USA - 2010 World Cup

Team USA

The South African illustration house Am I Collective was commissioned to create 32 murals for ESPN's 2010 World Cup campaign, under the direction of NY ad agency Wieden and Kennedy. Each mural celebrates each of the 32 teams competing in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The mural for Team USA replicated Washington Crossing the Deleware

MLS Mashups

MLS and Adidas had a promotion in which bands representing the cities with a team in the 2006 finals would have their songs mashed against each other. A kind of battle of the bands...

Unfortunately the link is no longer up and running....they can be seen on YouTube...

Spank Rock - DC United and The Lordz - NY Red Bulls

The Academy - Chicago Fire and Mates of State - New England Revolution

Polyphonic Spree - FC Dallas and Vauz - Colorado Rapids

Solange - Houston Dynamo and Ozomatli - Chivas USA

Mates of State - NE Revolution and Spank Rock - DC United

Vaux - Colorado Rapids and Solange - Houston Dynamo

Solange - Houston Dynamo and Mates of State - NE Revolution

In 2007 Polyphonic Spree wrote a song entitled "H-O-O-P-S Yes" as a theme for FC Dallas. Hoops is the FC Dallas mascot...

Sporting Kansas Bobble-head

Sporting Kansas offered free bobble-heads to the first the first 10,00 fans to enter the Livestrong Sporting Park received a Sporting bobble-head...

July 30, 2011 - Teal Bunbury, courtesy of Providence Medical Center.

Aug 17, 2011 - Omar Bravo, courtesy of Sprint

September 28, 2011 Aurelien Collin, courtesy of Time Warner Cable

Got Milk?

The Got Milk campaign started in 1993 to promote the benefits drinking of cow's milk. The advertising campaign featured celebrities (actors, media, athletes and fictional characters) sporting milk mustaches.

This Freddy Adu Kick It Into Gear ad was found in the back of a Marvel Ghost Rider comic from 2006.

Other soccer stars featured included David Beckham:

Goal by Beckham, Body by milk...

Mia Ham - 9 Essential Nutrients

2008 USA Olympic team, includes Leslie Osborne, Natasha Kai and Sacha Kljestan

ESPN the magazine covers

Lionel Messi - 2001

Hope Solo - The Body Issue

Tim Howard - The Body Issue

David Beckham - Real Madrid

Kobe Bryant (LA Lakers) Love Barcelona - 2009

2011 - NY Red Bull Fan Fest

2011.11.19 Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ

When my boys were younger we would attend baseball games, where after the game the team management allowed the kids to run the bases. When the boys reached home they would rub their hand in the dirt and I would have them smudge the dirt into a first day cover, to commemorate their run on a professional field. Following the penalty kick attempt at Red Bull Arena, Mike and I both rubbed dirt into the 1979 US Olympic  first day cover to commemorate our afternoon...

Mike has played soccer on Giants Stadium's field, but it was turf and it did not provide the opportunity to obtain a dirt sample...

2011 - NY Red Bull Fan Fest

2011.11.19 Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ

The red Bull held their first fan fest and select a seat to allow fans to come into the stadium and select seats for the 2012 season. During the event guests had the opportunity to take a penalty shot on the field, have a professional holiday photo taken in front of a holiday decorated goal, and tour the Red Bulls locker room. I was quite surprised that the season ticket sales was very low-key, no pressure to buy. Fans were allowed to wander the stadium and only had access to the field to take a penalty kick or to have their holiday photo taken...

Access to the stadium was through the VIP entrance, where a mural of fan photos made up the Red Bull logo...

Mike taking his penalty kick - he scored to the right of the keeper. My shot hit the keeper right in the hands, he didn't even had to move.

In the supporters section we noticed a lone red seat. never noticed it before as the section was always packed with fans. The seat in section 101, row 11, seat 20 commemorates first goal ever scored in Red Bull Arena, scored by Joel Linpere on March 20 in the 11th minute of the game..

On the way to the locker room the wall is lined with competitors jerseys including Juventus and Sporting Lisbon...

 The locker room was a very simple design, with a turf covered warmup area behind closed doors that consisted of exercise bikes and a soccer tennis net...

2003 Playoffs - Metrostars v Revolution

2003.11.01 MetroStars v NE Revolution - MLS Eastern Semi-finals

The game was off to a controlled start and the first real scoring opportunity came in the 17th minute, when the Revolution converted their first shot of the game. Right back Jay Heaps advanced down the right side combining a give-and-go with Jose Cancela, Heaps continued his run unopposed until finally driving a shot into the box, which was redirected in mid-air by Fabbro past MetroStars keeper Jonny Walker...

