The World Cup starts this week (or has started, depending on how long this post gets/where it falls in the shuffle because invariably the only time deeg posts come is when they come in bunches), but since the Group draws I haven’t been following it much, mostly due to the fact that it seems very unlikely that the US will play more than three games. Normally I’d still be very excited about my backup team (well, 2nd backup since Ireland didn’t qualify) the Netherlands, but two things have dampened that: one, I have been unable to find my Holland track jacket I bought in a haze on the streets of Amsterdam ten years ago (really as safe an impulse buy one can have in such a state in that city) and two, it’s come to my attention Jeremy White also roots for them, which isn’t as bad as sharing the Red Sox with Pats fans but is damn well close. Either way, I like to leave the soccer writing to the more capable.

For me that leaves the Bills, Sabres and Red Sox. I think there’s four or five of our readers that root for the latter, and as the tightly wound machine from last season unspools, I can’t bring myself to get mad at them. I mean, not as a team anyways, of course there’s individual players that are easy to hate (Pierzynski for one, who for a guy who I’ve always heard described as “I hate him, but I’d love him on my team,” is actually really easy to hate when he is on your team), but are really just showing how improbable last season was and how much I should enjoy that. See, occasionally I’ll wonder what we would all be like not just when the Sabres or Bills reach the promised land, but how we would be the year after, after the parade, after the hangover, free agency, the draft, training camp and the preseason. I’d like to think I wouldn’t much care how they did defending their title, or if I did, that I would continually remind myself of the memories from the previous year and to be thankful. This year’s Red Sox team is a perfect example of why that should be the case. It’s a slog again, anemic hitting, a tire fire pitching rotation, a manager that seems completely befuddled on an almost nightly basis. But last season happened, it was glorious, it was more than so many baseball fans have gotten to experience in decades, and to be angry that Gomes and Buchholz suck now would just be kinda dickish, right?

So yeah, that just leaves the Buffalo teams. Don’t worry, this will only be tangentially about one of them, and also don’t worry, I’m not going to go on another “what does this all mean” post about the talent slowing ebbing away from Western New York; I may be in the- what, my town has THREE FUCKING AREA CODES?- but I still try to be as attuned to the Buffalo sports scene as I can without popping facial capillaries in an icy rage. All seems quiet with the Sabres, although that might simply be because half the fanbase woke up a month ago and decided being a Kings fan would kick ass. I don’t know, the draft is soon, plus there’s whatever washed up corpse the Sabres decide to sign in free agency and inexplicably make captain. There’s also the imminent Scott and Weber re-signings because the front office is so insecure in the team’s shittiness they need to make it obvious. Trust me, they’re shitty, you don’t need to push more Scott shirtsies on us to make us aware. Also, it appears the monkeys who run the marketing department at least figured there was no need to put out a “best games of the season” re-run series this summer because there were only two good games, one was on NBCSN, and the other is Miller’s last game which more people would remember as Steve Ott’s last game because again, half the fans of the team need not only a lobotomy, but a full brain scrambling with those tools from the end of Shutter Island.

Disclaimer: What you are about to listen to is an absolute disaster of a podcast and we cannot be held responsible for any physical, mental, or even spiritual trauma you may face as a result. I know we say that the CrapTastiCast is a train wreck almost every week, but this time the DGWU crew took it to a whole new level.

On Saturday, the entire DGWU crew (minus Megsie) set out on a road trip adventure from NYC to lovely East Stroudsburg, PA to watch our beloved FC Buffalo take on the Pocono Snow in some NPSL action. We then ventured onto Main Street to find a bar and watch Team USA take on Mexico in the Gold Cup final. What transpired was pure chaos....and we recorded snippets of it for your listening pleasure(?).
 
A few items to keep in mind as you listen:

1.) There are four separate segments of the podcast, all recorded at different times throughout the trip. The first was at 5:45 pm before any alcohol was consumed, and the fourth we can only guess was sometime around midnight, after MUCH consumption. Don't worry, each section is short and the entire episode only runs a little over 30 minutes. In between each segment, also listen for quick snippets of songs that we rocked out to during this epic road trip to Hell. THERE WERE HILL PEOPLE!

