On The Verge of Greatness... Free Beer Match Day Four: US National Team Edition

Dunno, if this place is ready for us.

The Free Beer Movement is off to our nation's capital (Washington DC if you forgot) to attend the US Men's National Soccer team's final World Cup qualifying game against Costa Rica. While the boys in the red, white, and blue booked their ticket to South Africa last Saturday there's all to play for still tomorrow night at RFK Stadium.

For the US its bragging rights, the Americans want to finish at the top of the CONCACAF standing for the second straight time and continue to prove they are still top dog in the region. Costa Rica is still fighting for their spot in next year's global competition. A win will see them punch their ticket where a loss, combined with a Honduras win will see them make the long trip to face South American opposition for the last spot in the Cup.

As per our mission statement, we're dragging along some soccer newbies to share our love of the sport and the suds. This will be the FBM's first Nats game in a few years so there's no need to get us up for the game, but for a few it will be their first chance to see our boys (and hopefully, Frankie Hejduk!).

We'll be partying it up with soccer fans and newbies alike, along with the Nats supporter group, The American Outlaws. Check out all of there info on their site about where the pre-game, during game, and post-game bashes will take place.

Follow us on Twitter and/or join our Facebook group and follow all the action!

Frankie Hejduk Continues to Lead as the "Free Beer Captain"

In what is old news (remember.. we told you we're not a "news" site), the United States National Soccer Team clinched a berth to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with their stunning 3-2 victory over Honduras in San Pedro Sula (run-on sentence there!).

Here's a team picture of the guys celebrating that momentous event. Smiles all around, of course, but pay particular attention to one Mr. Frankie Hejduk.

Yes, on the right. Hanging over Landon.



My, my... what's that in his hand? But of course! A beer. Anybody else enjoying the suds? Maybe, but who else, but the "Free Beer Captain" would carry the bottle into the team picture!

He's clearly in top shape to assume his role as our Free Beer Spokesperson.

Sign the petition!

Photo Essay: Free Beer Match Day Three - FBM at Fado's

The Free Beer Movement hosted their third "Free Beer Match Day" at Fado's Irish Pub in Austin, Texas for the US National Team World Cup Qualifier against Honduras. As we all know already the "red, white, and blue" pulled out a win in dramatic fashion (road wins are hard to come by in qualifying).

FBM Prez Dan was in attendance with several guests of the Movement as we showered beers (and a few shots) on all-comers. It was great to see so many soccer fans showing the newbies the ropes.

Last night was also the debut of the FBM bumpers stickers. We passed out our whole allotment!

It was the perfect night to show off all that is great about American soccer.

Now check out our photos:

FBM Prez Dan and wife plot their gametime strategy.

Welcome to 'ground zero' for US soccer fandom and the Free Beer Movement in Austin, TX.

Packed house inside and out on a chilly Texas night.

The Honduran contingent.

The more excitable part of the contingent.

Nervous moments for US fans during the scoreless first half.

Random, but cool shot of the Frost Bank Tower.

It most certainly was.

FBM guests Nic, and Anna share a good laugh.

Look closely. See it? GOOOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!! Landon Donovan!

Celebration ensues!

Dan is in on it, too.

A smoke between free beers.

A good laugh.

Have a FREE bumper sticker, boys.

Slap that on your car, laptop, guitar, ass... whatever you want man.

Empty Glass. Full Night.

We Won. They Lost. We Drank. Match Recapped.

We don't do post-game analysis here. We don't do pre-game for that matter either. It's not that we don't like it, just that that's not what we do here.

We drink beer and we watch soccer and last night both collided (like they always do) in glorious fashion at Fado's Irish Pub in Austin, TX. As much as I hated watching half the game in black & white and other half with a shaky color feed (thank you CCTV!) it was great to be among soccer friends in a crowded pub. Met several soccer newbies and brought a few ourselves. All left with an electric feeling to the night.

Here's the highlights (all goals, one GIGANTIC miss):

If you're looking for great match recaps check out these great wrap-ups:

- The Shin Guardian

- MatchFit USA

- Grant Wahl (Sports Illustrated)

- That's On Point

- The New York Times

Today's the Day...

