Soccer in Tucson?

    Ahhhhh yes - Tucson let Spring Training go...and minor league baseball (yes, we are still paying for Tucson Electric Park)...all we have is the U of A - thankfully, they put some great teams out there for us!
    But tonight and tomorrow night, Tucson has MLS soccer, played right at Hi Corbett field! 

            FC Tucson, our new semi-pro team, takes on the NY Red Bulls!  And they were handing out FREE Red Bulls to the crowd!  Good stuff!  The grass looked better than I can ever remember it and the level of play was outstanding.
            Back when I managed Toys R Us's on the east coast, they were a sponsor of the US men's soccer team and we'd get tickets all of the time.  Kim and I saw the U.S. play the U.S.S.R., or what was left of it, at Lehigh University.  We saw the U.S. play Sheffield of the English Premier league at Vet Stadium - stopping off on 9th street for a cheesesteak at Gino's on the way down!  We saw the U.S. play Uruguay, also at the Vet.  They packed the stadiums and the fans were great.
           When I played soccer, Kim would come and watch practices and make it to the games.  One time, as I was running at Nitschmann Junior High School, by myself and just kicking a ball and getting some conditioning in - I saw Kim appear on the top of the hill leading to the school - she surprised me and went out and bought herself a pair of cleats and a soccer ball, to be able to run with me!  So, we used to go down to the soccer field and pass around - she was pretty good!
           I was thinking, as we enjoyed tonight's games (Sporting KC of the MLS, defeated the Arizona Saguaros 6-1 in the first match and the Red Bulls were up 1-0 at the half when we left - we knew we had to get up early tomorrow for Kim's Klimb), that Kim sure would have had a good time out there tonight...the weather was perfect and the soccer was great.
         
          We started out by getting some good food over at Rubio's!

                                                Lexy and Autumn enjoy rice and fish tacos!

Tonio goes for the taquitos and Cody got the nachos.

               Angie, Andrea, Breanna, Cody, Autumn and Lexy at Hi Corbett field - we had some pretty good seats!!  Courtesy of Sean Smock, GM of the Tucson Toros - thanks Sean!  We had a great view of the field and avoided the bleacher seats.  There were about 5,000 fans in attendance tonight.  The kettle corn was delicious and the kids all had Eegee's.

                    The Arizona Saguaros take on Sporting FC.  Sporting FC's big star is, Omar Bravo (and it was his birthday today, too).  He was the Mexican National team's captain and was one of the best players in the Premera liga in Mexico for Chivas.  Good games, but we had to leave around 9:00, knowing we'd be on the road by 7:15ish for Kimmy's Klimb in the morning!

                  When I picked the bambini's up at school today (well, actually, Autumn stayed home one more day with me...and talked me into watching the Last Song with her - very sad), we got some more good baby news!  Mrs. Rienstra, who Autumn had in 3rd grade, is pregnant too!

          Congrats!  Again, Kimmy would have cried with happiness for the Rienstras and, she's been a great teacher, so we know she'll be an awesome mom!  I warned Mrs. Rienstra she'd be appearing on Kimmy's blog...'In my p.j.'s?'  she asked....well, we have no fashion critics as a part of this blog and, personally, our family are big advocates of p.j.'s - just asked Antonio!  'They are just comfier!' he states.
         So now we have Kim (Angie's youngest daughter), Mary Montes (Autumn and Tonio's kindergarten teacher) and Jenny Rienstra all ready to have little blessings...must be something in the water!