Friday, October 28, 2022

Addiction

Trigger warning: you may well get whip-sawed by the changes in content theme, tone, and quality in this space over the next several months. Of course, one might argue that you've been in that position lo these 4,901 posts. In any case, on with the whimsy.

I really dig design. Z, Mark, and I regularly trade texts about kicks, and I get frequent messages from Z about cars that look cool. I'm also a big fan of soccer and its culture. Blending those two interests has become a bit of a problem for me.

It started with the Seattle Sounders. I was watching the U.S. Men's National Team play a match at CenturyLink (now Lumen) Field in Seattle, and the packed house of 68,000 or so made such an infernally awesome noise that I was inspired to buy some Sounders merch. The multi-beer buzz I had going didn't hurt, at least in terms of my lack of spending inhibitions. And from that modest t-shirt, things might've gotten out of hand. 

The picture below depicts some, but not all, of my soccer fashion. Notably absent, the initial Seattle Sounders t-shirt (which I know I still have but can't find), an FC Pinzgau Saalfelden shirt (ditto), a Marcus Rashford England jersey (ditto on that ditto), a Fulham kit from 2016-17 (ditttooooooo), literally dozens of pieces of Loudoun Soccer gear from my coaching and Board of Directors volunteering, and a handful of Tuscarora High School soccer stuff. Not to mention the Senegal World Cup jersey with Sadio Mane's #10 on the back that I ordered earlier in the week.


Some of these have a story. Others I just kinda thought looked cool. Here's the key:

Top row, left to rightClub Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente, Liga MX (this one's the Dia de los Muertos version from a few years ago - thought it was a badass design), Atlanta United, MLS (bought this one because I loved the way the team played attacking, fun soccer in 2018 when they won MLS Cup), Netherlands, World Cup 2014 (purchased in Schipol Airport on a layover while headed back to the U.S. from Switzerland), France, World Cup 2018 (N'Golo Kante is my favorite player, and he's with Chelsea. I dislike Chelsea, so I got a France jersey).

Second row: USA, World Cup 2014 (Won this in a charity auction. It's a crap kit, if I'm being honest.), Sporting Kansas City, MLS (My brother-in-law used to work for Ivy Funds, SKC's kit sponsor for a time. He got me this for Christmas. Always liked him.), Ajax Amsterdam, Eredivisie (Ajax have a long-standing affinity for Bob Marley, and this alternate kit from last year honors that relationship. On the back, just under the collar, there are three little birds. Dope.), D.C. United, MLS (Last year, the league did Pride warm-up tops for all its teams. I got the local one.)

Third row: Minnesota Aurora, USL W League (The second-division Aurora won their league title this season. The logo is phenomenal.), FC Pinzgau Saalfelden, Austrian Regionalliga Salzburg (Humblebrag, I know, but I'm an owner of this club.), Costa Rica, World Cup 2018 (The U.S. didn't qualify for the 2018 Cup, so I chose the Ticos as my side. Didn't go all that well.), Minnesota United, MLS (Best logo in American sports.)

Fourth row: Angel City FC, NWSL (Might be even better than Minnesota United's badge), FC St. Pauli, 2. Bundesliga (My wife was in Germany for New Year's Eve several years ago. She got me this one.), USA, World Cup 1950. (Throwback, and it looks cool.), Atletico Madrid, La Liga (Another airport purchase, this one in Madrid on the way home after celebrating my 20th Anniversary in Spain.)

Fifth row: Nigeria national team warm-up shorts and 2021 jersey. (Bought the shorts because they look cool, and I had a few beers in me. Was given the shirt as a gift by my Nigerian-Canadian colleague. I wish it fit me better.)


16 comments:

  1. Rob posts this on the day my in-laws gave me a Barca jersey that they picked up for me during their trip to Europe (Paris, Italy- father in law's hometown and Capri, and Barcelona). Synergy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on in the afterlife. pour some out for jerry lee lewis.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Did The Killer contract something at Jerrah Jones' 80th bday bash? I hear he played it recently.

    ReplyDelete
  4. they should be in your collection, z

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fox News’ moniker for their coverage of these midterms: Democracy 2022. I get jokes.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Slow start for the Tribe, but a couple of quick TD’s have them tied up. Last one by a certain Mr. Lester.

    ReplyDelete
  7. y’all are hunkering down for the buffs game later, right?

    ReplyDelete
  8. cocktail party getting spicy. how we feeling, mark?

    ReplyDelete
  9. gators with a win ATS. that counts for somethin

    ReplyDelete
  10. The cocktail party managed to pique my interest more than I imagined. And also enough to piss me off. Florida is farther from Georgia than anytime in my rooting lifetime. Like Dan, I was also aware of the spread late. That’s not a life I want live.

    ReplyDelete
  11. my kid ran with ralphie last night. efforting video.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Very cool, Rob.

    I just missed an opportunity to snap a pic of a food truck called “Munch Box”, whose logo is an upright hot dog deadlifting 315 lbs, next to a kitchy slogan featuring the word wiener.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have to stop my self from peppering Zoltan with texts during these Bills games. They are so dominant and I feel like I’m going to jinx shit.

    ReplyDelete