Soccer on a Shoestring

It seems like a good time to talk about the popularity of soccer in Maryland.  We've already covered the wildly successful Chelsea FC-AC Milan match that rocked M&T this summer.  And we've had our shins kicked by an enthusiastic youngster from one of the nation's most successful youth soccer leagues.  (Mea Culpa -- every soccer mom in the world knows you don't jump between the striker and his target for a picture, so the bruises were entirely justified.)

We've heard all about the Elite tournaments, the world class facilities, camps, clinics and top ranked college programs in our state.  Those points were raised yet again when we received requests to study the feasibility of building stadiums for two different professional soccer teams. 

There are historic reasons why our state has an affinity for the game known universally as futbal.  Baltimore was a gateway for 19th century European immigrants who stayed to work in the factories, shipyards and railroads.  Washington, with its diplomatic corps and international community, also embraced the "beautiful game" as a cultural bridge.  Easy to see how soccer spans the divide between the ethnic communities and Embassy Row in the metropolitan suburbs.

But this week I witnessed another dimension in this soccer-mad state that flies pretty much below the radar.  It took place less than a mile from my home, where the fields of Annapolis Middle School buzz every Saturday with kids and their parents attending youth league games.

Until recently, the fields were usually deserted on Sundays.  But a few months ago, I noticed adults kicking around soccer balls on Sunday mornings.  Later, it was teams in uniforms.  One time I drove by and noticed there was a giant flag strung between two trees and smaller, different flags on makeshift poles around an unmarked field.

This past Sunday morning, my curiosity got the better of me.  It was early, and I was driving by just as a crew was unloading a large grill and some coolers and another group was stringing a series of flags.  It was only later I realized the largest was Bolivian.

I stopped in and asked what was going on.  Despite the language barrier, everyone was friendly and pointed me to their organizer, who spoke English.  What I learned was pretty amazing.

In Anne Arundel County, there are several adult soccer leagues.  The largest is in the Glen Burnie-Pasadena area, where there are more than twenty teams.  In Annapolis, there are eleven.  They have been competing all spring and summer on various fields around town when the youth leages weren't using them.  What had been happening at Annapolis Middle School the past few Sundays was the playoffs.  And today was the final.  A crowd of more than 1,000 -- mostly from the area, coming by bikes, bus, on on foot -- was expected.  They represented many nationalities, mostly from Latin America.

The County has organized these leagues, and in addition to their recreational activities, they have been helpful as a conduit to the immigrant community who are frequently unaware of health issues -- such as vacinnations for the recent H1V1 flu.  Through the language of sports, county health officials have been able to communicate with those in need of services who they could otherwise not reach.

I'm not sure how many green cards were in the crowd, and was too polite to ask.   But what I did see was an orderly, enthusiastic, and very gracious group of sports fans out having a wonderful time with their families as they were cheering their neighbors in a cultural activity that was a common denominator for them all.

When we look for Marylanders passionate about the game of socccer, these folks probably won't be on anyone's e-mail tree.  But they represent one more reason why having an international soccer match here engenders so much enthusiasm in so many quarters.

TEAM Maryland in the Center Ring

Fearless Leader, titular head of Team Terry and the Three Marketeers, is leading his own crusade this week.  He's carrying the standard for TEAM Maryland in their first appearance as a contingent in a major sports and travel trade show.

The front line of TEAM Maryland is shown here in their base camp, located right in the middle of the arena at the Travel, Event And Management in Sports (TEAMS) conference in New Orleans.

At this conference, Terry and the DMOs who joined him will be meeting with events manager, promoters, rights-holders, and league officials from all over the country.  Terry has been attending this conference for years and has worked with many of the players (and knows many more)  For other members of TEAM Maryland, it will be the first opportunity to see the potential offered by wonderful world of sports travel.

Terry will report back with more highlights (and more pictures of the booth)

The Porkers in Pigtown

I always wander around after getting off the light rail on Game Day.  Every tailgate has its own personality, and they spread far and wide beyond the 85 acre Camden Yards Sports Complex.  I’d never wandered past Lot O to see how far out the tailgating went, so it was quite a surprise to see how many warehouses in the Camden-Carroll corridor were adapted to industrial party palaces. It was amazing to see how sheds and shops were opened so picnic tables and coolers could be moved in.


On the other side of Ostend I heard a rock band playing and decided to explore. A quartet was perched on the closed loading dock of a deserted warehouse, surrounded by cars with Ohio tags. Below, the dancing and singing audience were clad in orange jerseys with those wavy stripes. The delegation from Cincinnati had claimed the corner as their own.