The MetroStars had difficulty getting past the Revolution defense, which limited the Metros opportunities to long distance shooting, never threatening keeper Adin Brown...

in the 65th minute, the Revolution added another goal, Cancella sent a pass to Fabbro, inside the box, where he sent a heel pass back toward the top of the box. Pat Noonan ran onto the ball and turned on it, curling the ball low inside the right post for the 2-0 score.

Nov 9 at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Ma...the Revolution and Metros would play in a 1-1 draw, advancing the Revolution into the next round on aggregate score of 3-1...

The Revolution would lose to the Chicago Fire in the Conference finals, who would eventually lose to the San Jose Earthquakes for the MLS Championship...

Freekick - cover features Mike Magee and Ricardo Clark

The Future is Now

2003 - MetroStars v Columbus Crew

2003.09.20 MetroStars v Columbus Crew, Giants Stadium

John Wolyneic lashed home a dramatic overtime goal to give the MetroStars a hard-fought 1-0 overtime victory.. Following a tightly contested regulation match, Wolyneic connected with an Amado Guevara pass in the closing moments of the second overtime...

The Metros newest acquisition, Polish international Andrez Juskowiak entered play in the 51st minute in an attempt to reverse the Metros sluggish start... Juskowiak would only play 5 games for the Metros in the 2003 season before returning to the Bundesliga...

Juan Forchetti

Boca Juniors (Argentina 2003)

MetroStars (MLS 2003)

Chacarita Juniors (Argentina 2004-2005)

CD Santamarina (Argentina 2005-2006)

Egaleo (Greece 2007- )

Jacob LeBlanc

MetroStars (2003)

Kenny Arena

MetroStars (MLS 2003-2004)

DC United (MLS 2005)

2003 - MetroStars v NE Revolution

2003.09.13 MetroStars v NE Revolution, Giants Stadium

Revolution rookie forward Pat Noonan scored his fourth and fifth goals of the season as the Revolution defeated the MetroStars 2-1. The game was played in heavy rains during the first half, in which the Revolution dominated play, with both an effective attacking game and a strong defensive performance. The Revolution outshot the Metros 10-2 in the first half, with the MetroStars failing on get a shot on goal. The Revolution attack was led by Noonan, Jose Cancela and Shalrie Joseph...

Steve Jolley gave the Metros hope by reducing the deficit by 1 goal in the 81st minute. Mike Magee took the corner kick from the right side, defender Eddie Pope flicked the ball to the far post, where Jolley was able to collect his third goal of the season... Unfortunately it was not enough for the MetroStars to overcome a stronger Revolution team..

2003 - MetroStars v Chicago Fire

2003.08.24 MetroStars v Chicago Fire, Giants Stadium

An 86th minute strike by Anton Razov gave the visiting Firs a 2-1 come-from-behind victory...

Razov started the play as he dribbled the ball through four MetroStar defenders. Razov's pass inside the box would deflect toward team-mate Damani Ralph, whose shot rebounded off a MetroStars' defender back to Razov. Unmarked, Razov was free to place the ball into the back of the net from 8-yards out for this 12th goal of the season...

The MetroStars struck early in the game as forward John Wolyniec scored his fourth goal of the year in the 28th minute. Wolyniec received a pass from Craig Ziadie before taking on  defender CJ Brown in the penalty area. Wolyniec's lofting shot from 6-yards out was out of reach of the charging Fire keeper Zach Thornton...

Jamaican national Damani Ralph scored for the Fire to equalize the score. It was Ralph's 10th goal of his rookie season. Ralph would score 11 goals on the season for the MLS record goals scored by a rookie. Ralph was named Rookie of the Year...

2003 - MetroStars v DC United

2003.05.10 - MetroStars v DC United, Giants Stadium

Clint Mathis' first half goal led the MetroStars to their 3rd consecutive victory 1-0 over DC United. Mathis scored in the 42nd minute, while DC started the season without a victory in their first 5 games and failing to score a goal in 283 minutes of play...

For the MetroStars, the play of the game came when an exchange between mark Lisi and Amado Guevara led to a chipped pass at the top of the penalty area, over the United defense. Mathis, in full stride, took the ball off his chest and lashed a  right-footed shot past United keeper Nick Rimando...

The United had chances when they forced MetrosStars keeper Tim Howard to make great saves on shots by Bobby Convey and Aleck Eskandarian...