Editor's Note: This is our "get fired up" post for US international matches. We'll re-post it for all our qualifiers.

Today's the day the US National Team takes the field in World Cup Qualification.

Today's the day they face Honduras in San Pedro Sula. Today's the day we will celebrate the inclusion of Mr. Frankie Hejduk

Today's the day we take three points and, perhaps, book our tickets to South Africa.

Today's the day that Howard will shine, Landon will lead, goals will be scored, and timely tackles will be made.

Today's the day we sit down with friends and fellow soccer fans and cheer on the home team.

Today's the day we invite someone new to come along and experience the power of a soccer match.

Today's the day they'll get a free cold one to enjoy while watching the sport we so desperately love and the team we'd follow to the ends of the earth (or South Africa!).

Today's the day we ask a non-soccer fan to join our footballing family. The Free Beer Movement is about spreading the love of American soccer to all corners of the nation and no day is better than today. Today, the pride and joy of our nation's game takes the field in order to continue its push towards the greatest sporting spectacle of all-time, the World Cup.

The past, present, and future of American soccer all take the field today to join in one cause, to win, and to move on to the next level.

It is days like this we, as American soccer fans embrace, as our national team fights for our country's continued respect on the international stage and to stake a claim as the best team in North and Central America.

Games like today are bigger than any game; bigger than any MLS game, and bigger than your son or daughter's kick around in the park.

Our local colors blend. There are no more yellow and black of the Columbus Crew or orange and white of the Houston Dynamo or the black and red of DC United; today there is only RED, WHITE, and BLUE.

These are the days that our nation's best and brightest shine on the field for 90 minutes. For themselves, for soccer, but mostly for you... the American.

These are the days that you have to get up as a soccer fan in America.

So grab you friends, grab those soccer fans, grab those ones you want to become soccer fans, and most importantly grab some really cold beers because today's the day we support our National Team and our national game we love so much.

Free Beer Match Day Three: US National Team Edition

We've posted this on Twitter and Facebook, but not yet on the site.. the FBM is going to be hosting their third "Free Beer Match Day" this Saturday at Fado's Irish Pub (214 W. 4th St.) in Austin, TX.

Fado's is one of only 25 (0r so) bars in the ENTIRE United States that is showing the titanic World Cup Qualifier between the Nats and Honduras. The game starts at 9pm, but get their early for seats.

We're asking Free Beer Movers and soccer fans to bring a newbie to the game on Saturday night and introduce them to the sport. Fado's will be rocking for this game so what better way to show off American soccer than with a packed bar full of Nats supporters.

FBM Prez Dan will be there so stop by and get a FREE Free Beer Movement bumper sticker.

He's Baaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

This news is at least a day old, but that's not important because we're not a breaking news site... or for that matter any sort of news site. We'll be honest, if you're coming here for news then you need to find a new website.

Anyways... the point is: FRANKIE HEJDUK IS BACK IN THE NATIONAL TEAM! The only thing we have to say is its about time! Everyone knows our well-publicized (love affair) fandom of Mr. Hejduk so we're pleased as punch to see USMNT coach Bob Bradley come to his senses.

A little excited to be back in Nats action.

Despite victories in the last two matches the Nats seemed to miss their fearless "Free Beer Captain" and his wavy locks. Now we're sure that other so-called "analysts" and "experts" would point to other things as to what caused such underwhelming displays, but we'll throw a wink, wink, nudge, nudge in the direction of Frankie.

With the crucial qualifiers upcoming in Honduras and against Costa Rica in Washington DC (we'll be there!!!), Hejduk's veteran presence will prove invaluable. Even if our surfer dude doesn't make the pitch his vibes ought to propel the "red, white, and blue" to South Africa in 2010.

Even though Frankie's going to be busy the rest of the week we hope that you'll take the time to sign our petition to make him our official spokesperson when his national team duty is over.