How on earth did you ever find Pigtown, I asked one of the revelers. The question brought gales of laughter.

Pigtown? We’ve come all the way from Porkville to end up in Pigtown?

It seems Cincinnatti shares a similar heritage with Baltimore, at least regarding the meatpacking industry and railroads. When not touting their home town as “Queen City” for the sake of tourism, the locals call it Porkville. And they thought it was hilarious they were partying in Pigtown.

As to how they got there, their caravan looked for a place to decamp that was close enough to walk but far enough away to avoid Raven partisans. The deserted warehouse district looked perfect by dawns early light. Guess we didn’t go far enough, their leader remarked ruefully, as streams of heckling fans passed them en route to the game.

It was good natured fun, though. Some of the purple people stopped in to listen to the band and talk trash. The road warriors were clearly having a good time. The trip to Baltimore had been planned for quite a while and this particular slice of local flavor only enhanced their adventure.

I’m guessing they did quite a bit more partying after the game. They were planning to make a weekend of it anyway. But I hope they ditched their orange shirts before a night on the town. Charm City hospitality only goes so far.

The Celebration of Community

My son told me his dad just bought a 106 inch screen TV for the sports bar he owns. “Better than being there” is how Mike described the picture.

I’m the first to admit you probably can follow the action on the field through high definition and close camera angles, with instant replay and chalk talk to better understand the plays. Yes, it’s a lot of fun to be indoors, whooping with a group of instant friends and keeping track of everything else happening in the NFL in real time, while those in the stadium have paid handsomely to freeze or sneeze in intemperate conditions.

Still, none of that provides the intangibles of the Game Day Experience when the Ravens are at home. It’s a day long celebration, a festival which begins far from the stadium gates and provides a unique connectivity between the team and its fan base. It establishes a sense of place and distinct personality, giving our venue its unique appeal.

When you come to a Ravens game, you know you’re in Baltimore – from the trains rumbling by to the pit beef in Pigtown, to the parade of the Marching Ravens down Eutaw Street and all the purple passion in between.

It’s too much to write about in one blog entry, so from time to time I’ll include a few vignettes of Game Day that give it special flavor and make a trip to Baltimore (and Maryland) such a grand experience. The first is about some visitors I encountered while on a pregame exploration.

Wow of a Weekend

We all know Maryland is a four season state.  There is never a weekend (or day for that matter) when there isn't a happening in the world of sports.  But something about fall -- when the beach is still beckoning, the mountains splendorous, the air crisp and the temperature moderate -- brings people of all ages from all over the country to experience Maryland.

This weekend is a real challenge for Team Terry in our efforts to be everywhere on top of everything.  Today our eponymous leader was in Cabin John today for the opening of the 2010 South Atlantic Regional Figure Skating Championships, which is an early Olympic qualifier.  It's a big deal in the world of competitive skating.  Tomorrow's darlings of the ice will be skating in tournaments like this today.

On the other end of the spectrum are the bass fishermen, who will be in Smallwood State Park for their own regional championship.  No, it isn't exactly a spectator sport (unless you count the festivities at the weigh in) but fishing -- whether it be deep sea off Ocean City, wading in the Savage Creek, or on a boat in the bay -- is a big business in Maryland.

Of course, tomorrow is the Baltimore Marathon (now known as the Running Festival) which will pretty much dominate the town as 20,000 runners, friends, and family descend upon the town.  The event continues to grow in the number of participants, sponsors, and media recognition every year.

Ordinarily, that would be enough to send me scurrying to Annapolis to avoid congestion, but there is an even greater iconic event taking place there -- the first of the Annapolis Boat Shows.  While not a sporting competition, it is a can't miss activity for all those who participate in any aspect of sailing.  And yes, they come in from all over the world.  I know.  I've competed for parking against them (and those Aussies are cutthroats.)

The presence of the boat shows pretty much rules out watching the Navy game at my favorite watering hole.  Even with my son running interference, I wouldn't get close.  So it seems like a good idea to cross the bridge and look at another popular event that attracts participants from all over -- the Sea Gull Century bicycle race, in Salisbury.

