O'Leary Lantern
My view of the game.
Waiting for Soccer |
| My memories of professional soccer in Chicago are like those of most
non-soccer fans. During the heyday of the North American Soccer League (NASL), I followed
baseball, and I was only aware of the Sting when the outfield grass of Wrigley Field was
marred by their chalk lines. Soccer came to the attention of the sportscasters if there
was ten seconds to fill in a broadcast. Their condescension toward the "Der
Shting" seemed borne of a happiness that something in sports was held in more
derision than sportscasters.
Read the rest |
It's Fire |
| It was the kind of Chicago weather when the unlicensed peddlers at el
stops don't know whether to display sunglasses or umbrellas. The press conference to
announce the name of our new Major League Soccer team was being held outside near Navy
Pier. Apparently it was by invitation only, but a neighborhood newspaper printed the time
and location, so I decided to crash it. Read the rest |
The Playmaker |
| Walking past a guy in shorts, I grinned and mentally rechecked the date.
It was December 16th in Chicago, and the weather was mild, but not that mild. I
still needed my gloves that had been inadequate the week before, but someone in shorts was
a good omen. Pausing on my way to a Chicago Fire press conference, I studied the celebrity
handprints pressed into cement on the wall of the former "Morrie Mages Sports
Store." Willy Roy and Karl Heinz-Granitza had passed this way too. Read the rest |
Some Foreign Field |
| My travels have taken me to a couple of matches in England. It is fun to
see their game and the fans are interested in a Yank who follows "footy." I get
asked why I like football and why the rest of America doesnt. Read the rest |
| Hands down the strangest conversation I ever had about soccer was with
Vu, a former Viet Cong soldier, in Hue, Vietnam. I was on a military history tour with a
British group and my husband and I were the only Americans. Neither of us had been to
Vietnam before, but like all Americans, we have a history there. Read the rest |
Soccer
Literature ~A forum for soccer writers to share their work
Fanzines
~List of MLS fanzines
Maybe
Later . . . ~A Creative NonfictionWebzine
My Vietnam Related Websites:
Women in
Vietnam ~ Read about ALL the women who served . . .
Dusty's Home
Page ~ Poetry and prose by a woman who was a nurse in Vietnam
The
Irish on the Wall ~ An effort to locate the Irish who died in Vietnam
Tim
O'Brien's Home Page ~ National Book Award Winner and Americal Vet
Emily's Poetry
~ By a Red Cross Donut Dolly
Shrapnel in
the Heart ~ The most moving book you will read on Vietnam
All About
Vietnam ~ An annotated bibliography of books about Vietnam for
sale thru Amazon Worldwide!
Battle
Dressing ~ The Journey of a Nurse in Vietnam
Project Hearts
and Minds ~ Help put Viet Nam back together
Photos
from a Holts' Military History Tour ~ My trip to Vietnam, February 1998
My Other Websites:
Maybe
Later . . . ~ My Creative Nonfiction
Irish
in Korea ~ Irish men and women who gave their lives in the Korean War
Literature
of the Korean War ~ Don't let the literature be forgotten
Samuel
Pepys ~ One of my favorite authors
Chicago
Theatre Z - A ~ This is the best theater town in the country!
Soccer
Literature ~ I'm a fan and I read
O'Leary Lantern
~ Fire! Fire! Fire!
Gil
Thorp ~ THE Coach (apologies to The General!)
Poetry
of the First World War ~ Owen, Hardy and others
Chi-COW-go
~ Cowz plus Commentary (this used to be a cow town)
Graham
Fulton, Scottish Poet ~ Charles Manson Auditions for the Monkees
Other Important Websites:
The
Truth About Caroline ~ a really good Young Adult book by
my niece, Stacey M. Lane Grosh
Remember
Oklahoma City ~
The Civil Service and Military will
NEVER forget!
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| Page last updated April 16, 2004 | |