Best Man Speech

Good Evening Everyone,

For those of you who do not know me, my name is Gabriel and I have the honor of being Michael’s best man. Before I go any further, I would like to take this opportunity to thank both Mike and Lisa for allowing me the pleasure of being a part of their celebration. I think everyone will agree that the ceremony was wonderful. Lisa, you look stunning, as do the bridesmaids and the guys don’t look too shabby either… yes, even you Mike.

It took me some time to prepare this speech as I had to do quite a lot of research on best man speeches. I learned that most of these speeches include examples of embarrassing moments from the groom’s past where he has managed to make a fool of himself. In the interest of time I will try to recount only a few of these instances… if I tried to remember all the times Mike has done embarrassing things, this speech would take us well into Mike and Lisa’s first anniversary! I’m just kidding, in fact Mike is, without a doubt, the most responsible guy I know… he would have to be to have babysat Dom, John Paul and yes, even me, for so many years.

Mike and I have known each other for over 20 years! In this time we have seen many good times, some bad times and everything in between. Through the years we have convinced people we were brothers (which was no small task considering Mike is Italian and I’m Spanish), we envisioned moving into our own bachelor pad when we turned 16 with all the money we would make at A&P, and we even stunt rode our bikes through giant mountains of snow… Ok, maybe not mountains but they were pretty big piles of snow! Although many things changed with time, the one thing that remained constant was our friendship. Mike is always there to give you some much needed advice… whether you want it or not. But you always know that his intentions are good. Mike is also a lot funnier than people think… I remember he had me cracking up the one time when we were about 12 and we were on our bikes talking about things 12 year olds talk about. All of a sudden Mike fell forward! I know you are all probably thinking; “what’s funny about that?” The thing was that we weren’t actually riding our bikes, we were just standing up… balance was never Mike’s thing. That was the day Mike chipped his tooth and I’ve got to give him credit, where most 12 year olds would be crying from the pain, Mike was more afraid that his parents would kill him for chipping his tooth!

Well that’s enough Mike stories… I promised Mike that I would not write a traditional best man speech that does nothing but make fun of him. And since this is not a traditional best man speech, I won’t mention the time that Mike got his drivers license and decided that we should cruise around town. I definitely won’t mention that there we were two super cool guys in a 1989 Chevy Cavalier and how Mike made an extra wide left turn that almost saw us riding on the sidewalk! After all, Mike has always prided himself on his superior driving skills, regardless of the fact that he managed to back into a stopped car who was waiting to turn right… it was the other car’s fault… honest!

I know that with most of these speeches the best man stands up and talks about some of the funny nicknames the groom had in their younger days. I don’t think that is necessary so I won’t mention that Mike was known as the ‘bulletin board.’ I also won’t mention that he was given that nickname by some handsome, intelligent friend because of his uncanny ability to take anything you said to him in confidence and tell everyone he knew as if it were posted for all to see. Don’t worry Mike; I won’t say a thing about it.

I don’t understand why best men insist on making fun of the groom on such a special occasion… You won’t hear me making fun of Mike’s athleticism… or lack thereof. I mean could you imagine if I told everyone that Mike plays soccer like the great Roberto Baggio or the Icon David Beckham?... at least that’s how he takes his penalties. So fear not Mike, I will not be making fun of you in this speech.

All joking aside, there was a moment that I remember very fondly from our youth. I remember when we were in high school, Mike calling me at home and telling me about this girl that he had met through some of our friends. He wouldn’t stop talking about how incredible this girl was, she was smart, pretty and best of all… she was Italian! Mike knew she was perfect for him. Before long they were dating and Mike was in heaven! The girl’s name? Lisa, of course. I also vividly remember just a few short years ago, talking to Mike after New Year’s Day. Mike had gone to a banquet hall, not expecting to have much fun if I remember correctly, but when I spoke to him he was ecstatic. He asked me how our New Year’s was and as I told him he responded with the obligatory “uh-huhs” and “oh yeahs” but I could tell that he had something on his mind. Finally I just asked him what’s going on. He told me that he had met up with someone from his past and that the year could not have started any better. He sounded happy, happier than he had been in a very long time. I asked him who he had met up with. Lisa, of course.