2.) Speaking of the songs, you may notice that the seamless transitions that you normally hear in the podcast between music and talking are not quite as smooth. That's what happens when Megsie and Mondee are not here to produce the podcast, and instead you have the Scizz with a twelve year old Mac trying to edit it together. He did his best!!! (sidenote: Megsie and Mondee are the greatest people alive for dealing with us toolbags as much as they do)


3.) You may also notice some sound effects during the third and fourth segments. They were obviously placed there to cover up....well, we will let you use your imagination.

What will you actually hear in episode 11?  We discuss the glorious 24 hours that preceded our trip in which a basic human right was given to everyone in the state of New York, NuDarcy pulled off a fantastic trade, the NHL draft took place and the Bills revealed their newest cash cow. We also almost die. Seriously. Listen early on, around the 3:50 mark to hear our near-death experience.

The rest of the podcast is also quite exciting. We have an impromptu interview in the parking lot with an FC Buffalo player (sorry for the shitty audio), hide beers from security guards, rip on the AWFUL officiating, lead Buffalo chants throughout a bar, chat with some new and vulgar friends, talk about Zombieland and Johnny Depp, and finally Yachtsman and Scizz fight to the death in the middle of Main Street in downtown East Stroudsburg. We wish we were making that last part up.

Last but not least, listen closely to segment three after the Buffalo chants and the weird interview with a guy who thought Yachtsman was recording for his audio diary (yup, happened). An old friend of the CrapTastiCast joins us live for some soccer talk and hilarious commentary. This was a night for the history books. Download the episode by clicking the itunes button below or going to deargodwhyussports.libsyn.com. If you are new to the blog/podcast, also check out last week's episode. Streaming also available. Thanks for listening and all of the support! Cheers!

Welcome to a very special CrapTastiCast.  In fact, episode 9 is simply FanTastic. Instead of rambling on about it, let me re-post the Yachtsman's take on this episode from last week:

In this week's episode (9), we have an incredibly inspirational and in depth conversation on anything and everything to do with Buffalo and the trials and tribulations of trying to make things work there.....with special guest Nick Mendola! Definitely a representation of what we aspire to be in our more sober moments here at DGWU.

I'll say this: if you only listen to one of our Craptasticasts, a) eff yourself you aren't loyal and b) please listen to this one because it's one of the best we've had so far. We had an amazing conversation with Nick, and the topics/sentiments brought forward in that interview should be shared among forward-minded Buffalonians worldwide. (Don't scoff at that, you know we're all over the place)

As you most likely know, Nick hosts his own radio show for WECK 1230 on weekday afternoons.  He also has an excellent blog over at nickmendola.com and of course is a founder and co-owner ofFC Buffalo. We want to thank him again for coming on the show. He demonstrates a lot of what we strive for and his passion is what Buffalo needs right now. Download the podcast from iTunes below or at Libsyn. Good stuff here people. Spread the word.  

The Yachtsman


Weiners. Topical!

Anyway.

This week's Craptasticast is a Two-Fer, representing the best of DGWU and the absolute dredge worst. Part I is a continuation of the train wreck that was last week's cast, where we talk about topics such as "Scizz went to a camp called Jesus Your Compadre" and whether or not The Apologist was dead (he wasn't. and isn't). Part II on the other hand (available Monday) is an incredibly inspirational and in depth conversation on anything and everything to do with Buffalo and the trials and tribulations of trying to make things work there.....with special guest Nick Mendola! Definitely a representation of what we aspire to be in our more sober moments here at DGWU.

Yeah, you heard that right. Two podcasts, madre putanas. HENCE THE DICKENSIAN REFERENCE, BALL HAND.

I KNOW I COULDN'T CONTAIN MYSELF EITHER.

So please listen with a MASSIVE GRAIN OF SALT to Part I (Episode 8), wherein we introduce The Barrister, briefly mourn the death of The Apologist, and Scizz plays the "Really Embarrassing Names Of Camps I Attended When I Was Younger" Game (hint: he invented the game and is the only player ever.)

