Thursday, July 31, 2008

What I Never Learned About Soccer

Full disclosure:
1.) What I don't know about soccer could fill the Library of Congress.

2.) My friend and sometimes work colleague is doing PR for a soccer (or should I say football) club visiting Chicago so she invited me to a pre-game event.

What I found there was surprising (to me): 350 passionate fans of Everton FC, an English Premiere League football club, had packed out the back of Chicago bar to see the key players including American goalie Tim Howard and to hear about the Club's pre-season U.S. tour. Doesn't take a lot more than that to know that something exciting is happening.  The sport that I know diddly about is worth knowing about.  (Note to self...Duh!  It's about time!)

So, my friend's getting tix to a big international game, Barcelona vs. Chivas, on Sunday night at Solider Field and I'm tagging along.  If it's half as interesting and entertaining as the gathering the other night, soccer will have a new member in its fan club (albeit a very, very tardy one.)

Final note:  check out the June 26, 2008 issue of Sports Illustrated and the Chris Mannix article on  how he went from a "strident soccer basher...into a futbol fanatic." 

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