The Starting 11 Interview Series: Bumpy Pitch and The Original Winger Founder Ben Hooper

The brainchild of two former professional soccer players, Bumpy Pitch is setting the standard for off-the-field soccer style. Founded in 2004 by ten-year MLS veteran Brian "Dunny" Dunseth and Ben "Beans" Hooper, who spent time playing in Holland, Bumpy Pitch has established itself at the forefront of soccer fashion beyond the jersey and training gear. But Bumpy Pitch is more that just a high-quality t-shirt company, they're the promoters of the soccer culture and lifestyle that exists in orbit around the game. And that's where their other website, The Original Winger, comes into play. While BP focuses on the apparel-side, TOW is the documenter and promoter of the culture and lifestyle that is weaving their way into mainstream America's head.

The Los Angeles-based company (with Ace Harrison also as a partner) is getting love from soccer fans, professional soccer players, and celebrities the world over. Part of these shirts' appeal is their high-quality, but mostly its about what's on the front of each; and that's American soccer history.

Bumpy Pitch has saved a little slice of the sport's history on each one of their shirts, rescued the North American Soccer League from the dustbin of time, and, in some cases, brought century-old clubs into the soccer consciousness.

"Beans" was more than happy to sit down and pound out a few answers for the Free Beer Movement about Bumpy Pitch, where they came from, their mission, where they're going, and about The Original Winger and its role in this whole sha-bang.

1) Where did the idea come from for Bumpy Pitch? How did the company get started?

The idea for Bumpy Pitch and the start for the company were all very simple. We didn’t feel like there was any fashionable / lifestyle clothes that represented for soccer. So we decided we would make some. The early stuff we made was mostly for ourselves and friends, and was incredibly basic. But the idea was there and we believed in the idea of the “lifestyle of soccer.”

2) If you ask a lot of soccer fans they say that “soccer is young in America,” but the shirts you make tell a different story. Why is looking into the past of American soccer important for its future?

I think the growth of the sport may be in its early stages here in the States, but the sport itself

has a pretty rich history in America. As the sport continues to grow here, we thought it was important to understand where the sport has come from before we could fully embrace where it’s headed. Besides, the stories, histories and imagery from these old teams are pretty amazing.

3) How do BP and The Original Winger work together to promote the game and its ties to fashion?

I think that what we do with both Bumpy Pitch and The Original Winger is about more than just fashion. Obviously fashion drives a lot of what we do, but it’s more the lifestyle of the sport that we really push. Fashion plays a big part in the lifestyle, and since we design and produce clothes that are an obvious focus for us. But we are a lifestyle driven company, more than just a clothing company.

4) BP has garnered some pretty high profile wearers of your shirts. People like Steve Nash, several members of the USMNT, Tom Morello, even Ryan Seacrest. What is it about BP that appeals to not just soccer fans, but a larger cross section of America?

I think the quality of the shirts is the first thing. We spent quite a bit of time developing the shirts and getting them exactly how we wanted them. Everything from picking the type of cotton that is used, the cut of the shirts, and the treatments to get them to feel as soft as they do. I think people pick up on that quality. I also think a lot of people appreciate the stories that are associated with the shirts.

5) You write on your site that the focus of soccer has always been about what’s on the pitch and almost nothing beyond that and that BP and TOW is about changing that. What does the scene look like several years after having started BP?

It’s still a challenge to get people to look at things in a different light, but things have definitely changed from when we first started talking about the lifestyle side of things. We get a lot of incredible feedback from people who appreciate our approach to things so we know we are doing something right.

6) Tell us about your current collection.

The original shirts we did were inspired by the history of soccer in the US. We featured teams such as the Fall River Marksmen and Bethlehem Steel which date as far back as the late 1890’s. We also had some teams from the NASL days. So history was a big part of what we have done so far. We’ll continue to feature some of the older team inspired shirts while we continue to introduce new designs and products.

7) When is the next collection rolling out for BP? Can you give us any clues to what it will be about? Or what teams might be featured?

We’re currently releasing a couple shirts a month right now and plan to continue doing things that way as opposed to one collection every few months. We also have some products we have been working on for awhile that we will be releasing like hoodies, polos, etc. As for the theme or direction, it’s kind of fluid. We come up with ideas we like and then go from there, as opposed to trying to make something fit within a pre-defined theme. We’ve got some pretty incredible new shirts in the works as well as brand new products.

8) So far what’s the coolest shirt, in your opinion, that BP has put out?

