For some reason I didn't get all of our photos from Jason's memory card before we parted in Germany, so more will hopefully follow soon. Also, the photos below begin on the day of the Sweden - Paraguay match and I'll try to put some earlier photos into a subsequent post.


The Swedes absolutely took over many parts of Berlin, including this park. They sent a reconnaisance party a day or two in advance and came in this kind of number on the day of the match. Check out the crazy inflatable dancers in the background.


Here is another shot of the same part of town.


The Swedes turned this tour boat into a viking ship before the Sweden - Paraguay match.


This is Jason on the steps of the Reichstag before we went into the Adidas World of Football to watch the England - Trinidad & Tobago match and the Sweden - Paraguay match.


The Swedes went bonkers inside the Adidas World of Football after their late game victory over Paraguay. I could have gotten a photo with a Swede in a 'Nobody Knows I'm a Lesbian' t-shirt, but my camera ran out of batteries.


This is Jason upon our arrival in Munich. He wanted a photo with the cute lion.


This is me, Jason and Dieter on our first night in Munich. We went to the biergarten at the Chinese Tower in the English Garden to watch Spain - Tunisia.

For the USA and the Yankee Hooligans, this World Cup adventure has come to an end. Say what you will about the refs, but ultimately the USA did not have a good tournament. One goal in three games, defensive mistakes and missed offensive opportunities are a recipe for a first round exit. In spite of this loss, our World Cup adventure was truly unforgettable. From Gelsenkirchen to Kaiserslautern to Nuremberg, the Yankee Hooligans represented. We will be there in South Africa, because after you've experience one World Cup it's hard to imagine not going to all of them for the rest of your life. The USA is improving despite their showing in 2006. Let's hope that the US Soccer Federation can schedule bigger and better teams in the next four years. Teams that will elevate the quality of play by the USA. Forget about Costa Rica and Jamaica. Bring on the Europeans, South Americans, English and on occassion Mexico. Let's hope that in 2010 the USA can make bigger strides towards what one day WILL be a World Cup championship. From the land of the free and the home of the brave, this is El Americano signing off.

I´m kind of loaded and we´ve been out all day, but I think it´s finally time for me to write something after so long. I can´t seem to upload photos to this site, but I´m going to work on it a lot. By this weekend I should have some great pictures up on this page. We went out in Munich and met some Americans, Irishmen, English, and Serbians (think Milosovic). I´ll write more later, but keep it real and stay bla*k.

So I know things on the blog front have been quiet. However, we have still been up to our usual antics, all centered around football. Last night involved Geoff passing out in the bathroom floor for the second half of the England v Sweden match, a great game by the way...Earlier in the night Geoff managed to get the number of some German girl. The guys with us estimated her age at around 16, and that may be generous. Nice work Geoff. We are still trying to figure out how to post pictures here. Earlier in the day we headed to a giant beer garden to watch the Germany v Ecuador match on a giant screen. There were probably a few thousand people there, a sea of German fans. I think we were likely the only Americans there, and not to mention, probably the only non-germans. We hung out with an Accenture crew. The place went absolutely nuts when Germany scored its goals. After the game finished, there was about an another hour of celebrating, singing songs, toasting, quite an experience.

The day before that we went to our first beer garden in Munchen, the place was going nuts for the Spain v Tunisia match. There were loads of Americans at this place, but think about 1 of them had USA gear on. These dudes next to us were total tools. One guy asked Geoff if Tunisia was in Africa and which countries it was near. Can only imagine that he must have trouble with just the contintental 48...Bloody hell. We will continue to spend our efforts on showing that soccer matters in the US, and have basically told eveyone we will win the Ghana match and told some Germans well see them in Berlin (where the final is). Perhaps a bit ambitious, but you gotta start somewhere...Will hand of to Geoff now.

Last night we watched the Germany - Poland match at the FIFA Fan Fest with what must have been at least a hundred thousand Germans and Poles. The place and the entire city went absolutely nuts when Germany won (photos to come). Then we spent the night enjoying the chaos, meeting some German ladies and partying with Swedes.

Today the city is absolutely overrun with Swedes. I can´t even explain how awesome the Swedes are. They are playing music and singing, chanting and basically having a great time all over the place. It´s a sea of yellow and blue (pictures to come).

We´re going to head over to the Adidas World of Football to watch England - Trinidad & Tobago and Sweden - Paraguay. Then it´ll be a late train to Frankfurt. Stay tuned.

Here's the infamous Dancing Irishman!!!

It's sort of a large file. Just let it load. It takes about 5 minutes depending on speed. Leave it, and when you come back it'll be ready.

Believe us, it's worth the wait.

So Geoff and Jason took their relationship to a new level in Dusseldorf.

