Sweet Jesus, did I really just quote Smash Mouth? Someone please shoot me now.So, exciting evening at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, where I attended the MLS All-Star Game. The All-Stars took on Celtic FC of Scotland and won 2-0 on goals by Juan Pablo Angel and Juan Toja, or as I like to refer to them, the Two Juans (say it out loud, it’s funnier). The game itself was fairly lackluster. What was more exciting for me was that I was granted my first-ever media credentials, which let me watch the game from the press box (view: very nice; food: so-so; swag: rockin’) and meet some soccer media types and even a celeb or two. Over the course of the night, I chatted with Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated, Allen Hopkins of ESPN, Charles Boehm (who covers DC United for MLSNet.com), and Carlos Machado of Fox Soccer Channel, listened in on an Alexi Lalas interview from 2 feet away, shook hands with Bob Bradley, had a man who I’m 99% sure was Garth Brooks accidentally end up in a photo I was taking, and was within 50 yards of David “Jesus Reincarnated” Beckham!!! (I grant him the coveted three exclamation points due to the insane amount of teenage squealing that followed him wherever he went. Seriously, the only comparison is those early Beatles trips to the U.S.)
Now, most of those names I listed won’t mean much to non-soccer fans, but as a wise friend of mine said earlier, they’re stars to me, and it meant a lot to me that the ones I talked to were so friendly and very cool about me wandering around the press box looking a bit awed and starstruck. Plus, these guys will all be great to know down the line someday when I become art director of the breakout American soccer magazine.
2 comments:
Sounds like an awesome game night. I was glad to see the two Juans score they are great examples of smart acquisitions by MLS.
As a fellow member of the press (hehe) it is fun hanging out with the people you are used to reading or watching on TV.
The Beckamania was even worse on TV. they literally showed an almost identical 3 minute Beckham montage within a 15 minute period. Beckham got about as much face time as the game. Though I admit to be excited to see if he makes it in on Saturday.
Oh by the way I am unsubscribing from your blog for referencing smash mouth.
Press! Very cool. Sounds like a perfect night to lay the groundwork for a great soccer magazine, yes. But professional athletes (and the sportscasters who cover them) are EXCEEDINGLY human and flawed and definitely something you'd get over feeling starstruck about very soon. I know of what I speak.
P.S. Beckham plays soccer well. The GQ heartthrob stuff? Notsomuch.
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