The Aztexan

And . . . we’re back! After a week off, the Aztex will return to league action Saturday evening, hosting Miami FC here in Austin at 7:30.

This will be the fourth and final meeting between the two teams this season. Austin has won all three of the previous matchups, and will be looking to take another three points.

Miami, meanwhile, will be looking to break a winless streak that stretches back 7 games (0-5-2; two of those losses were to the Aztex). Their most recent result was a 2-0 loss to Tampa Bay (match report/box score). The team has made changes to try to climb out of last place: last week they hired a new head coach, Daryl Shore. Shore goes to Miami after a 10-year stint as assistant coach with MLS’ Chicago Fire.

The Aztex, meanwhile, should be rested and raring to go. With the recent signing of Tyler Hemming and some trialists in town, we may see some new players on the field.

Austin continues to lead the league with 35 points, even though it has 3 games in hand over the two closest challengers (Vancouver and Rochester, both at 33). The final third of the Aztex’s schedule is heavy with road games, and though their road record this year has been great, I’m sure that they won’t be taking these next home games for granted. Though this game has all the markings of three points for the Red & White, in this sport you never know the outcome for sure until that final whistle blows.

If you need tickets, you can get a good deal today (Friday, July 30) at Eversave.com: ticket vouchers are just $8. You can buy up to 10, and they’re also valid for next weekend’s game against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Proceeds of those tickets, as well as an auction of autographed players’ warm-up shirts at the game, will benefit Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas.

There are just five home games left in the season, so don’t miss this one! As always, fans will start getting together at The Tavern at 5:30, about 2 hours before the 7:30 kickoff. And don’t miss the after-game (hopefully another victory celebration) at Cuatro’s.

Let’s go Aztex!

I just finished reading The Boys From Little Mexico – A Season Chasing the American Dream, by Steve Wilson. It was excellent, and thoroughly enjoyable, and I recommend it.

The book is about a high school soccer team in Woodburn, Oregon, and their quest for the state championship. What makes their story more interesting is the fact that, unlike almost every other team in the state, the team is almost entirely Hispanic.

At first it seemed a little incongruous that there would be a large community of Mexican immigrants in the Pacific Northwest, closer to Canada than Mexico. But the explanation of how that came to be, dating back to the World War II-era Bracero Program, is just the start of the story Wilson has written.

It’s a good example of one of my favorite aspects of this book: Wilson’s ability to zoom out from the details of the story in Woodburn, give a thorough, “big picture” background, and then zoom back in to the the people at the heart of the story. He does this many times, covering everything from historical immigration, to ESL (English as a second language) instruction, to the physics behind “bending it like Beckham”, to Major League Soccer’s evolving relationship to Latino players and fans:

In an interview on ThisIsAmericanSoccer.com^[link], Sports Illustrated soccer writer Luis Bueno said that he felt MLS clubs need to work harder to find Mexican American athletes because Latinos tend to play in less-established, less-wealthy leagues.

“I have a cousin who’s pretty good at soccer, I think he’s 15. I’m thinking, “Alright, is he going to have the chance to go to college?” Probably not. I’m just being honest. He plays on club teams right now. They’re not the big club teams that the Sacha Kljestans played for and the Bornsteins and the Benny Feilhabers. Those guys had the opportunities to play on those teams whereas someone like my cousin doesn’t. Maybe he plays high school and then that’s it. There are a lot of players like that, who for financial reasons just can’t afford it.”

Bueno, like other MLS critics, wonders if the coaches of MLS and U.S. national teams realize how much talent may be in their own backyard.

“We don’t know,” he said. “There could be the next Landon [Donovan] out here, the next [Jozy] Altidore. We don’t know since it’s something that’s never really been explored.”

But I don’t mean to say this book is an academic essay at all; far from it. The remarkable thing about these zoom-outs of big picture information is that they’re able to add so much to the story in spite of how brief they are.

For it’s the story, and the people in it, that are central here. This book will introduce you to a rich cast of characters, not just the boys on the team, but also their coaches, teachers and foster parents.

The boys on his team were like the boys in his classroom, who never raised their hands and were reluctant to voice an opinion. They were afraid to fail. They were the first generation, or immigrants themselves, and they were supposed to make everything better. By winning the championship. By learning English. By graduating from high school. By going to college. By making a good living. His guys were supposed to break the pattern, and they knew it and it weighed on them.

One of the these characters is Octavio, whose story is traced from the Mexican village where he was born, to his time with the Club Atlas youth program, to his harrowing journey over the border into the U.S., and of course, to his quest for the Oregon high school soccer championship with Woodburn High. Octavio’s story in particular is one that I won’t soon forget, and that I know will come to mind whenever the subject of immigration in America comes up.

Another aspect of the book that impressed me is the soccer writing itself. Wilson really brings to life the action and excitement of the team’s games. The glory of victory and the crush of defeat both feel as vivid as if you were there — maybe more so, given the omniscient coverage of players, coaches and fans.