Part II (Episode 9), I'll say this: if you ever only listen to one of our Craptasticasts, a) eff yourself you aren't loyal and b) please listen to this one because it's one of the best we've had so far. We had an amazing conversation with Nick, and the topics/sentiments brought forward in that interview should be shared among forward-minded Buffalonians worldwide. (Don't scoff at that, you know we're all over the place)


Episode 8 is available for download by clicking the lovely itunes button or heading over to deargodwhyussports.libsyn.com.  You can also stream our nonsense from the audio-player below on your computer, iphone, or droid.  Episode 9 should be available Monday, so keep checking back for updates. Two podcast - Five days. Believe it.

The Scizz
Welcome to Part two of my off-season guide to keep you entertained until The Sabres and Bills are playing again.  On Thursday I dedicated the whole post to hockey and took you through all the events leading up to the first full year of the Pegula Era.  This week I explore football and all the other stuff to keep you occupied through the summer of 2011.  The Buffalo Bills, soccer, NASCAR, and baseball: pick your poison.

NFL Free Agency & Training Camp – No set dates                                    

Even with the lockout lifted, a new CBA still needs to take place, and until then the fans are being left in pigskin limbo.  With free agency unable to take place, no undrafted FA’s were able to signed and we still do not know what players will be restricted or unrestricted.  The one thing that I hope to God happens is that Donte Whitner leaves town.  After his last twitter tirade, he still said he is open to returning to Buffalo.  The self proclaimed football-Jesus needs to shut up and move on.  Also if he could get hit by a truck, that would be aaaaaaawesome.

When, or if free agency does open, the Bills still have many holes to fill, especially at QB, TE, OT, DB, & ILB (If Poz walks).  The Amish Rifle and Levi Brown are the only QB’s on the roster.  Do they add an experienced veteran like McNabb or Marc Bulger, or a mid-level guy like Tyler Thigpen or Matt Moore?  Either way, this is Fitzy’s team until they add a QB in the draft.  Andrew Luck, anyone???

As mentioned, they also need tons of other help.  2010 waiver wire pickup Scott Chandler is tops on the TE depth chart (Desmond Clark is most likely available with the emergence of Greg “Greggie” Olsen), Erik Pears is our starting right tackle, and we have only three experienced corners, two of which are injury-prone.  And with no Poz, it would mean rookie Kelvin Sheppard immediately steps into a starting role (maybe not a bad thing).  So there is a ton of work still to be done.  Of course Buffalo always seems to find some diamonds in the rough through undrafted FA’s, like Jason Peters, Jabari Greer, and Jim Leonhard.  Those guys were steals and I’m so glad….what was that?  We let all of them leave?  Oh ok, that makes sense. *Smacks head against wall*

FC Buffalo Season – May 22nd opening against FC Reading Revolution  
                                        June 10th @NJ Blaze

Of course there are many more dates besides the two above, but those are the games that stick out right now.  May 22nd the team opens up their regular season at home and the big day on June 10th will see the DGWU crew attending their game on Jersey soil (or is it mud?) in full force.  Our trip to Central Jersey is sure to be exciting and will most likely end with my girlfriend’s parents bailing me out of jail.  Check out the Barrister’s excellent post about Nick Mendola’s scrappy FC Buffalo squad and get excited for the upcoming season.  You can check out thefull schedule here and plenty of coverage on the team, right where you are at DGWU Sports.  I just talked about soccer in a post.  The Scizz talked about soccer in a post.  I need a medal or maybe one of those nifty scarves I see all you fans with.

The Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen - August 14th

Oh yes, out of Europe and into redneck country.  I have to be honest, I feel a little more comfortable here.  No, I’m not a redneck, but I grew up watching NASCAR with my Dad and actually attended this race for  solid 10 years with him.  This year I hope to bring other members of the DGWU crew with me to celebrate some racin’ road-course style in upstate New York.  Just a few hours away from NYC, this track is located in the middle of nowhere, but with a registered camping site located within the track infield and my father’s mustachioed best friend pounding beers, it is sure to be a good time.  If you are not a race fan because you think that left turns are boring, this is a race that may peak your interest.  The road-course features many twist and turns and you can check outa map of the track here and a list of the events here.  The party goes Thursday – Sunday and I guarantee you a good time if you attend. Unfortunately, dumb ass fuckheads still take up the majority of the sports' fan base.  Last year one of my favorites, former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya took the checkered flag amongst outright racist boos from the crowd.  Hmmm, maybe NASCAR and soccer do have something in common. SOCCER  NASCAR  These people need to die fiery deaths over a tank of blood thirsty sharks.

Baseball:  Orioles @ Yankees  - July 29 – 31                                    

                    Yankees @ Orioles  - August 26 - 28

                    Cubs @ Mets  - September 9 – 11

                    Bisons games – Check the schedule

Always remember that during the summer months there are oodles and oodles of pointless baseball games being played for you to enjoy!  I realize that maybe we have readers who are Indians, Pirates, and Blue Jays fans because of close proximity to Buffalo, but the DGWU crew represent the Cubs, Mets, and Orioles.  The three series listed above are all ones to take interest in, because some of us may actually attend these games.  You can look forward to ridiculously detailed Oriole knowledge from the Apologist at some point on this site, continued live-blogging of Cubs games from the Yachtsman and I, and terrifying accounts of being a newish Mets fan from the Barrister.  I for one am excited about another possible DGWU roadtrip to Baltimore’s beautiful Inner Harbor for the Yankees series.  Get on that Aps, but be careful of Omar Comin' (see image above).

The DGWU CrapTastiCast – Every week this summer (hopefully)                    

Finally, if you are new to our site or at least have ignored our lovely podcast, please continue to look for new episodes of the CrapTastiCast with many different Buffalo-related guests all summer (including Joe from BuffaloWins this Monday).  We will try our best to have a new one out to you each week with fresh/stale comedy, average sports knowledge, and sweeping generalizations.  At least you get to hear that awesome intro music we have.  Feel free to hit that nifty little iTUNES subscribe button down below to keep track of all new episodes and please download the past ones.  It is a guaranteed goodtime for all to enjoy (except children, the elderly, and anyone originally from Philadelphia).  And naturally a lovely way to waste away your mornings at work.  Catch ya on the flipside.

The Barrister

For the sake of my blood pressure, and my own credibility as a watcher of sports, I always endeavor to keep a level head when it comes to watching my teams get jobbed by an officiating crew.  Watching a game and feeling like the team is fighting two battles - one against the opposition, and one against some ass-clown referees - is beyond frustrating.  After then inevitable loss, I'll walk away from the arena or field, burdened by a sneaking fear that my love for the team is clouding my judgment, and even if I saw repeated instances of head-scratching, hair-pulling decisions by a ref, I'll always wonder if I'm simply in denial that my team just wasn't good enough to win. Perhaps that's why those moments of anger, when I almost can't talk as I cope with the sheer absurdity that a ref missed a certain call, are often not about anger at all, but sadness, disappointment, regret. That this seems to happen so often as a Buffalo fan - to the point that I have legitimately been convinced (if only for a brief periof of time now and again) - that the higher powers of sports management hate Buffalo and will fix games to ensure that we will be forever saddled with the "Dear God, Why Us?" meme.

                                   Excuse me, sir? That shit was clown shoes. Please walk into traffic.

Catching the D train from John Dewey High on Saturday, I was much less nuanced in my attitude, mostly because I had no real confidence that the officiating crew working the game was necessarily credentialed, but also because their ineptitude was on display from the opening whistle and lasted the full ninety.  While the linesman closest to our small but spirited group of Blitzers supporters was good-natured about the heckling rained down by the Yachtsman, and others, he was apparently ignorant to the true workings of the offside rule. Time and again, FC Buffalo players would streak behind the defender, running onto a well-placed ball into space, only to get called back. "Flag," as we so affectionately, yet degradingly, called him, simply didn't get it.

