Off to USA/Brazil

[Adam West]

Well I'm off to Chicago tomorrow to see the USA/Brazil match on Sunday.

I have seats on the field so for me, it is nirvana since soccer is my 2nd favorite sport next to American Football. If I have time, I'll make a USA poster and put Megomuseum.com at the bottom and maybe I can get it on tv (not that anyone watching ESPN2 will be immediately hitting this internet site).

[toys2cool]

Awesome man,have fun and tell us how it was when you get back

[batmanmc]

thats great news. i remember when you first got the tickets. please let us know how it was when you get back. mike

[Adam West]

I couldn't believe the seats I had!!! My son and I were sitting right on the field right behind the wall barricade that has advertisements right around the 40 yard line (if you see the Brazilian players with the green pinnies on across the field, I was sitting in the same spot on the other side). Here is one of many pictures taken with a cheapie digital camera. I could have literally reached out and pushed some of the players during the game if I wanted since the endline was in reaching distance of the walls. Brazil won 4-2 but it was a thriller. US scored first, Brazil scored twice, US equalized, a few lousy calls from the ref, Ronaldinho bends a ball in with about 4 minutes left and then a penalty kick seals it with just a minute or two to play. It would have probably ended in a 3-3 tie if the referee had called it correctly. But it was electrifying to watch and even though I am a huge USA fan, the man below is the best soccer player playing the game right now in the world and it was great to see him play!

[SlipperyLilSuckers]

Sounds like you had a great time...despite the results.

[batmanmc]

glad you had fun. hope your son enjoyed it as much as you did.

[Adam West]

It was honestly the best sporting event I have ever attended in my life.

It was a game friendly match so there was no ramifications of winning or losing. Brazil is #1 in the world and as far as I'm concerned it was a draw...they both played excellent soccer.

The Brazilians tried to do some fancy footwork for fun that they would not do in a normal game. It didn't work but it was fun watching them display some fantastic talent that they have as individuals and their desire to please the crowd.

I really love the way the Brazilians play what is called "The Beautiful Game". Most of the USA hard core fans were pleased with the game and feel that the U.S. has now moved up into what would be considered a good 2nd tier team (basically in the same crowd as England, Portugal, Denmark, etc.).

Top tier is Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Italy, France. They are the Fab 5 and one of the 5 will win the World Cup but the general consensus is that the U.S. is no longer a mockery to the world and as we continue to bring young players through what's called the Olympic Development Program, we will be a force to be reckoned with in the coming years especially as today's youth are learning how to play Brazilian style or Dutch Style football, rather than just American style. My daughter at the age of 10 has better foot skills than I had at 13 or 14 and I was a good ball player playing Club level soccer. My daughter is slightly above average which I think says a lot about how far we have come.
__________________________________________

Here's one last picture I'll post. The score was 2-2, one of the USA players were tripped inside the penalty area, a clear foul, and should have been awarded a penalty kick. Penalty Kicks go in about 85% of the time. The ref. did not make a call. Brazil took the ball down the field and one of their players were fouled and awarded a free kick about 25 yards from goal. Ronaldinho bent the ball around the wall and in for the game winner. This is a picture of Landon Donovan right after Ronaldinho scored the goal.

[theantiquetiger]

You cannot go to Chicago to see a sport event without also seeing a game at Wrigley Field. I am not a big major league baseball fan, but I would love to see a game at Wrigley, Yankee Stadium, and Fenway. I would also like to see a football game at Lambeau Field. Too bad they tore down the old Soldier Field. These venues are part of American history. What is on the site of the old Polo Grounds, is it Yankee Stadium?

Seeing a World Cup game like this must have been breath-taking, probably like when I lived in Atlanta during the summer of 96, and was able to see several olympic events pass right infront of my place of work, marathon, bicycling. I also made it to a couple USA olympic baseball games, coached by LSU coach, Skip Bertman, a god around here.

[Hulk]

Great pix, and a great story I'm sure you and your kids will be talking about for years to come. This would have ranked up there with seeing Pele's last exhibition game in 77 (which was a gift from my Dad for my 10th birthday), or watching Ireland beat Italy at Giants Stadium in the 94 cup (what a great day to be Irish).

[toys2cool]

wow great pics,looks like it was a lot of fun.Great stuff