Reading this during the month-long World Cup, I was struck by the idea of the power of soccer (or sports in general) to transform people, communities, etc. Whether it’s immigrant high school kids in Oregon having something positive to work and fight for, or an African nation wanting to show that it deserves respect on the world stage, it’s quite a theme. But is it real?

I think the paradox of it is that such a storyline is both true and false. Yes, the chance to be on the Woodburn Bulldogs soccer team (or Los Perros, as it’s now more commonly known) is an important, even crucial, part of those young mens’ lives. But at the same time, it’s not magic fairy dust. The team gives them something to work and fight for, but they still have to do the working and fighting.

This fine book brings it all to vivid life. Pick up a copy, I’m confident you’ll find a lot to enjoy from it.

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, but the time I spent reading and reviewing it was my own. I wouldn't have bothered with either if it wasn't worth it.]

AustinAztex.com — Aztex Add Depth to Midfield with Addition of Hemming

The Austin Aztex made a move to sure up [sic] their midfield on Tuesday by trading for the Montreal Impact’s Tyler Hemming for future considerations. Hemming, a capped Canadian international, has played in five matches for the Impact this season, four of those in a starting role.

“We are delighted to add Tyler to the team,” Head Coach Adrian Heath said. “Tyler is going to add much-needed depth to the midfield as we make our push to the playoffs and look to maintain our position on top of the league table.”

Maybe we’ll see Hemming, or some of the trialists in town this week, in this Saturday’s home game against Miami FC.

The Aztex have (finally!) opened an online store. This is good news not only for those of us in Texas, but for Aztex fans around the world (and due in part to the team’s affiliation with Stoke City, you can be sure that that market exists).

There’s a good selection: just about anything one would want, I think. Jerseys, scarves and t-shirts, of course; also jackets, seat cushions and vuvuzelas (yes, really).

Though there isn’t currently a way to specify personalization options, such as a name on the back of a jersey, you can get that by contacting the team via email along with your order. (That’s one thing holding me back from buying a 2010 jersey: deciding what to get on the back. It’s down to either “Aztexan” or “Soccerette”. . .)

One nice feature of the store: local customers can save on shipping by picking up their order at the Aztex office (13359 N. US 183, map ) or the next Aztex home game.

Check out the Aztex Merchandise online store.

News 8 — Athlete of the Week: Griffin maxing out potential with the Aztex

News 8 Austin’s commendably good coverage of the Aztex continues with this nice video (1 min 39 sec). Unfortunately it’s not embeddable, so you’ll have to click the link to watch it. The charming bit at the end, about why Max and his brother Leonard both play for the Aztex, made me laugh.

photo: AustinAztex.com Photo Gallery

It was a hot one at House Park on Saturday night. And the same way that the thermometer doesn’t always reflect how hot it really feels, so too, a final scoreline doesn’t always tell the whole story, either. That was certainly the case at House Park this weekend.

The 3,702 fans in attendance found the Aztex pressing hard from the opening whistle, barely letting St. Louis have the ball. The shot stats give a better idea of the heat the Red & White were pouring on: they took 15 in the first half, vs. St. Louis’ 1. Though the visitors fought back with intensity in the second half, they were a man down by that point, and it was too little, too late.

Though it was a solid win, I can’t help but feel that Austin should have really crushed this one. Playing at home, having the clearly stronger offense, with the benefit of a 1-man advantage, St. Louis was lucky (or did well defensively, depending on how you look at it) to not get really clobbered in this game.

Here’s a rundown of other post-match coverage:

• box score — USSF

• Aztex Blank AC St. Louis; Further Stretch League Lead — AustinAztex.com
  

  Ten minutes later, Jamie Watson was able to deliver a ball to Lance Watson that put the midfielder in a favorable scoring position. In an effort to halt Lance’s scoring chance, Dufty took him down inside the six-yard box, resulting in a penalty kick for the Aztex.

  Eddie Johnson stepped up to take the kick for the Aztex and attempted to place it to the Dufty’s left. With a quick reaction, Dufty was able to push the ball away from goal, denying Johnson his 10th tally this season.

• Austin Aztex beat St. Louis — Austin American-Statesman
  

  Austin earned redemption in the 34th when a Yordany Alvarez free kick floated toward a contested Jay Needham in the box. In the middle of the scrum Needham’s header deflected off St. Louis’ Jeff Cosgriff, who was given a red card for a handball, setting up another penalty kick. This time Jamie Watson stepped up to take the penalty and sent the shot into the lower right for the goal.

• AC St. Louis Lose 2-0 at Austin — The AC St. Louis Fanatic
  

  AC St. Louis in the second half had the daunting task of trying to win being a man down against the best offense in USSF D2 on the road. Coach Dale Schilly made liberal use of his substitutes, as Ryan Moore, John Lesko, Elvir Kafedzic and Alex Titton came in — Brad Stisser came in during the first half when Chris Salvaggione took a hard knock and was stretchered off the field. And although AC St. Louis made a game effort, the Aztex were able to double the lead in the 69th minute on a Maxwell Griffin goal. Being a man down in the 90-plus degree Texas heat was too tall of an order for the Saints to overcome, although they did force Aztex goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo into making some good saves on some hard, long-range shots.

