Soccer Americana: Freddy Adu

Showing posts with label Freddy Adu. Show all posts

Sunday, August 19, 2012

2012 Upperdeck MLS

2012 Upperdeck Retail pack - although not marked as a retail pack. Found this in Target, which was a great surprise to see it amongst the baseball and football cards. The pack sells for $1.00 and has 6 cards. The promotion on the pack says "Look for 2012 Super Draft Rookie Cards" in English and French. There are no memorabilia or autograph cards available in these packs...

The 2012 Hobby pack, which indicates it as a hobby pack in the upper left hand corner retails for around $5.00 offers the promotion "Look for National Pride Jersey Cards!"

The hobby edition features autograph and jersey cards as part of the 200 card base set. The set features the first MLS card for Robbie Keane.Odds of finding game used memorabilia 1:5, autographs 1:20..

Luke Rodgers base card -Rodgers was a Red Bull fan favorite in 201, who did not return in 2012 due to problems obtaining a work visa...

Player Debut cards and Super Draft cards featuring incoming rookies in their college jerseys...

Purchased a box and got the following:

MLS Teammates - Freddy Adu & Danny Mwanga

Premium Series #4/25

Benny Feilhaber - NE Revolution

Joel Lindpere - NY Red Bull

MLS Teammates - Brad Davis & Tally Hall

Autograph - Andrew Duran

Seattle Sounders draft pick currently playing for the Atlanta Silverback

Thursday, July 26, 2012

2012 - Soccer Celebration

Gabriel Farfan

Philadelphia Union (MLS 2011- )

Michael Lahoud

Chivas USA (MLS 2009-2012)

Philadelphia Union (MLS 2012 - )

Zac MacMath

Philadelphia Union (MLS 2011 - )

Ray Gaddis

Philadelphia Union (MLS 2012 - )

Amobi Okugo

Philadelphia Union (MLS 2010 - )

Chris Albright

DC United (MLS 1999-2001)

LA Galaxy (MLS 2002-2007)

NE Revolution (MLS 2008-2009)

NY Red Bulls (MLS 2010-2011)

Philadelphia Union (MLS 2012 - )

US National Team 1999-2007

Chase Harrison

Real Salt Lake (MLS 2006)

DC United (MLS 2010)

Columbus Crew (MLS 2010)

Philadelphia Union (MLS 2011 - )

Brian Carroll

DC United (MLS 2003-2007)

Columbus Crew (MLS 2008-2010)

Philadelphia Union (MLS 2011 - )

US National Team 2005-

Sheanon Williams

Philadelphia Union (MLS 2010- )

Bill Hamid

DC United (MLS 2009 - )

US National Team - 2012-

Freddy Adu

DC United (MLS 2004-2006)

Real Salt Lake (MLS 2007)

Benefica (Portugal 2007-2011)

AS Monaco (Monaco 2008-2009)

Balenenses (Portugal 2009)

Aris FC (Greece 2010)

Caykur Rizespor (Turkey 2011)

Philadelphia Union (MLS 2011 - )

US National Team 2006 -

From the pages of Mike's 3rd book of soccer autographs. Every one we met this day was very pleasant. the entire atmosphere of the celebration was great.

2012 - All-Star Game - Soccer Celebration

2012.07.25 Chester, Pa. PPL Park - Soccer Celebration...

2012.07.25 PPL Park, Chester, Pa

Since Mike had his freshman college orientation the following day, we did not try to get tickets to the game because we would get home too late (he was leaving at 5am the following morning). However we did make the 1.5 hour drive to enjoy the Soccer Celebration. Got home to see the end of the first half...

The usual sponsors were there, Castrol, VW, Adidas, X-box, Pepsi, AT&T, Home Depot, Makita, Budweiser, Continental Tire, El Jimador, National Guard, Bimbo, All-State, Eastern Penn Youth Soccer...providing a variety of promotional items including, player cards (Castrol), lanyards, photo ops (nice personal trading card from Castrol), sun glasses, MiCoach from Adidas (now you have to buy the boots), bags, t-shirts, keychains, hats...

On July 20 Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and MLS Commissioner Don Garber launched the All-Star celebration by kick off the MLS Giant Ball tour on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The ball was paraded around Philadelphia making stops where fans were encouraged to sign the ball. Any fans signing the ball at the game were given a free t-shirt! Awesome!

As a Liverpool fan Mike really liked this shirt!

Of course Mike wore his Liverpool jersey as did a few others, amongst the many Union and Chelsea jerseys. We even saw a great old SJ Clash and old MetroStars jerseys in the crowd...

Tony Meola and Alexi Lalas where on hand signing autographs as were several players from the Union, as well as Bill Hamid from DC United.

Bill Hamid...

Autograph cards like the one above (front and back) were available at each signing table. Zac MacMath, Amobi Okugo and Chris Albright...

Chase Harrison from sponsor El Jimador

We got to the X-Box booth 10 minutes before Adu was scheduled to appear. Starting the line we watched it grow. It was nice to see how many fans still appreciated Adu efforts to US soccer. As a women was exiting the X-Box booth she asked "Is that a line?" Mike's response to me was "I guess she failed geometry!"

All-Star Game Program

Some great articles on soccer in Philadelphia (the National, The Fury and the Atoms), the 1976 Bicentennial NASL all-star game, and player profiles from both teams...

All-Star Game pin

I know its not a soccer pinback, but you have to like the VW smiley fan bicycle button, part of their Think Blue campaign...

Thursday, December 1, 2011

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

Friday, August 12, 2011

2004 - Freddy Adu 1st goal

2011.08.12...It was announced today that Freddy Adu would be coming back to the MLS and the Philadelphia Union...Once hailed as the boy who would be king, Freddy Adu has wandered the European futbol wasteland traveling from Portugal where he played for Benefica, in what appeared to be the acceptance of the American soccer player, to being loaned out to AS Monaco (France), Belenenses (Portugal), Aris (Greece), Caykur Rizespor (Turkey)....Freddy Adu is coming home...

Adu started his storied career with DC United (2004-2006) before moving on to Real Salt Lake (2007). Played for the United States National Teams (U17, U20, U23 and Men's National)...

We all got caught up in what Adu represented. An American player (of Gahnaian descent) who at age 14, would compete in the MLS and show the world that we too could produce world-class players...Adu even had the endorsement of Pele...

After a tough road, Adu comes to Philadelphia with renewed energy and to demonstrate that he is still capable of playing the game at a professional level, at the tender age of 22, an age when many players across the world are still hoping to get their chance...I often wondered if we did Adu a disservice by expecting too much of a young boy, to carry the weight of American soccer on his shoulders...When Adu left for Europe the weight was shifted to Jozy Altidore, and will be shifted to another young player, and another...we all get caught up in the dream, because it is fun to dream, as if we are a part of their lives and careers...

Good Luck Freddy, welcome back...

2004.04.17 MetroStars v DC United, Giants Stadium

14 year-old Freddy Adu scored his first career MLS goal, making him the youngest player to score in an MLS game by almost 2-full years...Adu was born in Ghana and came to the United States at age 8. At age 14 he became one of the youngest players to sign a professional contract in the US, becoming the youngest player to appear in the MLS, April 3, 2004 when DC United faced the San Jose Earthquakes. Adu stayed with DC United until 2006, when he was traded to Real Salt Lake for the 2007 season. Adu signed with Benfica, making his debut with the team in a UEFA Champions League qualifying match.

Adu has been a member of the US National Team since 2006...

The MetroStars would win the game 3-2 behind 2 goals by Fabian Taylor, as the MetroStars would go on to score 3 goals within a 13 minute time period in the second half.