World Cup 2006

2006-06-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

I'll keep today's entry short and sweet because this is the last weekend before I head out to the most important soccer game I will problaly ever attend. [No offense Mexico vs USA 1995 ]

I need to pack this weekend, alter the flag that I bought [pics posted later this week] and make sure I will have every necessary item to be the loud, boisterous American every European despises. So until tommorow -

Time left: 007 Days 00 Hours 49 Minutes and 33 Seconds!

Information is Key

2006-06-01T12:51:00.000-07:00

Landon Checking out dagobertogoestogermany.blogspot.com

With an abundance of information regarding the upcoming 2006 Germany FIFA World Cup [ 008 Days 05 Hours 09 Minutes] I decided to post some links, information and pictures of stories that may be of interest and that will make you more knowledgeable during your travels in Germany. Enjoy!

>Great Video and Access to the Mens National Team

[ http://www.ussoccer.com/ ]

>Good Summary on foxsports.com on the US Nats

[ http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5600034 ]

>National Geographic's Take

[ http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0606/feature1/index.html ]

>ESPN Main Page for the World Cup

[ http://soccernet.espn.go.com/section?id=worldcup&cc=5739 ]

>World Cup Photographs

[ http://corporate.gettyimages.com/marketing/Sport2006/pages/usa/FIFA.asp ]

>FIFA World Cup For Dummies

[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Cup ]

>Breaking down the 32 teams

[ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/specials/world_cup/2006/teams/ ]

>More Photographs

[ http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/ ]

There is enough reading material here to have you chatting it up with any Eurosnob during the games.

Willkommen

2006-05-31T14:27:00.000-07:00

009 Days 04 Hours 44 Minutes 46 Seconds.

It's Wednesday May 31st, 2006 and this has to arguably be one the longest weeks I have ever lived thru. Sure the Galaxy are playing later today against Colorado, sure I get paid tommorow and sure I had Monday off making this is a short week but every second from right now until I arrive at LAX airport seems to be like a hammer pounding away at a steel beam.

The Numbers Game:

9 Days until I skip thru the streets of Germany in joy.

8 Instances where I will mention to someone in Europe that I am from Long Beach, CA and "No, I don't know Snoop Dogg."

7 The number of times I will have to listen to some young kid mention how dreamy Ronaldinho is and how he can make water part at his command.

6 Hours in line until I get a chance to get a 8.7 second glimpse of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

5 Goals Ronaldo will score in this Wolrd Cup making the all time leading scorer in World Cup History

4 Times I will introduce my self as a Scottish Fan and greet people "Yu Boyz ar Sound, Da Names Thom".

3 Overpriced jerseys I will purchase in Germany, added to the Official FIFA 2006 Germany World Cup Paper Clip Hanz said was a must buy for any true football fan.

2 Goals the USA Mens National Team will score against the Czechs in their opening match avenging their 1990 World Cup Loss.

1 Memorable Trip this is going to be.....................

Everyone remembers their first time.

2006-05-29T23:19:00.000-07:00

Mine was in 1986; I was eight years old but remember it just like it was yesterday. It was after school during a gloomy day and upon arriving home my mother did not allow me to go outside and play. So my other alternative was television, but that too wasn't available at the time since my father was watching television. So I decided to bite the bullet and watch television with him. Except this time, it wasn't Threes Company, Sanford and Son or my favorite The Fall Guy he was watching, but something that I have never seen before.

What I remember seeing that afternoon was a stadium full of thousands of people waving Mexican flags. Confetti was raining throughout the stadium and a yellow capital "R" was flashing on the upper right hand corner, in front of my eyes was my first ever World Cup Game.

[FIFA World Cup -Mexico 1986 Collectible]

Mexico 1986 will always be the first time I can remember watching a football game when I was young. While my thoughts during that time were focused on candy and cartoons, Maradona a week earlier committed what is now known as the "Hand of God" against England and eventually leading Argentina to the title of World Champions and Mexico was putting on the best performance as of date by securing a place in the quarter-finals.

A couple of days ago I was reading the June edition of my Four Four Two magazine and I came across a statement that Frank Lampard of England/Chelsea FC said that summed it up the best in regards to history being written during the World Cup:

"One game, one goal, one moment in the World Cup, can mean so much to so many people"

Now, just 13 days, 10 hours, and 18 minutes left until I witness history right in front of my own two eyes. Sure I can recall more vivid memories of USA 1994, France 1998 and Korea/Japan 2002 [Italia 1990 was a blur] but I will always remember my first time.

[Ready to Rock N Roll]

So it begins...........

2006-05-16T18:25:00.000-07:00

Autobiographies have always inspired me.

These treasures where people share their victories and defeats are so inspirational and at times can be life changing. Some of my favorites autobiograhies are:

-Donald Trump - How to get Rich
-Roman Abramovich - The Billionaire from Nowhere
-Edmond Dante's Struggle documented in- The Count of Monte Cristo

Don't get me wrong, I'm not going begin to rant about my life and how wonderful it is or lack thereof but I'm going to share with you something that i'm going to experience in the next upcoming weeks which I will remember for the rest of my life.

I'm a huge fan of football, as the Eurosnobs call it, or soccer as it is called here in the states. Although I flirted with the sport when I was younger, kicking the ball here and there, it wasn't until I met my good friend Ricardo C. that I became in love with the sport.

See in high school, I had lots of spare time in the afternoon, Ricardo didn't. Ricardo had to train with his club team so our trails would split in the afternoon. One day Ricardo invited me to practice with his club team. Not one for being a party pooper I went and gave it a shot. It was not a pretty sight - but seeing the rest of the guys, free spirited, having fun, working hard and playing as a team on a summer afternoon in Long Beach [1996] was something that I wanted to be part of.

Fast forward 10 years and bypassing AYSO (1 goal), Watching Three World Cups at home (USA 94-France98-Korea/Japan 02) The Los Angeles Galaxy (Season Tickets) and a trip to Spain (Camp Nou) and hundreds of hours played at Veterans Park and with Long Beach Millikan High School, I love the sport more than ever.

However something is still missing, something that is considered the pinnacle of soccer. An event where for one month the entire world gathers together and focuses all their attention on one country to see who is the best in the world at the beautiful game.

Yes that's right folks the WORLD CUP. Number #6 on my list of things to do in life is going to get crossed off this June 12th, 2006 when I travel to Gelsenkirchen, Germany to see the USA vs Czech Republic play in their first respective games of their tournament.

In the following weeks I will share with you my experiences occuring before/during/after my trip to the 2006 Germany World Cup.

So it begins.............