How can we make the United States fall in love with soccer? Buy your friends a beer and watch as a lifelong love affair with the beautiful game begins.
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Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
For many critics of the American game (among a plethora of other complaints) they cite a lack of history of the sport in the United States. But contrary to popular belief, the beautiful game was established here for much longer than most realize.
It goes past 1996 and the foundation of Major League Soccer. Past the 1960s and 70s of the New York Cosmos and the North American Soccer League. Even past Joe Gaetjens and the 1950 "Miracle on Grass". American soccer history is long and storied; nearly as old as it's European foundations.
Say what you want about "SoccerReform", the American soccer (anti-collectivist) crusader... he's got a deep affinity for the U.S. Open Cup.
We're not here to get into a debate about the merits of the current setup of U.S. Soccer (hear that Ted!), but this video paying tribute to American soccer's longest-running, most under-appreciated cup competition is spot on.
For the last 100 years, the U.S Open Cup has featured some of American soccer's greatest players and teams, many of them lost to the dusty shelves of libraries or buried in microfiche drawers, and they deserve credit in helping sustain American soccer in its darkest days.
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
Emerald City Supporters members, Seattle Sounders player Roger Levesque, and Sounders announcer Ross Fletcher taste test Redhook Brewing Company's No Equal" Amber Lager (made for the Emerald City Supporters SG)) and Widmer Brother's Brewing Company's "Green & Gold" Kolsch (made for the Timbers Army SG).
Think they might have been a little biased?
Now we've tried both "No Equal" and "Green & Gold" and while the Sounders are having fun and games with propping up te ECS beer and burning of the TA beer they're both very well-crafted brews.
Beer Advocate and Rate Beer both give solid ratings for ECS' amber while the TA kolsch doesn't have enough ratings to aggregate a score yet on either BA or RB they early reviews are just as positive as their Cascadia competitor.
We've always stressed at the Free Beer Movement that its completely fine to hate your opponent for those 90 minutes on the field just as long as you can share a brew before or after the match.
Both "No Equal" and "Green & Gold" should be brews that either a Sounders fan or Timbers fan can share, and appreciate, when their beer is in the others' glass
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
The United States women's nation team kicked off their European tour with a barn-buring 3-3 draw against Germany. The match coincided with U.S. Soccer's 100th anniversary as well. Germany fought back twice (down 1-0 and 3-1) to earn a share of the result in a battle between women's soccer's number one and number two teams.
Abby Wambach scored her 155th career goal (just three shy of Mia Hamm's total mark) while Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan also made the scoresheet with great goals.
The USWNT will face the Netherlands Tuesday afternoon at 12pm CT. The match will stream for free on ESPNW.com and ESPN3.com
Highlights and Player Reaction/Breakdown:
Reaction:
Analysis from some of women's soccer's best writers:
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
An Henry wonder-goal here, a Villareal late-winner there, and twenty or so other great strikes (including former Austin Aztex Dillion Powers for Colorado Rapids) from week five of Major League Soccer.
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
Kick TV's Jimmy Conrad hung out with adidas's Product Manager Mike Walked to try on and talk about each of the 12 new shirts that Major League Soccer teams released during "Jersey Week" for 2013.
By next season each of the 19 MLS clubs will release at least one home, away, or third shirt every year. So get prepared for a lot of new and innovated designs (or hopef so... Red Bulls.....)
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
See how many Free Beer Movement scarves you can spot in this piece about the United States supporters group, the American Outlaws.
This was a segment during Fox Soccer's "Goals on Sunday" after the Liverpool-Manchester City match.
For those who have never seen FBM Founder Dan that's him wearing his other "hat", a Waldo one, for his other "job", helping run the Austin chapter of AO.
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
Of course you've always wanted to know more about the "best beer in the world". Meet Russian River Brewing Company's "Pliny the Younger".
Served just once a year at the Russian River Brew Pub in Santa Rosa, CA; it is the highly sought after triple IPA version of RR's double IPA "Pliny the Elder".
Viewer beware....watching this only made us want this Pliny more than ever.
Lady Nats just straight BOSSING the world. Scoring 120 goals against opponents in 2012 via the various international friendlies, the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the London Olympics, and their Gold Medal Victory Tour.
Here's every strike from a great year.
(H/T to the always amazing "The Offside Rules" who's like a gopher digging up great soccer stuff)
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
The United States Men's National team posted a 9-2-3 record for 2012 (their best winning percentage ever), notched important international friendly wins away to in Italy and Mexico, and saw Michael Bradley emerge as the "general" of this team. Yet, for all their success Landon Donovan was mostly absent and the Nats backed their way into the final round of World Cup Qualifying (not including the U-23 disaster).
What will 2013 bring? Hopefully qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and a foundation for success there.
Look back on all the goals (seven from Clint Dempsey) for 2012 with this video from U.S. Soccer.
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
Photo Credit: BeerPulse.com
There are over 2,700 craft breweries and craft brew pubs in the United States according to the latest numbers from the Brewers Association. Each year that number grows by leaps and bounds as new brewers and breweries share their wealth of knowledge and delicious innovations with the public. We're starting this new series, "Through the Drinking Glass", to profile brewers and breweries across the country.
Meet Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. of Chico, California. Although if you're into craft beer you've probably met them many times. SA is one of the oldest and most successful craft breweries in the United States. For 32 years they've been putting out great "gateway" beers that have probably brought millions into the craft beer fold.
Their flagship beer, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, is hoppy, but not so intense to turn off any potential newbies. SA has also been an industry leader in sustainable brewing.
Check out their story and as they put it... their "pioneering spirit", which we can attest to, is still alive and well.
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
Sure you've seen "The American Outlaws" on TV. It's all those crazy peopple behind the goal at U.S. national team matches.
This short film is a touching and slighty insane tribute to the immense atmosphere that they bring to each and every match (including more and more away games).
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
Photo Credit: Founders Brewing Co.
There are over 2,000 craft breweries and craft brew pubs in the United States according to the latest numbers from the Brewers Association. Each year that number grows by leaps and bounds as new brewers and breweries share their wealth of knowledge and delicious innovations with the public. We're starting this new series, "Through the Drinking Glass", to profile brewers and breweries across the country.
Two quotes that really stood out for us in this amazingly produced video about Founders' story.
"The craft beer culture keeps on getting stronger and stronger. The best thing you can do for somebody is introduce them to craft beer. It will, literally, open up a whole new world."
Just substitute the word "soccer" for "craft beer" in the quote and you've got our core beliefs. That being said the parallels between craft beer and soccer continue astound us and that's why we've paired them together in the FBM.
And:
"Beer brings people together. "
Yup. So why not throw a soccer game on on the TV and do a little educating?
