highs, lows & the mess in the middle

Good night, soccer fans. It’s been a good ride.

Honduras broadcasting peeps, get your ish together stat. Please see Nevada Smith’s post:

Honduras v U.S.A. is PPV

Yes, somebody dropped the ball, in fact somebody forgot to bring it all together. Our great game is finally making inroads in the psyche of Joe Public and the match that might put Sam’s Army in the Greatest Show on Earth will not be shown on television in the United States of America.

The Honduran FA apparently wanted to much money for this little trifle and therefore after two years and more than twenty games the match will only be available on a PPV basis at a select few commercial establishments.

Nevada Smiths will of course be one of them. There will be a $20 cover at the door payable to Innovative Sports who are the Honduran FA’s broadcast provider. Nevada Smiths does not receive a cent from the door charge.

All that aside, it promises to be a great match with 45,000 fans packing the Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano hours before the kick off, and with something similar happening in Nevada Smiths we hope that the game will match the occasion and show the number crunchers at our esteemed broadcast networks that its not just about money and advertising.

Every U.S.A. game should be televised on free tv especially when qualification for the World Cup is on the line. The great moments of life, once experienced are consigned to history and memory and so, only the few will witness eleven proud men as they hope to take the next step on the road to South Africa.

Some smart people are working for the USA 2018/2022 bid.

Sent from my mobile device … killer.

Guess who just qualified for South Africa!!!

World Cup 2010, here we come.

Photo from flickr.

They will not be mistaken for players from the two giants of Italian soccer — Inter Milan and A.C. Milan– who call the same northern city home. Still, eight committed soccer players were in New York on Wednesday night to take part in a two-day training camp as they prepared to represent the United States in the 48-nation Homeless World Cup in Milan, Italy.

- U.S. Team Headed for Milan and the Homeless World Cup - Goal Blog - NYTimes.com

I saw this movie a year and a half ago at the Tribeca Film Festival. It follows a few national teams on their way to the Homeless World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa. Fast forward to today, when the lovely Guest of a Guest email informed me that the USA National team has qualified for this year’s Homeless World Cup in Milan, Sept. 6-13. Amazing!

Even more amazing? Kicking It is now available to watch online. Hotness. I highly recommend it.  Watch here.

From TFF Film Guide: Kicking It, directed by Susan Koch. (USA) - New York Premiere, Documentary. All athletes are invested in the games they play, but none more than those in Kicking It, a look at the 2006 Homeless World Cup. For these guys, it’s about more than national pride. Narrated by Colin Farrell.

My trip to Mexico quickly morphed into one of those “I’m going to remember everything that happened 40 years from now.”

I stood on the field at Azteca, grabbed a few strands of grass and put them in my wallet.

I rode in SUVs with bulletproof windows and security guards.

I asked a hotel concierge if there was a good place to get coffee, followed by him pointing me toward a Starbucks to our left, then saying, “Whatever you do, don’t go right.”

I got trapped in one of Azteca’s oppressively hot elevators and saw my life briefly flash before my eyes.

I watched one of my bosses get nailed by a flying burrito after the game.

I drank enough tequila to kill Salma Hayek.

I got rocked by Montezuma’s revenge on the way home, which was strange because I am absolutely positive I have never done anything to Montezuma.

None of those memories matched the game.
Full article here.

Bill Simmons on Mexico City soccer game - ESPN

Bill Simmons on Mexico City soccer game - ESPN

If you like soccer or have ever considered trying to start liking soccer, read this article. This is basically my dream experience.

In honor of today’s game. Photo by me.

In Mexico City, a Soccer Stadium Where Visitors Rarely Breathe Easy - NYTimes.com

Okay, so the odds are against us. On the bright side, we shouldn’t have beat Spain either. The game is now earlier than originally scheduled making it impossible to watch at Nevada’s. I do work only three blocks away. Hmmm…

Scenes from the game.

Camera practice was the only good thing that happened that day.

Even the hydrant knew what was about to go down. It dressed appropriately.

USA v Mexico Gold Cup Final  |  Giants Stadium  |  July 2009

USA. USA. USA.

Summer of Soccer? Try Year of Soccer.

Get pumped, USA.

FIFA.com - USA, Mexico to meet again