American Soccer Road Trip
So, for those of you who don’t know me in “real” life, I am moving from Washington DC, where I live now, to San Diego, where I will be starting a PhD program in anthropology in the fall. I’ve been thinking about my trip across the country and how I can make it more interesting than a mad dash from Point A to Point B.
One idea I’ve had recently is to try to make into an American Soccer Road Trip. It occurred to me recently that, without going too far out of my way, I could stop in most cities with MLS teams (Washington, Columbus, Chicago, Kansas City, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles). I like the idea of building my trip around these teams and cities rather than, say, truck stops off the highway. Update: Here’s a link to a map for a potential route I could take.
But, if you have read the blog with any regularity, you know that I’m interested in stories behind the headlines. So, while I’d like to stop and visit all of the MLS teams I could (even if it’s just to see a practice and interview a player or two), I’d also hope to find interesting soccer stories that not many people know about. A league for Mexican migrants in Nebraska, a Polish soccer club in Chicago, etc.
This is where you come in. I’m posting this in the hope that some of you will have ideas for interesting stories that I might try to cover on my way across the country. Really, as long as it is soccer-related in some small way, I’m probably interested in it (yes, I’m obsessive), so please don’t hesitate to holler at me with an idea or two. I know I have readers from all across the country (and the world) and I’m hoping that your collective expertise can make my trip a “great success” (say it like Borat does). I’m leaving at the end of August, so keep that in mind.
Oh, and one last thing. I’m going from being an elementary school teacher to being a grad student, both things not known for being lucrative. So, if you live along the route I sketched out above and want to put me up (I’m not opposed to sleeping on couches), I’d be immensely grateful.
Please leave a comment below or send me an email at david [at] cultureofsoccer [dot] com. Thanks in advance for all of your help!
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July 9th, 2007 21:25
sounds interesting. i’d be interested in hearing about USL teams.
i’ve heard lots of great things about this site:
http://www.couchsurfing.com/
with a soccer pedigree, i’m sure finding accomodation would be no problem.
and the pickup soccer scene would be interesting to know more about:
http://www.socster.com/
and here’s a guy who tried something similar:
http://www.zefrank.com/thewiki/RunningFool_Trip
July 9th, 2007 22:37
[...] Original post by David [...]
July 9th, 2007 23:41
I can’t offer lodging b’c of a baby but I have a recommendation. Some of the guys who beat England in the World Cup are still alive here in Saint Louis. They get interviewed every four years but seem to take the time. Every Saint Patrick’s Day there is a float depicting this win as an “irish” achievement.
Some research shows that our leagues around this time weren’t that far behind the best of them. The win was less a fluke than one would think.
I also know where there is a good-as-new mural that features the NASL’s St. Louis Stars alongside our other sports teams. It could make a nice photo.
We have a PDL team (the Lions) but I don’t know much about that scene. We have a pro women’s team coming in the new league.
Saint Louis as a destination would make Chicago difficult. I can lead you to some outstanding restaurants and some decent venues for watching the beautiful game. Or Hurling–there’s a league for that here, too.
July 10th, 2007 00:33
Stop by Portland and you can see the stadium where Pele played his last game. It has a group of feral cats that live under the stands. You could also get to meet the best mascot in the world, Timber Jim. On top of that there is an excellent supporters group, more microbrewries than anywhere else in the country, and two shoemakers that have a big influence on the sport. It is also lovely in the summer. You have a place to stay if you make it this way.
July 10th, 2007 06:36
Why not use Google Maps to draw your road trip? Make it public then everyone can see your supposed route and maybe could point you to places not far off the track.
July 10th, 2007 08:14
Thanks for all the ideas, everyone.
Peter- I would love to cover USL teams as much as possible, but I’m not sure if I will be able to. The First Division doesn’t seem to have any teams in the middle of the country. The Second Division does, but their last games are around the beginning / middle of August. PDL teams end their seasons even earlier.
Jason – I’ll see if St. Louis can fit in my trip. Those sound like interesting ideas.
Bob – I’d love to make it to Portland, but I’m afraid that’s a bit too far out of my way.
Joe – I thought about making a Google Map, but I’m not sure the exact route I want to take. I want to leave my route open to change based on other possibilities that people might suggest. I’ll put together a rough route, though, later today and post it.
July 10th, 2007 13:33
Like the blog.
We’re blogging from Venezuela so if anyone is interested in the Copa America, check it out: http://latinfootballworld.wordpress.com/
Cheers and have a safe trip
July 10th, 2007 23:43
Why did you leave Columbus and the Crew off your list of cities? You’re going right by on the way to Chicago.
July 11th, 2007 00:19
That’s great. By the way, I am a grad student in philosophy who has dabbled in sociology and philosophy of the social sciences. I read a lot of Habermas, though I need to read more.
I hope to someday tackle ethical and maybe even phenomenological questions involving being a fan. But I need to finish the dissertation first.
Over several beers, you can tell me what Anthropology is. I’m being a little coy but over there its fossil-hunting and over there its world travel and …
Another tourist point. See the field where Canada won the Soccer Gold Medal in the Olympics. Its on the campus of the only University (Washington) which has an anthropolgy department but none in sociology.
July 11th, 2007 07:14
David – one of the best parts of google maps (and I’m neither an employee nor fanboy!) is you can just create point A and point B, then take any point along the route and “drag” it to your en route location.
It’s a fairly nifty solution. But good luck all the same.
July 11th, 2007 08:07
Mark – Woops, didn’t mean to leave Columbus off. My family is from Ohio (an hour from Columbus) and so I will definitely stop by there.
Jason – I’ll do my best to tell you what anthropology is, though as a beginning student, I’m not sure how informative I’ll be.
Joe – Yes, I was enjoying Google Maps last night as I made mine.
July 11th, 2007 15:31
Love the blog. Read it everytime there is a new story. Am a sociology-politicalscience student whose is about as nuts about soccer as you are. I am really interested in following in your footsteps and going with something like this website.
I live in Chicago and wouldn’t mind putting you up. I know about most of the teams around here that play in the two top amateur leagues around here. Italians, Serbs, Poles, etc..
If you want more info let me know.
July 14th, 2007 01:23
DK – What happened to our route through the southern heartland?!? You should get Borat to come, I know he loves that area of the world more than almost anywhere. Sequals are the thing you know, so it would be perfect for his movie career. Go Messi, go mess em up in Chavezland! Ja ne.
July 14th, 2007 09:52
Keddy – I decided it would be too hot (plus, not as much soccer down in Dixie-land).
July 14th, 2007 10:00
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