Here's how the night progressed:

1. Geoff meets a German dude and tries to tell him how he feels.

2. The dude bites, so Geoff grinds him to make Jason jealous. NOTE: Geoff's hand in the dude's armpit. Kinky.

3. Jason tries to get even by talking to sleeveless dude.

4. The games pay off, Geoff and Jason hook up. Unfortunately, I walked in on them.

"Eight English fans were arrested at Cologne railway station for assault and public order offences. Robert Schafer, in charge of the Frankfurt policing operation, said: "It was all very minor stuff ... nothing extraordinary for a big event." - Guardian Unlimited, Monday, June 12, 2006

The above incident took place, conservatively, ten minutes after we had arrived in Cologne. I pointed out an English t-shirt which referenced a popular England football song about ten German bombers in the air, and Jason mentioned it to the guy wearing the shirt. Before I could turn to see the guy´s reaction a whole group of them were in full song, right in a German train station.

We all went down the stairs together and got to a crossroads in the station. The English went one way and we went the other. We exited the station and milled around for a few minutes when we saw about twenty German riot police run into the station through the exit the English would have taken based on the way they had gone. There is no definitive evidence I can find to link us to the event, but I would say it is definitely more than likely that we caused a melee within our first moments in a World Cup host city.

Now I´m going to rant a little. We have seen dozens, maybe a hundred, Americans in Berlin and only one of them has been wearing any kind of USA gear at all. Jason and I have represented every day, as have the Swedes, Croats and English, but it seems that most Americans are just über jackasses. It makes me absolutely livid to see groups of Americans who are "here for the World Cup" sitting around in their Abercrombie shit.

On a brighter note we spent last night, after all the football, out with a bunch of Croatian guys (photos to follow). They were a blast to hang out with and Jason and I were made honorary Croats. We got their custom made supporter t-shirts and I even ended up with a sweet hat. Plus, some eastern European woman who was sitting at a table outside the bar with a few guys very blatantly offered to suck me off by pointing at my crotch and saying the word "suck" about four times until she realized that there wasn´t a problem with my comprehension, just my willingness.

To top the night off we got some tasty Turkish pizzas and when we were sick of eating them I fired them against the window of a Cartier store. That´s all for now, from Berlin, but there will certainly be more to follow.

Well folks, it's my final night overseas. My amazing World Cup adventure came to an end today, and I'm in London for my final night. Just met up with some friends in Leicester Square, and had some sangria and tapas. It's not nice eating donner kebab and bratwurst for a change. I think I had both of those things everyday while in Germany.

So, what happened to the US!? Man oh man, we got worked. No offense whatsover from the Americans, but we'll bounce back. We have to, because if we don't beat Italy it will be three and out for us.

Alright, this is my final post while overseas. Upon my return I will take the lead role in maintaining the blog, and posting the pictures from Germany. Can't wait to hear the trouble Jason and Geoff get into.

So far:

-Jason's lost two digital cameras
-We caused a riot between the English and German in Cologne (no joke, the riot police had to move in)
-Geoff peed on Jason's bed.

What an awesome trip!

We got embarassed today. There is no doubt the Czech Republic was the better team on the day and deserved to win. That said, Pavel Nedved is a piece of shit and the Paraguayan crew of officials left quite a bit to be desired. A well officiated match with good sportsmanship would have made the medicine a lot easier to swallow.

The loss aside, there was a great atmosphere in the match (every American sang the national anthem in unison) and there was a lot of great support. I'd even say we probably matched or almost matched the Czechs in attendance. After the match we went into Gelsenkirchen to watch the Italy - Ghana match and met some American guys we hung out with for the rest of the evening, because there really aren't too many single ladies around in the host cities (which is pretty obvious in hindsight). Jorge left us this morning, so Jason and I need to figure out what we'll do until the Italy match on Saturday. We're thinking about heading to Berlin for a day or two and maybe somewhere else. No crazy story to tell today but I'm sure they're on the horizon.

We are in the middle east. At least that's how it feels. Could you ask for a better hotel than one in the middle of the Muslim part of Dusseldorf? Especially when we're walkng around with the Stars and Stripes, US Soccer jerseys and t-shirts.

Last night was epic. We finally arrived at US HQ for the World Cup. We made one bar the official stopping spot for any American. We met a German dude from Dusseldorf that basically got the party started, and we finished the night singing good old American rock and roll at a local pub. Oh yeah, that included one Irish guy going completely insane during one song.

I can´t even think straight right now. We are headed for the train station where we will be on our way to the first US game.

USA! USA! USA!

I'll keep this short, because this keyboard is crazy and we're on our way to the match town. Basicly, we went out yesterday afternoon and ended up in a bar at about 1:30 or something with Americans, Irishmen, Swedes, a really cool German guy and craziness.

Anyone who knows me knows that I won't talk up a night without cause, but last night was great. We have a video of an Irish guy absolutely ripping off his t-shirt, knocking over some glasses and whipping it on the floor to a Queen song.

Anyhow, I can't really stand this keyboard anymore and I need to get to Gelzenkirchen soon. So, until later...

So, I woke up this morning at 7:08 AM for a 7:15 AM flight to Frankfurt. After finding out my ticket couldn't be changed or cancelled I searched for a few hours to find a flight arriving in Frannkfurt at 19:50 PM on Saturday. I'll probably miss most of the England - Paraguay match, while I travel via Zurich, but I'll be learning a valuable lesson and hopefully meet a few cool people along the way. My posts will definitely get more interesting and, hopefully, funnier (although I'm sure some of you are sickly amused by this story). But, for now I figured I'd put the rumors to rest.

