The Women will show you how it is done...

Yesterday we drove my daughter to an overnight soccer camp. She had just returned from spending time with her grandparents and I was not happy to see her go again. I needed some time with her. Alas, she loves soccer, as everyone in the family does, and we had to get her to her camp. The drive was 45 minutes out of the city. We had some time while packing, so we sat down to watch the quarterfinal of the Women's World Cup; USA v Brazil. We had been watching all of the games. John and the boys were surprised at how much they loved watching women's soccer. Of course I was slightly offended. Manny, who plays soccer every day (EVERY DAY!) announced that men could learn and thing or two from these "girls". Yes, he said "girls" and he is 12. My son noticed how the women, who seem to be as physical as the men, do not get knocked over as easily, do not cry and roll on the ground when they are hit and actually get up immediately and do not miss a step. No diving, no faking, no poor sportsmanship. He claimed that they were both mentally and physically tougher than the men. Manny stated that they were less selfish and therefore acted more like a team and were more supportive at the same time they were demanding of each other. Wow.

We had to record the remainder of the game and we hopped in the car. We arrived at the young women's soccer game with our fingers crossed that we did not hear a score. Of course we had little hope. The young women checking in the girls were watching laptops and I could hear the crowds roaring through its speakers. Oh no... A father yelled over, "What's the score?!" I turned and hissed, "SHHHHHHHH. Pu-lease!! We left the house at the 43rd minute." The game should have been over, so I realized it was in overtime. We rushed through check-in, set up Micha's room, tons of hugs and kisses and we covered our ears and ran to the car.

We were very close to where our lovely farmer with his 50 cows lives, so we decided to take a Sunday drive. We ended up in Kennett Square and had some delicious Mexican popsicles at La Michoacana. By some type of miracle, we were able to spend the entire day wandering about and not hearing the score. We arrived at home around 7 and ran to the teli.


What a game! What an amazing spectacle of how one should handle oneself when things are lined up against you. I love Brazil. It is an amazing country. I felt for those poor women who through some poor officiating and their own poor sportsmanship turned the crowd against their team. Brazil is not an easy place to be when you lose a soccer game. Although, some can say karma, I say it is a life lesson. I truly want this country to embrace the beautiful game. The American women showed the world how to be gritty and work hard and play fair. The biggest complaint that I hear about men's soccer is how unfair the game seems to be. Let's hope that the world's women can show them the way.

Now, if you have not seen the game, it is being replayed on ESPN. Go watch. Don't miss the remaining games. USA v. FRANCE. SWEDEN v. JAPAN.

What Has Happened to Me?

I'm glad I was home alone on Wednesday, watching the USA vs. Algeria World Cup match on my laptop. If I were around anyone I knew, they would have suspected that some kind of alien sports parasite had infected my brain; causing me to act like a howling idiot.

I am not a "sports guy". Sorry, Philadelphia. I'm happy for y'all when one of your teams win, but it does not effect me viscerally at all. There's always a peripheral interest there, but I admit that I scoff and curse grumpily when fans pour out of local bars hooting and shouting and honking their horns. What a stick in the mud, eh?

I dig soccer, though. I don't dig it enough to carry a razor blade and get in rumbles with the fans of opposing teams, or paint my face and wear a jersey, but I dig soccer nonetheless. I began really liking the game while working in an English-owned pub in Pasadena, CA called Lucky Baldwin's, where passionate English and Irish soccer fans would crowd the bar and cheer on their teams. It was infectious: I learned players' names, who was ahead in the standings, who was in danger of being relegated, you know.

So I've watched the game pretty passively over the years from then on and have tried to keep up with the who's-who and what's-what of international play. When World Cup rolls around, I try to catch as many games as I can, and usually--randomly--choose a team to root for.

Why randomly? Well, who should I root for? America has been a non-presence in the Cup since, what, 1930?

Yes, until now. The US team this time around has a shot at progressing deep into the finals, don't they? This is astonishing to me for a couple of reasons. Firstly, that it is indeed possible at all. Secondly, THAT I CARE.

Watching that match against Algeria, I was yelling and pounding on the coffee table. I was groaning and curled up in a tense ball. I was peeping at the game anxiously through my fingers. When Buddle's strong header went zooming towards goal I nearly pooped a little. When Dempsey's shot hit the post I screamed, "aw, crap, COME ON!". And when, quick as a flash, Donovan blasted in that rebound in stoppage time, I sat slack jawed as tears began welling up in my eyes.

I sat there and laughed, because if my wife would have been home at that moment she would have stared at me in disbelief and asked in a mocking tone what the heck was wrong with me. WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME?

