RCU and Beer News

RCU Reserves in Action Wednesday

The Rocket City United reserve squad saw action Wednesday night as they traveled down to Birmingham to take on Birmingham United Soccer Association's U-19 squad.  BUSA is a member of the US Soccer Development Academy and provided stiff opposition for RCU.   Huntsville native Alex Clay scored the first goal for BUSA.  RCU Kyle Simmons looked good for RCU and added a goal to his tally and despite good play from RCU, BUSA would prevail 2:1 on a late goal from Cristos Noisiadis.  Director of Operations Jan Henner was happy with the play overall. "It was good.  We were able to get a run out against very good competition and we were able to draw some conclusions on a few things."


Saturday Is Youth Night

Remember that Saturday is Youth Night at RCU's home match against rival Chattanooga FC.  All kids wearing their youth soccer jerseys get in for FREE!


Brewery Modernization Act Signed Into Law

As a Free the Hops member I'm proud to report that beer lovers across the state of Alabama can rejoice as another bill designed to update the antiquated restrictions on brewing and selling beer was signed into law by the governor today.  The Brewery Modernization Act will allow breweries to have tap rooms and tours.  It will also allow Brewpubs to sell the beer they brew outside of their location.  As the man from the Redstripe commercial says, "Hooray, Beer!"

RCU Signs Maxwell, Olde Towne Closes Doors

Rocket City United announced the signing of Jamaican Youth International Ryan Maxwell this morning.  Maxwell is a midfielder who starred at the University of Tampa before being drafted in the first round of the 2009 MLS Superdraft by the New England Revolution.

RCU's newest player, Ryan Maxwell

Maxwell also has some international experience with the Jamaican U-20 national team.  MLS scouting expert, Buzz Carrick of the blog 3rd Degree, said this after seeing Maxwell at the 2009 MLS Combine, "Crazy fast wide mid, arguably the fastest player at the combine.  With or without the ball he beat players to get results."

NSR:  Olde Towne Brewing Co. Says Goodbye

Former RCU sponsor Olde Towne Brewing Co. is ceasing operations.  Established in 2004, Olde Towne blazed the trail that many Huntsville Breweries have followed.  A farewell party will be held this Saturday afternoon at the Nook with many of Olde Towne's employees in attendance.  Time to go to the local beer joint and stockpile all the Olde Towne.

UPDATE:  According to the Huntsville Times, Olde Towne may not be closing, but may be sold to fellow Huntsville brewing company Straight to Ale.   One thing is for certain, they are shutting down the bottling line indefinitely.  So, stock up on the bottles.

NSR: More Alabama Breweries and New Brewing Law?

Today, I'd like to share with you something that is near and dear to me, but is NSR or not soccer related.  I've posted many times that I like my beer.  Sometimes my soccer and beer interests intermingle, but this post is all about the beer.  

I used to be the typical Amerian beer drinker, who went to the beer aisle and picked up a sixer from one of the major breweries, but then in college I took a trip to Bavaria and was hit over the head and awoken from my beer drinking slumber by how rich and flavorful beer could be.  Since then, I have sought out beer that offers more than the "flavored water" of the major brewery offerings.

In fact, when I got married, I went to the local small batch brewery in Northern Virginia and self-brewed a celebratory brew that I served at my wedding reception.  And when I moved to Alabama, one of the first things I did was join Free the Hops, a group of Alabamian beer aficionados who lobby the Alabama legislators to change the all to restrictive Alabama beer laws.  

Due to archaic laws left over from prohibition and propped up by the major breweries who were trying to prevent competition, Alabama had become a beer desert with local Huntsville brewery Olde Towne being one of the only oases.  In order to change this, FTH proposed the Gourmet Beer Law, that was passed in 2009 after three years of constant support.

Since then, Alabama has experienced a renaissance of beer culture.  In the past year alone, Huntsville has seen three new craft breweries open.  Joining Olde Towne is Straight to Ale, BluePants, and Yellowhammer.  Now, news is breaking that there will be two new Alabama breweries in Old Black Bear and Avondale joining Good People and Back Forty who have been Alabama breweries for a while. 

This is great news for Alabama beer, but still, there is work to be done in Alabama when it comes to beer and brewing.  Remember the archaic laws I mentioned above, there are a few laws in particular that precludes brewpubs and breweries from operating freely unless they meet restrictions that are anti-business and just silly.

