Let me start by saying Saturday afternoon’s match between the US and Ghana was a real disappointment. The US played another maddening Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde performance. We were absolutely flat and less than ineffective in the first half against a no-better-than-us Ghana. The 2nd half was much better, and I thought that overtime and potential penalty kicks would be a good route to take, but I was obviously wrong. The US should have pushed harder for a winning 2nd half goal, because we looked just as bad in the overtime periods as we did in the first half.
It looks as if there will be some major shifting in the US program in the months to come if you have read any of the statements from US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati. It comes as no surprise to anyone, but we have got to be better defensively.
So after that somewhat deflating experience, I was able to have a pretty fun one the next day. Kia has been working with a Kansas City Royal’s wife and kids over the last year, and developed a great relationship with her. So she (the wife) invited Kia to be her photographer at the Royals family day. I guess once a year, the Royals have a day for the players to have their families in town and on the field after the game to have family pictures done…and we got to be right in the middle of it this year.
I’m sure that most people who don’t follow baseball (or even if you do follow baseball, but don’t know the Royals) then names wouldn’t be big deal. None-the-less, it was pretty amazing as a sports fan to watch the team win (very handily against the St Louis Cardinals) then go down to the dugout and clubhouse area and walk among players you see every night on TV. Kia took pictures of a few of the families (Gil Meche, Willie Bloomquist, Luke Hochevar, Billy Butler, David DeJesus, Brian Bannister, and a few others), and I was shader for each one.
It was pretty cool to see each of them have to be normal people (which of course they are, but it still surprises you). Most of the players were typical dads at a photo shoot, that really didn’t want to be there. They all loved hanging out with their kids and playing with them. Probably the most fun was watching David DeJesus with his brand new little baby boy (5 weeks old). First time dad, figuring out how to get the holds down, but totally entranced by his son.
Here is Kia and I during the game (yep, I’ve got the 85 throwback jersey – last thing we’ve been able to cheer for in KC) –
Here is an action shot of the guy who got us in…Willie Bloomquist:
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