The head referee, though - the key component of any officiating crew - was where we fans focused much of our rage, and with good reason. Down 1-0 in the second half, the Blitzers were threatening to score an equalizer, and had more than their share of opportunities to get decent balls into the box (Ed. Note: That phrase will NEVER not be funny to me).  Two plays, about four or five minutes apart, sealed the Blitzers fate.  First, with about 25 or so minutes remaining, a ball was dropping towards a Brooklyn player who controlled it off his chest.  The ball, falling to the ground, took a bounce before the fullback directed it back, with his foot, to his keeper, who then picks it up.  With his hands.

In a world where justice exists for my teams, an indirect free kick is called, the Blitzers score, and we got ourselves a game.

The back-pass was, of course, not called. Yachstman and Barrister look at each other, incredulous, then calmly accept fate while holding out hope for that next break to go our way.

A few minutes ticked off the clock, and Matt Stedman, one of the Blitzer's two strikers, found his way into space behind the defense. Stedman had already been having an incredibly solid match, and this break was a long time comng.  "Flag" had no imagined offside call forthcoming, and it looked like a moment of celebration was upon us. I almost felt bad cheering as loud as I did at that moment - the sudden eruption of noise must have come as a slight shock to the striker - though, it didn't appear to matter as he deftly touched the ball to his right, past the keeper, raising our hopes that an easy tap-in  from 7 or 8 yards out might be in the works.  The touch may have been too hard, and maybe that's why neither the referee nor the linesman felt the urge to make the call and point to the spot after the Blitzer striker was aggressively taken down - from behind and from the side, by the defender and keeper, respectively.  The looks on the faces of some of the Brooklyn supporters nearby, many of them players within other levels of the Italians' system, confirmed that they had gotten away with one.  A goal kick was awarded instead, and I felt that all-too-familiar feeling in my gut.

                                     An FC Buffalo supporter indicating his displeasure with the no-call. 
                                               .
Needless to say, a disappointing result.  FC Buffalo controlled possession for much of the game, and showed a surprising cohesiveness in doing so, especially given the fact that this was the first game (or time, even) many of these guys had played together.  It looks like the new coaching regime has the team on the right track, at least with respect to the players they've brought on board, and I think its fair to say that this match will likely put the Blitzers on solid footing to start their regular season off right.  

Some other thoughts/highlights from the game:

- Pat Regna, the Blitzers starting goalie, went down in the second half after a collision with Brooklyn player Mostafa Haridi.  According to FC Buffalo's website. both players required pretty serious medical attention - Haridi for an injury to his mouth, requiring emergency dental surgery, and Regna for a large laceration under his knee.  Here's hoping both guys are ok.

- In addition to the infuriating no-calls in the second half, the referee can also be credited with one of the most hilarious moments of the match, after he called an infraction on a Blitzer player (it may have been the sole 1st half yellow card, which was against Matt Stedman, for "dissent") and was heard explaining that "he knows what he did." As we fans were in the dark as to the true reason for the call - which was bullshit, obviously - having seen nothing of note, this moment was especially funny.

- A few minutes before the game got underway, Team President Nick Mendola stopped by and greeted me and my buddy Geoff (City Honors Soccer represent!), and mentioned that the team was a little short-staffed. Upon the start of the game, I thought there was only one sub on the bench, though when Regna went down it became apparent that there was a keeper as well. Short-staffed indeed.  After the game, me and the Yachtsman chatted briefly with a player on his way to the team's bus, and - I hope I'm not misunderstanding him - the guy mentioned that he wasn't even really on the club anymore, that he used to play for Queen City FC, that he now lived in Jersey, and that he was called to fill out the roster for this game since he was close by.  I suspect that these issues will work themselves out in the coming weeks as the season comes up, though for the time being I think it shows the heart and talent of these guys to play so well in the circumstances.