The first is that brewpubs must be located in a historic building, in a wet county or city, in which beer was brewed prior to prohibition.  This reduces the location of brewpubs to old and decrepit buildings that are often not in ideal business locations and cuts out large swathes of the state from consideration.  Renovating these buildings and retrofitting them to include modern brewing equipment can be prohibitively costly.

The second is that brewpubs cannot package their beers for sale anywhere but inside the brewpub.  So, if you loved the beer the brewpub sells, you cannot fill up a growler or buy a six pack to take home.  Nor can you find that beer on tap at another bar.  In order to enjoy that brew, you must drink it in the brewpub.   

Brewpubs often offer tastings of their brews and beer to go.  Show above Nimbus Brewing from my recent trip to Arizona.  Unfortunately, Alabama breweries cannot offer these types of service.

In the same vein of ill logic, Alabama also restricts actual breweries from allowing brewery tours with samples of there beer or from opening tasting rooms. 

The result of these restrictions is that Alabama has exactly ZERO operating brewpubs.

In an effort to change this, FTH has proposed the Brewery Modernization Act for the 2011 legislative session.  If you'd like to join the effort to help bring brewpubs to your town, county and state, join Free The Hops and/or contact your local legislators and ask them to support the Brewery Modernization Act.  

 

Heck, maybe one of these future brewpubs will welcome soccer fans and become the desperately needed "Soccer Bar" that we've been looking for.  :)

World Cup Viewing Parties Start Saturday At The Station 2 in Bridgestreet

A few days ago, I asked where are you going to watch the USA v England match. Sportspave and the International Society of Huntsville are sponsoring a viewing party at the Station No. 2 at Bridge Street Town Center.


They will also host viewing parties for the the remaining USA group matches and selected quarterfinal, semifinal and finals. There will be food and drink specials and free give-aways. Sorry, the ee-fray eer-bay is limited to pig latin speakers only. So, brush up on your foreign languages!

MLS First Kick, World Cup Tix Aplenty, and US Player-Beers

More MLS First Kick excitement

I'm getting more and more pumped for the MLS season and according to the Globe and Mail, Toronto FC will host the 2010 MLS Cup Final.

MLS First Kick 2010 Commerical from mlsinsider on Vimeo

As we know, Red Bull Arena will host its first league match this week and the Sports Business Journal has a terrific article with the behind the scenes look at the Red Bull organization and their non-conformist ownership group.

Taking a cue from Red Bull's famous outside-the-box marketing strategies, Real Salt Lake has announced a $75 punch card campaign to attract college students to their matches. The RSL punch card can be presented at the gate with a valid student ID to be granted a $5 supporter's section ticket. The punch card can be used for 15 home games and can be passed between different fans. This is a great idea to hook young adults who will soon become young professionals with expendable incomes.


FIFA admits 650,000 World Cup tickets remain unsold

She should have no problem finding tix in South Africa.

Thinking about going to South Africa? Well, there are plenty of tickets available. FIFA has announced that over 650,000 tickets remain unsold of the almost 3 million total. Well, it's not for the USA, because we still rank as the highest ticket purchasing nation outside of South Africa. Still, as ESPN tells us, if you do catch a game in S.A., you're bound to see something controversial.


USMNT Player Beers

Gooch: The Natty Boh man.

The guys at the Shin Guardian have taken a beery look at the starting line-up of the US Men's National Team. They've assigned a beer to each player based on their playing style and even one for coach Bob Bradley. Any article that gives props to my college beer of choice, National Bohemian, is OK in my book.

Champions League Concert and MLS Stadium Vids

Can You Imagine?

Heineken's Italian ad agency deserves an award for creativity. In the days leading up to this year's Real Madrid v AC Milan match, they arranged for hundreds of soccer fans to be duped into attending a classical music concert and poetry reading that would coincide with the match. Check out the results below.

MLS Stadiums Opening and Renovating

Lots of good news from the stadium front in MLS. We've already seen the beautiful new Red Bull Arena is complete and will open Saturday.

Down the turnpike, there's a new stadium being built for the expansion club Philadelphia Union with plans to open in April.

PPL Park will be the home of the Philadelphia Union

And the Toronto FC stadium, BMO Field, is expanding and they're laying down grass turf to replace the plastic pitch that they've played on for the past 3 years.

Toronto FC talks BMO Field and other TFC news

These are great developments for the league. Now, if they could only figure out the CBA mess.

