This Is American Soccer, US Soccer, MNT, WNT, and MLS - Tackling the subject of Soccer in the US, and worldwide.

I can’t be everywhere at once. That’s where Rusty comes in. It’s where you could come in too. Send me your soccer-related story ideas, adventures, and anecdotes, and we might use ‘em here at TIAS. We’re in the early stages of ramping up the site and will be looking for contributors to exact an exciting perspective that maybe I’ve missed. I can’t be everywhere, and that’s where Rusty comes in…

>– Original Message –
From: Roeger, Rusty

Adam, reading your last two posts takes me back to Wednesday night.

I skipped work because no one could cover my shift, and there was no way I was missing a game that I had planned on seeing a month in advance. A good bud of mine and I climbed into my Jeep about noon to set out from Dallas to Houston. Easy trip, straight shot down Interstate 45, stopping only at a Taco Bell in Huntsville, just north of Houston. We randomly found some Barca fans there that had also made the trip from Dallas; between the 5 of us, none had seen a foreign team of such standing live.

After sitting through an hour or so of Houston’s wonderful rush hour we finally made it to Reliant stadium. Walking towards our gate we were suddenly engulfed by not just a sea of Barca fans but by the yellow of Club America.

Approaching our seats my friend and I were amazed at how close we were and the $60 a ticket suddenly didn’t seem like any amount at all.

Not doing the research, my friend and I were a little worried and confused when we saw Dynamo and Galaxy players warming up on the field. Did we just pay $60 each, skip work, and drive 5 hours to watch an MLS game? Looking around at the amount of Barca and Club America colors we soon figured out that it was a double header in which we had to survive watching an MLS game.

The Dynamo v. Galaxy game was surprisingly good, with the Galaxy edging an undeserving 1-0 victory against a Dynamo team that controlled the entire game. Of course all I could do is continue to glance at the game clock and anticipate what awaited after the refs final whistle.

As the Club America and Barca players made their way to the field, the 70,000 + fans in attendance stood up, anticipating the arrival of the stars and of course, the king, Ronaldinho.

Not being a Barca fan I didn’t know some of the players at first and asked the diehard Barca couple next to us to help us identify Marques and Puyol who looked familiar but I didn’t know right off the bat. We watched in anticipation as the unknown players warmed up, continuously glancing at the four different tunnels that we knew sooner or later our idols would soon walk through.

Soon enough with a roar of the crowd and the sudden intensity of flash bulbs all fans directed their attention to the back left tunnel. Thankfully we had seats close enough that binoculars were not needed and Messi, Eto, and Deco were easily identified slowly making their way across the field. It was amazing; players I had seen recently in the past months in the World Cup and Champions League finals were in front of me. Eto and Deco took part in some juggling action while Messi, 19 years old (same age as me), went over to give the crowd some love; sign some autographs, shake some hands, but was quickly pulled away by security and given a talking to by his coach.

After 10 or 15 minutes of standing in amazement of these stars the crowd and myself were bored but we continued to stand. We continued to stand though and everyone knew why, Ronaldinho still hadn’t made his way to the field yet. As warm-up time ran down my friend and I began to talk nervously of what might happen if Ronaldinho didn’t play, much less show up tonight, but we reasoned that was unlikely and even joked that there was probably a clause in his contract that he had to participate in these events.

The teams could be seen in the tunnel lining up for opening ceremonies and the bench players began to make there way toward the sideline. That is when the stadium erupted and soon I realized why. The familiar curly pony tail, a red and white Nike headband, waving hands, and huge smile was all that was needed to recognize the player of the year. Even though we realized he wasn’t starting we couldn’t help but realize that we were in the presence of magnificence.

The teams entered the field, took their positions, and started the match. Within the first 10 minutes two goals were scored with Club America scoring first and Barca quickly silencing them. However, whether it was from lack of starters or what Barca’s backline continued to break down and at halftime the score read Club America 3 - Barcelona 1. We all sat in shocked with a couple that were Club America fans on one side that were ecstatic and a couple that were Barca fans on the other side that looked down trodden.

After driving five hours, sweating away in traffic, sitting through an unexpected MLS game and a half of soccer that didn’t live up to the reputation of FC Barcelona, we were ready to see some stars. Sitting in anticipation, the crowd once again stood and cheered (the loudest so far that night) when not only Deco but Eto and the man everyone had been waiting for, Ronaldinho, came jogging out of the tunnel in full Barca colors.

As the second half began, the stars were in no hurry to get involved, although Ronaldinho showed hints of brilliance with some tricks and overall flair that the crowd oooed and awed at. However their involvement was not much help in the first 20 minutes and before long Club America lengthened their lead 4-1. At this point my friend and I were starting to wonder if this drive had been a waste. Sure we had seen some of the worlds greatest soccer stars live, but nothing really impressive, and one of the world’s greatest clubs was being utterly embarrassed.

With a little more than 15 minutes to go in the match our doubts were erased. The Barca coach must have felt the same embarrassment as he sent Messi on the field and suddenly the stars came to life. Messi started off with some magnificent runs down the line, with speed so fast that I couldn’t believe he was the same age of me. Then came the scenarios of events that I at that time realized why Ronaldinho is the greatest player in he world right now.

Still down 4-1 Ronaldinho received the ball just past half field. As he turned he began on a dead run with the ball towards goal. The first defender he met was a victim of Ronaldinho’s famous one-two flick, easily leaving the defender behind with what looked like a broken ankle. Then he was met with a pair of defenders; what magic will we see here? How about a step over scissors with the right followed by a fake step to the left then flicking the ball between the defenders running through and laying the ball to the top of the box, no look, with the outside of the foot for a goal?

I went insane. No other way to explain it. Everything I had seen on TV, on replays, on the Internet. Everything was ten times more amazing in person. And the battle did not stop there. Move after move, run after run, Ronaldinho, Messi, Deco, Eto, and the entire Barca squad amazed me.

Ronaldinho made a move, and was fouled in the box for a PK, which he smoothly buried it the corner. With minutes left he once again did his one-two punch, then laid the ball to the outside for a winger to cross perfectly and Eto stretched with his neck to bury the ball in the corner. Just like that - tied 4-4.

I did not want to leave the stadium that night. Ronaldinho was the last player to leave the field, living up to his sportsmanship and friendliness, a huge smile on his face, waving to the thousands of fans that love him.

The whole drive back - yes we drove back that night - my friend and I no matter what we talked about kept returning to how amazing that game was and how we were glad we made the trip. Rolling back into Dallas about 5AM I went straight to my computer to email every soccer fan I knew and tell (brag) about the amazing feat I had just experienced. With work rolling around at 7AM sleep wasn’t an option and instead I watched highlights of moves I just saw and relived feelings I had experienced. And 29 hours after I had set out on the journey to Houston, when my head finally hit a pillow, the thoughts of what I had saw still sent shivers down my spine and gave me goose bumps.

OLE’

-Rusty