- Another thing to keep in mind is that, as was mentioned by another player on his way to the bus, this team had not played together this year. Let me clarify - when I say "play," I don't just mean play an actual game. This team hadn't even gotten the chance to practice together.  As per the team's website, there were no available, playable fields in WNY during the possible window for practice times (which was limited by the NCAA eligibility freeze...which maybe someone could explain to me, since I'm a little slow), and this team legitimately had no opportunity to train together before this game.  I am astonished that this can be possible (though, knowing the quality of some WNY soccer pitches, I wouldn't be surprised if the team deemed some of them simply unsafe), and even more astonished that the team played so well and to such a narrow defeat.  Again, positive signs for the season.

- Finally, I have to say that I had a blast at this game. Much respect to the guys that came down from Buffalo for the game - Dale, Jeff and Brandon - as well as the other crew of Buffalovers who came out (though, I never really caught their story...I was a *few* beers deep, after all).  The DGWU crew is looking forward to a roadtrip up to Buffalo for a home game or two this summer, especially if it means getting to link up this portion of "The Situation Room" for some adult beverages.  Also, in the coming weeks, we'll be looking to extend a similar invitation to Buffalo residents who might be tempted to make a second trip down to the Tri-State area for FC Buffalo's match against the NJ Blaze (who, incidentally, are not the Bible-thumping sqaud I thought they were; the Buxmont Torch, a different fire-inspired club, is down with the G-O-D...good for them), scheduled for Friday, June 10th.  Hope some of you guys can make it down this way again.

Again, despite the result, this game gave a lot for Blitzer supporters to be happy about.  Look for more game analysis from the Yachtsman and yours truly in this week's edition of the DGWUS CrapTastiCast, which is likely slated for posting late in the week. Until then...

Besides, this isn't really your typical game this weekend.  As a footy fan, I've always been jealous of the FA Cup format England enjoys. While I know Britain doesn't have the monopoly on this kind of tournament format - multiple tiers of competitive soccer, all with potentially equal access to the ultimate goal of winning a Cup - I really got into the FA Cup while living in Bath in the Autumn of 2002, as Bath University's squad made a historic run (at least for a team of their competitive level).  As U.S. soccer continues to make strides in the American sports market, and as MLS gets legit (seriously, watch a game - dudes can play), it goes without saying that the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup has a big role to play.  One of the beauties of the open tournaments like this is that it makes small-market and even amateur level teams, and their supporters, into dreamers.  Soccer is a funny game, and while an actual Cup run probably isn't the cards for a team like FC Buffalo, any success - in that it necessarily means success against teams at higher level teams - is actually a BIG deal.  And, frankly, a team that works their asses off for a full ninety, and who can get a few bounces along the way, can make some miracles happen.  

                            Speaking of miracles -  how else can you explain how this guy still gets work?
                                     Oh, and this movie was NOT hilarious.  It blew.  Plain and simple.

On paper, a win on Saturday night would be a seriously overachieving moment for the Blitzers. The team, in their first season last year, finished 3rd in their division. A good result for their first campaign, particularly since they snagged a win against FC Sonic, the division champion that finished with only one regular season loss.  However, the infrastructure of football clubs, often brought about after years of development, are vital to successful programs.  I can't imagine that it's any different for the lower level clubs within the NPSL.  Despite the success of FC Buffalo in 2010, they enter this weekend ready to face a Brooklyn Italians team seeped in history.  Some facts to consider:
    1. Team was founded in 1949.
    2. They've won the US Open Cup twice, in 1979 and 1991, prior to the introduction of professional sides into     
        the tournament.
    3. They've played in the CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup and Champions Cup in 1991, following their US Open Cup 
        win.
    4. In addition to the team they operate within the NPSL, the club also has a few teams in the New York City 
        Cosmopolitan Soccer League.
    5. Their team name ranks on the low side of the Barrister's "Racist Team Name Quotient," somewhere well below 
        the Redskins, but much higher than the Argonauts.
    6. They play at a high school named for a badass pragmatist whose ideas still shape American education.