Beer Line, MLS In HD, and ESPN Commentators Selected

When Is The Best Time To Go For Beer?

The half-time rush to the beer line.

You've gone to the stadium to catch your favorite soccer club and you're troubled by a mighty thirst. Do you risk missing a goal or some other significant talking point by visiting the beer concessionaire during play? Or do you attempt to sprint to the front of the pack of thirsty patrons as the ref whistles the beginning of the halftime break? Long-time soccer writer, Steve Davis, ponders the question.

By the way, Chattanooga FC have eliminated the problem by putting the beer stand in the bleachers with the fans. You wait in line without missing any action. Well done, CFC.


MLS Goes All HD


MLS has mandated that all clubs must offer its local broadcasts in hi-def! This is great news for the domestic soccer fan. Soccer on TV is just keeps getting better.


ESPN Selects All-Brit Play-by-play Team

ESPN has announced that they have selected their World Cup roster of lead commentators for its English language broadcasts. Ian Darke, Adrian Healey, Derek Rae, and Martin Tyler will call the action for the 64 matches in South Africa. The announcement has generated not a small bit of controversy as the blogosphere has questioned the decision not to select at least one American play-by-play voice. The American that most would have assumed would get the nod, JP Dellacamera, has been assign radio duty.

World Cup Closer, US v Holland Today, and No Beer For Scotland

World Cup Even Closer Now!Yesterday was the 100 day mark until the start of the World Cup (see the countdown clock on the right side of the blog), and according to NASA scientists, the magnitude 8.8 Chilean earthquake has shortened the length of the day! Of course, our thoughts go out to those affected by the earthquake. But now there's even less time until the kick off in South Africa! Sweet!

More US v Holland

The US takes on #3 ranked Holland this afternoon. Time to develop the 4-hour flu and join us at Steve McQueen's. I spoke to my buddy Peter Van Voorthuizen, who is a Dutch soccer guy, and he's predicting a 3:1 win for the Oranje. Here's to hoping he's wrong, but he's not the only one predicting a victory for the Dutch team that did not drop a single point during World Cup qualifying.

BTW, here are a few more photos of the USMNT kits that will debut today.


I'm Sorry, Scotland. No Beer For You.


I feel bad for the lads from the land of kilts. Despite the fact that the Scottish FA is sponsored by Tennet's Lager, the boys on the National team will be denied tossing back a few cold ones after new Scotland manager, Craig Levein, has banned player drinking while on international duty.

Reminders: US v Holland at Steve McQueens and RCU Ribbon Cutting

USA v Holland: Viewing at Steve McQueen's


The US will warm up for the World Cup by taking on Holland, the #3 ranked team in the world tomorrow, and I can't think of a better test for them. The last time the played the Netherlands in 2004, they had they're backsides handed to them in a 1:0 loss. The scoreline of that game certainly hides just how outplayed the US boys were outplayed that day. Let's hope the outcome does not resemble that match.

A group of US fans are also warming up for the World Cup by gathering to watch the match at Steve McQueen's Sports Pub (7407 Highway 72 West in Madison, next to DanTera Salon & Day Spa, between Nance Road and Jeff Road). Come join us, while test out the place for our first Huntsville Soccer Bar Review.


Rocket City United Ribbon Cutting

RCU head coach Desmond Armstrong and team president Andy Zorovich

RCU will host a Ribbon Cutting ceremony on Thursday at 4PM at the new RCU headquarters in the Southern Convention Services (SCS) complex at 10446 County Line Road in Madison. Following the ribbon cutting, RCU head coach Desmond Armstrong will announce player signings and discuss team development. The team will unveil the new 2010 RCU jersey and schedule. Team president Andy Zorovich will also discuss Season Ticket packages and plans for the NPSL Final Four to be held in Madison during the last week of July. Following the festivities, the club will host a social gathering complete with beverages provided by returning team sponsor Olde Towne Brewing Company.

USMNT Away Kit, USA World Cup Buttons and Beer Coozies, and MLS CBA Expires

US World Cup Away Jersey Revealed

Dempsey sports the USA Away Kit w/ the other Nike World Cup jerseys. From left to right, Slovenia, Australia, USA, Portugal, Brazil, Holland, South Korea, New Zealand, and Serbia.