As I stand here today I am flooded with many happy memories and most of those memories include my best friend Mike. Mike, you were there when we were kids playing in the streets; you were there when we went through our awkward teenage years; you were there during our College and University adventure; and you were standing right there beside me last year when I was married. You are all that a friend should be and more… you are my brother… and I know that many memorable moments await both Lisa and you as you begin your journey together. I wish the both of you a lifetime of happiness, friendship and love… I Love You both!

World Football Pages Recap (Issue #69)

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RECAP:


Team of the Month: Bayer Leverkusen

The entire football world was in a state of disbelief as referee Graham Poll blew the final whistle from the Bay-Arena. Bayer had dismantled the Galacticos in stunning fashion, who would have imagined? Bayer Leverkusen! Leading up to the match, Bayer coach, Klaus Augenthaler, had repeatedly stated that his squad was not afraid of the Merengues and that they would compete with the star-studded squad. They did better that just competing as they picked up three crucial points in Group B after embarrassing the favorites to lift this year’s trophy by a score of 3-0. The truly inspired performances of goal scorers; Dimitar Berbatov, Franca, and Jacek Krzynowek, led the way as Bayer showed that they are no pushovers. A performance like Leverkusen’s deserves rave reviews and the honor of being named the Champions League Team of the Month.


Player of the Month: Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Manchester United

United gained a massive point against Olympique Lyonnais in their first action of Group D thanks to the man they call Ruud. Just when it looked as if Manchester was staring a sure loss in the face, Van Nistelrooy came to life and scored two second half goals to salvage a point for United. Although his second goal seemed to be offside, the linesman’s flag stayed down and Man U. escaped with an unexpected draw. The horse-faced one has been prolific for Manchester United so far this year and his performance versus Lyon proved that he, not Wayne Rooney or Alan Smith, is the key to United’s successes.


Game of the Month: Ajax Amsterdam vs. Juventus

The result of this game, a 1-0 victory for Juventus, was not as important as what this match represented, the return of Ajax’s prodigal son, Zlatan Ibrahimovich. The Amsterdam ArenA waited with bated breath as the two teams took the pitch. There, at the centre of the stadium, stood Ibrahimovich wearing his famous number 9 jersey… for Juventus. Zlatan’s return was not as eventful as the Swedish striker may have liked. He did show some flashes of brilliance but was otherwise quieted by the pesky Dutch defense. The game did see a fantastic strike from Czech midfielder, and aspiring Pantene Pro V model, Pavel Nedved.


Bonehead of the Month: AS Roma Fan

Will the violence ever end? The Group B encounter between Dynamo Kiev and AS Roma, played in the friendly confines of the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, was suspended at the end of the first half with Dynamo leading 1-0 thanks to the brilliance of a Roma fan. Referee Andres Frisk had ended the first half after dubiously sending off Roma defender, Philippe Mexes, after his heated encounter with a Dynamo’s Verpakovskis. While the players and officials were leaving the pitch, one of the Roma faithful decided to take matters into his own hands by launching an object at the referee and striking Frisk squarely on the forehead. The object must have been blunt as Frisk was seen crying like a 12 year old girl as he was rushed to the dressing rooms. The match was later suspended by Frisk who felt that the fourth official was not experienced enough to referee the last 45 minutes of the encounter. The Roma fan ended up costing his beloved side dearly as UEFA reviewed the situation and decided to award Dynamo with a 3-0 win and instituted a two match blackout where Roma are forced to play their home games with no fans in attendance. To the Roma fan that lovingly put his team behind the eight-ball, I would like to say congratulations! You are the bonehead of the month.