Taken together, these factors add up to a big hurdle for the Blitzers this weekend.  The Italians are a club who has been there before, whose history acts as a daily inspiration for the players suiting up each game.  And, with a developed infrastructure that is strong enough to support several teams, including youth squads.  This infrastructure gives the Italians (GOD that's awkward to type) a potential surplus of talent from which to choose. 

But, what I can say with some certainty - and until I see the teams match up, I can't say much of anything with certainty - is that me and the Yachtsman will be down in Brooklyn on Saturday night, that Joe from Buffalo Wins will also, I'm told, be there, and that there will likely be some other expats or Buffalo lovers in the crowd.  There may even be some folks who've made the trip down from WNY.  I guarantee that we will be at least a few beers deep, we'll be loud as hell, and we'll probably end up saying something offensive about whether the mob is sponsoring Brooklyn's team.   So, as Nick Mendola's team makes the trip down to Kings County to play the Brooklyn Italians, they may not have history on their side, but they'll have Buffalo on their side, and maybe that'll be enough.

Weather permitting, drinks at Beer Island, Stillwell Avenue, Coney Island - 2 pm. With any luck, the crowd will be better than what you see in the only decent pic I could find.  Seriously - sand + beer = fun.    

Gametime - 5 pm, John Dewey High School, right up the street. 

If you're interested in linking up with us for the game, comment here or holler at @DGWUSports on the Twitter, and keep an eye out for tweets re: any venue changes in the event of some sprinkles, as well as game updates as the evening wears on.

In the meantime, Let's Go Buffalo.

I know the Yachtsman has been the sole purveyor of footy coverage on DGWU Sports for, well, forever.  At risk of incurring some serious wrath from El Scizz, the end of the Sabres season had brought on a renewed interest in the Beautiful Game. Summer brings baseball in NYC, for sure, though I'm frankly more excited for trips out to New Jersey for Red Bull games than for trips just down the 7 line for Mets games.  Throw in a few great results for Liverpool (seriously, 5th place?). and I find myself rather focused on soccer and suddenly at peace with the idea of the Sabres off-season.  

This personal soccer revival has been brewing for the past few weeks, likely as part of me understood the Sabres post-season run would be time-limited (and the fact that Sabres-obsession basically trumped any real attention to Liverpool since, like, February). It really came to a head about a week or so ago when I saw a tweet from DGWU favorite Phil, from Black & Blue & Gold, about FC Buffalo's upcoming trip to Brooklyn to play in a qualifier for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.  I confess that, as soon as I thought about catching this game, I knew I was going to need a tutorial on the team.  Keeping up with this new team in the Buffalo sports scene is pretty hard for an expat, though having heard months back that  the business side of this new squad was being led by Nicholas Mendola, I can't say I'm surprised by what I've found since.

Cutting right to the chase, everything I've seen about this team has made me all warm and fuzzy inside as I am further impressed at how well the team has marketed itself to be quintessentially Buffalo.  Take, for instance, this interview with Mr. Mendola and fellow team founder Donny Kutzbach (in Spot Coffee no less...the original, real deal, Spot, too... God, I miss that place)...

How can you not love these guys? Putting aside the jealousy I have for guys my age who (A) had the opportunity to buy a sports team and then (B) actually had the balls to do it, I have this overwhelming pride for fellow Buffalonians who just seem to "get it," and who translate that into a legitimate effort at making Buffalo a better place.  As a resident of Buffalo proper growing up, I never quite understood the suburban phobia of the world within the city limits, and I think it's great that Nick alludes to that as he encourages fans to come out to games.  Indeed, efforts like this can have, I think, an unquantifiable effect on a community - particularly one so eager to get behind any team that bears the name of the Queen City. What's so great, really, is the apparently shared recognition within the organization that any progress for Buffalo is cumulative, and that you can't just wait around for things to happen.  While not the only example of grassroots, progressve entrepreneurship in Buffalo, FC Buffalo is certainly running with the concept, and you gotta be impressed with the thoughtful vision Nick and his partners have for the team.

