Viva U.S.A.!!!

For my first professional soccer, check that first soccer game ever, I seriously lucked out. Not only was it the Gold Cup Championship game at Soldier Field, but also the U.S. vs. Mexico. It could have been Canada vs. Guadeloupe and I would have been torn about whom to cheer for and there would have potentially been some pseudo-Frenchies around. I would have wanted to try out my awesome French skills and taken on my persona of Sylvie (no, she doesn’t wear a beret) and while fun and all to think about, I think reality had an extra special treat for me instead. This treat was in the form of being able to pump my fists and scream “U.S.A. U.S.A.” at the top of my lungs, almost having fifteen heart attacks during goal attempts, being so enthralled with the game that I didn’t leave my seat during the half for a churro, and participating in a wave with 60,000 people. In conjunction with all of these things happening I got to see the U.S. team win the match 2-1!

There were also huge sombreros and Mexican wrestlers. There were people who obviously put a lot of thought into their outfits for the day including the two ladies that had matching American flag material dresses fashioned from the highest quality pillow material to be found at your local craft store to the family of Mexico fans that spray painted their hair green.

Besides the people and game watching, there was also the little pinch o’ fear that I felt towards the end of the game being surrounded by a gaggle of inebriated Mexico fans. We were definitely outnumbered given the sea of green jerseys surrounding us and I am glad that we decided against the face paint and that I never found that Hawaiian shirt with a bald eagle battling the chupacabra (and yes, the bald eagle likes to wear suits and has hands).


I only ended up with a beer being thrown at me and really, how is that any different than any other day? At the end of the game, I smelled like a Saturday night, but it was a Sunday afternoon and I wasn’t even drunk! Damn you people, I would have been more pissed about the situation a) if I was drunk and b) if I didn’t want anything to ruin what I consider the ultimate highlight of the whole day, confetti cannons!! Isn’t it glorious?


Oh yeah, and even though his hair line is super receding and he takes pictures like this, Landon Donovan did score one of the goals for the U.S. and is still super smokin’.