Live to Love, Love to Live

Oh Maddie girl. When we have a child one day you are going to be so much fun with them. This past April 17th Maddies had her first birthday. We bough her a big rope ball that she found a way to tear up in a day and this big rubber ball that has holes in it. We love the rubber ball because it is easy to grab with our toes or fingers and play with her. But, this is our most favorite thing to watch Maddie do. She loves to get two different toys in her mouth at a time. Specifically a bone and a ball. Watch as she tries to pick up her ball while having the bone in her mouth. She absolutely loves doing this. While she tries to get the ball though she kicks it around like a soccer player. Yes, she is Daddy's girl.

"The greatest gift you can give someone is the gift of inspiration."
-The advice Professor and scholar Cornel West gives to his students.

With Soccer 101 topics I am going to dissect what I think a good coach is every week from my perspective. I am doing this for myself and anyone else that wants to join me. I want to be a coach one of these days and hopefully a successful one on and off the field.

Inspiration is a tough task for a coach. But, it is the one thing that he can give to his players that will drive them to do the extra things that is needed in a game. I know from a player's perspective that it helps a ton if a coach delivers a pre-game speech that inspires us to play and to win every single moment of the game. When I was at Indiana University they used a guy by the name of Rob Kehoe who gave us "motivational" speeches throughout the season. He gave a couple in pre-season, preparing for the season, and one or two during the season. We definitely took in what he said, but not as much as we should have.

During the season he would send us these letters called "missiles." These missiles would give us a reminder of what to keep focused on and to help us during tough times in the season. I encourage coaches to write missiles to their players during their seasons. Not only does it give the coach time to think through his thoughts and words, but to deal with his emotions on different subjects. Because if you say something that destroys someone's/team's confidence you may lose that player/team mentally for awhile. Do a few of these a season, but not all the time as the players may get tired of it.

I have been with coaches who bring out famous quotes and try to instill them into us so we play like what it says. For example Rudyard Kipling said, "...The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack." The more ways kids and people are able to understand teamwork said from different people and in different ways, the better.

Give them the reasons by inspiring them and they will not need to find reasons to succeed. Players love playing for coaches that do the inspiring; it is easy to do battle for them.
One love. One Cause.

Jed: Do you really watch Spanish Soap Operas?
Gino: I watch soap operas and I watch a lot of movies. They are comedies and suspense films. And I play Playstation 3 and the only game is Pro Evolution. It is a long pre-season.
Jed: Why do you like Spanish soap operas?
Gino: It is like a serious show about soccer players that is not really real. It is not very good, but it is alright. It is good to spend the time watching. I also spend to a lot of time seeing my wife and daughter on the internet so I can see them everyday.

Jed: Why does Guille and Steve call you fat?
Gino: I do not know why, I am not fat. They are fat. You have to ask them first why they are fat. I look great right now. I don't care what people think, I care what my wife think. And the big problem for me and Guille in America is because we have dinner at 6:30 pm and we are so hungry by 11pm. In Argentina we eat at 9pm. In Argentina people wake up at 12 or 1pm, they have breakfast then. Then you spend all day with your family and eat at 9pm. On Sundays I would go to my grandma's house and she would make pasta for 30 people. She is from Italy. But, 6:30 is too early for me, I get hungry at night.

Jed: What do you like to eat at night time?
Gino: Nothing special. Chicken, pasta, or beef, whatever. For me it is perfect to have a nap and have my Mate (herbal tea from Argentina) and then eat at 9pm.
Jed: How long are your naps?
Gino: Two or three hours, depends on how tired I am. I never put alarm. I switch off my phone and I sleep.

Jed: Tell us about Guille?
Gino: He is too old. He listens old music. It is awful music. Guille is a good guy though. Before I came here I hate him. Because my whole family are River Plate fans and we hate him. But now, I like him, he is a good guy. He is very humble. He have some problem: he have to change his music, and his hair, my grandfather wear his hair in 1945. He is a good room mate. He cleans the room and the kitchen.
(Guille immediately turns on his Braveheart anthem)
(Guille starts chantting)
Gino: No put on your awful music, this music puts me to sleep. Show him.
(Guille puts on Bruce Springsteen-If I should fall behind)
hahaha, this is awesome.
Guille: He likes music from Puerto Rico. No think him, only blah blah blah blah. So, I listen to what she (the woman in the song) is talking about. She say if he can wait for her if he die.

