Adventures in US World Cup Qualifying

Great reporting Fitz!

 

We got back to the hotel and found out from our shuttle taking partners that the bar/rendezvous point was even more crowded than before. They came back to the hotel and we tried to figure out what to do next. Half wanted to go back to Columbus Brewing Co., half wanted to go to Denny's for pancakes, and all of us wanted to drink more. All 8 of us ended up at 10:50 down in the hotel restaurant/bar demanding food service from the place that was about to close at eleven. A very diminutive African man named Mohamad who had a cold and really wanted to go home, decided to take us as his last table. The kitchen had to start up everything again, so the food took forever to cook, which gave us the opportunity to sing to USA fans and taunt at Mexico fans while we enjoyed drinks from the bar.

Once we ate, some of the previous hard chargers called it a night, but the older more experienced guys, knowing that slow and steady wins the race, took off to the hotel that the USA team members were staying in up the street. By 12am, the rain had quit and the streets were absolutely blown dry with the freezing cold wind that had gotten even stronger whilst we ate.

As we walked the 2 blocks, the cross wind was intense. As we got to the intersection of two streets 4 lanes wide each, the wind literally pushed us back. We would take two steps and the wind would blow us back one step. Just for fun, I stood there in the middle of the street leaning into the freezing wind to see if it could hold me up: it blew me on my ass instead. I got up and ran into the lee of a building for shelter.

Finally, we made it to the lobby of the hotel, and went in the bar which was packed with USA supporters and a few Mexico fans. USA coach Bob Bradley and his son, the two goal scorer Michael Bradley, were hanging out enjoying a pint. A bunch of fanboys were mobbing the coach, but a few of my partners barged up and slapped him on the back and snapped a few photos with him.

I am too cool for that. I watched with a Bass Ale in my hand as the boys canvassed the bar looking for other team members unsuccsessfully. At one point a bunch of other guys (not us mind you) ran to the door saying "Gooch!", Oguchi Onyewu's nickname. It turned out to be a bellhop who had just gotten off duty.

One of the single guys in the posse took a crack at one of the rather homely local girls at the end of the bar while we left him to go back to the hotel. He joined us about 90 seconds later, with virtual flames coming out of his tail after getting shot down.

We got past the windtunnel and made it to the hotel, splitting up to get some sleep.

 

Waking up the next morning, I took some vitamin B to get the metabolism going and process the extra alcohol in the bloodstream, and headed out for breakfast by myself. It was Thursday morning, and the hotel downtown in Columbus is inthe business district. I entered a Starbucks in a highrise that had a half dozen white well dressed business people reviewing policy documents while I in my N3B Parka and USA/Mexico commemorative football scarf joined them with my quadruple shot latte, a coffee cake and some oatmeal, all for $8, about 1/3 less what you'd pay in LA. I was quite peasantly surprised with the price.

I read the Columbus Dispatch articles on the game that made front page news. Ohio is the cradle of American football, so having soccer on the front page of the paper is pretty big news. The articles were very Frankie Hejduk centered, understandably so, but were well written. I took the sports section home as a souvenir. Headline?
"PREDICTABLE OUTCOME: 2-0 USA"

I got back to the hotel, packed everything up and went down to check out. We summoned a cab and waited. I spoke about Eritrean politics with our Ethipoian driver (there is a large Ethiopian population in Columbus for some reason) and soon we arrived at the airport.

I was accosted by a comical little Transportation Safety Administration guy manning the x-ray machine who had a problem with the volume of toothpaste I had in my bag. He had to take the bag apart to extract it and in so doing noticed my fingernail trimmers. "This is a dangerous item. I'll have to keep these, unless you want to check your bag". Nevermind the fact that these articles went through LAX security on the way out, never mind that these articles accompanied me on more than 60 trips to Phoenix, Tucson, Nashville, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Sacramento...they are just too dangerous for Columbus.

I left there with a little bit of steam coming out of my ears to join the lads in the Chilis' on the concourse. There we were served samwiches with metal knives and metal forks. I felt like taking the fork out to the TSA guy and asking him to confiscate the Chilis.

 

LAST CHAPTER
-----------------
We made our way to gate A4 where the plane that was to take us out of Columbus and back to LA via Chicago-Midway was to meet us.

We flopped on the ground and most of us pulled out our phones and started posting stories of our adventures on the Riot Squad board. It got to be ridiculous, to the point where I asked the kid sitting next to me via the board to go and get me a coffee at the Starbucks. General BS...

We were laughing it up and chatting with other USA fans, when I had an idea. I looked for a 'White Courtesy Phone' and found one around the corner.

I picked it up and and feigned a slightly alarmed and frantic tone when the operator came on the line.

Fitz: Hi, I am missing one of my travelling partners and our plane is about to leave! Will you page him please?
Operator: Sure thing, what is the last name?
Fitz: Acero, A-C-E-R-O.
Operator: Achero, ok.
Fitz: No A-SER-O.
Operator: OK, Acero. First name?
Fitz: Dos. D-O-S.
Operator: Okay, Los Achero.
Fitz: D as in dog, Oh Ess. Dos.
Operator: OK, Dos Acero.
Fitz: Yes, thanks! click...