Nike released the kits of the teams they sponsor at the World Cup. The USA away kit is navy blue with a white sash feature that is a nod toward the 1950 jersey which the USMNT hopes brings them some juju from the famous team who upset England in the World Cup. Personally, I think the jersey is great, although I do think that the Miss America sash jokes are funny.


BTW, after a little bit of Internet sleuthing, I found out that Joe Gaetjens, who scored the game winner against England in the 1950 World Cup, wore #18. That's the name and number I'm getting on my customized replica!!!


USA World Cup Flair!!!

You wanna be like Brian, don't ya? Well, then feel free to express yourself with USA World Cup flair!

As the World Cup approaches, it's time to gather your assortment of USA paraphernalia that shows just how much of a fan you are. Sure, anyone wave a flag but a super fan will think of the little things, including chotchkies!

Got USA World Cup campaign style flair? Check.

Well, here's a USA World Cup chotchkie I'd like to get my hands on. And it's for a good 'cause. Each beer coozie sold will help send a US fan to the World Cup in South Africa.

Keepin' 'em cold with USA World Cup Beer Coozies

CBA Expires: World Does Not Come To An EndI've stayed away from the MLS Collective Bargaining Agreement story for the most part, but the CBA that the league and the players were operating under for the past few years expired yesterday. I'll let Tom Dunmore from Pitch Invasion to describe the major issues and why the players haven't gone on strike and why the owners have not locked the players out.

RCU Press Conference, Ribbon Cutting, Schedule Release and Possible Players?

Rocket City United has announced that on March 4th they will hold a press conference and ribbon cutting ceremony for their new corporate offices at the Southern Convention Services complex on County Line Road in Madison, AL. According to the release on RCU's Facebook page, RCU will release it's full 2010 season schedule along with details about it's season ticket package and plans for the NPSL Final Four to be hosted by RCU.

Left to right, Andy Lubahn, Justin Luthy, and Yoram Mwila are on RCU TD Armstrong's list of signing targets.

In addition, RCU Technical Director Desmond Armstrong will be on hand to announce some player signings and reveal the 2010 RCU jersey. I asked Armstrong about new players in the December press conference. He mentioned Wake Forest midfielder Andy Lubahn, Boston College goalkeeper Justin Luthy, and forward Yoram Mwila of the NCAA Division I finalist University of Akron as the type of players he has coached in the past and hopes to target for RCU. If RCU can sign players of the pedigree of those listed above, this year's RCU team should be exciting to watch!
Immediately following the presser will be a social gathering sponsored by returning RCU sponsor Olde Towne Brewing Company! I know this is the tagline from a different brew, but it needs to be said... Hooray, beer! Well done, RCU for partnering again with this great local business.

World Cup on 730 the Ump? Bud House, Soccer HoF, and Cool Book

World Cup Matches On Local Radio?
It appears that ESPN will broadcast all of the matches from the World Cup in addition to it's radio affiliates in addition to TV, internet and mobile device coverage. EPL Talk is reporting that everyone's favorite leprechaun soccer analyst, Tommy Smyth, will be providing the color for the broadcasts. Zack Bennett, the program director for 730 The UMP was noncommital when contacted to verify whether the local ESPN Radio affiliate would be airing the broadcasts, "We have not announced our intentions concerning World Cup coverage for the 2010 event, and we cannot comment at the current time." PWT-blog will let you know, if they decide to air any of the coverage.


King of Beers Looking For World Cup Fans
I'm not a big fan of some of Bud's products, but I like some of their commercials and they do sponsor soccer in a big way. Well, this publicity stunt looks right up my alley. Budweiser is looking for fans from each country in the World Cup to be in what looks to be some sort of Real World: World Cup edition called Bud House. Check it out. Although, I'll warn you now. There's a 14 page application and they will expect you to drink their beer!


Soccer Hall of Fame Is Leaving Oneonta
Seriously, where the heck is Oneonta? Maybe that's one reason the US Soccer Hall of Fame is closing its doors. It's rumored that many of the exhibits will be housed in MLS stadiums where soccer fans actually can see them. Good move.


Cool new book

This is an ad for what looks to be a pretty cool book coming out in May with the personal accounts from many of the sports greatest players about how they came to love the game. Could be a great gift for the soccerhead in your family.

A Beautiful Game by Tom Watt from harperone on Vimeo.

CL Final On Fox, RCU Schedule, and Beer for Strong Bones

Champions League Final Will Be On Fox!


