On just 15 hours of rest the US played the host nation of Mexico this morning. Nicolai was on fire, contributing three goals to the 4-1 victory and becoming the highest all-time cumulative goal scorer for the US. More importantly, he was unselfish with his passing which is the real strategy for winning at amputee soccer.

Kyle shot more 4K video and captured great isolations of several of the goals which I hope to post when we return to Boston tomorrow.

After the friendly we stayed at the stadium to watch the finals between Angola and Russia. It was a very exciting match. The Russians play a very disciplined team oriented game. The Angolans, a very high energy style, running with seemingly boundless energy. Russia emerged the champions after breaking a 1-1 tie in the final minutes of the game. Turkey placed third and the US finished in 12th place; not bad having entered the tournament unranked.

Throughout the games, the citizens of Culiacan have been most welcoming and also quite eager to have their photos taken with the team and to obtain autographs. Nicolai has been very generous accommodating these requests, some of which he seemed to enjoy more than others.

The team celebrated a successful tournament with a late lunch at an authentic open air taco stand and later with gifts for the coach and staff at the hotel.

An exciting day of semi-final matches, we watched as Russia beat Turkey in sudden death overtime and Angola out ran Poland 1-0. The US took on Argentina, the fourth place finisher in the last World Cup in an officiated friendly. Argentina scored in the first half but the US mustered a response early in the second. The score remained tied until late in the second half when Argentina pulled ahead for the win. Nicolai had a great game and can be seen here taking a powerful shot from distance and challenging the keeper for a header.

Although the US is now out of World Cup contention there is much soccer yet to be played. It is so rare for the entire team to be in the same place at the same time that every opportunity will be taken to get time on the ball. This morning the US faced Germany in an officiated international friendly. Looking relaxed and confident, the US cruised to a 5-1 victory with Nicolai scoring twice, the second a very pretty header off a perfect cross from team mate Noah Grove, the youngest member of the squad. Rather than shooting photos today, I manned the video camera and have a new appreciation for the fine work done by Maya and Kyle over the past week. It is extremely hard to follow the action with the camera if you are trying to actually watch the game. I shot the second half in 4K video and the results are stunning. I will post all games on the blog when we return from Mexico where internet service at our hotel is ridiculously intermittent.

After lunch Kyle and I ventured out to find a barber shop. His beard needed a trim and I needed a hair cut. Even though the prices here are one quarter the going rate in the states, it irritates me that Kyle’s trim cost one third of my haircut even though he had three times as much hair removed.

Nico organized a keeper’s practice at the main stadium late in the afternoon. I drove the guys over and assisted with the training which was interrupted every five minutes for photographs with Mexican fans who are so soccer crazy that they will intently watch practices for hours. I decided to use this to our advantage and recruited some of the younger fans to shag balls for us.

If you had told me yesterday that the US would be tied 1-1 with Poland at half-time, I would have questioned your sobriety and/or sanity. Amazingly that is how things played out this morning. Poland struck first, but the US responded when Nicolai drove a rocket into the lower right corner off a direct kick from well outside the box. I swear he hit it faster than his 57mph kick of yesterday (he agrees, citing the adrenaline rush of the moment). When the ball struck the back corner of the tubular goal frame, it rang out as if to declare, “we are here to win.” I will never forget that sound for as long as I live. Beyond equalizing the score, the goal inspired a belief in team USA that they had a chance of beating this world class team. For the final ten minutes of the half the US was on fire, dominating possession and unleashing a barrage of shots on goal. Unfortunately, the shell-shocked Polish squad regained their composure during the break and returned for the second half in prime form. When they scored again, we had nothing to lose by pushing our players forward in search of an equalizer. Losing by 10 would be no different than losing by 1 in this single elimination round. The team fought brilliantly, but in the end, Poland emerged with a well earned 3-1 victory. The team left the field with their heads held high, knowing they had done the US proud. Although our World Cup dreams have come to an end, the team will arrange friendly matches with other countries that have been eliminated. We are scheduled to play Germany tomorrow.

Later in the day we watched Russia play ¨the beautiful game,¨ demolishing Columbia by a score of 9-1. After a light dinner we returned to a capacity-filled stadium to watch Mexico play Argentina. When Burton and Tito left for the Copper Canyon, the US cheering section was cut in half. Compare that to the 3000 Mexican fans, team mascot (who plucked hairs from his gorilla suit and placed them on my head as I walked past to the delight of the crowd), and a pep band supporting their national team. Several members of the American contingent have decided that the next World Cup needs to be hosted in the US and today we will start working to that end. We also learned that many of the teams are state or commercially sponsored with paid, professional athletes. I would be happy if we could land one generous corporate sponsor who could cover the costs of travel so the team could practice with each other more than twice a year.