I ran back to where we were sitting to get my camera out and record it, but by the time I got there it was already coming out of the PA..

PA: PAGING MR. DOS ACERO, MR DOS ACERO, PLEASE MEET YOUR PARTY AT GATE A4. MR DOS ACERO TO GATE A4.

The terminal packed with other USA fans erupted in laughter. People were asking "Did they really just page 'Dos a Ceros'?"

I couldn't believe how perfectly it worked out. Ives Galarcep, one of the few reputable American soccer journalists, happened to be in the gate area and heard it, then reported about it on his blog yesterday.

We laughed about it for a long time after that point, so long in fact we didn't realize our plane had been boarding, so we almost missed the ride.

We had a long layover in Chicago where we ate samwiches again and drank beer. We met some guys who were headed back to LA who had been in Columbus while they make a documentary about the USA/Mexico games called "Gringos at the Gates".

I chatted with a Mexican barmaid who knew the game very well. She had the chance to serve the USA team's coaches as they came through Chicago a few months back and wore a security badge lanyard from USA soccer that she had gotten from one of the coaches. She was a rare Mexican fan, one who acknowledged the failures of Mexican soccer, the country of her birth, and was open to the idea of supporting the US, her country of citizenship.

We got to LAX after a long boring flight, split up and made our way back to our homes.

I'm still wearing this even now as I type on the sofa of my cozy living room:

 

USA/Mexico game shatters tv viewing records

 

Fantastic write up mate, really enjoyed reading it. Phenomenal joke at the airport as well, really top class.

Sounds like a classic time.

 

Fitz - what an epic experience. I never knew the US national team had such dedicated supporters - you've done US soccer proud.

And thanks for the detailed write-up. I can't believe the number of individual situations that each have legend potential. And for all of it to be on one journey makes it reminiscent of Homer's Oddesey.

Getting the PA to do the Dos Acero is a stroke of genius - do you have a link to the blog where it is mentioned - some claim to fame that is.

Anyways - a thoroughly enjoyable read. A+

 

Soccer By Ives, skip down to the section below the youtube video of the Mexidouche slapping Frankie Hejduk.

 

Krisvad-
Soccer is still a minor sport here, but with 300 million people, even if only 10% care, that's still 30 million. That said, the Stadium in Columbus fit about 20,000 US fans and about 4,000 Mexico fans. I doubt we could pull more than that 20,000 no matter where the game was played. People generally do not travel for sports here.


PS:
America

 

sounds like a great time. i think i'm not alone in wishing following the national team could be as great here as you guys make it there

 

I forgot to mention that one of Mexico's failed secret weapons was Voodoo.

Yes, Voodoo.

Someone in Mexico had the great idea make voodoo dolls of the USA players and give them out. They sold corporate sponsorship rights to Radio Shack, a US company, at first. Someone came to their senses and they pulled out, only to have fellow American company and pack of c*unts BlockBuster swoop in and take over the sponsorship.

Here is a sample of the Radio Shack doll.



I sent an email to CockBuster letting them know I would never do business with them again for getting involved in an ANTI-USA voodoo plot, and suggested I may refer the issue over to Homeland Security.

 

BOOM

 

The Dos Acero announcement is brilliant! :]]

 

US World Cup Qualifer vs El Salvador in San Salvador today

Jay Demerit is on the roster for this game and the follow up at home vs Trinidad & Tobago Wednesday. I hope that he gets some playing time today, but I doubt he'll start.

Official US Soccer link includes a lot of facts for those so inclined.

 

The other big CONCACAF match is Costa Rica at Azteca to face Mexico...Costa Rica is the only team ever to have defeated Mexico at Azteca in a game now known as the 'Aztecazo'.

 

USA went comatose about ten minutes into the match and let a far inferior El Salvador side put two goals on them. USA awoke Rip Van Winkle-like in the 77' as defender Frankie Hejduk stormed upfield to make a cross to Jozy Altidore who headed it neatly home. Frankie then scored one of his own on a set piece to make it 2-2 in the 88'. USA almost got a go ahead goal in extra time, but had to settle for stealing a point on the road. Pretty pathetic. DaMarcus Beasley needs to go away forever. He was horrible.

The crowd was impressive in their support for El Salvador.

Match Atmosphere in San Salvador

 

Jozy Altidore

Is he a good player? He is young as well isn't he?

 

How can DeMarcus Beasley get in the team then when he is pretty much a Rangers reserve team player and their 3rd choice left winger? Or is Eddie Lewis just that old and bad still and Convey still not match fit?

 

Quite young, and very good. He has the potential to be a great player for the USA, but he needs playing time in Europe and he just isn't getting any.

Your first question is one that most USA fans keep asking...He has tremendous speed and against a team as dreadful as El Salvador, he should have been tearing them up. But he wasn't. I hope I never see him in a USA jersey again.