Fox will show its first soccer match ever when it broadcasts the 2010 Champions League Final on Saturday, May 22 at 1:30PM. This is huge news for two reasons. First, it will be on the flagship over the air Fox network available to millions, not Fox Soccer Channel or as previously reported FX. Second, the game is on a Saturday which is a change from years past when the final was on a weekday and required one to take off work/school to catch the action live. Nice!

I have an inquiry into Fox54 to verify that they will indeed be showing the match on their affiliate. I'll let you all know when I hear from them.

UPDATE: Elizabeth Zaideman from WZDX confirmed that Fox54 will indeed be broadcasting the game. Hooray!


Rocket City United To Release Schedule in March
RCU president and NPSL Southeast Region Commissioner Andy Zorovich has told the Pwt-blog that RCU will release its schedule in March. The Chattahooligan blog had posted a schedule for Chattanooga FC which included the dates with RCU, but Zorovich called the release premature. Zorovich went on to say, "There is a probability of changes on what is seen at Chattahooligan."


Beer, Good for Strong Bones

This has nothing to do with soccer, but being a member of the Free the Hops organization that aims to rewrite Alabama law to bring high quality craft beer to the state, I thought I'd pass this nugget along anyway. It's now been proven that beer is good for you. Turns out, those "Got Beer" t-shirts weren't just a hokey rip-off the old milk ads. :)

Bar of Dreams: Isn't It Time Huntsville Had A Soccer Bar?

There are two huge matches on TV this weekend (USA vs Honduras 8PM tonight on FSC and the Derby della Madonnina or Milan Derby 1:30PM Sunday on FSC), and that got me thinking about something that Huntsville is sorely lacking... a soccer bar.

In cities all around the country, soccer fans will be gathering at local establishments to watch the game on the big screen in the company of their fellow soccer fanatics. A quick search on soccerbars.com shows only one soccer bar in Alabama and that is a 6 hour drive from Huntsville. The closest official US Soccer Bar is in Atlanta, a four hour drive.

Huntsville has plenty of sports bars where they show college football, NFL, baseball and basketball, but that's not the same as a soccer bar.

So, what makes a soccer bar?

In fact, it doesn't have to be a bar at all. It can be a restaurant, a club, or a even a diner. For me, it's simple. It's a place that you know, no matter what, the match you are looking for will be shown. It doesn't have to be a place with soccer jersey's hanging in every corner or a British/Irish style Pub. The food can taste like cardboard, the beer selection can be limited, and the service could be awful. It doesn't matter, the joint just has to treat the sport with respect and before all else, show the games.

Now, I've been to several establishments around town that are happy show the games, if their basic cable/satellite sports package happens to have the channel. In fact, every four years during the World Cup, almost every bar/restaurant in town becomes a soccer bar. During those special few weeks, soccer is a national sport. It's great. The game is treated with respect, and all sports fans are into it. But that does not a real soccer bar make.

A real soccer bar will:

• Go out of their way to order every conceivable channel where soccer is shown ahead of time.
• Have multiple TVs to show all the games going on concurrently.
• Order the special pay per view events (like the African Nations Cup) and advertise all of the games it shows.
• Open at all times of the day/night in order to show the games live and will often record them and reshow them later in the day, if necessary.

An establishment that does these things will have a loyal, strong following year round, not just during a few months of the year. It's a place that soccer fans will call our own.

If you build it, they will come.

What do you think? Is there already a place like this in Huntsville? Is there anything else that you'd like to see in our soccer bar?

Links To Check Out While At Home Sick

One of the unadvertised perks of parenthood is the passing of every germ your little one can acquire to the parents and this week my daughter passed on a nice stomach bug to me. So, in between trips to the bathroom, I was able to hit the internet for some interesting nuggets.

Soccer on the Radio

Enjoying the company of friends while listening to the game on the radio.

There was no soccer on the radio when I grew up. But I did get to listen to some fantastic sports broadcasters ply their trade over the radio waves. Listening to Jon Miller broadcast Oriole games was a joy. My family would also watch the Redskins with the TV sound muted and crank up the radio broadcast to catch the excitement of the local broadcast crew. So, I totally get it when the guys at EPLTalk advise us to listen to soccer on the radio for a change. The radio broadcast can open up the game in your imagination and bring the excitement of the stadium to you in a way TV just can't do, no matter how good the resolution. I'm gonna give it a try.

