South African Stories #5: Stephen on Location

Our "Senior South African Correspondent", Stephen Craig, is on the ground in South Africa and here's his fifth and final update. Stephen is a member of American Outlaws: Austin Chapter.

This is just a short end cap that I am writing on Monday morning before work. Still jet lagged and sinuses have still not recovered from the lack of humidity, red dust and constant fires and smoke of South Africa. I am happily reunited with the family and there's nothing like three weeks away from Tori and Liam to recharge my husband and father batteries.

So lets get to it...

6/18/2010 - Algerian Awesomeness

Nice place you've got here.

We headed to the Voortrekker monument before the game in Pretoria. It was a fascinating place that I had never heard of. When the Brits ran the Afrikaners out of Cape Town they had to make the "Great Trek" to the Transvaal. It reminded me of the Mormons having to head west. Instead of Indians to fight the Afrikaners had to fight the Zulu. The trek for the Afrikaners and their settlement turned into a religious movement or manifest destiny. Thousands still gather on December 16, 1838 to celebrate the Battle of Blood River where 470 Afrikaners fought 10k Zulus and only had 3 men wounded. They think this was an act of god which at those odds they might be right! Now off to the game.

No one throws a party like an American Outlaws party.

Esfandiar joined us for the last match in Pretoria. It was a good add. Now we were 4 strong in the same section. We tried to join the American Outlaws at the bar but it was packed and after lunch we needed a buzz. We headed to the stadium and where greeted with not only Budweisers but Buds in cans that where poured into a cup. Good news is they went down fast, bad news is that tasted like they sat in the sun. As we walked around the stadium we found out they where cases and palates sitting in the sun. Nice job guys. Last good thing was since most of the the Algerian fans are Muslim they don't drink so we felt we had to drink two at a time...and we did our best.

Getting primed for the game.

What do you say about that game. We were freaking out in the stands thinking it was all over. When we scored it was pandemonium. The emotions where all over the place. Some crying and some laughing. I'm more of the laughing guy so I laughed and screamed like a crazy man. Esfan was going nuts too and with his USA wig it was cracking me up. Nigel and Kellie headed back to the bar and then the car and we followed shortly thereafter. I bet I made 10 calls back home that are going to cost me big but it had to be done.

Goooooooo0000000000000000ooooooal!!!!

I'll leave out most of my comments on the last game. If you don't have any real strikers with passion then we will never get out any further. Its time to find some inner city kids or some poor kids that worked their asses off to get there. This upside down way of building soccer in this country is just not going to get it done in my opinion but we will see. I'll be glad that heading to Brazil will not include a 7 hour change and a three continent jump. Start saving your money now and you can be there. I hear it over and over that people wish they could have gone. Its not that hard, just plan ahead. It is never cheap but anyone can do it. Tori and I did it right after we graduated. Its a great way to see the world, me people and other cultures and once you go to one you will go to many. See you there!

Hey! You! Take that down!

American Outlaws: Austin... see you for the Brazil game. Lets see what Coach Sweatpants has for the future of US soccer. Holden, Torres, Davies, Adu, et al will rock that shizzle!

Hope you enjoyed the ramblings,
Steve

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