My First Ever Soccer Game

Yes, today, I attended my first professional soccer game. I have seen my high school and college teams play, but never have I seen a Major League Soccer team or international club live. The match-up on Saturday evening was the Los Angeles Galaxy against FC Dallas. I must say it was quite the experience...probably one I will never get again considering the final score was 6-3!!! Too bad the Galaxy lost. Don't believe me? Here's the scoreboard at the end of the game:


If you don't already know, the Galaxy are the home team for superstars David Beckham and Landon Donovan. Beckham was a fantastic player over in England and for other teams abroad. Donovan has gained fame as one of the key players on the US National soccer team. It was pretty cool to see these two in person and hear the fan support they get. Here are shots of Beckham (#23) and Donovan (#10):

Beckham:


Donovan:


As for the game and environment, it was surprisingly very exciting to watch. I have never been interested in soccer and have only really watched big international games like the World Cup on television. However, watching the sport live is definitely an experience. The Home Depot Center was a cool place to watch the game as it is built just for soccer. It is very intimate, with every seat having a good view of the field. The fans were very into the game, especially the multiple sections of Galaxy Supporters. They stood, chanted, played instruments, and jumped up and down the whole game. There was confetti/fireworks at the start of the game, and more confetti for each goal. Each chance for a score was exciting, and the unusually large number of goals made the game even more enjoyable. I had an absolute blast!

Me and my friends Bryan and Dan

Below are some more pictures I took from the game. I will be posting a whole album on my Facebook soon! Tomorrow, I'll have a whole preview of the crazy week that's about to begin!

Entrance to the Home Depot Center


View from Our Seats


Corner Kick on Our End


LA Galaxy Huddle


FC Dallas Goal Celebration


Galaxy Supporters


Discussion with the Referees


Brawl/Handshakes After the Game

Volleyball Preview

Today at Citi Cable 3, I went out to do a girls volleyball preview at South High School in Torrance. The team is pretty good and today had a preseason game against Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. Watching the team brought back memories of when I played volleyball in high school and made me miss it a little. While it's not a popular game, it is more complex than you would think and can be very exciting to watch.

As for the preview, I was able to interview Head Coach Rob Kutsch and two of the captains for the team. The team and players seem very excited for the season and are looking to reclaim the Pioneer League title once again. When the package is all completed and airs, I will post the link to it.

Overall, I really am enjoying my internship with The Sports Desk @ Citi Cable 3. While high school sports is not anything glamorous, it is still fun to cover and see kids playing the sports they love and learning about the storylines that go along with the teams. I am excited to be creating some pieces that will get airtime here in California and online, and I will hopefully be able to use them for my demo reel once I'm done with college.

Tuesday Intern Double Dip

Today, I spent some time at both internships. My time today with the Kings was short; I just went in to fill out some paperwork, talk to my supervisor, and pick up my season credential for the Kings. It is nice to finally have a credential that's good each game for the season rather than having to pick one up each day. It also includes phone numbers for all of the important people I will be dealing with, which will be very helpful on game days. I'm definitely getting excited as the first preseason game is only a week away!

At Citi CABLE 3, I did some editing for my second package that will be aired. This one is going to be another football preview, focusing on El Camino College. The school is a junior college in Torrance and is one of the best for football. I'll leave you in suspense about the team until the package is aired. I expect it to turn out pretty good...even better than my first one.

Speaking of my first package, it was recorded today during the taping of the show and should be online by Friday. I will put up a post with either a link to the video or with it embedded if possible. I thought it came out great for my first package in Torrance and gave some great insight on the South High School Spartans. I look forward to hearing your feedback on the piece.

The rest of the week will include classes on Wednesday, a volleyball preview at North High on Thursday, more editing later in the week, and my first ever Major League Soccer game on Saturday when we go see David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Top 10 Continued

Hello everybody. Hope you are all having a fantastic Labor Day. I am enjoying mine here in sunny Los Angeles relaxing and just enjoying the day. I have another Top 10 today. Being that I'm near Hollywood, the movie capital of the world, I have decided to make a list of my Top 10 movies that I have seen. So, here it is:

1. Remember the Titans

Just a tremendous sports movie that features some great acting, a story about a football team overcoming racism in their town and on their team to complete a memorable season. Watching this movie gets better every single time.