Nicolai acknowledges the crowd as he is introduced at today’s Power Shot competition. Each team competing in the Amputee World Cup was invited to enter two players to determine who has the fastest shot in the world. Athletes take 3 penalty kicks which are timed with a radar gun. Highest speed wins. Nicolai placed third with a speed of 57mph. First and second went to El Salvador and Argentina with kicks of 58mph. Interestingly, Nico had the highest average speed of 56.3mph compared to 55mph for the others.

After Nico collected his award, posed for pictures and did a couple of interviews, team USA practiced before heading out for a casual lunch. The US will face Poland in the first match of the elimination rounds tomorrow. We have two chances of beating them; slim and none. Nevertheless, the team is gearing up to put their best effort forward and would be thrilled if we can earn a single goal in the match.

Maya, looking every bit the Mexican senorita, stakes out high ground to record video of the USA versus Turkey match. A professional video crew from Turkey showed up and tried to displace her citing the quality of their equipment. I asked them if they would be recording at 4K UHDTV and that seemed to shut them up. Their tripod can be seen on the next tier down.

Although we won the video showdown, the same cannot be said for the match. The Turkish team controlled the game from the first whistle and it is a credit to our defense that we limited them to a 2-0 victory. Fortunately our goal differential for group play was sufficient to avoid elimination and for the first time in history, the US team has advanced to the elimination phase.

Nico earned a yellow card early in the first half. Everyone other than Nico agrees that he deserved one for the cumulative effect of his punishing style of play. This meant that he had to play with great caution for the remainder of the game to avoid a second card which would have sent him to the bench and left his team a man down. Pictured below, he takes on Turkey’s top player winning the ball high in the air.

After the game we bid farewell to Burton and Tito who are headed to the Copper Canyon by way of El Fuerte. Kyle and I are hoping to join them in a few days but that will depend on how well the US fares against Poland on Thursday.

The US had a day off, accepting a forfiet from Iran. The Mexican World Cup organizing committee is responsible for providing food for all the competing athletes during the games. They had originally committed to ensure that food prepared according to halal principles would be provided for the Iranian contingent. When they reneged on this promise, the Iranian team withdrew. The Calabria contingent, minus Nico who needed to scout Turkey and review Japan game footage, took advantage of the situation to make a day trip to Mazatlan. We arrived by noon, made a brief tour of the old city and had the MOST amazing lunch ever.

We then walked down to the beach and strolled up the promenade where we had a chance to watch a pair of cliff divers taking a 45 foot plunge into 8 feet of undulating seas (I will post video/pics when we return). Kyle ventured to the diving platform but wisely decided not to attempt the feat.

See if you can figure out which part of the statue below is alive.

We concluded our sightseeing with an ice cream break and then made the 2 hour and 45 minute return drive to Culiacan.

The Amputee World Cup is very similar to the regular World Cup. Teams play round-robin within groups before top finishers advance to the elimination rounds. The US drew Group E which includes Iran, Japan, and highly regarded Turkey. I decided that today would be the best day for a team photo, anticipating that players will be increasingly banged up and sun burned with each passing day. This is the strongest team the US has ever fielded although our goalies are both rookies and late additions to the squad.

The US faced Japan in their opening match. The game was scoreless at the half with the US squad looking more dominant. Midway through the second half, our goalie was red-carded for stepping outside of the box and Japan was given a penalty kick. This infraction is unique to amputee soccer, designed to keep goalies from thwarting break away opportunities. In this case our goalie lost track of where he was, took two steps outside of the box, made no contact with the ball (which went out of bounds by itself) or any players. His excursion had no effect whatsoever on the play but the consequences were devastating. We lost our starting keeper for this match and the next one and had to play a man short for the remainder of the game (much more punitive than regular soccer with only 6 field players to a side.) Our backup keeper got his first dose of amputee soccer facing a penalty kick from 7m which he was unable to save. Despite being down a man, the US still dominated for the remainder of the match but were unable to equalize the score. Nico had a great game and Maya captured the full match on video which I will post when we return to the US.

Opening ceremonies were held in the evening and included remarks by tournament officials and local dignitaries, introduction of the teams, a performance of traditional Mexican dance, all culminating with fireworks.