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Soccer Italia Magazine Article

* This article was published in the September edition of Soccer Italia Magazine

ChampionsWorld Tour Alive and Well in North America
By Gabriel Mederos

The ChampionsWorld Tour touched down in North America again this summer and the results were staggering. The 11 games played in the United States and Canada drew some large, raucous crowds, proving that support for soccer is alive and well in North America.

This year’s edition of the ChampionsWorld Tour saw the return of heavyweights Glasgow Celtic and Manchester United alongside newcomers to the tour; AS Roma, AC Milan, Liverpool FC, Chelsea FC, Galatasaray, Bayern Munich, and European Champions, FC Porto. The quality of competition was unbelievable drawing a crowd in excess of 70,000 to Giants Stadium for the Manchester United vs. AC Milan encounter, while over 50,000 fans attended the AS Roma vs. Glasgow Celtic match at the Skydome in Toronto.

Fans were treated to some jaw-dropping goals and displays of pure class. Some of the tour’s standouts included Chelsea’s Mateja Kezman and Alexei Smertin; AC Milan’s Cafu and Andriy Shevchenko; Current Galactico and Ex-Liverpool striker, Michael Owen; Liverpool’s Djibril Cissé; and the magnificent Francesco Totti. Totti’s performances during the ChampionsWorld Tour were reminiscent of his 2000/2001 form that saw Roma capture the Serie A title.

Italian soccer supporters will also be happy to see AC Milan’s marvelous beginning to their season as they defeated Roman Abramovich’s “Chelski,” 3-2 in front of 39,123 supporters in Philadelphia, following a 9-8 penalty kicks victory over English premiership giant Manchester United at Giants Stadium in New York. Although Filippo Inzaghi was unable to participate due to injury, and the explosive Kaka did not marvel the crowd with the form that he displayed last term, the performances of Jaap Stam coupled with Hernan Crespo’s triumphant return to Milan, have many AC Milan fans salivating at the thought of yet another Scudetto mixed in with European glory.

In 2005, organizers of the ChampionsWorld Series will undoubtedly look to build on the tremendous success that the tour experienced this summer in North America. The stage has been set for yet another summer of exciting top class soccer as we North Americans count down the months until next summer when some of the world’s greatest footballers return to our centre stage.

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Inside Soccer Magazine Article

* This article was published in Inside Soccer Magazine Issue #48


SOBREVIVR EN EL ‘GRUPO DE LA MUERTE’
‘Survival of the Fittest in Group B’


Canada’s road to Germany for World Cup 2006 will be a difficult one as they are pitted against some formidable opponents in the next round of World Cup qualifying. Canada will meet Central American powerhouses Costa Rica and Honduras, along with up and comers Guatemala in Group B, labeled the ‘Group of Death’, as they look to guarantee their place for Germany 2006. Canada will no doubt be scouting their competition closely in preparation for their upcoming encounters. We here at Inside Soccer Magazine have done some scouting of our own, as we bring you a breakdown of ‘El Grupo de la Muerte’ and what we can expect from the next qualifying stage.

GUATEMALA

Ranked 87th by FIFA, Guatemala would seem to be one of the weaker teams in the group, but if recent results are any indication, the ‘Azul y Blanco’ will be no pushover come August. The Guatemalans are buoyed by the scoring presence of L.A. Galaxy striker, Carlos ‘Pescado’ Ruiz. Ruiz, who is nicknamed ‘The Fish’ because of his uncanny ability to maneuver quickly and powerfully through defenders, has looked nothing like a fish out of water in the home-and-away series against Surinam. Ruiz has accounted for half of Guatemala’s offensive output in their previous two matches and looks to be in fantastic form heading into the next round of qualifying.