The City-centered approach to this team's identity coarses through much of the material one finds at the end of some basic google searches. "For Our City," a team slogan, is evidence of this. For the unabashed fan of all things Buffalo, I am instantly hooked and already making plans for t-shirt and scarf purchases. What's more, this focus on City-Team cohesion is reminiscent of football traditions throughout the world - the idea of your home's identity being so wrapped up in the community's pride for the local football team. Of course, Buffalo fans already do this so well with the Bills, Sabres and Bandits, and FC Buffalo is smart to use this as a template for its business model.  While we, as fans, are sometimes used to teams and players that seem so far away from the commonfolk - almost to such an extreme that sports exist in some kind of other-worldly bubble - this amateur squad is making the concerted effort to push the curtain aside and embrace the greater community. They may not have the star power of a higher level MLS or A-League club, but that might just be what ends up making this whole vision get this team off the ground.

Like many of the great European clubs that thrive on players eager to leave 100% on the field for the sake of their hometown fans, it really seems like FC Buffalo is thoroughly focused on perfoming at the highest level, and for all the right reasons.  Buffalo loves its athletes, all the more so when fans can get a clear sense that the players are willing to work hard and express affection for the fanbase.  With the organizational tone set by Nick, affirmed by the player interviews in the video above, FC Buffalo has no shortage of those qualities for which the Buffalo sports fan yearns.

I could go on and on, but I think you all get the point.  Even the fact that they're named (at least in part) after Wolf Blitzer doesn't get me down on them... in fact, the resulting fan club "The Situation Room" more than makes up for the mouth vomit that rises up when I think about Wolf's tendencies to ruin news with bearded ego.   

Which brings us to the game coming up this weekend in Brooklyn. Now that this team has, via the wonders of the interwebs, gotten me hooked and ready to fall in love with yet another Buffalo sports export, I am pretty amped to see them live this Saturday. Before naysayers start hopping up and down, I realize that The Blitzers have a lot to prove, especially since they are, admittedly, in the rather lowly ranks of the NPSL.  But, after many conversations with the Yachtsman about the need for U.S. Soccer to develop and support national and local infrastructure to support the game - stuff like elite youth academies that submerge players in the very fabric of the game and multi-tiered national tournaments that foster excitement for the game top-down - it feels pretty good that Buffalo is getting in on the effort.  Besides, even if this is their first foray onto the US Open Cup stage (albeit on the qualifying stage), I'm in the mood to dream about what this Buffalo team can accomplish, for their city. 

So, in the spirit of further educating myself (and any of you readers who need it) about this team so I won't get down to John Dewey High School on Saturday, clueless as to what I'm watching, I'll be back on DGWU throughout the week to discuss the following topics (subject to my laziness and/or workload):
- Some history on the US Open Cup and where this qualifying match fits in with the tourney structure;
- What to expect from some of the key FC Buffalo players this weekend;
- How the "Brooklyn Italians" rank in the world of head-scratching team names, and how their history is nevertheless a beautiful thing; and, of course
- Plans for pre-game drinking, including possible linkups with roadtripping members of the Situation Room (Beer Island looks like an early favorite).

And, on the day of, make sure to keep your eyes glued to twitter for DGWU's game updates, photos and reactions. Which, after a few tasty brews with the Coney Island sand between my toes, should be good times.  

Welcome everyone to episode number FIVE of the DGWU CrapTastiCast.  Despite all of us either being sick, having allergy attacks, or being hungover we pulled together on a bright Sunday morning to record for your listening pleasure.  With our faces burning off, we sniffled and thriller danced our way our way through many Buffalo related sports topics including the sadness of the Sabres game 7 loss, the bright future of the young players, another epic Pegula/Ted Black press conference, the end of the Connolly era, the thrill of meeting our hero Andre Reed, half-assed Buffalo Bills draft analysis, FC Buffalo,  and much, much more!  Megsie jumps in for some swiss tour guide commentary and Mondee never made it off the couch, but we get along just fine.  Miss ya big guy!  As always you can download the podcast throughiTUNES and Libsyn (please subscribe if you haven't already). 

You can stream our sexy, sophisticated, and nerdiculous voices right below too! Enjoy our zombified-selves!