This is a continuation of the previous three posts that talked about the USA competing in the FIFA Confederations Cup which is perhaps the biggest FIFA soccer tournament outside of the World Cup. The greatest part of all was the fact that I could watch all the games from right here in my home in Charlotte North Carolina!

In the last post I left you with the USA beating the number one soccer team in the world, Spain, 2-0! It is one of the greatest victories ever for the USA. This win put us into the Final against Brazil! If you know anything about soccer, then you know that Brazil is a dominant superpower in the international soccer world. According to everyone in the sports and soccer world, the US did not stand a chance in this unlikely championship match up.

BUT, this was the first time the US has even made it to a Final of a FIFA tournament! So this was a big, a giant step for US soccer!

We got off to a GREAT start in the game! Clint Dempsey scored a nice goal off a cross from defender Jonathan Spector. The goal was very very similar to the goal Dempsey scored against Egypt that put us through to the semifinals. This time it was a side volley instead of a header. He didn’t really get all of the ball like he wanted to, but it was enough to direct it past the keeper and into the corner of the net! USA led 1-0!!!

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This is a continuation of the previous two posts that talked about the USA competing in the FIFA Confederations Cup which is perhaps the biggest FIFA soccer tournament outside of the World Cup. The greatest part of all this tournament was the fact that I could watch all the games from right here in my home in Charlotte North Carolina!

In yesterday’s post we saw how the USA moved on miraculously to the semi-final round! BUT, they could not celebrate long because their opponent was the NUMBER ONE TEAM IN THE WORLD - Spain. The Spain National team actually had not lost in 35 games… dating back to years ago! They had won fifteen straight games as well. With some of the best players in the world like Fernando Torres, Cesc Fabregas, and Xavi Alonso, the USA did not stand a chance.

But we came out firing on them! Jozy Altidore - America’s number one rising sensation and our brightest star for the future of American soccer - is only a nineteen year old kid who happens to play professionally in Europe at Villa Real in Spain… in the Primera. Jozy started at forward for the USA and earned his keep when he put the first goal in the back of the net in the 27th minute. It was a nice goal that he worked HARD for!

Clint Dempsey’s later goal was similar in that it was just a goal he got from working hard and being at the right place at the right time!
The USA held on to beat the best team in the world 2-0. Colossal victory for U.S. soccer!

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This is a continuation of the previous post that talked about the USA in the FIFA Confederations Cup which is perhaps the biggest FIFA soccer tournament outside of the World Cup. (You can read the previous post to catch up.) The greatest part of all this tournament was the fact that I could watch all the games from right here in my home in Charlotte North Carolina!

As I said in the previous post the US soccer team was basically out of this tournament after losing those first two games! They entered into the last game of the group stage against a very good Egypt team that almost beat Brazil earlier in the week! They still had an astronomical chance of going through to the next round!

Here is how they could make it through: First of all, the USA would HAVE to beat Egypt 3-0. No questions asked. If Egypt even scored one goal, it was all over. Also, Brazil had to beat Italy 3-0 OR by at least FOUR goals if Italy happened to score a goal! This was a tall tall order and very very unlikely.

So, the US did not even play their regular starting keeper, Tim Howard - who is also their main international star and their best talent on the team.

But, the USA scored a goal fairly early in the game. And Brazil went up early in their game which was being played simultaneously in another part of South Africa where this tournament was taking place. Brazil ended up taking care of business, so it was up to USA to win at least 3-0… and that they did! Clint Dempsey scoring the third goal on a beautiful header in the side net!

USA moved on to the knockout round!

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The US Men’s National Soccer team was invited to play in the Fifa Confederations Cup this June! It is one of Fifa’s biggest tournaments outside of the World Cup of course. Thankfully I could watch every game from the comfort of my couch because all of the games aired on ESPN. So thanks to DVR through Time Warner Cable in Charlotte, I have been able to watch every game of the tournament! It has been fun!

The US team got entered into the “Group of Death” along with some of the best soccer teams in the world. The US had to play the defending World Cup Champions, Italy in their first game of group play. And then one of the most dominant teams of all time in international soccer, Brazil! We lost both of those first two games!

