From the brilliant mind (well, Instagram) of American hero Clinto Dempsey — “Bocanegra and Cherundolo playing piggy back.”
Via GFOP Chase Tingley.
Brandon Day made sure all GFOPs were dutifully represented at the United States’ 3-3 draw with El Salvador on Monday. Let the boys not forget to climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, till they find their dream.
Come on you Von Trapps.
A heartbreaking draw for the US last night against El Salvador. The late equalizer eliminates the Americans from Olympic qualifying. But the future is still bright. And it looks like this.
If the new US Men’s National Team jerseys look familiar, it may be because they are. The Nazis wore them in 1981 flick Victory… Spotter’s Badge goes to GFOP Tim Huddlestone.
Thanks to the interwebs, we now know the design for both the U.S. men’s national team home and away kits for 2012-13. Early signs pointing to the end of the world in 2012 prove the Mayans accurate. We welcome your thoughts in the comments.
(While the internet never lies, these jerseys are in fact leaks and might not be accurate. We know those of you who love stone wash will be gutted.)
After Wayne Rooney’s double against Liverpool, GFOP Jordan White wonders whether Wazza should get grandfathered into the US national team since it’s clear Butch Cassidy is his great grandfather.
In case you missed last week’s pod, we urge you to listen to the interview with forgotten U.S. legend Gerry Baker. And after, if so compelled, please email the US Soccer Hall of Fame to consider Baker’s induction.
On this week’s pod, we have the honor of interviewing 73-year-old Gerry Baker, former US international and the first American ever to score a hat trick in top-flight English soccer.
Last week we enlisted your help to find Gerry after Clint Dempsey’s impressive hat trick against Newcastle was headline-making news. Dempsey’s achievement was remarkable, although Baker had achieved a similar feat 51 years earlier and his whereabouts were then unknown. Thanks to your help, we located Gerry. To record his story was to tap into the rich and complex footballing history that flows through this nation’s veins.
Putting aside the false dawns and hyperbolic predictions, the American soccer tradition tells some textured tales if you know where to listen. And to have the opportunity to interview Baker and hear about his experiences playing for the US National team in the 60’s, when the majority of the players were foreign-born citizens plying a semi-pro trade in the New York metropolitan area’s German American Soccer League, was a thrill we will not soon forget.
Despite his achievements, Baker is not a member of the US Soccer Hall of Fame. We encourage listeners to drop the Hall a line at halloffame@ussoccer.org and urge them to reconsider. If the number of entries we received for our inaugural MiB Craft Comeptition to design a more realistic looking “hairpiece” for Wayne Rooney is anything to go by, you will do the legacy of Gerry Baker proud.
Something to clean your palate after the Arsenal mess on FOX. Clint Dempsey becomes the first American to score a hat-trick in the Premier League.
While the Men in Blazers take a break, we thought you might enjoy the following poster that perched above Producer Greg’s bed in Nebraska for many, many years. The Official Unofficial Poster of the 1994 U.S. National Team. Denim kits. Nonchalance. A head of hair for Brad Friedel. And mom jeans. Lots of mom jeans.
We wish all GFOPs a 2012 packed with health, happiness and the best things in life: football, blazers, Boddies and the occasional wafer. Here’s to the year ahead.
