FC Buffalo & Soccer

Posts on the Blitzers and other soccer related stories.

A Trip Over the Pond

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When I first started thinking about making the trip overseas to see the Bills in London it was sort of like how you “plan” a trip with your buddies after having a few too many beers. Making the trip seemed like it would be great but I wasn’t sure if I’d actually pull it off.

But after some actual planning, the trip actually came together and the Bills were a primary piece of the itinerary for an eight-day jaunt to London.IMG_1801

It’s been a while since I even looked at the 2ITB Sports Bucket List and while seeing the Bills in Wembley never seemed like something I’d ever consider, the game wound up as another check mark on the list. The trip also afforded me a handful of other cool sporting experiences which I’ll share along the way. Continue reading →

2ITB Header Design contest

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About a month ago I chose to run with a new design/theme for the site. The change over led me to abandon the header image I had used previously and adopt the plain blue and white header you see now.

But I feel the time has come to put a new header image up so that I can continue to grow my #brand. Or something. So I’m holding a design contest, of sorts, to pick a new site header. The contest is open to literally anyone and everyone and the winning designer will receive a 2ITB Prize Pack (some hats), so you won’t be doing this pro-bono. Well, sort of pro-bono since there won’t be any money involved, but you still get some cool stuff if you win.

Here are the stipulations for the design contest:

– The header image must be 1000×200 in size.

– The image should incorporate the Sabres, the city of Buffalo and/or the Bills. All three don’t need to be included, but the image should pull on each of these in some way.

– The image needs to incorporate “Two in the Box”, because #brand.

– Be creative. I’m not adverse to overly unique designs and I’m open to new things. So don’t shy away from an idea because you’re worried I’ll hate it. I will add that I’ve grown to like the clean look of the page with the basic blue header, so I’d be partial to a clean, uncluttered design, but I’m truly open to anything.

– Designs should be sent in to 2intheboxbuffalo@gmail.com

Feel free to send along any questions you might have along with tagging your entry on Twitter using #2ITBDesign. I’ll be sharing my favorite designs via Twitter as well.

 

1000 x 220

FC Buffalo, get them a stadium

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After a couple seasons, I was finally able to make my way up to All-High Stadium to catch an FC Buffalo home match.

The final result was less than favorable in a game tainted by officiating so terrible you had to wonder if they were on the payroll. However, I really enjoyed taking in the game with a few hundred other fans on a very nice Thursday Friday evening. Based on what I saw, FC Buffalo has a small and loyal following that is allowing the team to start getting its fingers into some more curious and casual soccer fans. The product is adequate for the level that the team is currently at. This is a semi-pro league with some very good athletes who are capable of putting on an entertaining live game. Lastly, the Blitzers’ royal blue kits are a thing of beauty that wouldn’t be out of place when comparing kits from the MLS.

In talking to a few people at the game, it certainly seems as if there is a continued upward trajectory with this club. As of right now they’re making slow improvements, but it certainly seems as if there is a noticeable upward trend to what is going on with the club. As someone who is very much a casual soccer fan, I wouldn’t dare speculate or try to draw conclusions about the club, but from seeing one game it is obvious that there is a solid foundation to build on with FC Buffalo.

Personally, I’d love to see them play their home games at a better venue. Not to say All-High Stadium is inadequate, because it is actually an ideal venue for the size of the current crowds, but I think that tying FC Buffalo to a multi-use venue somewhere in the city would be a wise move. Continue reading →

World Cup Final set

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Spain advanced to the World Cup final on a late header from Carles Puyol this afternoon. They will meet the Netherlands on Sunday in Johannesburg for the 2010 World Cup.

These guys are Dutch, so am I (sort of). They will face Spain in the World Cup Final on Sunday.

While almost my entire family is Irish, my last name is Dutch. Therefore, I get to root for my “ancestors” come Sunday evening.

Continue reading →

Early goals eliminate USA

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The United States soccer team put the entire nation on their backs and took us for a 3-week ride through the World Cup.

Unfortunately, weak links defensively and a penchant for allowing early goals finally caught up with the Yanks in their second-round match with Ghana.

Landon Donovan nets a penalty kick goal in the USAs 2-1 loss to Ghana this afternoon.

Continue reading →

The worst part of the World Cup

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The vuvuzelas aren’t that bad. If you watch enough games you get used to the din of the South African horns. In fact, I think it is cool that the host country has a cool tradition like this and I’m glad it is being embraced…sort of.

I could handle vuvuzelas all day compared to some of the ads being run this year.

The worst part of watching the World Cup is having to watch the awful, and I mean AWFUL, commercials that Nike and Adidas have put out for the tournament. Now, I have to give Nike credit because of their use of Homer Simpson in their Ronaldo ad, that bit was very funny. But, the rest of the “Write the Future” ads are terrible. The worst of the bunch comes at the beginning of the video posted below. Tell me why the Ivory Coast would celebrate as a nation before Drogba’s goal was in the net? And, tell me why Nike thought that idiotic Cannavaro song and party was a good idea?

The Adidas “The Quest” are equally bad. This commercial is lame, strange and over the top. I just didn’t like the commercial from the minute I saw it. Overall I was creeped out by it and I think Adidas should have reevaluated before giving final approval on the ad.

I’m sure both companies were looking at a visionary approach to putting out their products. But, I think they went a few steps too far in taking the next step. Maybe these commercial would have been better suited for the 2014 World Cup.

Azzurri a-bye-bye

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The defending World Cup champions have been ousted. Italy fell to Slovakia 3-2 today and finished last in group F. The Azzurri join 2006 finalists France as powerhouses to not make it through to the second round. It is the first time in the history of the World Cup that this has occurred.

Italy was bounced from the World Cup today, marking the first time the defending champions have not advanced to the second round.

Continue reading →