Guatemala coach Ramón Maradiaga will hope his ‘Chapines’ continue their winning ways looking forward to their first Group B game on August 18th in Canada. However, history is not on Guatemala’s side, as they have lost six of the nine meetings against the Canadians, winning only once. The last meeting between the Group B combatants, June 2, 1999 in Edmonton, resulted in a 2-0 win for Canada. A constant knock against Guatemala is their historic inability to win when it counts. Their abysmal record versus CONCACAF frontrunners USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Canada backs this criticism. The Guatemalans will be the first to assure you that the current squad is a very different team, with a completely different mindset. The squad led by the likes of Carlos Ruiz, Dwight Pezzarossi, Mario Acevedo, and Julio Cesar Monterosso will be looking to turn some heads and finish among the top two in Group B.

HONDURAS

The Hondurans have no shortage of talent as demonstrated in their two game demolition of the Netherlands Antilles leading up to the CONCACAF group qualifiers for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. While under the tutelage of master tactician Bora Milutinovic, the ‘Catrachos’ have made other teams in the region stand up and take notice. Led by super-striker David Suazo, who currently plies his trade for Cagliari of the Italian Serie A, the Honduran attack is among the best in Group B. Trying to contain the firepower and creativity of the Hondurans will be no easy feat for their opponents. Factor in a supporting cast that features the likes of Edgar Alvarez, Carlos Pavon, and Amado Guevara, and you have a Honduras squad that definitely has the ability to qualify to the next round.

The Hondurans are well aware that the ‘Group of Death’ offers no easy games and they will have to ensure that they are up for every match. Canada’s recent record versus Honduras has not been favourable for the former Central American minnows, as they have lost their last two meetings to their North American adversaries, 2-1 in Winnipeg in May 2000 and 3-1 in Anaheim, in January of 1996. Like their Central American cousins Guatemala, Honduras will need to defeat some of the ‘big boys’ of the CONCACAF before they are considered contenders. The Honduran strength in attack, midfield, and defence is often undermined by weak goalkeeping and a lack of discipline. The recent resignation of national team coach, Bora Milutinovic, has left the squad with further question marks heading into the next phase of qualifying. Milutinovic cited negative comments made by both the press and the nation’s officials, despite having lead the team to the next round of qualification, as the main reason for his departure. Raúl Martínez Sambulá and Juan Carlos Espinoza have been appointed interim managers by the Federacion Nacional Autonoma de Futbol de Honduras (Fedefut) as they search for Milutinovic’s successor.

Success in the Group of Death will go far towards answering the critics and proving that the ‘Catrachos’ are the real deal. Honduras will be counting on their new international brigade that has lifted them from soccer obscurity to lead them to Germany in 2006.

COSTA RICA

It is no surprise that Costa Rica are the favorites to lead the charge in Group B. The ‘Ticos’ have been a perennial powerhouse in the CONCACAF and are a good bet to qualify for the 2006 installment of the World Cup. The ‘Tricolores’ have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to squad selection even without injured Costa Rican icon, Paulo Wanchope. The current squad boasts skillful players such as Gilberto Martínez of Brescia Calcio, Erick Scott, Luis Marín, Ronald Gómez, and Mauricio Solís, and will likely incorporate some of the standouts from their successful youth team, who qualified for this year’s Olympics in Athens ahead of the United States. Costa Rica will look to rebound from a lackluster qualifying series versus Cuba where they drew 2-2 away and 1-1 at home, qualifying thanks to the away-goal rule.

The ‘Ticos’ have enjoyed the most success of the Group B opponents against Canada, compiling four wins, five draws, and three losses in 12 matches. Costa Rica approach the next round of qualifying with much uncertainty caused by: the recent firing of head coach Steve Sampson; their inability to beat a weaker Cuba side; the resignation of Mauricio Wright from the squad due to his lack of first team action; and the dissatisfaction of the home crowd following the 1-1 home draw to Cuba. Former US soccer coach, Sampson and the Costa Rican Soccer Federation mutually agreed to part company in light of the squad’s recent rash of poor performances. Incoming coach, Colombian born, Jose Luis Pinto, will have his hands full scrambling to prepare the squad for their upcoming matches and trying to stop the bleeding before it is too late. Despite their recent lull in form, Costa Rica will likely still be in the hunt for one of the top two spots in Group B, and undoubtedly looking forward to showing the world that they are still among the cream of the crop in international soccer.


