Soccer in the rain

The result was pretty much a foregone conclusion, but for those interested in the details — the U.S. women’s soccer team beat Mexico 4-0.

Sisters Kristie and Samantha Mewis — the pride of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School in Massachusetts — opened the scoring, with Kristie setting up Samantha.

Christen Press scored two goals, and Tobin Heath connected on a rocket shortly after coming into the game, scoring right below where we were standing.

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Let’s go to some games

C’mon in, there’s no social distancing here.

I know it looks like the sports room in my house, but once I close that door, it’s going to be something else.

After all, if someone is suggesting escaping … you know … by sleeping in the guest room and imagining it’s a trip, we can turn a room full of sports books, pictures and other memorabilia into a portal to where sports haven’t changed.

Just ignore the scratching. Our cat Sasha hates when I shut the door.

Saturday: Don’t say anything

It wasn’t particularly easy, but Liverpool won again.

Fans, pundits, announcers … everyone is talking about what Liverpool is about to do, as it’s all but a done deal.

As a Liverpool fan, I’ll be so excited when they wi …

… Nope, can’t do it.

Something new on the sports menu

Walking up the ramp at Gillette Stadium, a familiar feeling came over me.

Almost involuntarily, my legs felt like they were walking less and pulling me more, pulling me toward my seat, toward what was awaiting at the top of the ramp.

I’ve felt it countless times at countless games.

I just wasn’t sure I was going to feel it this time.

A month of finding stories

True confession time … when I decided I would try to post something every day in July (and the last couple days in June), I never thought I’d actually be able to do it.

I figured at some point I’d have unconquerable writer’s block, or I wouldn’t have time or I’d just decide I really didn’t feel like doing it, and who cares, right? I was only doing it to challenge myself, anyway.

But here we are. It’s July 31, and I’m sitting at my kitchen counter, typing away on my iPad.

England game, American fans

One of my coworkers wore his Harry Kane jersey to the office today, and made sure he bolted soon enough to catch the England-Croatia World Cup semifinal.

I had normal work attire, but worked the afternoon from my TV room, wearing the “We are England” shirt that arrived in the mail after we got home from Gardner’s house Saturday.

This despite neither of us being … you know, English.

England game, English life

“So you’re welcome to come down, but I will say that things might get a bit tense. Just I magine game 7 of the World Series, and then double it!”

My mate Gardner’s response to my Facebook query about getting together for today’s England-Sweden World Cup game was probably a warning.

However, I took it as an opportunity.

Sports are a drug

It hit me during the barrage of pharmaceutical ads I saw over the weekend … maybe the one where people were salsa dancing for some reason.

If sports were marketed like drugs for your heart, diabetes, restless leg syndrome or whatever, the benefits would be fun, a chance to get away from real life, hours of entertainment and fellowship with your fellow fans or participants.

Of course, all drugs have side effects, and one of those would be white-hot irrational rage.

London Travels: When you’ve made it to Wembley, you’ve made it

America doesn’t have a national stadium or sports arena.

Sure, there are lots of historic, important ones — Madison Square Garden (especially for college basketball fans of a certain vintage), the Rose Bowl, the Los Angeles Coliseum, the Superdome, Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field — but none of them are a be-all and end-all.

Get ready for the Super Bowl without me

Next Thursday night, my wife and I are heading to London.

There will be shows (“Hamilton”! “Les Mis”!), museums, hopefully a tour of Wembley Stadium and just the overall experience of being in London, even though the January weather might be kind of sketchy.

But I just realized another feature of our trip, which will also include several days in Edinburgh, Scotland.

We’re going to miss almost all of the Super Bowl hype. In fact, we just going to get back in time for the game.