Jed: Gino tell us about any sleeping habits Guille has.
Gino: The only problem we have is that it is too cold and he does not want to put the heat on. So, if I get sick it is his fault.
Guille: It is okay, no need heat.
Gino: He does not like play playstation with me.
Guille: I don't like, it is for children, not for me. Gino is a children.

Jed: Tell us about soccer.
Gino: Nothing. We train good. And I cannot wait to start the season. And we see what happen this year. We have a good team and good locker room.

I hope everyone enjoys this blog and I am so glad to stay on this team and with my team mate, they are the best team mates I ever had. And it is a pleasure for me to play with Guillermo Barros Schelotto because he is a legend in Argentina.

We played the U-17's today at 10 am. Oh man, it was a doozy. Ha these kids were actully 15 and well I kinda pushed a kid in the face that was 14 after he cleated me at the top of my calf for no reason. Gettin firey up in here...We won with a comfortable 6-0 or 8-0 something like that.
Lineup for 1st 45 minutes: Zayner, O'rourke, Marshall, Padula
Ekpo, Moffat, Gaven, Rogers
Scheletto, Herrera

Lineup for 2nd 30 minutes: Hejduk (coming back from an injury),Bruener, Marshall (first 15, Oughton came in and Burns switched to center back for last 15 and duncan to midfield), Francis
Burns, Russian dude (sorry do not know how to spell his name), Camille (Polish dude), Elenio
Lenhart, Renteria

Lineup for 3rd 30 minutes: Grendi, Bruener, Burns, Francis(came out at 15 and Elenio came back in, Elenio to right back and Grendi to left back)
Camille, Oughton, Othaniel, DuDu
Dike, Garey

On to Sergio. Honestly we were all very surprised at how well he moved and interchanged. Guille and him looked like they have played many times before. Sergio probably completed 90% of his passes. He and Guille together connected for at least 3 breakaways and at least 2 goals. He is very composed and he knows the perfect time to get open. He is not like a post forward like Lenhart or Moreno, but he is very clever in getting away from defenders so he does not have to post up.

Again we were only playing 15 year olds. I mean these kids were born around 1995. What the crap man, that was the first time I actually felt like I was the old dude. Shoot I am only 25, but still 10 years older than these kids.

We play some good competition this week with TFC and DC, our two favorite teams in the league, haha, any Crew fans want to come down and heckle? We would love to have you guys here.

I will tell you more next game how things go. Again, it was his only second day of training in the past month and he looked like a natural up there with us. So, here is your sigh of relief thus far in knowing what Sergio can do.

First of all we did not go to bed until 2 am.
Then, I woke up and the first thing Steve said to me was, "Dude, I had a dream with you and Lapper (assistant coach) playing 22 (card game)"
Robbie:uhh that's weird

But, all in all slept well.

I ate cereal and of course a glass of chocolate milk, then had my vitamins and off to training.
Training was actually good, at the beginning we got some fitness, and I did not think it was too bad. Then we moved onto actually kicking a soccer ball and I hoped to do some scoring, ya know, that's what I do. But, we did this possession game instead.

Steve: I cussed twice and it was at my brother-in-law both times (Adam Moffat)
Robbie: Sorry, I mean, I just wanted to play goal to goal; but you got to trust the coaches with pickin' the drills."

So, lunch was the best part. We had Guille, Emilio, and Gino over for lunch. We cooked chipotle barbecue chicken, brussel sprouts (with garlic and bacon), pizza, and you know what we top things off with in 1617, yep that is right, chocolate milk.
Then we chilled for lunch on the couches, chatting. We were just happy to please these foreigners because these dudes are super picky.

Guille: Caprichoso (spoiled boy)
Robbie: Ha, I know that's what you are, yep you got that right.

I took a little nap on the couch and somehow woke up for our afternoon lift. Which was not too bad. I am just happy soccer day four is done.