Canada will have their work cut out for them in this stage of FIFA World Cup qualifying, facing off against some of the toughest competition the CONCACAF region has to offer. The red and white must ensure that they are prepared to match their competitors’ intensity in what promises to be some fiercely contested matches against three squads hungry for success and international recognition. The road to Germany will be a long and difficult one with qualification to the next stage increasing the possibility of meeting regional heavyweights USA, Mexico, and Jamaica. First thing is first, Canada must concentrate on securing one of the top two spots in Group B or it will be auf wiedersehen to the World Cup in 2006.


Gabriel Mederos is an emerging sports writer and researcher. He contributes regularly to international soccer websites and magazines and his soccer expertise lies in the CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, and UEFA competitions. Gabriel has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto and currently resides in Mississauga, Ontario.

http://www.insidesoccer.ca

World Football Pages Article (Issue #69)

CONMEBOL RECAP:


Team of the Month: River Plate (Argentina)

Following a few years of mediocrity, Los Millonarios have strung together a good run of results to start off the Argentinean Winter Tournament. Collecting 17 points from 7 games, River Plate have managed to preserve a slight advantage over arch-rivals and defending World Club Champions, Boca Juniors, while maintaining an unbeaten record. It is still too early to see if this River Plate team will be able to emulate Boca Juniors’ successes from the past few years, but leading the tough Argentinean league is enough reason to award this squad Team of the Month honors.


Game of the Month: Vasco da Gama vs. Palmeiras (Brazilian First Division)

In the spirit of the traditional “jogo bonito,” two of Brazil’s powerhouses squared off in a much anticipated match up. The fireworks began 10 minutes into the first half with a wonderful strike from Palmeiras’ Lucio that would set the tone for the remainder of the game. The goals came early and often as six more were scored before the game came to an end. Palmeiras would see Elson, Pedrinho, and Osmar (on two occasions) add to Lucio’s tally while Vasco replied with goals from Andre Lima and Petkovic. The game also had its heated encounters as three yellow cards were handed out and a red to Vasco’s Henrique just before the full time whistle. The match would end 5-2 in favor of Palmeiras. This game was the perfect tonic for those detractors of football who say that it’s a boring game with no scoring and no contact, it was definitely worthy of being recognized as the game of the month.


Player of the Month: Evelio Ordonez, El Nacional (Ecuador)

Mr. Ordonez has been tearing up the difficult Ecuadorian First Division with his stunning and well-timed strikes. While his team holds down the fourth spot, six points behind leaders Barcelona de Guayaquil, Ordonez sits first in scoring with 20 goals from 17 matches. Ordonez has come out of nowhere, puncturing the mesh and keeping his side in the championship hunt. Evelio Ordonez is our pick for the CONMEBOL player of the month.

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World Football Pages Article (Issue #68)

* These articles were published in World Football Pages (Issue #68)



THE MORE THINGS CHANGE… CANADA’S NIGHTMARE START IN GROUP B


Canada’s hopes of qualifying for the upcoming World Cup in Germany took a serious blow following the 2 - 0 loss to Guatemala at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Frank Yallop’s men did not achieve the result they were looking for, playing at home in front of a large Guatemalan contingent. The Canadian team found itself behind the eight-ball relatively early in the game thanks to an easy tap in from Guatemala’s main threat and MLS All Star MVP, Carlos Ruiz, in the 8th minute. Things went from bad to worse 11 minutes after the restart as Ruiz struck again to put the game out of reach in favor of Guatemala. Ruiz managed to skip past the non-existent Canadian defence and chip Canadian keeper, Pat Onstad, to claim his second goal of the match.

