http://groups.msn.com/kevin-van-hoo...snw?action=get_message&mview=1&ID_Message=334 what players did you already saw in real life click on the link so see pictures of me and the ones i saw in real i have pictures with Hanna Ljungberg, Marta, Prinz and many more
As far as the USWNT, only Foudy and Markgraf (formerly Sobrero). That was at Columbus Crew Stadium in 2002 v. Scotland. Cindy Parlow also waved at me when I got into my seat very early on in the practice; I was wearing my Atlanta Beat jersey, and sitting way off on my own in the bleachers. Others include Mary Kate Noftsinger of the Freedom and Charmaine Hooper of the Beat and CWNT. And someone else on the Freedom.
I've met a ton of players, most all of them played in the WUSA. Of course, I was media, so it doesn't really count. Nice photos! But that's a most hideous, foul, TERRIBLE black jersey you're wearing at the end. I should take pity on you and send you a Djurgården shirt to cover up with. But for what it's worth, I would like to meet: Ragnhild Gulbrandsen, Isabell Herlovsen, Ingvild Stensland, Frida Ostberg, Victoria Svensson, Faye White, Hope Powell and of course, Bente Nordby.
I notice you're not smiling in the Prinz photo. --- Mostly WUSA players here, as well. Pretty much all of the Atlanta Beat players. Some you might know are Homare Sawa, Sun Wen, Maribel Dominguez, Cindy Parlow, Charmaine Hooper, Scurry, etc. Met Abby Wambach, Brandi Chastain, and several others at the WUSA festival in Blaine, MN a few years ago.
One weekend during the 2003 WWC, I was sitting at Bill Armstrong Stadium watching the Indiana University women play. I was there with my then girlfriend and two of my female HS players. Right before halftime, I looked back and saw a woman sitting by herself away from everyone. I told my players, "hey, that's Charmaine Hooper." They didn't believe me because it was only like 1 or 2 days after Canada was bounced from the WWC. Knowing the timeframe, I could hardly believe it myself. Just before halftime, I went up and introduced myself. She was very polite and still sporting some serious bruises. I told her how much I completely respected her performance in the WWC, especially considering that she had just been forced to change positions. She then looked at me and said, "which performance of mine was your favorite?" I snickered, because this was an obvious attempt to find out if I was a real fan or a poser. I vented on about one of her matches. She smiled and asked why the girls I was with hadn't come over. I explained they were shy. She invited them over and we got some great group photos. Fun day. BTW, she was there in support of the IU keeper - who had recently been called into camp for Canada.
Lots of Freedom players: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/StarCityFan/meettheteam02b.html http://mywebpages.comcast.net/StarCityFan/WF2003.html http://mywebpages.comcast.net/StarCityFan/Soccer2006.html Plus Cat Whitehill and Christie Welsh: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/StarCityFan/Soccer2005.html (scroll to the bottom)
While in LA in the summer of 2005 for a couple of Galaxy games, I stayed in the same hotel as the entire national team in Manhattan Beach. They were there preparing for a game against Iceland. I didn't interact with them though.
Michele Akers at several clinics and matches in the early 90's. Very accessible person. Actually, most of the USWNT at various times through the '90s, including being a van driver for them and Australia in '96 (I think). At a cold and windy practice a net blew over that could have taken Scurry out of the picture. Also got a great pic of Katelyn Rose bundled up in a USWNT pullover with a belt made from med tape. My favourite meeting was a dinner at Legal Sea Foods in Cambridge, post-WWC'99. A friend won six tickets for the event. She, her boyfriend, their three kids *plus me*. I have a WWC'99 bumper sticker signed by all the team from that meal. In the early '90s you could just walk up to the team bench at the field or at a practice and chat with the players. Not any more. However, you can meet the stars of the future in a similar environment by attending U15, U16, or U17 matches at regional competitions. The National Amateur Cup was played in NH one year and I had a great chat with the U15 players and their coach (April Heinrichs). As Bonnie mentioned, the WUSA provided a lot of access for those with or without press credentials. Actually, I found having a press pass was a drawback 'cause I had to act (somewhat) professionally. Listening to Mia Hamm rant about the USWNT or watching Brandi Chastain bare her thigh to show off a rug burn from the Field Turf ... A friend of a friend photographed the pre-WWC'99 event where Mia and Nomar met. I have a nice collage of pics from that.
Depends. Poor, poor Dagny Melgren. I asked to interview her after a Beat game. Well, I asked her three questions about the game and run of play, etc. I then asked her no less than 5 questions about a then-injured Ragnhild Gulbrandsen. I'll add her name to the list of people who (deservedly) want to smack the shit out of me. nat, were you in downtown Boston with the rest of us after the Founder's Cup?
Sadly, I missed the debauchery. (I never was much of a stalker. ) I will say that my son got quite an education that day.
Really? Do I really want to know? Because there's not a lot about that day I remember other than drinking and meeting Gro Espeseth and Doris Fitschen and uh, drinking some more. And Sun Wen crying on Parlow's shoulder.
I talked to Heather O at a game in Birmingham. She wasn't playing, she just walks up into the stands and sits down. Then me and my dad got in an argument over whether she was a player or not. LOL. So I talked to her to prove it. And one of the WUSA players stalked me on AIM and bitched me out for makin a joke.
Oh yeah right! I'm not saying. Big brother is watching. But it just involved a sarcastic photo caption.
Basically anybody that played for the Freedom from 2001-03. And yes, I was at the Boston party after the first final, will not forget that night, entire C-Rays team and a few other WUSA dignitaries (including being thrown piss-drunk in front of Kristine Lilly by fellow fans and stammering for what to say, a pathetic image she's probably still trying to shake). Highlight was a group of us fans hanging with Brandi Chastain, she was too damn cool. The best random encounter I had was last summer in Colorado at a W-League game - Went to see Fort Collins-Seattle just to see Michelle French play one more time and who do I end up sitting next to but Stephanie Lopez (she was visiting a couple of Pilot friends who played for the Force). What was embarrassing was I didn't even know who she was at the time until they announced her prescence over the PA. Got to talk a fair amount with her and I wish I could have appreciated the experience more at the time, she was quite nice. The other semi-random encounter that stands out was watching a WUSA game in a bar and having Michelle French, Siri Mullinix, and Lou Lieberman sit across from me. Then having it rain cats and dogs outside after the final whistle and getting a ride to the Metro with them. Other random encounters include waiting in line with Emily Janss at a Baja Fresh near where I lived in Maryland and seeing Ronnie Fair in the NYC subway.
Just remembered one of my favourite encounters. During WWC'99, after a match in Foxboro, I waited to see the Chinese team after their game. A lot of players came through the fan zone to board the bus, but no Sun Wen. All of the fans left and I hung out just enjoying the day when she came out from the interview zone with a handler pushing her towards the bus. I called her name and she looked over, but was admonished by the handler to get on the bus. She got this mischievous smile and spun past the handler as she had many defenders on the pitch to jog over to sign my program. Another, not so fun, signature was Milbrett's on the match report after her WUSA hat trick - against the Breakers.
I remember there being a moment, but damned if I can recall the specifics ... Knowing the two of us, it couldn't have been nice. (PM me, Ron. Nat already has) Don't forget me getting into a drunken pissing contest with a certain GK after complimenting Julie Murray for being 'the only ********ing reason I bother watching the Cyberrays' and getting poked by Lakeyshia Beene for wearing a Beat t-shirt that night. Ahhh. Good times, good times. And yes, Brandi Chastain is too cool for words. Everyone that night was laid back and had a great time.