Thursday, June 25, 2009


Announcing that we had recently started our first blog, a couple fellow bloggers cautioned, "whatever you do, don't write what you did that day." Thanks for the advice. Yesterday we woke up and went to work. I took the Red Baron on its maiden voyage. Refreshing. We watched the US in what some ignorant patriots are labeling the 'miracle on turf'. That night on our almost nightly stroll, we passed a few neighborhood kids playing soccer on the front yard. We walked by just in time to see an under-developed six year old boy break for the goal guarded by what seemed like an innocent older sister. As the boy broke to the left hoping to strike the ball into the rear driver's side tire of his father's Honda civic, the girl unleashed. Sparing no strength, she dove at her baby brother like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle on the NES classic, non-marking soles up, scissored the toothpicks that held up the boys torso and threw him to the ground, hoping she could put his body to rest 6 feet under in the same move. The meek boy rose from his battered knees and reasoned, "You hurt me so I get a free shot." His sister did not hesitate her reply, "No, cuz that's what soccer is all about." Timely isn't it. Hours after the USA men's soccer team is awarded its first respectable win since the 2002 World Cup, one girl knows what it's really all about. Outscored 6 - 1 in the first two games, losing to Costa Rica in a World Cup Qualifier, a team filled with players having recognition professionally, it's about time they won something. I think the more significant victory is the one that little girl won. She has achieved the heart of a champion; willing to lay it all on the line (her body, her relationship with her brother, her brother) even in her own front yard.

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