Canadian Soccer Association president, Andy Sharpe, voiced his disappointment with the result stating; “this team can’t play any worse, it was just a total fucking disaster that performance.” His sentiments are surely echoed by many Canadian soccer aficionados who expected Canada to turn some heads this time around. Sharpe also mentioned that the Canadian Soccer Association has been working on the Men’s World Cup team, likely with a view to improving on the disappointments of the past. Based on this latest result, much more work is needed.

The bright spots from the Guatemala game were very difficult to pick out. According to Sharpe, the veteran players failed to live up to their billing and did not deliver when called upon. Proven leaders such as Paul Peschisolido, Paul Stalteri, Dwayne DeRosario and Pat Onstad did not make a positive impression and were upstaged by the Guatemalans on almost every occasion. Olivier Occean did not display the type of touch around the net that earned him the national team call up, and most of the defensive unit seemed to be AWOL for much of the match.

Some players that did impress Sharpe were the youngster Jaime Peters who made an immediate impact upon his introduction. The 17 year old displayed blistering pace and a deft touch that managed to unsettle the Guatemalans. Adrian Serioux demonstrated desire and plenty of heart in the second half, some of the qualities that have landed him in the English First Division with upstart Millwall. Sharpe also pointed to the defensive form of the always steady Ante Jazic as one of the few positives in a game full on negatives.

Canada is now in the position of having to obtain results from the two strongest teams in the group, starting September 4th against Honduras at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. Honduras will likely be on a high after their 5 – 2 demolition of Costa Rica in the Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Canada will have no choice but to step up and play up to their capabilities and even then there are no guarantees. When asked whether Canada still has a shot of qualifying for the World Cup in 2006, Sharpe replied; “I’ll tell you after next week.”



WHO’S PITCH IS IT ANYWAYS?


Canada’s inaugural game in Group B of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying campaign vs. Guatemala was disastrous for the Red and White, although you wouldn’t know it from the reaction in Swangard Stadium.

The supporters were out in throngs cheering their approval for… Guatemala? In typical Canadian soccer fashion, the vast majority of the 6,725 who made the trip to Swangard were not there waving Canadian flags, painting their faces red and white, nor where they pushing our boys along. Most flags in the stadium were blue and white, the chants were in Spanish and the support was firmly behind our rivals.

This is old news for the diehard Canadian soccer junkie. Stadiums across Canada draw very sparse crowds when the men’s World Cup team is in action and most of those crowds are cheering on the opposing team! Azteca Stadium in Mexico is a fortress that few teams leave with any type of positive result; Saprissa stadium in San Jose, Costa Rica is not where you want to find yourself if you are in need of crucial points, and who would look forward to facing the Reggae Boyz in Kingston, Jamaica? Unfortunately, teams visiting Canada find themselves in their home away from home… so much for home field advantage. I would venture to say that most Canadians, while being able to name the 7th defenseman on the Canadian Hockey team, would not be able to name 3 soccer players on the existing squad. How many Canadians know who Bobby Lenarduzzi or Carl Valentine is? How many know who Frank Yallop is?

It is time for Canadians to start paying attention to soccer in this country. Many talented players are making their marks in top international leagues yet they do not receive the recognition back home. If Canadians are looking for success from the men’s World Cup team then they must demonstrate their encouragement. We as Canadians should show the same level of support for our soccer players as we show our hockey players, basketball players and curlers. Get out there and cheer the boys on because 6,725 supporters are not bad… if they’re supporting Canada.



UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – TEAM OF THE MONTH


Following their 6-0 shellacking of Gorica in the second game of their Champions League qualifying tie, and their 9-0 total aggregate score, AS Monaco are my pick for Team of the Month.

Last year’s Champions League finalists have picked up where they left off securing their place in the next stage of the Champions League with an incredible display of scoring and defending. The additions of Javier Ernesto Chevanton from Lecce of the Italian Serie A; Mohamed Kallon from Inter Milan; Jimmy Juan from Brazil; and the recently acquired Javier Saviola of Barcelona, provide the royal club with a formidable line-up capable of repeating, or improving on, last year’s results.

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