South Florida Soccer fans, where are you?

In true Manville fashion I attempted to throw a Champions League Final party last night. Like years past, I invited everyone I knew (which is a substantially smaller crowd down here) to come to the house and watch the game, which I taped yesterday afternoon. It was BYOB, with an imposed alcohol limitation that required the beer you brought to be brewed in the country from which your team hailed (i.e. England or Spain) or the Champions League sponsor (let's hear it for Heineken as the new sponsor over last year's Amstel Light). I even made my world famous salsa.

We had 5 people, Brien, Jamey and myself included. Apparently soccer does not have the same appeal as in Chattanooga or Columbia. I can't even begin to count the number of weeknight games I watched with Noel, Elissa, Macey, Strawbridge and a host of others last year. Or the multiple nights I hosted slumber parties with jr. high and high school guys from our youth group so we could watch the World Cup games live in 2002. I had planned numerous World Cup 2006 parties here in the next month - we'll see how that goes.

Despite the fact that my team lost (hint hint I brought Newcastle), it was a good game, even with the early departure of Lehman and the equalizer from Barcelona that was questionably ruled onside. The defenses were impressive, and the superstars Henry and Ronaldinho were essentially shut down. Brien and I have decided that Ronaldinho is a brilliant footballer, but way too much of a showboat.

And watching him play again only further confirmed the fact that he looks like a horse. I believe I saw Ronaldinho canter at one point. How appropriate the ubiquitous pony tail.