Nabisco - US Soccer - Pass the Love

Nabisco and Ritz Crackers are again teaming up with US Soccer to show support for the US Women's team in the 2015 World Cup through their #Pass the Love program. Participants can receive prizes, which include a soccer ball, keychain, US team jersey and digital coupons (to buy more stuff)...

The side panel on the Soccer Ritz features Alex Morgan, as does the ad campaign...

2015 - Soccer at the Reading Fighting Phils

2015.06.14 Reading, Pa

The Reading Fighting Phils, AA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, held a soccer afternoon featuring a soccer ball giveaway (which was designed to look like a baseball) to kids 12 and under and an on field soccer clinic with Michael Lahoud of the Philadelphia Union. The clinic was well attended with lots of soccer kids taking the field. Baseball is trying to regain some of it's following, which has younger fans switching to soccer. This is one way to bring the kids out to the park...

Michael Lahoud autograph. He had a nice line of people obtaining his signature.

Union 2015 schedule

2007.07.25 Paul Combs editorial cartoon on modern youth switching from baseball to soccer...

Steve Benson editorial cartoon on the NFL losing some of it's fan base...

To be honest, there are a lot of good kids out there and a lot of fans. I follow many sports, I just don't get fanatical about any one team.. There is plenty to go around, but soccer is certainly making headway into the US sport scene...

2015 Women's World Cup

Google banner 2015.06.08

2015 US National Team cover

Abby Wambach cover

Alex Morgan cover

Carli Lloyd cover

Sydney Leroux cover

Sports Illustrated offers 5 collectors covers for the 2015 Women's World Cup

2015 NYCFC v Sporting Kansas City, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

2015.03.28 Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

NYCFC played their 3rd game of their inaugural season, and their second home game to sell-out crowd of 27,545. The weather was cold and snowing, which left a few empty seats as some fans stayed home to watch the game. Although Yankee Stadium is a beautiful facility, I am not in favor of watching a soccer game on a baseball field.

I love the headlines of  the New York Post "Shorthanded NYCFC suffers first loss in Franchise History"..it's only the game game, did they expect the team to go without a loss?!  short-handed meant David Villa did not play.

Kansas City went up early in the game when Ike Opara headed in a throw-in from Matt Besler. The narrow dimensions of the field created a corner-kick environment for the throw-in, which KC took full advantage. NYCFC could not score and had few good efforts. The play of the team was lack-luster giving away many passes. One fan in our section took to shouting "Attack, Attack, Kill, Kill!!!" in hopes of motivating the team, but we were too far away to be heard...

Although the game was uninspired, the fans were clearly behind their team throughout the game. One of the slogans NYCFC uses is "our city, our club" while mentioning the five New York boroughs. A clear jab at the New York pretender Red Bulls who market themselves as a New York team, but play their games in New Jersey...

To commemorate the home games NYCFC has produced posters for each of their first two games. For the KC game the above poster from artist Conor Nolan, which features NYFC players as knights anticipating their opponent spewing from "the cauldron". These were available for purchase in the gift shop for $10.00

The poster for the inaugural home game by NYC artist Michael Marsicano utilizes the five boroughs of the city. The game day posters can also be seen along with some great soccer/football art at Football Artist Network

Debbie Keller - USA

Debbie Keller

Team USA 1995-1995

Fortuna Hjorring (Denmark) - 1999

North Carolina Tar Heels 1993-1996

High School Parade All-American (x2)

Chicago Tribune Top-20 Scholar Athlete

2014 World cup - Pikachu

 version #1

version #2

Pokemon's 2014 Pikachu holofoil promo cards distributed to elementary school kids who participated in the 2014 J-League games during April and May of 2014

"Pokemon the Movie XY" imprinted on the card

2014 Adidas promo card distributed in special locations to Japanese soccer supporters watching the 2014 World Cup Games in June. The card features the official Japan Football Association and Adidas logos...

I know it's not related to American soccer, but I appreciate the support between the Pokemon universe and the World Cup...

1996 Olympic pins

US Women's National Team cards

Brandi Chastain (signed)

Mia Hamm

Pick these cards up recently, do not know anything about them, still doing the research.....
The back have the Nike logo and a player bio. Size is 5x7. Issued 1999 or later based on the jersey being worn...

USWNT 1999 Victory Tour

Mini poster for the US Women's National team Victory Tour following their Gold Medal performance at the FIFA World Cup tournament. The women's team made a 12-city victory tour playing exhibition indoor matches against a team of international stars. The two-month tour was sponsored by Toys R Us, with games in Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, East Rutherford NJ, Philadelphia, Washington, Raleigh NC, Anaheim, San Jose Tacoma and Portland...

signed by Tiffany Roberts, US National Team 1994-2003

Carolina Courage WUSA 2001-2003

1996 Atlanta - Olympic Gold Medal

1995 FIFA Women's World cup - Bronze Medal

1999 FIFA Women's World Cup - Gold Medal

2003 FIFA Women's World Cup - Bronze Medal

Luis Robles bobblehead

2014.10.19 Red Bull Arena

Red Bull and AT&T are giving away 5,000 Luis Robles bobbleheads as part of their Supporters Day celebration when they face the Columbus Crew at Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ.

The bobbleheads are available at the AT&T booth located on the Bullevard in the pre-game activities area outside of the stadium...

Cosmos advertisement 1977

Aug-Sept 1977

Half-page advertisement in DC Comics promoting Pele and Giorgio Chinaglia at the Meadowlands...

