2002 - Glasgow Rangers v Santos

2002.07.20 Glasgow Ranger v Santos FC, Giants Stadium, East rutherford, NJ

The MetroStars used to hold double-headers with international teams to attract more fans to their games. This day the double feature started with the MetroStars facing , followed by Glasgow Rangers v FC Santos of Brazil. The policy of the MetroStars was that once you entered the stadium you could not leave and return. This was to keep fans from leaving the MetroStars game and handing off their ticker stubs to anyone wishing to see the following game.

I had a partial season ticket plan and earlier in the season had to make an exchange for one of the games. The MetroStars instead of just sending the exchanged ticket, sent a complete duplicate set of tickets, providing me with 2 sets for my seats. Knowing that the teams playing the second game would have to warm up in the practice bubble adjacent to the stadium I figured that if Mike and I left the MetroStars game with 10 minutes to go, walk down to the practice bubble get some autographs, we could then re-enter with the duplicate tickets and watch the second game.

We waited for a couple of minutes by the bubble entrance when the Glasgow Rangers started to enter. We asked for an autograph from the first player to enter and he was most obliging. When I looked up I saw that most of the team had formed a line and we were able to obtain 10 Ranger autographs. We were also able to obtain one of the Santos FC players. We then walked to the ticket booth and handed over our duplicate tickets and entered to watch the second game.

The local papers of course did not provide any information on the game the following day...

Fernando Ricksen

Fortuna Sittard (Eredivisie 1994-1997, 2010)

AZ Alkmaar (Eredivisie 1997-2000)

Glasgow Rangers (Scotland 2000-2006)

Zenit St Petersburg (Russia 2006-2009)

Netherlands National Team 2000-2003

Craig Moore

Glasgow Rangers (Scotland 1994-1998, 1999-2005)

Crystal palace (England 1998-1999)

Borussia (Germany 2005)

Newcastle United (England 2005-2007)

Brisbane Roar (Australia 2007-2009)

Kavala (Greece 2010)

Sydney United FC (Australia 2010-2011)

Australian National Team 1995-2010

2006 FIFA World Cup

Ronald de Boer

Ajax (Eredivisie 1987-1991, 1993-1998)

Twente (Eredivisie 1991-1993)

Barcelona (Spain 1998-2000)

Glasgow Rangers (Scotland 2000-2004)

Al-Rayyan (Qatar 2004-2005)

Al-Shamal (Qatar 2005-2008)

Netherlands National Team 1993-2003

1994, 1998 -  World Cup

1996, 2000 - Euro 

Allan McGregor

Glasgow Rangers (Scotland 2001-

St Johnstone (Scotland 2004-2005)

Dunfermline Athletic (Scotland 2005-2006)

Scottish National Team 2007 -

Carlings Nations Cup

Billy Dodds

Chelsea (England 1986-1989)

Partick Thistle (Scotland 1987, 2006)

Dundee FC (Scotland 1989-1994)

St. Johnstone (Scotland 1994)

Aberdeen (Scotland 1994-1998)

Dundee United (Scotland 1998-199, 2003-2006)

Glasgow Rangers (1999-2003)

Scottish National Team 1996-2001

Kevin Muscat

Sunshine George Cross (Australia 1989-1990, 2011-2012)

Heidelberg United (Australia 1991-1992)

South Melbourne (Australia 1992-1996)

Crystal palace (England 1996-1997)

Wolverhampton Wanderers (England 1997-2002)

Glasgow Rangers (Scotland 2002-2003)

Milwall FC (England 2003-2005)

Melbourne Victory (Australia 2005-2001)

Australian National Team 1994-2006

1997 - FIFA Confederations Cup

2000, 2004 - OFC Nations Cup

Lorenzo Amoruso

Bari (Serie A 1998-1995)

Mantova (Serie A 1991-1992)

Pescara (Serie A 1992-1993)

Fiorentina (Serie A 1995-1997)

Glasgow Rangers (Scotlan 1997-2003)

Blackburn Rovers (England 2003-2006)

Cosmos (San Marino 2008)

Michael Mols

Ajax (Eredivise 1990-1991)

Cambuur (Eredivise 1991-1993)

Twente (Eredivise 1993-1996)

Utrecht (Eredivise 1996-1999, 2004-2005)

Glasgow Rangers (Scotland 1999-2004)

Den Haag (Eredivise 2005-2007)

Feyenoord (Eredivise 2007-2009)