We had the lead on Italy, but also lost a man due to a red card in the first half. We ended up losing 3-1 after having a 1-0 lead. VERY disappointing. THEN we were spanked by Brazil, 3-0

I have never personally heard of any team making it through to the playoff round of a tournament after losing the first two games! It is almost mathematically impossible.

Going into our third game against Egypt, who is one of the up and coming teams in the world, we were basically just playing for pride… not to make it through to the next round because that was basically impossible. I guess you will have to check in on the next post to see what happened!

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Growing up in Charlotte North Carolina, watching the NBA Draft used to be a favorite past time of mine as a kid. I used to love to watch all the hype that evening, be excited about who the Charlotte Hornets drafted and then dream about them turning the franchise around!

Maybe there were thousands of more kids in Charlotte tonight with the same kind of excitement. My wife and I watched the NBA Draft tonight (she was watching one for the first time) and it brought back some of those memories.

Now instead of dreaming for the sake of my home team Charlotte Hornets, it is for the sake of our very own expansion team Charlotte Bobcats. We have never made the playoffs in franchise history - although our first year we played and would have been able to make the playoffs was only 2005. I guess you always dream that your new crop of draft picks will catapult you into the playoffs.

Last night I was REALLY hoping that Charlotte North Carolina native Stephen Curry would SOMEHOW slip down to the twelfth pick where the Charlotte Bobcats could select him. He was definitely the best shooter in this year’s Draft. But of course he was gone because he was selected by the Warriors with the seventh pick.

We didn’t pick ANY of the Carolina Tarheel boys either! = Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, or Danny Green.
We picked a Duke player instead! Gerald Henderson, welcome to Charlotte. We hope you like the city and we also hope you can help the Bobcats make the playoffs this season!

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This is part three of three blog posts in a row about who the Charlotte Bobcats will select in the upcoming NBA Rookie Draft tomorrow (Thursday) night. All the basketball fans here in Charlotte North Carolina are on the edges of their seats getting ready to watch the draft tomorrow night! Especially Bobcats fans as their team holds the number twelve pick in the draft!

The previous two picks focused on what Jordan and Coach Brown think of the two main prospects for our twelfth pick = Gerald Williams and Terrence Williams.

Big hands are a big deal to Jordan. Williams described what he called the “Michael Jordan Test,” where every Bobcats draft candidate is asked to palm a basketball with each hand, moving it to the left and right without losing grip.

After the workout, Henderson and Williams each was asked what they’d do best as a Bobcat.

Henderson answered, “Defensively, I can bring a presence – really defend somebody out on the perimeter. Coach Brown was preaching that all through the workout and I can bring that.”

Williams answered, “Play basketball – and what I mean by that is defense, rebounding, getting assists. Cheering your teammates up, having fun – I think I do all those things well.

“There are things I need to tune up, like consistently shooting the ball, but that comes with (growing in) the game.

“It’s (about) taking fewer ill-advised shots. One game I shoot great and the next two games I shoot badly because of bad shots.” I say stop taking the bad shots then.

I hope we make an amazing pick tomorrow night! Our track record on making draft picks has been POOR at best! Hopefully that will turn around this year.

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(This is a follow up post to yesterday’s blog about who the Bobcats will pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.)

The Bobcats are not the only team trying to decide between Gerald Henderson and Terrence Williams. Both players will be in New Jersey for a second workout with the Nets, who hold the 11th pick. Syracuse point guard Johnny Flynn, North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough and Italian pro Brandon Jennings are also expected to be at this “try out”.

Monday’s workout came together over the weekend and managing partner Michael Jordan was there too with the players. That added to the sense of how serious the Bobcats are about Henderson and Williams. Jordan hadn’t been at any previous workouts this spring.

There was a contrast, too, in how Henderson and Williams reacted to Jordan’s presence. Williams was deferential. Henderson took some North Carolina-Duke grief from Jordan, and said he wasn’t afraid to give it right back.

“He’s talking all that Carolina mess,” Henderson joked. “He says he had his old (practice) shorts on underneath his jeans. He said if he took them off, I’d be scared to death. He’s always talking junk.

“This is definitely Carolina territory. But it’s cool – I can give it back to them.”

Williams said he was initially rattled by Jordan’s presence.

“Too much pressure. I’m sweating when we’re just stretching because he’s over there sitting down. It’s not reality that I’m here with the greatest,” Williams said of the man he called “Mr. Jordan.”