2014 Topps MLS Chrome

2014 Topps Chrome wrapper

Conor Casey autograph (sticker)

Bill Hamid base card

Bill Hamid X-fractor

Purple variant

Eddie Johnson - orange (retail) variant # 21/75

Chris Wondolowski footballers mini

Chicharito - Mexican National Team

I was never a big fan of the Chrome variant Topps trading cards, but I picked up a retail box at the local store because it was there and I had to take a look. The standard set offers 10 cards per pack, the chrome cards offer 4 cards per pack. The chrome base set contains 95 cards, while the standrad set contains 200 base cards.  The set includes autographs, color and refractor variants, mini cards, Mexican Nationals (not sure why the Mexican team is highlighted, but I like them and I pulled a Chicharito card so I can't complain).  One-Two insert card (looks like it should be a relic card but is not, so which I don't understand its purpose)...

Bradley - Defoe 

One-Two Insert card

Anna Liffey's Irish Pub, Fairfield, Ct

2014.08.31 Anna Liffey's Fairfield, Ct

Saw this banner as I drove through Fairfield, Ct looking for a place to eat.  Stopped in to some excellent food and decor. An Irish pub - Anna Liffey's - Liverpool and Chelsea scarfs hanging by the bar. But the 1994 World Cup banner with Tab Ramos' image was the draw!!!

The food was excellent - cheddar biscuits and sausage gravy for a late breakfast!!!

Liverpool FC Tour 2014

Tour 2014 program cover

The Liverpool program for the 2014 tour of the US. Includes features on each of the teams they are facing (Manchester City, AS Roma, Olympiacos and AC Milan) the cities they are playing in (New York, Chicago, Boston and Charlotte).

An Interview with Brad Friedel, the first American to play for the Reds. Stories on three Liverpool players who came to the US to play "They Crossed the Pond" - Steve Heighway, Kevin Kewley and Steve Nicol. Past tours of North America - 1946, 1948, 1953, 1964, 2004 and 2012.

Player profiles, very nicely done with a small photo and paragraph on each (6 to a page). Stories on Brendan Rodgers and the city of Liverpool. A very nicely done souvenir program for the US tour....

2014 - International Champions Cup

Liverpool FC v Manchester City 2014.07.30 Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

Both teams played an exciting game trading goals to reach a 2-2 tie. With seconds remaining it appeared that Liverpool would win when Sterling placed the ball in the top corner, only to be called offsides. 

Liverpool would win on penalty kicks, when the first 3 players could not find the net. Kolarov (MC) missed the net, Sturridge (LCF) missed the net, Yaya Toure's (MC) shot is saved by Mignolet. Emre Can (LFC) hits the first for Liverpool. Navas (MC) hits the equalizer. Henderson (LFC) scores. Iheanacho (MC) scores. Lucas (LFC) scores the winning shot...

My first visit to the new Yankee Stadium. Very impressive from the outside and yet it still holds the memories of all the past Yankee memories. Excellent crowd, very much a Liverpool crowd. Stood for the entire game with many fans from England singing and cheering on Liverpool...

The International Champions Cup returns for a second year, with a two groups of four in a round-robin format played in 12 cities across the US and Canada.

Jul 24 - AC Milan 0 - Olympiacos 3 - BMO Field, Toronto (originally scheduled for Citi Field, NY)
Jul 26 - AS Roma 2 - Manchester United 3 - Sports Authority Field, Denver, Co
Jul 26 - Inter Milan 1 - Real Madrid 1 (Inter 3-2 PK)- Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, Ca
Ju 27 - Manchester City 5 - AC Milan 1 - Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pa
Jul 27 - Liverpool FC 1 - Olympiacos 0 - Soldier Field, Chicago, Il
Jul 29 - Inter Milan 0 - Manchester United 0 (ManU 5-3 PK)- FedEx Field, Washington DC
Jul 29 - AS Roma 1 - Real Madrid 0 - Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Tx
Jul 30 - Manchester City 2 - Liverpool FC 2 (Liverpool 3-1 PK)- Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Aug 2 - AS Roma 0 - Inter Milan 2 - Lincoln Field, Philadelphia, Pa
Aug 2 - Manchester City 2 - Olympiacos 2 (Olymp 5-4 PK) - TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Mn
Aug 2 - Real Madrid 1 - Manchester United 3 - Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Mi
Aug 2 - Liverpool FC 2 - AC Milan 0 - Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Final -
Aug 4 - Liverpool FC 1 - Manchester United 3 - Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Fl

The Aug 2 game in Michigan set a US record for attendance with 109,318 fans watching Real Madrid and Manchester United

Again there are a number of international friendlies, which is great for the American audience:
Jul 19, 2014
 - Tottenham Hotspurs 3 at Seattle Sounders 3
Jul 23, 2014
 - Liverpool FC 0 -  AS Roma 1 - Fenway Park, Boston, Ma
 - Tottenham Hotspurs 3 at Toronto FC 2
 - Crystal Palace 2 at Columbus Crew 2
 - Manchester City 4 at Sporting KC 1
 - Aston Villa 2 at FC Dallas 0
 - Manchester United 7 at LA Galaxy 0
Jul 25, 2014
 - Crystal Palace 1 at Philadelphia Union 0
Jul 26, 2014
 - Arsenal 0 at NY Red Bull 1 - 2014 NY Cup
 - Fulham 3 at DC United 0
 - Tottenham Hotspurs 2 at Chicago Fire 0
 - Aston Villa 1 at Houston Dynamo 0
Jul 27, 2014
 - Atletico Madrid 0 at San Jose Earthquakes 0 (Atletico 4-3 PK)
Jul 31, 2014
 - Bayern Munich 1 - Chivas Guadalajara 0  - 2014 Audi Football Summit, Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ
Aug 6, 2014
 - Bayren Munich 1 at MLS All-Stars 2 - Portland, Ore
Aug 12, 2014
 - Club Tijuana 1 at Real Salt Lake 1