rebels, please meet Rich and Nate Murphy.

Rebellion:  Where are you guys from?

Murphy’s:  We live in Hudson, Massachusetts.

Rebellion:  What would you say is your first Revs memory?

Murphy’s:  Our first game was towards the end of 2009 and I wish I could remember who it was against. It was the typical youth soccer team experience where we went with friends from Nate’s team and his sister Emma’s team. We had enough fun to come back to a few more games that season (including the playoff game against Chicago) and then in 2010 Nate started watching the Revs schedule religously and would pester me to go to the games whenever they were home. We went to so many home games that year that when he asked for 2011 season tickets for Christmas it just made sense. We got involved with the supporters when we went to the chant taping event at Gillette and met some great folks in the Rebellion. We started sneaking into the Fort after the first few games of the 2011 season and had so much fun that this year we’ve been making sure to get to the games early for tailgating.

Rebellion:  How about your worst Revs memory?

Murphy’s:  Nate’s immediate response was “When Marko Perovic left” but after mulling it over for a few minutes he quickly changed it to “When the Revs traded Sharlie Joseph”. I don’t really think I have a “worst” Revs memory. I do wish they’d return to more winning form though. Except for the 2009 play-off game against Chicago Nate really hasn’t been able to experience a winning, play-off bound New England Revolution and I’d love for him to get to have that experience. Oh, and last year’s Fortgate fiasco was something I wish had never happened.

Rebellion:  Everyone has a favorite Revs memory, what would be yours?

Murphy’s:  This was a funny one to answer because both Nate and I were torn over which memory was our favorite. Oddly enough the two answers we were torn over were the same ones. Since there’s two of us, I guess I’ll go ahead and share them both.

The first was getting to meet Diego Fagundez. Last year Nate had been watching and rewatching highlight reels that featured a lot of Diego scoring for the Revs U16 team so on a lark I posted to one of the videos asking if the U16 games were open to the public. I was a little shocked to get a direct response from Diego saying he’d love for us to come down and watch a game. In a funny turn of over-protective parenting I was a little skeptical that the exchanges I began having with Diego were with the actual “real” Diego so the first U16 game we went to Diego was actually injured and not playing (which he had told be, but I had dismissed it with a “It can’t really be him”). It still turned out to be a great day for Nate because he did get to meet his hero and the two of them talked soccer and watched the U16 game together. When we finally got to see Diego actually play in the next U16 game he topped the previous experience by coming over and giving Nate a signed MLS ball after the game. Diego even further shocked us by showing up at one of Nate’s soccer games. To take time like that to inspire a kid who has the same dream as the one you’re living just blew me away. I’ll never forget the look on Nate’s face when he looked over to the sidelines and saw his hero standing there. Diego is definitely a class act and he’ll always have two die-hard supporters in Nate and I.

The second memory would be the Red Bull trip this year. It was our first “away” game and it was great to go with such a great group of fellow supporters. We had a lot of fun getting to know everyone a bit better. Nate loved leading Revs chants as we gathered outside the pub and I loved marching the almost mile to Red Bull arena with 200 or so fellow fans as we took our passion to the streets of Jersey. We’re definitely up for more road trips.

Rebellion:  What’s something we might be surprised to know about you?

Murphy’s:  Nate loves the colors pink and purple. He’s always wearing his purple Real Madrid Ozul jersey and he was one of the first boys to rock pink cleats on the soccer field. For me it’d probably be the fact that I’ve worked graveyard shift for the past 20+ years. At least it would help explain to folks why I often look tired.

Rebellion:  For the Rebels that do you know, what’s something we don’t yet know about you?

Murphy’s:  Nate’s a Legomaniac. I think he spends 90% of his money on Legos. He’s also a big wrestling fan. He loves going to WWE events when they’re in town. For me it’d probably be the fact that I’m a huge comic book nerd and have managed to amass about 16,000 books over the course of my collecting or maybe the fact that I’m 40 and still enjoy playing video games.

Rebellion:  Nate, what do your friends say about the mohawk?  What was mom’s reaction when you told her that’s what you wanted to do?

Murphy’s:  His friends all think it’s awesome. Mom doesn’t mind it. He had been asking to do it for a while and last summer we finally caved and let him. Most people think it looks good on him and 99% of the reactions we get are positive (old ladies love it and are always coming over to comment on it). He’s a good kid who stays our of trouble so we’re not going to give him a hard time over his choice of hairstyles.

Rebellion:  Rich, have you always been into soccer or did Nate’s interest get you into it or vice versa?

Murphy’s:  Nate’s definitely the reason I’m into soccer. His older sister Emma has always played and I think being dragged along to her games and practices when he was younger helped ignite his love for the game. Since he’s been old enough to play it’s pretty much all he wants to do. He dabbled with other sports when he was younger but now pretty much plays soccer year round (town, club, indoor, and even futsol). I was more of a football fan growing up but Nate’s passion for soccer has been infectious and going to the Revs games have been such a great bonding experience that I wouldn’t trade it for the world. He’s even managed to drag his sister into it. It used to be a chore to get her to come to the Revs games but now there’s talk of her wanting her own season ticket and Rebellion membership for next year.

Rebellion:  Do you work?  In School?

Murphy’s:  Nate just started the 6th grade this Wednesday. This is his first year at the middle school so he’s kind of excited (as excited as 11 year old boys get about school).  Rich of course works.

Rebellion:  Do you have Twitter?  Would you like to connect with other Rebels & Revs fans?

Murphy’s:  Nate doesn’t have one (though he’s asked). Mine is rmurphy131. I’d love it if fellow supporters threw a few follows my way. I’ve been lurking over there for a while and have only recently become more active. My 10 or so followers at the moment is kind of pitiful.

Rebellion:  Lastly, you joining us in Montreal in October?

Murphy’s:  Unfortunately, no. It’s just too tough with Nate being in school and playing on two soccer teams, my work, and the fact that I’d have to get us passports to go. We’re definitely interested in more away game trips though.

 

After Nate and Rich answered all the questions, Rich had just one more thing he wanted to add:

Before I leave off I just want to thank the Rebellion and the other supporters groups for the way they’ve accepted Nate, I and the rest of my family into their little community. I was worried about “whose this kid” reactions when I first brought Nate into the Fort and out into the tailgate lot but everyone has been more than exceptional in welcoming him in. He loves chanting with his fellow supporters in the Fort, playing games and mooching food out at the tailgate, and just getting to hang with his new soccer friends. So I just wanted to give a quick thanks for the way you’ve embraced Nate and his passion for the Revs. You’re definitely helping to create a lifetime of memories. NETID.

 

I want to thank Rich and Nate for participating in our Meet the Rebel series.  I know I was looking forward to the views of Nate; always nice to hear what a young Rebel thinks.

If you would like to be a part of our Meet the Rebel series, shoot us an email!