Netherlands National Team 1995-1999

Maurice Ross

Glasgow Rangers (Scotland 2000-2005)

Sheffield Wednesday (England 2005)

Wolverhampton Wanderers (England 2005-2006)

Milwall FC (England 2006-2007)

Viking FK (Norway 2007-2008)

Kocaelispor (Turkey 2009)

Aberdeen FC (Scotland 2009-2010)

Bejing Guoan (China 2010)

Motherwell FC (Scotland 2011)

Livingston FC (Scotland 2011-2012)

Scottish National Team 2002-2003

Stephen Hughes

Glasgow Rangers (Scotland 1999-2005)

Leicester City (England 2005-2007)

Motherwell FC (Scotland 2007-2009,2011-2012)

Norwich City (England 2009-2011)

Milton Keys Dons (England 2011)

Aberdeen FC (Scotland 2012- )

Scottish National Team 2009

Valdir Teodoro

Stantos FC (Brazil)

2002- Metrostars v NE Revolution

2002.07.20 Giants Stadium - MetroStars v NE Revolution

The MetroStars continued their dominance over the Revolution winning a 7-goal thriller, 4-3...

Former Revolution player Andy Williams scored the 1st goal in the 25th minute, blasting an unstoppable right-footed drive into the top left corner of the goal, in the 25th minute of play...In the 34th minute Mamdou Diallo scored on a penalty kick...

In the 41st minute Williams took a corner kick, which was cleared by the Revolution defense right to Brad Davis who shot from 20-yards out to give the Metros a 3-0 lead...

In the 43rd minute Taylor Twellman received a ball from Alex Pineda Chacon, and was able to place the ball past Tim Howard....3-1...

At the start of the second-half, Diallo caught NE keeper Juergen Sommer off guard with a shot from the right corner of the box...The 4-1 lead would only last minutes as New England produced two goals within a 4-minute time period... Steve Raltson, MLS assist leader, blasted a 20-yard left-footed shot into the top left corner, followed by Hernandez taking a 35-yard one-bounce shot that skipped past Tim Howard's right hand...time ran out before New England could even the score...

2004 - Metrostars

2011 MLS All-Star Game

2011 MLS All-star v Manchester United game program

Mehdi Ballouchy - signed card provided by Dick's Sporting Goods...the photo measures 5x7 without the $10. coupon...
Tony Meola - signed 8.5 x 11 photo..the back of the photo features Meola's stats...
Carl Robinson signed All-Star autograph card...This type of card was available for all of the players, some had the players name in place of the word autograph...

2011 MLS All-Star Game

Dane Richards - NY Red Bull, Jamaican National Team

Bouna Coundoul - NY Red Bull, Colorado Rapids, Senegal National Team

Sebastien Le Toux - Philadelphia Union, Lorient, Seattle Sounders

Mehdi Ballouchy - NY Red Bull, Colorado Rapids, Real Salt lake

Carlos Mendes - NY Red Bull

Luke Rodgers - NY Red Bull

Tony Meola - US National Team, MetroStars, Kansas City Wizards, NY Red Bull, NJ Ironmen

Carl Robinson - NY Red Bull, Toronto FC, Wolverhampton Wolves, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Norwich City, Welsh National Team

Lauren Cheney - US National Team

2008 Summer Olympics

2011 FIFA World Cup

Pali Blies - 2009 (W-League)

Boston Breakers - 2010- (WPS)

Ali Krieger - US National Team

2008 Four Nations Cup

2011 FIFA World Cup

Northern Virginia Majestics - 2005 (W-League)

Washington Freedom - 2006-2007 (W-League)

1.FFC Frankfurt - 2007-2011 (Frauen-Bundesliga)

Washington Freedom 2009 (WUSA)

From the pages of Mike's 3rd collection of soccer autographs...all obtained during the 2011 MLS All-Star Fan Fest, Red Bull Stadium, Harrison, NJ 2011.07.27...

All of the MLS players were sponsored by one of the vendors present, Krieger and Cheney were at the game, interviewed by ESPN before the game and brought onto the field during half-time to a round of applause for their efforts in the 2011 FIFA World Cup. We ran into them after their interview in the arena...

Alexi Lalas was also at one of the vendor booths, but since he is not on our list of favorite people after his stint as GM of the MetroStars...

Even though we had previously obtained the autographs of Meola, Richards, Mendes and Robinson, they were added to start off the 3rd book and to stay within the atmosphere of the fan fest....

