Ever since I moved to Austin almost 20 years ago I’ve been missing and craving profesional soccer.
The long long wait is finally over. Today the Q2 stadium, Austin FC’s home was inaugurated with a friendly between the USWNT and Nigeria. Final score 2-0 to the locals.
Of course Ilán and I were there tonight, last weekend for the soft opening, and will be here this coming weekend to see our new team’s first ever home match.
Yesterday morning I exercised my newly acquired right to participate in the American democratic process.
This year’s choice was especially difficult, since none of the candidates is a demagogue that praises brutal foreign dictators, denigrates women, brags about sexual assault, demonizes immigrants from my country, denies scientific knowledge, nor provides a platform for white supremacists to come to crawl out of their holes.
The process was exceedingly easy. Voting station was in the library by my house. All you had to do is follow about 200 signs like the one below, positioned 12 inches apart, to the polling station. Only two people ahead of me in line.
You vote on these machines that were probably state-of-the art back in the Bill Clinton vs George H. W. Bush. Not hard to use for me, but definitely something that would confound my mom. Doing a write-in must be especially rough, kind of like typing on a new Apple TV. Good thing “Mickey Mouse” is not that long of a name.
Conveniently located in a corner outside the library: a taco truck! Delicious!
Games this good are rare: Mexico came back from a two goal disadvantage to beat the U.S.A. 4-2 and win the CONCANCAF Gold Cup final tonight.
Until Saturday night, the United States had not lost to Mexico on American soil when at full strength in 12 matches dating back to the year 2000. (CNN)
Here are all the goals:
But if you only have time to watch one thing, watch Giovani Dos Santos‘ goal (remember him?) that clinched the match for Mexico. It’s the kind of goal that you would only expect from one of The Greats: Pelé, Maradona, Zidane, Messi… Unbelievable.
Cuauhtemoc via Twitter.
As you know, last night Barack Obama was elected President of the U.S. I have my political and ideological opinions but I doubt people read this blog for those so I’ll spare you (summary: thumbs up).
Frankly, I was sick and tired of the elections and I’m glad it’s finally over. It was the only thing that was on the news, on every conversation over lunch or coffee, on TV, everywhere in the last months. Ready to move on to the next topic of interest: soccer.
One observation though: Independently of which side of the political spectrum they may fall on, caricaturists around the world have got to be thrilled at the outcome. Obama is a caricaturist’s dream come true. With that square chin, the thick eyebrows, the huge smile that’s all upper teeth, the long head, and above all: those wonderful ears. I mean, McCain had the abnormally big and flabby cheeks… but those ears are a joy.
Looking forward to four or eight years of political Obama caricatures. Oh, and conversations about soccer.