Onto dinner with Esteban (Steve's spanish name). Well, Steve and I were the only gringos with those latino dudes. Those dudes were: Emilio, Sergio (our new signed player from Columbia, he is a forward, more about him to come days following), Guille, and Gino. We went to "Stonewood Grill". It was a pretty good meal, great quesadillas, and great convos. Well, if you like to keep to yourself, because spanish was the only language being spoken, haters (I am the only who cannot speak it).

Then we went to Coldstone and Gino was the only one to get ice cream, typical Gino. Esteban tried to order in spanish, which was funny, because the lady at the register could not understand him and she said his spanish is just bad.

Robbie: Steve prides himself in his spanish ways, with how fluent he is and all.
Steve: In reality I was trying to teach you spanish last night. So, do not diss your master.

Now, we are sitting here playing Sequence again for the sixth night in a row and we will probably play till one or two in the morning again for the sixth night in a row. Maybe I will have my luck turn and actually win a game, I have not won for the past 10 games.

Steve: Hey come on, do not be so hard on yourself, it is more like 21, haha...

Oh yeah, Guille trys to play footsy with us while we are beating him in sequence.

Robbie: Why you stealin the chips Guille?
Guille: No, no I steal chips, I am relax.
Robbie: Look at this guys jacket he keeps so much stuff in here, do you have the chips in here Guille?
Steve: Guille why you always lookin at MLSnet?
Robbie: He is trying to see how much we all make.
Guille: What!!!!!

I woke up this morning very excited because this beautiful state is my birthplace.
I kept it simple with a banana.
Robbie Rogers: That's all you ate?
Steve: Yeah, because Bobbie (our coach) told me I was fat yesterday.

I knew it was gonna be a good day because I have God on my side, it is cheesy, but true.

First off, we have the dream team bus, an all-star line-up. It is good when we drive to practice because of the people we have in the bus. First, we have Gino Padula, wait why is he on our bus, no kidding.
Next, we have Guille, and well he bought all of mine and Robbie's meals in Argentina so that qualifies him.
The Eddie Gaven, because he does not say anything or cause trouble, but when he does it is hilarious. Not only does Eddie very kindly slap stuff out of people's hands and laugh hysterically. He also puts one dollar bills on his fishing lure and baits people into grabbing it while he constantly pulls it away like an ever increasing wind, nice one Ed.
Move onto Robbie Rogers, because we have gone through a gallon of chocolate milk a day and it was his idea.
Then Jed Zayner is on the bus, well because he is room mates with everyone else on the bus and we felt bad leaving him out. Still kidding, or am I. No I am, haha.
So, Adam Moffat, hmmm, it is better to have guys that try and break other guys' legs ride on your bus then on another, and shoot we have the rest of the foreigners on our bus so why not.
Emilio and Kenny, last but not least, because they are the only ones on the team who try and speak portuguese to each other. Why? No one knows, Emilio speaks spanish and Kenny English.

Now for the morning practice which was good, we did some solid fitness. Running up and down the field 6 times in 3 minutes with hurdles, ladders, back peddling, and a russian sreamin' at you, is not the funnest. Then played four games lasting six minutes each, 7 on 7. Whooaa, nope we were not tired at all.

Did simple things in the afternoon with our legs being so tired and all.
Moved onto the second practice where we worked on finishing and then after we went and picked up our other half gallon of chocolate milk.

I think the highlight of dinner was not the food or tonight, even though the food was good. I am still relishing in our after dinner "jerk off" from last night. Yes, I did say jerk off. It is a style of dance, come on what were you really thinking, gosh. Myself and another guy on our team jerked it together, again the dance, the actually dance that is called "the jerk", youtube it, there. Anyways it was a blast. I am doing the jerk in a pic below, check it out.

Kay, now I am ending the night with multiple games of sequence with Robbie. The all-time series is at me with 9, Guille with 7, and Robbie, well, he is our obstacle standing strong with one.

Last note and I bid you farewell with this: I am gonna live tomorrow like I lived today, and I am not gonna let anyone take away my fun.