2. The Hangover

If you like comedies, this movie is for you. The acting in this was hysterical as each person played their role tremendously. Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis all did a great job trying to find their lost bachelor all over Las Vegas. I could not stop laughing the entire movie!

3. Psycho

Horror/murder mystery movies don't get much better than this one. Janet Leigh provides the perfect character for Marion Crane as she tries to escape town and ends up at the Bates Motel. The music makes the movie as it provides a creepy backdrop to the chilling storyline. A must-see if you are a murder mystery fan!

4. The Rookie

Another one of my all-time favorite sports movies. Dennis Quaid does a great job filling the role of former Major League pitcher Jim Morris, who goes from teacher in Texas to pro pitcher for the Devil Rays in a matter of months. Just a great story to hear if you don't already know it, and a fantastic, heart-warming movie to watch even if you do.

5. V for Vendetta

It took me a couple viewings of the movie to understand everything that was going on, but it's totally worth it to watch it again and again. The extensive plot and awesome special effects make the movie even better. It's a great story to follow as the movie goes on and the acting was superb.

6. Superbad

One of the all-time funniest movies. From start to finish, the movie theater was cracking up at each joke. The storyline was another hilarious tale of trying to get to a party and buying alcohol with a fake ID. All of the tangents the actors had to encounter really made the movie worthwhile. Pure laughter in this one.

7. Independence Day

This movie could be higher up on the list, but we'll slide it in here. Still one of the great movies that can be watched over and over again. Will Smith does a great job in the movie and the special effects are awesome. When the movie came out, it was a thrill to watch it in a movie theater. Definitely a quality action movie with some drama thrown in as well.

8. Wedding Crashers

Another classic storyline in this one featuring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn. Two guys who go around crashing weddings and sleeping with girls at each one. Then, they both fall in love with people at one specific wedding. Funny moments all the time in each movie but there's a heartwarming tale in it too.

9. Pulp Fiction

This classic featuring the likes of John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, and Uma Thurman, provides multiple storylines and interesting twists the entire movie. I really liked the acting by both Travolta and Jackson as they made the movie funny and action-packed at the same time.

10. Friday Night Lights

Based on the true story of the 1988 Permian Panthers, it was great to see what high school football in Texas is really like and how much pressure these kids are put under when playing the game. The story is a little dramatized, but the emotion that you can see and feel as the movie goes on really makes it great to watch.

Honorable Mention Award Winners

Major League


Anchorman


Happy Gilmore


Miracle


Animal House


That's all from me...might come at you with another Top 10 tomorrow. Hope you enjoy the new background. I'll try and change it up every so often. This is of Dodger Stadium.

Top 10 (+ 1)

So today, I decided to make a Top 10 list of the places I've been to so far in Los Angeles and California in general, with one bonus place. San Francisco was so awesome that I had to include it in the list. Some of them are activities rather than places. Alright, here it is:

1. 17 Mile Drive/Pacific Coast Highway

This is something that I don't think I will ever get to experience anywhere else. The drive is absolutely beautiful and provides awesome views of the ocean, mountains, and beaches. I often could not fathom how something so gorgeous was made and formed. The actual drive was very curvy and hilly which made it fun and difficult too. However, if you come to California, you must do this drive. It was a tremendous experience.

2. Fisherman's Wharf (San Francisco)

Great variety of food, the California Sea Lions, awesome views of the San Francisco bay, crazy shops, it has basically everything you'd want all in one area!

3. AT&T Park (San Francisco)

This has become one of my favorite places to watch a baseball game. The park is beautiful and features a large amount of Giants history in it. Great views from everywhere in the park of the field as well as the bay. Fans were into the game, and the variety of food also raised it up. Great place to go!

4. Universal Studios Hollywood

This place just had so much to do. The park had a bunch of fun rides to go on, and the studio tour was pretty awesome. City Walk was great to go to at night with all the lights on. The restaurants all sounded so good with Tony Roma's being the choice and being very very tasty. The shops were pretty fun to go in as well. Lots of life here and a fun place to be.