Okay, sports fans: I get it. It's awesome when the improbable happens and it's a rad feeling to have someone to root for, and I am rooting for USA hard from here out. You better believe that Saturday's match against Ghana is going to be watched by hook or crook, even if I have to hack our point-of-sales terminal somehow so that it displays the game.

Hmmm...

WORLD CUP FEVER! ITALIA!!!

Are you spending your early mornings watching the games? Have you been catching those 2:30 primetime matches? You should. Please do. I know, I know, Americans don't do the whole soccer thing and the term "soccer mom" is akin to calling someone ugly.

I must agree with some of the criticisms that are issued to our European titans of the sport. We can handle the whole smash em up part of sports. We love a great tackle in the red zone, jump to our feet when someone is smashed to the glass off the ice, and gasp when hacked under the hoop. When we see grown men roll over and over and over and OVER and grasp their ankles or legs or head and seem to cry after what looked like a...trip, we roll our eyes. Americans have a hard time with what seems to be "wimpish, cry-baby" behavior. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Soccer or Football in most places, is truly a beautiful game where each possession can change a game. Rarely do you see a sport in which a team can be dominant and lose. Each goal scored is practically miraculous. The rolling and grabbing and diving is part of the game. Liken it to "drawing a foul" in basketball. Although, the room for cheating (diving) and debate are huge. Referees make an error and it costs the game. There is no video replay or "take backs" in this league.

You must watch the USA this year. If only to see Tim Howard, the Goalkeeper. He is truly great. In fact, he is one of the greatest. Please watch this guy. He'll make you proud.

The fans are borderline psychotic. When I was in my early twenties, I was traveling with a close friend from college, Nica. Nica and I were in Brussels on our way into the train station for a day outing to Bruges. We walked into pandemonium. There were hundreds of peoples yelling and the police were everywhere. We witnessed several men being dragged up the stairs by police while being hit with small clubs and lines of men on their bellies with police standing above them. These men looked possessed; screaming and carrying on while clearly not in control of themselves. Nica and I had a difficult time getting to the correct platform. We had no idea what was going on. I asked a man who was waiting for the same train (in very bad French) why the commotion? He replied (in better English than my French) "Soccer game." Soccer? What?!? He had to be kidding.

My kids play soccer. Yes, I am a soccer mom. Don't hate me. All of these crazy aspects of a European dominated sport intrigue me. It is a beautiful game. I will run off today to catch the Italy v. Paraguay game at 2:30. Perhaps I will go the the Piazza in Northern Liberties. We watched USA v. England there this weekend. It was packed. I loved it. I had a delicious burger from P.Y.T. and then some gelato from Nana Petrillos. Fantastic! Someone was actually blowing Vuvuzelas. Look at all the people at the Piazza on Saturday! It was fantastic!

Come and join me.

PHILADELPHIA UNION!!

You may have noticed that occasionally there is a kid or two mentioned with a pic on this blog. I am a working mom. I have three amazing kids who drive me nuts, while balancing gelato and a business, which drives me insane. I enjoy chaos, obviously! I thrive in it. So yesterday, amid a ton of wholesale, the broken heat at my house, two futsal games to drive to, and a broken valve on the homogenizer, I tried to get to the MLS Superdraft being held at the Philadelphia Convention Center. Yes, I watch a ton of professional soccer. We record the games and watch them when we can. I will be honest, we prefer Serie A. You have no idea what I am talking about, do you?! Serie A is the top Italian soccer league. AC Milan is our favorite team. My son can give you any information on just about any team. So if you find yourself awake in the middle of the night and cannot remember the Spanish team that Ibrahimovic transferred to, just shoot me a note and I will ask Manny. (Barcelona from Inter)

My kids play a lot of soccer. We have traveled to Brazil for soccer and one summer, the boys played in Italy. We are serious! So, when Philly was awarded a MLS team, we were thrilled!!!


Philadelphia is an amazing sports city. Forget the whole Santa tale, it's been twisted and changed and just sounds good. The true story is boring. Philly holds its teams in high esteem and hold it to greatness. You have to appreciate that trait. Philadelphia shows up during the good and bad times and it is exhilarating to attend a game. Any game and 2010 is a big year! I have a really good feeling about this year. It started when A.I. returned home. I have hoped for his return since the day he left for Denver. Thanks for coming home baby! I can really go on a rant of my views about the Sixers or the Birds, but I won't. It's a happy day. I am going to go buy my scarf and look at my seating chart AGAIN!


Alas, I never made it to the Convention Center. I did consistently update the MLS Draft page on ESPN on my phone. This is so exciting!! Congratulations Philly! GO UNION!

From a Soccer Mom (It hurts to see that in print)