Perry Mc and 2014 World Cup Brazil: July 2014

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

On the Road to The Original Brazil

After a couple days' preparation in Sao Paulo for the Round of 16 match with Belgium, the US Soccer Media Program picked up again, this time to travel to Salvador, home of Arena Fonte Nova, site of the July 1st match. Arriving early afternoon, we were too late to attend the US training session, held away from the stadium, due to FIFA's concerns about preservation of the playing surface.

Traveling directly from the Salvador airport, after the two-hour flight, to Fonte Nova, we were in time for the press conference, and for my purposes, it was the chance for a quick five-minute photo op of Jurgen Klinsmann and captain Clint Dempsey, then, as usual, all the photographers are asked to leave so the 'real' journalists can have their time for questions. After a few minutes work on the wireless network in the SMC, I chose to ride the FIFA shuttle to the hotel, and beat the check-in rush.

Our accommodations in Salvador came with strong reviews, but the reality is the property fell well short of those expectations. Well located on bayside Salvadoran peninsula, the Sol Victoria Marina, has a lovely bar/cafe, overlooking the bay.

The ambience ends once you get pick up your key, a real metal key, only one to a room, then get in the elevator and head to your room. All the lights on the floor are off, and the hall dark, until your movement trips the motion sensors. Naturally, in a city of 3.5 millions, but only four FIFA hotels, the properties use the opportunity as their own little gold rush. For one night's stay, a double, was $700, with Nick Firchau from MLSSoccer.com, and I splitting the cost. Remember, we are 'double booked' paying for our rooms back at our Sao Paulo base hotel as well.

Admittedly, we did have a 'water view', look very closely and you can see where the bay and Atlantic ocean meet between the buildings. No, seriously, click on the picture and make it bigger the water's there, I swear.

We watched the end of the Germany-Algeria match at the hotel, then headed out to Old Town, for a local eating establishment, 'MamaBahia'. This region was the first area of Brazil settled by the Portuguese, due in large part to the largest natural bay in South America. Until the mid-20th century, the city, as well as the state, were called Bahia, and this remains the largest area of African culture in Brazil.

Some of the buildings date back to the 17th century, many being made with marble and limestone brought from Portugal as ballast in their sailing ships. Much of Old Town was festively dressed, as July 2nd is their Independence Day, when the colony separated from Portugal. Every year, a procession follows the path of the colonists, who expelled the Portuguese from the area in 1823.

On this night, the procession had a German flair as this small procession of celebrating fans made their way past our table, and down the winding streets of Old Town. Oh, I have I not mentioned, the tables for 'MamaBahia' are literally in the street, and the menu features some local flavor, which being on the coast, of course means a variety of seafood, with a local culinary flair.

Not being squeamish, I opted for the local stew of shrimp and octopus, with the stew served over rice. Believe me, it was delicious, and was washed down with a couple of the famous Brazilian 'caipirinha', which is similar to a mojito, just without the rum, which is substituted with an alcohol made from sugar cane, as is rum, just differently, so I'm told.

Other than the fact US Soccer picked up the tab, unexpectedly, for this Media Program dinner, the other really special part was my sitting across from Dave Barry, who is married to the soccer writer from the Miami Herald. Dave, and their teenage daughter, joined up with their wife/mom in Rio de Janeiro, prior to traveling to Salvador.

For those of you not raised in the 'newspaper generation', Dave is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and humorist, who wrote a nationally-syndicated column, based with the Miami Herald, from 1983 until 2005. He is one of my favorite contemporary columnists, but I avoided being a 'fan boy', and just used the opportunity to have a 'get-acquainted' conversation.

The next morning was Match Day 56, and I was up and out early, on the first FIFA Media Shuttle to the stadium. The stadium, located near Old Town, is in a valley, near the water, and the day broke beautifully, with the chance of showers never materializing. The prettiest day we've had in Brazil, I'm near the beach, but my mission lay elsewhere.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Home Away from Home

Wanted to briefly step away from soccer to give all a glimpse of the Sao Paulo neighborhood of Higienopolis, where the US Soccer Media Program is based. The crossroads of Higienopolis and Angelica would equate to a Peachtree-Paces Ferry, or Peachtree-Piedmont demographic in Atlanta.

The neighborhood is one of the nicest sections of Sao Paulo, lots of trees and a few small parks. Many, actually most, of the residents live in upscale high-rise apartments and condos, heavily secured, as are most upscale neighborhoods everywhere these days.

One of THE attractions in the area is the Higienopolis Mall, which from the outside, does not really look like what it is on the inside. When walking in, however, almost everyone would be welcomed by this familiar sight.

Moving into the central core of the mall gives one a 'woah' moment. It's a lot more than it appears from the outside.

There is virtually every high-end retailer one can imagine on hand in this mall, but with prices that match the highest end retail in the States, if not even higher. You'll notice the soccer-themed play area on the ground floor. This is a 'child-care, drop off', where shoppers may leave their children for supervised activities, while they take their time shopping.

And there's one sight which made me more than a little homesick. Many people in the Higienopolis area have dogs. The general rule is the larger the dog, the more affluent one is, since your living quarters can house both you and a big dog. They take their dogs everywhere, and saw a number during my brief visit to the mall. This one is the one which made me homesick.

As I sit in the Arena Fonte Nova SMC the morning of the US-Belgium match, Helen sent me this from the beach house at Cape San Blas, also from this morning.

Moving on to Get Ready for the 'Real' Tournament

When arriving back in Sao Paulo following the Germany match, the US team took a little time off, but soon enough made the transition to preparing for their Round of 16 match with Belgium. Returning to their fabulous training ground, the team got in three good sessions, before departing, Sunday, for Salvador.

While at Sao Paulo FC, the training sessions were open, after selected press conference appearances, for visual capture the first 15 minutes of each session. This is a part of that scene.

One of the prime subjects was the jogging and stretching of Jozy Altidore, returning to action after straining his left hamstring 20 minutes into the first Group Stage match.

The rest of the team worked on specific training, related to how they wanted to prepare for Belgium, but of course, most of those tactical sessions were after practice was closed to the media. What the media is allowed to see is pretty much always the same, jogging and stretching.

We were allowed a glimpse of one session, mostly with the reserve players, of shooting drills that involved shot set-up, shooting, moving from one goal to another, thereby also allowing for some work for both reserve goalkeepers simultaneously, with two goals side-by-side and the player moving from the first to the second for a second ball randomly served him.

That's about all for this post, but did find it amusing the team bus has, naturally, sponsor Continental tires, but a closer look shows the tires imprinted with both soccer balls and the Brazil World Cup logo. You'll probably be able to buy these on eBay soon;)