We're heading to Cologne (Köln) tomorrow and then off to Düsseldorf on Sunday.

Holy cow. What a night. International drunk dialing is sure to be expensive. We just saw the England team arrive here in Frankfurt. Walcott, Campbell, Gerrard, and Crouch were the players I saw, as well as Sven-Goran Eriksson. It was a pretty cool.



Geoff missed his flight to Frankfurt, and will not arrive until tomorrow. The official story is that he woke up late and missed his flight. That's all we're releasing to the media.

I really could use a salad right now. As delicious as German food is, it is heavy. I've gained at least 10 pounds in the last couple of days.

That's all for now.

El Americano

We're sitting at an internet cafe in Frankfurt, trying to bounce back from a pretty big night of partying. We almost set fire to the restaurant bar. Who knew coasters were so flammable.

TO NICOLE (Jason's sis): Your brother is pissing me off. He is really concerned that you will lose all respect for him. He's like Kim Jong Il with his censorship. PLEASE DO NOT READ BELOW THIS. Have a nice day.

I just had a delicious pastry. It was better than Jason's. A diet coke too. Jesus, I hate censorship. We are in danger of only posting about what we ate. Geoff, please post from the UK. I am taking away Jason's admin privilieges.

This damn keyboard is messed up. ÖÄ I mean seriously, what is that? It just took me 5 minutes to find the question mark. §

Alright, time to demote Karas. Oh yeah, Frankfurt is full of women with babies.

To Germany I go! England has been good to me, as always. The last four days here have been equally filled with crazy partying and relaxation. Now the REAL party begins. Stansted Airport is full of people wearing their nation's letters on their shirts, hats, jackets and anything else you can imagine. I just ran into a fellow American at the flight check-in desk. Real cool stuff.

So far my travelling crew has not blogged. I guess it's expected, as I'm the only one that's been travelling up until today.

More to come from Germany! Wo sind die Kneipen?

"You are as queer as a three dollar bill." -Geoff, June 5, 2006

[THE FOLLOWING POST HAS BEEN EDITED]

Jason, where the hell are you? We called you and reached your voicemail. We called you from England you bloody wanker. Geoff and I are about 15 drinks deep. We hope that you can match that when you arrive. To sum up the night, Geoff just performed a jig at Mulligan's. Five 50+ women were quite enchanted, and Geoff could have had his pick of the litter. I also just paid about $100 for a dinner at the Gaucho Grill. The name stolen from the US, of course. Petal (a.k.a. Alice) was our server. Food was awesome. Why Petal isn't here right now chilln' with us is a mystery.

Manchester is an unbelieavble city. I visted gay Old Trafford today. United is a bunch of fagues. Arsenal, or should I say the Royal Arsenal or THE ARSENAL, are the greatest football club in the history of our planet. Gooners forever!

I depart for London tomorrow. I expect a smashing time. It's hard to leave Manchester. At least I'm going first class. As I speak, Geoff is passed out on the living room floor. Our jackets are a hit. We've worn them everywhere, and America is being promoted quite well.



Jason, Geoff likes the girl that works at the Ox. She's cool. Serves a proper pint of bitter. That is a nice thing.

Alright, time for bed. I leave for London early. Jason, don't be a wanker and forget to send us a photo of you-know-who.

El Americano

Thank God for the cool Indian doorman. Without him I would've either slept on the street, or been taken advantage of by a really drunk gay man. Again, thank God for the cool Indian doorman. Night one in Manchester turns out to be absolutely brilliant. We met some really cute girls at Mojo. Neither of us went home with them, but we got really close. I would like to thank Geoff for leaving me in a Manchester bar all by myself. Lucky for me, I am incredibly intelligent (even drunk) and found my way back to his flat quite easily. The drink count for June 3rd was about 10. Not bad for a first night. Hangover status this morning: mild.

"It's a beautiful day." -U2

June 2nd has arrived, and another one of our incredible adventures begins. Why is this game so important? What makes the beautiful game the beautiful game? Football, as it's known to everybody but us Yanks, is the game that brings the world together. There is, of course, beauty in the way the ball travels on the pitch. The lines and angles that are created by the ball on its way to a goal. The cross that leads to a perfect header into the corner of the net. These are the technical things we love about the sport. The sport, however, is bigger than that. Every four years the world stops. The Olympics are big, but the World Cup is huge. Think about it. One entire month dedicated to ONE game. 32 countries playing for the pride of their people. Some won't win a game, and will head home after the first two weeks. But what a glorious two weeks for the people of that country. Their colors on the international stage for all to see.

I head for Germany wearing my country's colors with pride. The red, white and blue has seen better times. We aren't exactly the popular kid in school. However, an event like the World Cup can only help our cause. We are all human, and a game like this reminds us of that. A silly game. Sometimes it is that simple.

USA! USA! USA!