Here’s a cool picture of Blake’s soccer team, the Dallas Texans – Houston Division Legend ’98.

Blake is number 25, in front, giving us his best game face. The cool thing about this picture is that every kid who got a team picture got to be in the front. It’s not really a group shot; The photographer took individual pictures of each kid and photoshopped each kid in the front for the shot they purchased. Very nice.

Blake’s team played the first day of a soccer tournament today. It was fun, although it was FREEZING out at the fields. His team won the first game 2-0 against Chivas. Blake scored a goal, capitalizing on a great cross from Pablo. Unfortunately, the second game against Tigres was very tough, and they lost 3-0. Tomorrow they face the Houstonians, which is a very, very tough team.

Go Legend!

Update: They tied the Houstonians 2 to 2, which was disappointing (especially since the Houstonians second goal was off a questionable call resulting in a PK) but the boys played their hearts out in the cold and mud. Well done!

I smashed one of the front window panes tonight playing basketball with Blake. I was chasing a ball and took one dorky step too many and kicked the ball right into the pane (they are small panes, thankfully, of a multi-pane window).

I’m thinking of the dozens of glass panes that have broken in our front windows over the years. Broken by basketballs, baseballs, soccer balls. And the dents in our garage door, made by same. And our front gutters, which are beat up as well from high rebounds.

They represent many years of pickup basketball between me and my kids. Years of throwing the baseball. Years of soccer practice out front. Years of fun.

I’m not particularly athletic (my kids are, however – they get it from their mom). But I sure have enjoyed these years. I will take all the dents and cracks! I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

I fixed the window pretty quickly tonight. I have a few extra panes in the garage, and I’ve gotten pretty quick at it over the years.

Andrew – I remember freaking out at you the first time one broke, many years ago. You threw a baseball through one of the panes. I’m sorry; I was a jerk. First of all, I should have caught the ball. Secondly, I didn’t know at the time how easy it would be to repair. I guess it’s just part of the price you paid for being the first. You didn’t deserve the rant.

Wow, what a game!

You had the underdog, battling back after having already been beaten once by the seemingly invincible champion.

You had the favored team, under the shadow of allegations of wrongdoing.

You had a close, close game that went down to the wire.

Congratulations to Blake’s soccer team, the Fury, for winning the Cy Fair Classic tournament (10-year-old Rec division)! They defeated a team that had been caught fielding non-roster players the previous day, and had already beaten the Fury once.

The final score was 2 to 1. Blake scored one of our goals. Well done Blake!

(Oh, the Super Bowl was pretty good too, I guess 🙂

Blake’s been on the same soccer team (CyFair Fury, baby!) basically since he was four. He turns ten today!

At the end of most seasons we put together a soccer DVD for the team, with clips of each player doing their thing over a music soundtrack. The one for this just-ended season was about 15 minutes long, and had a section devoted to each player. Below is the part of the video (about a minute) which highlights Blake’s work.

I know I’m his dad, and thus biased, but this kid has been blessed with some great talent. Take a look at this.

(Bonus points go to whoever can identify the soundtrack for this clip).