If this war 2005, Convey and Lewis would be the choice replacements, but the game really turned when Bob Bradley pulled his head out of his ass and subbed out Kljestan in the 72' for Francisco Torres (an American passport holder who plays for Mexican powerhouse Pachuca). He knew just how to beat the Sallies and broke them allowing the USA to make plays again. Heath Pearce was ineffective in his outside back spot and was subbed out for Jozy Altidore. Bradley moved to a 3-5-2 with Ching and Altidore up top.

But Beasles wasn't alone *******.

Sacha Kljestan should have been dominating the midfield but it was like he was in his own world, or sick or something.

Landon Donovan started well, but when he made a devastating run blowing past 4 Sallie defenders only to realize he was all alone, instead of beating two more to score, he gave up...and vanished...in a stereotypical Donovan negative performance. He can be so frustrating.

Michael Bradley was terrible as well. The whole midfield stank.

Hejduk continues to show heart where no one else has it. He gave up the second Sallie goal himself and it stung him visibly and he really shook things up once Torres came in.

 

This just in...after disappointing performances by Beasley and Heath Pearce in the game, Jonathan Bornstein was called into USA camp ahead of the T&T game Wednesday in Nashville.

If Beasley plays, I am going to assassinate Bradley like Gavrilo Princip took care of Franz Ferdinand.

 

The game was pretty poor.. but on the bright said.. Califf had a horrible game which might lead Bob to give Jay a shot at the 3rd Cb spot

 

I think the plan was to get ahead and then put DeMerit in, but that didn't work...I suspect Spector will get the start tomorrow.

I'd like to see Jay on the pitch this week though.

 

No Jay tonight either...

BUT...Jozy got a hat trick...Landon created most of the goals.

Almost as exciting is Mexico going down 3-1 (so far) to Honduras. Yeah baby!

Muck Fexico.

 

Nice Hat trick by Jozy, though he did miss a couple chances between the first and second goal.. maybe now he can find the feild at Xerez.

 

Beaz got put in at left back instead of the position he has earned over the last few US Nats games at "Left out on the bench".

That lineup would have gotten torn to shreds by Portugal or Germany.

 

On a related note to US qualification...
Sven Goran Erikson just got ousted by the Mexican Futbol Federation for being terrible.

He took Mexico to 1-0-4 during the last five games.

He was a poor choice as his realistic style was never going to mesh with Mexico's delusions of grandeur.

Javier Aguirre seems to be the front runner to replace him, as if you would care...

 

Super Jay coming on right now for an injured Bocanegra who just scored the go ahead against Honduras for the slumping USA.

 

Hi Fitz, long time no see on here, please keep us posted and let us know how he plays?

 

Hey TVOR, I've been around, lurking mostly...Football has been dreadful with few high points. Galaxy had been in a 9 game unbeaten streak to make their record 1-1-9...brutal! USA lost Wednesday badly 3-2 to Costa Rica away. Ouch. And then there is Watford, with the is he or isn't he off to Reading? Taken the wind out my sails...

Anyway...

Jay played well after coming in. He and Onyewu seemed to pair well together, with Beasley coming in and playing on Jay's side soon after Jay himself was subbed in. Spector played on the outside opposite. Beasley was HORRIBLE against Costa Rica, generally considered the #3 team in CONCACAF.

Once Pablo Mastroeni was taken out of the midfield, the US attack opened up taking a lot of pressure off. Jay and Gooch gobbled up everything that came their way after that.

So the Galaxy won on the road, the USA rebounded to win at home, and icing on the cake was Mexico lost to lowly El Salvador 2-1. I love it when their road is tough.

 

Nice one fitz, do you think Jay might keep his place for the next game?

Also what do you reckon on Brendan Rodgers? I think it would not have been so bad if he had not spouted off about his integrity etc just a few days before :rant:

 

Jay's spot is behind Bocanegra. Bocanegra went out hurt, but I haven't heard what his status is. There is a long time between now and the next qualifier, but the USA plays in the Confederations Cup in South Africa next week. Yay! We got a Group of Death again. One of these days the draw will be favorable to the USA, but for now, we start with Italy Monday, on to Brazil Thursday then Egypt Sunday by which time our fate will likely be sealed.

South Africa, Iraq, New Zealand and Spain are in the other group.

Brendan was good, and I can't blame him for going to Reading, his life's dream, off to the prem, all that but he shat in the bed, didn't he? Why open your mouth like that going off about 'integrity'?

 

His life's dream is clearly not to go to Reading is it? Plus, Reading are currently in the same league as us, you armchair *******.

Still, let's not talk about inane football here, LET'S GO SAHCER.

 

You mean SAWKER.

You don't buy the 'Reading to the Prem' destiny Rodgers sees with himself at the helm? Faithless infidel (if I may be redundant and say the same thing twice in a row repeatedly).

 

Well he is a **** manager. But it did seem like you thought that they were already there. Probably seieng it through your Hannemann-tinted glasses.