This weekend

Here are some key (and most likely interesting!) matches to watch for this weekend (April 2-3):
7:00 AM -- West Ham vs. Manchester United --- Can be seen on ESPN3 (live only)
12:00 PM-- Real Madrid vs. Sporting Gijon--- "      "
2:40 PM--- Milan vs. Inter "    "
7:00 PM---- USA vs England "   "

As you can see, this is quite a spread! Not only do we have Real Madrid trying to hold onto their chase on Barcelona in La Liga, but there is the clashing of powerhouses Milan and Inter, and to round it out, a revival of the World Cup USA vs. England! The Manchester United game is worth watching as well, mainly because it is Machester United playing... sadly, it seems lowly West Ham don't have much of a chance.

Introduction: My soccer story

 This story is one of love, loss, and the will to move on. This  story is a soap opera, filled with tears, cheers, and a few strange looks. This is the story of how I fell in love with soccer.

 As a busy, American student, the sole joy that sustains oneself through the school year is that magic season known as summer. Last year, I was dying for summer to begin, waiting for that moment of freedom from the routine that the school year had drilled into my brain. The thing is, once summer did finally begin, I fell into another type of routine, one that involved aimlessly doing whatever my parents told me to do (chores) and doing fun things for myself(reading, watching movies, going to the pool, beach, etc. ) I remember clearly the day I stood watching Sportscenter, casually munching my lunch and listening to the latest sports news. After the normal rigamarole, they started talking about the 2010 FIFA World Cup and how England was going to be playing the USA. Not normally a soccer fan ( I hadn't even known the World Cup was being held-- yea, it was bad!) I was curiously intrigued by the prospect of seeing two "frenemies" duke it out on the soccer pitch. I admit, my curiosity was somewhat piqued by my nerdy interest in the American Revolution and the  kind of subtle competitiveness between the U.S. and the U.K.  

Anyway, I made it a point to try and watch the game, and even wrote myself a reminder of the date and time. 

> NOTE: It is essential to realize that this was a BIG deal... I had seen soccer games on TV before and had simply muttered about how boring it was while I changed the channel. <

When the day came, I was actually pretty excited about the game, and readied myself in front of the TV to absorb my first real exposure to international soccer. WOW was I change person! Yes, to many a soccer connoisseur, this game was a letdown, with a weak 1-1 draw that shouldn't have slipped through the fingers of the English goalkeeper. But to me, a first-timer, this was a big deal! The game was so much more exciting than the snippets I had seen surfing channels! Enthralled, I made sure to listen to the commentators announce the next games to be played and hurriedly wrote down everything. Thus began my summer of soccer fanaticism. 

My parents could barely put up with the fact that I made it a point, somewhat unconsciously, to watch every single World Cup game, only missing games when it was physically impossible for me to watch them. My champions were Uruguay, as I had just learned that I had relatives in the country. It wasn't that I didn't support the U.S. team, it was just that I felt that Uruguay had a better shot at winning. 

As I watched the games, I was introduced to the stars of soccer, some more well known than others, but all talented footballers: 

          1.  Diego Forlan, who was scoring goals left and right with his tough team of men in

             blue.

           2. Ronaldo: This was more because of the media, who had at least 5 commercials with Ronaldo's chiseled features... he was rather disappointing in the actual games. 

          3. Lionel Messi: The small Argentinean was another media favorite, but, like Ronaldo, had a rather quiet world cup

          4. Wayne Rooney: Yet again, another media-favorite with a plethora of commercials. He too failed to produce. 

Hmm... was I spotting a trend here?

          5. Fernando Muslera: The Uruguayan goalkeeper was a showstopper, literally, producing some truly great saves, especially in the controversial penalty against Ghana

             6. Mesut Ozil: It was painful to see him work circles around Uruguay in the 3rd place game, but nevertheless, it was clear to even me, a soccer deprived child, that he had loads of talent. 

        7. Thomas Muller: Another German whose talent was clear... 

and the list goes on and on.... I was so into it that I even made "baseball cards" of my favorite players, with all their information and a picture of them on one side! 

As the tournament went on, I saw giants fall, small fish soar, and finally, a rather dull (by soccer connoisseur standards, not necessarily to me) World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands. 

But, the end of the tournament was not the end of soccer for me. No, I was firmly hooked in this crazy web of passion and sport. Now, my favorite team is Real Madrid ( yes, it may be a stereotype for the newbies to the sport to be fans of the big clubs but, whatever!). This is mainly due to their signing of Mesut Ozil, which I thought was a brilliant move. Sure enough, he has definitely earned his place in the Santiago Bernabeu. 

So now that you know my story, here is what this blog is about/for. It is for all the American soccer fans who want someone who understands their passion, and a way to find the latest news on the crazy world that is soccer, as well as venues for watching the game. I hope my somewhat untainted perspective will provide to be helpful, if not comical, in your enjoyment of the sport.