Bundesliga is Back
I was so excited to see that the best supported league in Europe was back in action this past weekend after its traditional winter break. And I was excited to read the quote machine Raphael Honigstein's latest Bundesliga wrap-up column. This week he writes about the surprising season Eintract Frankfurt is enjoying. And Raphael doesn't disappoint by dropping this gem of line:

"After 18 matches played, Frankfurt are in seventh, only one point behind Werder Bremen. The position is so incredulous, it really belongs in the Kama Sutra."

Hehehe!


Juju in African Football

Juju man blesses a ball.

Andrew Guest of the blog Pitch Invasion wrote an incredibly interesting piece on witchcraft in African soccer. He makes some great points that juju is really no different from western religious blessings, for instance, teams who pray together before a match or the players who cross themselves while entering the field. It's just that many western people are ignorant of the African culture and therefore sensationalize the actions that they don't understand.


Beer/Soccer Q and A

As you know by now, I enjoy a good brew and the beautiful game. Here's a Q and A from a like minded fellow from the soccer blog Avoiding the Drop.

More Sadness From Haiti

I picked up this from my Twitter feed. Terribly sad.

RobHarrisUK at least 30 members of #Haiti soccer federation killed in #earthquake - including players, coaches and refs @AP

Here's a link to Haiti United, where as part of the soccer community you can continue to help the country so desperately in need.

Randoms

Another World Cup Ball Post?!

I don't know why, but I find this ball to be fascinating. As I've posted earlier, FIFA's new official World Cup ball is called the Jubalani and is the most technologically advanced ball ever.


The Guardian has a nice info-graphic with some cool tidbits on the ball.


Beer bath?

Normally when the phrase "beer bath" is mentioned in a soccer article, it's in reference to a championship celebration. This post is an exception.

Beer baths, long soaks in a tub filled with beer and other spices, are being used by many South American soccer players as a new remedy for soccer injuries. What's next? Will RCU player's turn to Huntsville's newest brewery, Straight to Ale Brewing, to heal their ails (or should I say ales)? I know that many HASL players already work out their aches and pains after Sunday matches with the help of a lager or two, but bathing in it just seems to be a waste of good beer!

Get Your Official World Cup Gear At Walmart... Wait, Walmart?

You'll soon be able to pick up your official 2010 World Cup gear at Walmart. In a move that is surely designed to raise the international profile of the world's largest retailer rather than promote soccer in the heartland of America, Walmart signed an deal to operate 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Official Event Stores in each of it's 7,800 locations worldwide. So, get used to seeing a Christiano Ronaldo shirts next to that Jimmy Johnson jacket.

Things To Ponder (And Drink)

A Case For MLS Playoffs

There's a lot of debate every year around this time about whether MLS should drop its playoffs in favor of the "single table" to crown their champion. In essence, many soccer aficionados claim that for MLS to be a legit soccer nation, MLS should award the title to the team with the most points at the end of a regular season where teams play each other the same number of times as do their favorite European leagues.


However, Brian Straus over at Fanhouse has articulated the most cogent argument that I've ever heard for the MLS playoff system.

Head of US Soccer Addresses Inferiority Complex

As illustrated in the bit above, there is no doubt that the US soccer community has an inferiority complex. The US may have shown up late for the soccer party, but as US Soccer President Sunil Gulati points out in a Q and A with the New York Times Goal blog, we may just be the biggest soccer nation on earth.

"...the U.S. makes the largest TV rights payment for the World Cup; Americans are the No. 1 ticket buyers to the World Cup; the U.S. has more registered players; our women’s team is unparalleled; and no one is taking the men’s team for granted anymore and we’re in the mix to be seeded [in the 2010 World Cup]. No one would have thought those things 20 years ago."

The US are "soccer minnows" no more! Gulati also has some very interesting comments on coach Bob Bradley and the USA bid for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Diego-beer!

As you know, I'm a pretty big fan of beer. I'm a proud member of the Free the Hops organization that strives to expand the presence of good brews in Alabama. It is known that I have a proclivity to post anything that strays from the world of beer into the realm of soccer.


Now, I've never been a big fan of the wonder midget, Diego Maradona, but I had to crack a smile when I saw that a Mexican brewery has produced a special brew in honor of the biggest little cheater in World Cup history (just google "hand of god" if you think I'm being harsh).