5. Hollywood Walk of Fame

The area has so much to do. Walking up and down the street to see the stars and concrete hand/footprints was a unique site. The Grauman's Theatre is a great place to go watch a movie. The Kodak Theatre area had many cool shops and restaurants to go to, and the rest of Hollywood Boulevard has multiple other places to go and check out. The area's a little touristy but definitely something one has to do.

6. Cable Car Ride (San Francisco)

Basically, you must do this in San Francisco. While it's not anything amazing, it's a tradition and a very unique experience. Going up and down the hill provided great views and getting to stand and hold onto the side of the car while riding was much more fun than taking mass transit.

7. Venice Beach

I am not a big beach person, but this day was too enjoyable to not put on this list. The waves in California are twice the size of those on the east coast and swimming in them was a lot of fun. The sand is much softer and smoother as well which was a pleasant surprise. As for the boardwalk, it was simply ridiculous. Strange shops, vendors, and people all made the experience that much more unique. Good times!

8. House of Nanking (San Francisco)

I wanted to have a good dinner in Chinatown while in San Fran, and this was one of the best experiences I've had eating. The food was great, and ordering without a menu and receiving tea in a beer mug with a flower in it was quite uncommon. While I wasn't in love with the place, it was pretty darn good and definitely not what I expected.

9. Dodger Stadium

One tour and two games gave me a pretty good perspective on the Stadium. I enjoyed seeing another traditional, older ballpark and the place was fun to watch a game. The constant bouncing beach balls, lack of good out-of-town scoreboard, late gate opening times, and inability to get to all levels of the ballpark dropped this one down.

10. Hollywood Sign

This was an experience I will do once or twice, but it was worth it. The hike is long and steep through the mountains, but the views are amazing. Everything from seeing downtown LA, Beverly Hills, Burbank, and the sign itself was all an experience you don't get often.

Bonus Place - The Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco)

The Golden Gate Bridge is a national landmark and is well-known everywhere. I enjoyed getting to drive back and forth over the bridge and see up close just how amazing of a site it is. It provides great views of the San Francisco skyline, the bay, and the opening to the ocean. Just amazing to see up close.

Another Active and Exciting Weekend

Sunday will be my day of rest, but my Friday and Saturday were both a lot of fun. Friday night, several students from the Ithaca LA program, and even some alumni, went to the Dodgers-Padres game at Dodger Stadium. It was another relatively boring game, with the final score being 2-0, but we all had a great time and got to see some awesome fireworks on the field once again. Here are some pictures from the game:

Reserved Level behind Home Plate


View from Our Seats


First Pitch - Clayton Kershaw to Everth Cabrera


Adrian Gonzalez (Padres 1st Baseman Swinging)


Adrian Gonzalez and Manny Ramirez at 1st


Nice Evening Sky


Ithaca College Welcomed on the Scoreboard


Russell Martin Swinging Away


Padres Celebrate the Win


On the Field After the Game


A Look at the Infield


Group Shot on the Field


Fireworks to End the Day


If you want to see all the pictures I took, check out my Facebook Album!

As for Saturday, a bunch of us went bowling at Pickwick Bowl, which is about a 5-10 minute drive from the Oakwoods. We all had a great time, and there was even some friendly wagering going on. Let's just say, I got a free dinner because I finished more than 50 points higher than someone (I finished 51 higher to be exact). I'd like to say I bowled pretty well, finishing with scores of 151 and 168 in the two games. It was an enjoyable afternoon for everyone who went!

The best part of the weekend though was probably celebrating the start of another new Bombers Football season. While I am sad that I am not in Ithaca to cover the team and call games, I still got a thrill from listening to the game on the radio. The guys over at 92 WICB do a great job putting the game on the air, and I'm proud to have been a part of that for two seasons. You should all take a listen on Saturday afternoons! By the way, Ithaca won 45-0 over St. Lawrence which made it even sweeter. Great start Bombers!!