All of the vendor booths were staffed with great people, the lines were short and the players were very pleasant...

2011 MLS All-Star Game

Volkswagen - The biggest foosball table I have ever seen!

The MLS All-Star game fan fest held outside of Red Bull Arena offered plenty to do, including games of soccer tennis, shooting on targets, being a goalkeeper, X-box games and other activities. The one that Mike enjoyed the most was where I sat in a chair with a water balloon over my head. He gets to kick a soccer ball at a target which would break the balloon and release the water onto my head. Mike hit it on the first shot. The cool water actually felt good as it ran down my back. On my turn I missed all three shots, getting close once.

Pepsi had a street band with street jugglers, Continental tires raffled a signed soccer ball, Allstate gave away jerseys. Several vendors gave away t-shirts, towels, lanyards and photos. I was amazed how many offered a photos - some turned into trading cards, one with the MLS Cup, all with their company logo and the All-Star game logo...

Autographs:

Bouna Coundoul - Red Bull (Colorado Rapids, Senegal National Team)

Sebastien le Toux - Philadelphia Union, Lorient, Seattle Sounders

Carols Mendes - Red Bull

Tony Meola - US National Team, MetroStars, Kansas City Wizards, NY Red Bull, NJ Ironmen

Luke Rodgers - Red Bulls, Notts County, Yeovil Towne

Mehdi Ballouchy - Red Bull, Colorado Rapid, Real Salt Lake

Carl Robinson - Red Bull, Toronto FC, Norwich City, Wolverhampton Wonderers, Sunderland AFC, Portsmouth FC, Welsh National Team

Dane Richards - Red Bull, Jamaica National Team

2011 MLS All-Star Game

2011.07.27 MLS All-Stars v Manchester United, Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ

Wayne Rooney and the Man U team warm-up before the game

Red Bull Air Force makes a dramatic entrance...We witnessed this once before at Giants Stadium when Red Bull took over the MetroStars..as Mike said "this does not get old", two parachutists coming onto the field, all the while watching on video from the helicopter and from the stadium perspectives...
The starting line-ups as the MLS All-Stars get ready to meet Manchester United...For the second year in a row Man U got the better of the MLS All-Stars with a 4-0 win at Red Bull Arena, on goals from Anderson, Dimitar Berbatov, Danny Welbeck and Ji-Sung Park. Park was also named MVP of the match...

In the first half the MLS squad played Man U well but could not capitalize on their chances. However Man U would not be stopped, playing a very skilled game, constantly on the attack. We sat near a section of Man U supporters, who did their best to turn the crowd into Man U supporters...

David Beckham served as team captain for the MLS and played all 90 minutes, playing a good game, as Coach Backe used Beckham as a free-roaming midfielder. Red Bull rookie Juan Agudelo came in late in the game receiving a tremendous cheer from the sold-out crowd of 26,760...

Del Piero at Yankee Stadium

photo: Corriere della sport - kckrs.com

Prior to last night's game at Yankee Stadium, where the Yankees meet the Seattle Mariners, Juventus' Alessandro Del Piero met with Yankee captain Derek Jeter. The two players exchanged jerseys by the Yankees Wall of Fame...

Tonight Del Piero moves across town to the Mets' Citi Field as Juventus meets Club america in the World Football Challenge

2011 - DC United v NE Revolution

2011.07.20...Charlie Davies and Chris Pontius greeting the fans..Defend RFK!

Entering RFK Stadium...met a few nice fans prior to the game walking into the stadium and at their pre-game tailgate area, JK Moving Services (kindly let us borrow some shade from his tent)...

Completing warm-ups (temp was 90+) Charlie Davies, Austin de Luz, Kurt Morsink...

Dwayne De Rosario, Josh Wolff, Ethan White, Fred

Hall of Tradition banners...

Revs Matt Reis warming up...

RFK Stadium (Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium) is a multi-purpose stadium in Washington, DC...Opened in 1961, as the District of Columbia Stadium it has been the home of several professional teams...

Soccer - Washington Whips (1967-1968), Washington Darts (1971), Washington Diplomats (1974-1981, 1991), Team America (1983), DC United (1996-present), Washington Freedom (2001-2003; 2009-2011)...

FIFA World Cup 1994

Baseball - Washington Senators (1962-1971), Washington Nationals (2005-2007)

Football - Washington Redskins (1961-1996), Washington Federals (1983-1984)