I really like the ones featuring the old teams like Fall River Marksmen and the Brooklyn Wanderers. These teams date way back, and also didn’t have any logos that we could find so we got to design the logos based on what we thought a logo should look like for these teams.

We also did a shirt with Nick Egan that blends soccer, punk music and 1970’s London. Collaborating with Nick was a lot of fun, and I’m really happy about how we were able to mesh the different elements without watering down the message.

9) TOW just started a really interesting feature called, Soccer in America, can you talk a little about that project; where the idea came from, what’s the goal, and how it’s going so far?

The easy answer is we are fans of photography and soccer and we wanted to combine those elements. The deeper answer is that we wanted to explore the culture of soccer in America via photography. We are all a part of the greater soccer culture here, but the way that looks in Southern California might look very different in some ways to how that looks in the northeast and so on. The series has been incredible so far. Getting to see soccer images taken from people around the country will never get old for me, and hopefully it helps continue to build the community.

10) A few selfish, and pretty slanted, questions for the FBM. What is it about seeing a live soccer game and having a cold beer in your hand that makes everything seem right with the world?

It’s kind of like peanut butter and jelly. They compliment one another and just fit together perfectly.

11) How cool would a Free Beer Movement shirt look in your next collection? (feel free to respond with “no comment”)

I actually have the basis of a design for a BP x FBM t-shirt, and I think it would look pretty rad.

Links: Bumpy Pitch, The Original Winger

Photos: Bumpy Pitch Blog

The Free Beer Movement Hall of Fame

GRAND OPENING!!!!!!!!

[This the transcript from the FBM Hall of Fame webcast that was televised on ESPN360.com. Missed it? I'm sure it will be on the site, archived, soon enough...]

Dear Honored Guests, Various National News Media Outlets, the Free Beer Movement Board of Directors.... yes, I see you, hi mom:

Drinking beer and being a soccer fan go hand in hand, but often times we forget that the people we watch on the field are just as big of fans of drinking as we are in the stands and in front of the TV.

Their tireless commitment to consuming alcohol parallels our own with the added responsibility of performing at a high level on the pitch. These honored souls commitment to excellence should not be confused with our commitment to drink as it is obvious we are all just sad sacks of shit.

We are gathered here today to announce a new day in soccer history. Today, the Free Beer Movement Hall of Fame opens to the general public. This will be the virtual home for all of te greats of the soccer world that have not only performed admirably on the field, but also in the watering holes around the globe.

We at the Free Beer Movement are prepared to induct several high-profile individuals into the "Free Beer Movement Hall of Fame" and with that prestigious place in history also comes the title of "Honorary Free Beer Movement Member" ("Free Beer Movers").

Becoming an honorary member of the Movement is kind of like those Ph. D's that university hand out to celebrities and politicians all the time. The real people put in all the work (Movers pay for all that beer and host Match Day and students study constantly) and they get the the big, fancy titles with no work at all.

There is one exception to that comparison and that is the fact that our honorary members HAVE done something, both on and off the field. They are known for their ability to withstand 90+ minutes of punishing pressure and THEN go out and get stinking drunk for hours on end.

These are our "honorary members" of the FBM.

Every once in a while we'll induct a new honorary member into the FBM Hall of Fame based on their on-field presence and/or off-field drinking exploits. Plus, we'll save some space for a few drunkards from the wider soccer-world as well.

Today is a great day for soccer and alcohol, for they have always been close compatriots, but never before married in such a glorious idea.

Today we announce our first induction. Please raise your glass for .......

From the "As If We Needed Any More Evidence" Department

You Tube is just the gift that keeps on giving. First, it's hilarious cats with string, then drunk squirrels , but eventually we found that priceless video of Frankie Hejduk slamming beers with Columbus Crew fans during a pre-match tailgate.

Now comes another video of the "Free Beer Captain" in post-game drinking form. Watch as our future FBM Spokesperson takes a beer from a fan in the crowd and downs a few gulps!



Need we say any more about why this guy needs to be our official spokesperson?

Well, we will.

FRANKIE HEJDUK NEEDS TO BE OUR OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON!!! Sign our petition immediately to help out righteous cause.