The pregame routine of a professional athlete is not something you want to mess with.
So it's always a challenge when Mother Nature decides to tinker with that routine, as was the case Wednesday night with the Chicago Fire preparing to host Sporting Kansas City. A large swath of severe storms made its way across the Midwest and into Chicagoland, bringing with it dangerous lightning and massive downpours not long before pregame warm-ups were due to begin on the pitch at Toyota Park.
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Goalkeeper Sean Johnson has seen his fair share of weather delays in his six-plus seasons in Major League Soccer and had a good idea of how to respond when word came that the game's timeline would be adjusted.
"You don't ever expect it, but I think the guys were able to treat it properly and the approach was right the entire time," Johnson said after posting his 34th career MLS shutout and fifth against Sporting KC, most for Johnson against any MLS club. "We relaxed until we knew exactly when we were going out and then about 30 minutes before (warm-ups) everyone was back up doing their pregame routine and treating it like a normal game."
Rookie Brandon Vincent also managed to find a comfort zone while waiting out what ultimately was a delay of 105 minutes.
"It's tough mentally a little bit because you go through your start-up routine of getting up for the game and then someone comes and tells you you have to wait another hour," he said. "You kind of have to slow down and wait it out. People were in the lounge, watching some other games, just hanging out, juggling, whatever you can to not think about the time so much."
For MLS vets like Johnson, the ability to come out and perform regardless of what the time on the clock says just comes with the territory.
"Everyone should get used to playing at this hour, we're going to have to do it sooner or later," Johnson said, noting similar start times for road trips to the West Coast. "We came out of the gates prepared, we didn't start slow like we did last game, and in the end it showed."