5x7 card announcing the MetroStars player academy - One Dream - One Team

The back of the card asks: Do you want to be the next Clint Mathis?

SJ Earthquakes - Win Pins

San Jose Earthquakes introduced the Win Pin in 2010. After each Earthquake home victory a Win Pin is distributed to the faithful fans, as they exit Buck Shaw Stadium.

Based on the Richter scale the first pin is marked 1.0, each subsequent win brings the number up to match the number of home victories.

As part of the promotion the pins are accepted at select retail and restaurants for discounts.

The Pins appeared at the Earthquake home opener March 27, 2010. Unfortunately the Earthquake lost to Real Salt Lake 3-0. The Earthquake finished in 8th place (6th in the Western Conference) with a record of 13 - 10 - 7.

The pins returned for the 2011 season, with a re-design of their Win Pins. The Earthquake finished in 14th place (7th in the Western Conference) with a record of 8 - 12 - 14.

2003 Metrostars

2003 Freekick game program, the mini poster mentioned on the cover was a centerfold of the Home Depot Center.

Great thrill to open the program and find a photo of your son playing 3v3 soccer in the bubble before the game, especially when he beats the defender!
I like this Pepsi ad with the cartoon players, Clint Mathis (with mohawk), Carlos Ruiz, Landon Donovan, Demarcus Beasley and Cobi Jones...

2003 - MetroStars v LA Galaxy

2003.04.19 MetroStars v LA Galaxy, Giants Stadium

The LA Galaxy earned their 3rd consecutive 1-1 road draw of the early 2003 season.

The match was marred by 5-yellow cards in a hotly contested game from the opening whistle, as MetroStars defender Steve Jolley set the tone of the game by taking down Galaxy forward Carlos Ruiz in under 2-minutes into the game.

Overwhelming pressure by the Galaxy gave them the 1-0 lead in the 20th minute. The goal sparked the MetroStars offense as the team led by Amado Guevara mounted an offensive surge. In the 42nd minute Metro defender Joey DiGiamarino was upended by Ezra Hendrickson in the Galaxy penalty area, earning the MetroStars a penalty kick. Jaime Moreno calmly placed the ball hard and low past LA keeper Kevin Hartman for the left corner goal, knotting the game at 1-1.

This was Moreno's first goal with the MetroStars, after playing for DC United from 1996-2002. Moreno would play 11 games for the MetroStars scoring 2 goals before returning to the United.

Bob Bradley

Complimentary mini-poster (centerfold)

Art work was in the same style as the Pepsi ads int he magazine, features:

Josh Wolff, Syan Suarez, Pablo Mastroeni, Carlos Ruiz, Landon Donovan, Taylor Twellman, Clint Mathis, Kyle Martino, Demarcus Beasley and Bobby Convey.

2003 - MetroStars v China

2003.09.09 - MetrosStars v. National Team of China

The MetroStars defeated the National Team of China 2-1 in an international friendly at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ...

19-year old Metro forward Mike Magee scored a goal and an assist to lead the MetroStars. In the 67th minute Mike Nugent scored the game winning goal, assisted by Magee. Nugent collected a pass in the box while holding off a chinese defender, fired a shot on gaol, which Chinese goalkeeper Li Jian could only get his fingertips on.

china scored in the 56th minute to tie the game as midfielder Zhao Junzhe sent a through ball to Zhang Shou, who muscled past two MetroStars defenders and took a low shot. Metros keeper Paul Grafer deflected the shot with his left leg, but the force of the shot did not allow him to keep the ball out of the goal...

2009 - Red Bulls v Toronto FC

2009.10.24 Giants Stadium, East rutherford, NJ

The red bulls finished their worst season with a 5-19-6 record, on a high note defeating Toronto FC 5-0 in the last Major League Soccer game to be played in Giants Stadium...

The Stadium opened in 1976 as home to the NY Giants football team. The Cosmos and the NASL would bring in professional soccer in 1977 until 1985. The Stadium would host the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.

1994 professional soccer returned when the MetroStars and MLS started. Many international friendlies would be played over the years. 

Game Day cover and centerfold

Following the game the Red Bulls Academy held tryouts on the field for a tournament team. Mike had been invited to participate through the Red Bulls Development Schools. Although he was not selected for the tournament team, he has the honor of being one of the last players to play soccer on the Giants Stadium field. Since their was a football game coming up that weekend the boys were told not to step on the Giants logo painted in the end zones...