Thursday, September 25, 2008

how football makes the world go round


Hello Folks,

These are pictures of me with Iraqi guards who protect our compound at night and also play football with me in the evenings. The one in white that is not me is losing his job tomorrow because their contract is ending.

Today we played the beautiful game together for what might be the last time.

I cried when I came back to my room. I hardly even know the dude, but I am sad to see him leave the compound. Sometimes you get over-emotional about these things when you live alone and rely a helluva lot on strangers to help you out, keep company, etc.


In other news,

We have names for our Oldies players:

Saddam Hussein--in the middle
George Bush--on the right
Bill Clinton--that's Imad, who's leaving
Condi Rice--not pictured here
and....MR. ZERO --the number on my Bosnia jersey

Today we played against a few kids of one of the shopkeepers on the compound.....pretty even game. They are young and strong and we are old and mean, so it worked out pretty well.

The photos below are from a little montage we did with a real AK...pretending to shoot a football...get it??? Luckily, as you will see from the bottom picture, I missed. Even from point-blank I am a crap shot, and that goes for soccer as well.

However, I will tell you a story from yesterday's practice. I was the only one of all the guys on the field that hit the net with a blindfold on from the penalty spot.

Viva the beautiful game!

Love and peace to all.








socc

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