Blessed with flat terrain and spectacular scenery, the Sea Gull did not take long to develop from a 68 cycle enthusiast challenge to what is recognized as the most attractive "century"  (100 mile or 100 k) race in the Mid-Atlantic area.  The University-sponsored event is now in its 21st year, with a pre-registered field of 7,800 participants and a weekend of activities for family and friends.  This is an all-inclusive event.  The oldest participant is 87, the youngest is 5.  Sounds like my kind of crowd (especially the dude on the unicycle.)

As if Salisbury won't be hopping enough, there is also a Fight Night at Perdue Stadium Saturday night, with the featured bout being a rematch between Alexis Guerrero and Rodrika Ray.

Other options for the weekend include the cyclocross in Hyattsville, tennis match in Cross Keys, and the Discovery Cup (an elite soccer tournament) at the SoccerPlex in Boyds.

Maryland is definitely the place to be.  Whatever you're interested in, it's here.  Whoever you have to drag along with you will also find something to do. (It's so thoughtful of those Century folks to have a wine tasting, concert, and kayak tours to entertain tagalongs.)

So much to do, so little time.  I hope I can talk Tweety into driving.

Economic Epiphany

I had one of those "aha" moments yesterday while perched at Middleton's.   Shifting glances between Navy and Notre Dame, I noticed a family in front of me decked out in Bucknell gear.  While they were having a good time, they were only moderately interested in the football hoopla going on around them.  Since I had seen another Bucknell delegation playing volleyball at the Academy earlier, I asked it they were in town for that.  No, they said.  Soccer.  They were from Florida and had come up to see their son play soccer.  Seems the women's volleyball and men's soccer bus-pooled from Bucknell for a weekend in Annapolis.

Similar thing happened last week (same time, same place, but without Notre Dame on the tube) when two tables of Army fans parked between me and the screen.  They were also out of towners, there to see an evening soccer match.

Which brings me to the revelation.  The economic impact of Maryland sports is not just big stadium events.  It is also familes and friends who come to see their kids play other varsity sports.  Whether they're from Florida or New York or somewhere in between, a visit to Maryland is not only convenient, it becomes a weekend adventure and, in the case of these families, the opportunity for a reunion with other members.

Both the Army folks last week and the Bucknell family yesterday remarked on the beauty of Annapolis and the Glenn Warner soccer facility along the Severn.  I'm sure folks who visit College Park for a soccer match at Ludwig have to be similarly impressed.  These are two top rated facilities on very impressive campuses.  Of course they would have to be on the top of the list for field trips.

Because the mission of the Academy includes physical fitness, Navy has a large number of varsity sports -- 32.  University of Maryland has 27.  Both have superior facilities and the advantage of the Mid-Atlantic location.  How many moms and dads choose to watch their darlings play everything from squash to ice hockey by planning a visit to Maryland?

My friend and colleague Carol Salmon is on the road now.  She is a soccer mom extraordinaire, having followed her daughter Michelle through a record breaking career in Anne Arundel County and as a star at University of Maryland.  Michelle's now the head coach at University of Cincinnati.  Carol and her husband still faithfully attend many of her games, as they have since she was a little girl.

I can only imagine how many soccer moms and dads there are out there like Carol, and the folks I saw yesterday.  They support the kids they love when they hit the road and fill the stands.  They also support (very generously) the local economy when they shop in stores, stay in hotels, and eat in restaurants.

Even if they occasionally block my view of the tube, God bless those soccer moms.

Wild Blue Yonder

Two thirds of Team Terry was in Annapolis yesterday, for the game against Air Force that set an attendance record (nearly 38,000) at Navy-Marine Corps stadium.

(For the record, one was at the game, while the other watched CSTV and texted periodic updates of the Notre Dame score from a downtown establishment.)

While missing the experience on the field, we nonetheless enjoyed the excitement and energy on display in Annapolis whenever Navy plays at home.  The USAFA biennial visit is particularly colorful since they always send a few companies and their drum and bugle corps to provide moral support.  In the spirit of military cooperation, the Zoomies muster up and join the parade from the Yard to the stadium.  So in addition to hearing the familiar refrain of "Anchors Aweigh" and "The Marine Hymn"  the townies were treated to a few choruses of "Wild Blue Yonder" as well.

Yes, they got quite a few cheers, too.   One of the flyboys told me they love coming in for this game because of the ritual, the rivalry, and the apres game activities downtown.

It was a hard fought game and nail biting finish, but Navy prevailed for the seventh year in a row.  Team Terry was well out of town when the stadium emptied (no dummies, we) but all accounts were that a good time was had by the Brigade and the Wing as they celebrated their academies and mutual respect.