“He said he loves how I play – passing the ball and playing defense. He didn’t know my hands were that big – as big as his.”

Thursday is the big day! Let’s see who Jordan decides to pick?

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The Charlotte Bobcats have the twelfth pick in this weeks NBA Rookie Draft. Who do YOU think they will pick?

This week they had players in for workouts. It seems they are choosing between the pure shooting guard and the all around ball handler.

That is how Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown is comparing Duke’s Gerald Henderson and Louisville’s Terrence Williams.

Those two were back here in Charlotte today for a second workout before Thursday’s draft. Each would be a great fit to be the Bobcats’ backup shooting guard (behind Raja Bell). Each has potential to be a great defender at the NBA level. Both of them are good enough to be the Bobcats’ twelfth pick.

But these two players are different, like Coach Brown said.

“Gerald, in my mind, is a (pure) two…and I think he has more room to grow”, Brown said. “He’s not as far along in terms of his basketball ability. I don’t think he’s even come close to tapping what he’s capable of doing.

“Terrence can play more than one position – he’s a little bigger and stronger (than Henderson) right now. He’s like a point forward in some regards who can play (shooting guard or small forward) equally comfortably. I believe he’ll bring the ball down against the press against some teams.”

It’s not even a sure thing that either Henderson or Williams will last until the number twelve pick, but it’s possible they both will. No telling what the Bobcats would do if they have that choice, but it would be a pleasant problem.

“They’re both lottery picks, in my mind, without question,” Brown said. “I think they’re both going to have really, really long NBA careers and be very, very productive.”

On Thursday we will all see who the Bobcats choose.

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Today was Father’s Day in Charlotte North Carolina… well, actually it was Father’s Day all over the world. Well, now I am wondering if they actually celebrate Father’s Day in other countries? In non western countries? I am not sure but now I am interested to google it. Anyway, it is definitely Father’s Day here across our country.

Yesterday was a fun Father’s Day here in Charlotte. I am not a father, but I got to spend a lot of the day with my dad! It was kind of like “bring your dad to work day” because my dad spent a couple hours of his Father’s Day coming to hang out with me at work and help me do the manual labor I was doing over near South Park Mall in the South Charlotte area! It was pretty cool to spend that time with him.

We rode back to my house when we were done up in North Charlotte near Northlake Mall.

Then we went over to my dad’s house for a little Father’s Day shindig. He lives in Farmwood in Mint Hill North Carolina which is in the southeast part of Charlotte. My mom made a special chicken and rice that is both one of me and my dad’s favorite meals. My wife came over too to celebrate with us after she got off work from the hospital. She works at CMC University in the University area of Charlotte (next to UNCC).

We had a great time with a great dad! Just a time to hang out, relax, and spend time together.

What did you do for Father’s Day?

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I have been writing recently about the economy here in America and more specifically here in the city where I live, Charlotte North Carolina.

Obviously, everyone is talking about the economy and the “recession” we are in. About how “bad” things are for us financially. Well, I am full of positivity. I like to look at the positive side of things.

I am currently reading a book by Rob Bell. He is a pastor in Michigan who has taught me a lot through the years. Maybe I will write more about him in another post. For now I just wanted to share some statistics with you to put this whole “American economy recession” into perspective:

- 1 billion people don’t have access to clean water, while the average American uses 400-600 liters per day.
- “Every 7 seconds, somewhere in the world a child under age 5 dies of hunger, while Americans throw away 14% of the food we purchase.”
- Almost 1 billion people live on less than $1 a day plus another 2.5 billion live on less than $2 a day.
- So, more than half the world lives on less than $2 a day, while the average American teenager spends nearly $150 a week!
- 40% of people in world lack basic sanitation, while 49 million diapers are used and thrown away in America every day.
- 1.6 billion have no electricity, nearly 1 billion can’t read or sign their name, nearly 1 million children are denied basic education.
- By far MOST people in world don’t own a car… probably 90%! But 1/3 of American families own 3 cars!
- 1 in 7 children worldwide (158 million) has to go to work every day just to survive.
- Americans spend more annually on trash bags than nearly half of the world does on all goods!

Does that put things in perspective a little bit? Maybe I will follow up with some thoughts on this tomorrow. Do YOU have any thoughts in the mean time?

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