• Photos (20): Aztex vs. AC St. Louis, 7-17 — AustinAztex.com Photo Gallery

• Video: Aztex extend unbeaten streak blanking St. Louis 2-0 (1:35) — News 8 Austin

• Video: Aztex 2, AC St. Louis 0 – Highlights (1:13) — AztexSoccer on YouTube

  Don’t miss the unbelievable defensive save St. Louis’s Jack Traynor makes of a lovely little chip from Eddie Johnson; see it from 0:18 to 0:28.

The Aztex won’t play again for two weeks, when they host Miami FC again on Saturday, July 31. I understand the players will be given some days off, and have a chance to really relax, visit family, etc. Congratulations to the team on a great season so far, enjoy a well-earned rest and good bragging rights with friends and family, and see you all back dominating the league in a couple of weeks!

Bleacher Report — This Is the Los Angeles Galaxy: Yohance Marshall

Football shares a few parallels with life in general. One of those parallels is a significant one: Getting a chance to prove yourself isn’t always a given.

For Yohance Marshall, it’s a parallel he knows very well. Standing tall at 6’2″ (1.88 m), this defender from Trinidad & Tobago has yet to shine on game day for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Currently, he is playing for the Austin Aztex in the USSF Division 2 Professional League on loan from the Gs. One day, his experience playing on the back line at House Park will translate to many memorable matches at the Home Depot Center.

Read it all.

The Aztex return to Austin to host AC St. Louis for their first match after the completion of the 2010 World Cup. Will we see some of those huge numbers of Cup final viewers? While Austin vs. St. Louis may not have quite the cachet of Spain vs. Netherlands, we’ve seen some exciting soccer at House Park, and I hope Saturday evening is no exception.

St. Louis continues to struggle through their inaugural season. Their 3-8-4 record gives them just 13 points from 15 games, putting them right at the bottom of the league table. The pregame story on the Aztex website calls them “streaking” over the last 6 games, but I think that’s a generous description of a 2-1-3 run.

Saturday’s game will be the second of a four-game road-trip for St. Louis. The first was just Wednesday night against the NSC Minnesota Stars. Though they got a point from the 2-2 draw, to St. Louis it must have felt like a loss: they were leading 2-0 until the 87th minute (match report/box score).

Austin will be looking to regain its offensive firepower in this game. Having averaged 2 goals per game for the first 14 games of the year, the Red & White haven’t scored at all in the last two matches. Perhaps the return of midfielder Lance Watson, just back last weekend after being absent since early June with hamstring trouble, will spark the Aztex offense.

Unfortunately, on the defensive end, stalwart Kieron Bernard is listed as questionable for Saturday with a groin injury.

The Aztex have teamed up with “Austin Pets Alive!” (APA), an organization working to stop the practice of killing stray cats and dogs in Austin. If you order your tickets from this fundraising page, the Aztex will donate 20% of your ticket price to APA.

Kickoff is the usual time: 7:30 PM. And the pre-match gathering at The Tavern is the usual time, as well: 5:30. And don’t forget the after-match spot, Cuatro’s, which is sure to be a victory celebration. Come on out and have a great Austin evening of live, pro soccer. Go Aztex!

ESPN MediaZone — 2010 World Cup Final on ABC: Most-Watched Men’s World Cup Game Ever

Sunday’s 2010 FIFA World Cup Final on ABC – a 1-0 victory by Spain in extra time over the Netherlands – ranks as the most-watched Men’s World Cup game ever among viewers.

The top 10 metered markets for Sunday’s four-hour telecast (including pre- and post-match programming) were:

1. San Francisco (14.7)
2. San Diego (13.6)
3. New York (13.1)
4. Miami-Ft. Lauderdale (12.0)
5. Washington, D.C. (11.9)
6. Los Angeles (11.3)
7. Austin, Texas (10.4)
8. Seattle-Tacoma (10.0)
9. Cincinnati (9.5)
10. Boston (9.1)

Again: welcome, Austin soccer fans! Now, come check out live, local soccer!

Red Bull USA — Red Bull Battle del Toro:

Red Bull Battle Del Toro is a spirited, fiercely competitive homage to the Battle of the Alamo – soccer style. Throughout this three-day tournament, four U16 teams from Texas featuring some of the state’s biggest phenoms will clash cleats with four U16 teams from Mexico boasting some of the country’s top emerging stars.

Qualifying games are 6 & 8 PM on Thursday and Friday, final round games at 6 and 8 on Saturday. Admission to San Antonio’s STAR Soccer Complex is $5 per day.

The U16 Mexican teams are Club America, Tigres UANL, Atlas and Chivas de Guadalajara; the U16 Texan teams are Classics Elite (San Antonio), Dallas Texans, FC Dallas and Albion Hurricanes (Houston).

(Via Austin Chronicle.)