Nicolai was named co-captain of the US national team this morning. He shares that honor with 5-time World Cup veteran, Ignacio “Nacho” Medrano. I had to hold back tears of joy as the image of him at birth flashed into my mind. I remember feeling great sadness assuming he would never know the joys of athletic competition. I have never been so blessed with being so wrong. We are very proud of what Nico has achieved and the inspiration he has provided to so many.

The team practiced for 90 minutes and reviewed a couple of set plays. We watched the team from Japan practicing on an adjacent field and it is clear the US will have an up hill battle when they face them tomorrow.

Later in the day, we met up with Burton Craige, the husband of my cousin, Heather. He has come for the World Cup games along with his brother, Tito, who was delayed in Monterrey but will be joining us tomorrow. Burton directed us to a very authentic seafood restaurant where we enjoyed a very nice dinner and a taste of the local culture.

The family departed for Culiacan, Mexico where the 2014 Amputee World Cup soccer tournament is being held.  Kyle and I are hoping to make a side excursion to the Copper Canyon region of Sinaloa depending on how the US team fares in the competition. Nicolai could not be more excited about this opportunity to play on the world stage.  He has been training at school and is definitely up to the challenge.

For the second year in a row, Jeanine and I participated in the Concord 5K Turkey Trot, a fundraiser for our local running club and food drive for Open Table.  I save actual trotting (and knee wear) for the soccer pitch.  We completed our walk in 52 minutes and were undaunted by the 32F temperature.  Good exercise for a good cause and a great way to justify portion size during Thanksgiving Day dinner. Jeanine prepared a veritable feast and it was wonderful having all the kids together for the first time in a long while.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, we have been treated to a couple of inches of snow. I don’t usually like to shoot through glass, but the light was exquisite and I did not want to risk missing it while I put on shoes.  I now know where the expression “picture window” comes from.

Nico arrived early this morning on the red-eye from Colorado to join the family for Thanksgiving.  We are all five under the same roof again and it feels great.  Nico is also featured in the latest promotion from SideStix, the manufacturer of his crutches.  They are offering a 20% discount through the end of the year for all World Cup participants.

On the way home from work I encountered one of the most vibrant red skies ever.  I briefly paused traffic to get the shot as did many other drivers with their cell phones.

 I managed to reach Great Meadows before the light show ended.

A gift from her father, Jeanine’s lemon tree has been very fruitful.  One of the recollections in the memoir cookbook she is writing is centered on the lemon tree of her father and she asked if I would capture an image to accompany the story.  The tree currently has six lemons, five of which are ripe.

Mother swan and her three cygnets out for a leisurely paddle on Sabbatic Lake. This photo is the only positive outcome of a one-hour journey to Taunton this morning where the Division 1 Over-50 Soccer Championship was contested.  My team’s lackluster performance allowed Western Mass Lusitano to win by a score of 2-1 and secure first-place honors and the trophy. Hard to be disappointed with a second-place finish in a field of 66 teams,  but I am.  We beat this team earlier in the season and it would have been very nice to do it again this morning.

Jeanine and I slipped away this morning for brunch at our favorite spot for this meal, Nancy’s Airfield Cafe. The food is locally sourced and expertly prepared if somewhat overpriced. We both ordered “Green Eggs and Ham” which we enjoyed while watching several planes coming and going.  Our conversation was centered on the idea of learning to fly and buying a plane.  No decision was made but it remains a possibility still under consideration.

A visit from nephew John Quinn was all the motivation necessary for Jeanine to prepare a small feast.  The menu included several items from one of her favorite cookbooks featuring the foods of Jerusalem. I was too busy enjoying the roasted sweet potatoes and fresh fig salad to photograph it.

For all the photos I take, I have been reluctant to print many.   Perhaps it is because I spend so much time viewing them on a computer monitor which features emitted light rather than the reflected light of a print. About two years ago, I mounted a 47″ flat-screen TV on the wall in our breakfast nook where a slideshow of some of my better photos runs continuously.  A large digital picture frame if you will.  With the recent arrival of 4K TVs on the market, I decided to upgrade to a 55″ model that features 8 million pixels compared to 2 million. I have never enjoyed my photographs so much.

Jeanine appeared on the cover of the Concord Journal this week.  She accepted a donation for Open Table generated by an event at the Concord Umbrella, our local artist studio enclave.  Donors purchased “Empty Bowls” fashioned by local pottery students with all the proceeds going to feed the hungry.

Autumn has given way to winter with temperatures plunging this week to below freezing.  Ponds and marshes are beginning to ice over and soon we can look forward to snow.  Images of sun-drenched Mexican beaches are starting to become more vivid in this final week before we leave for Culiacan.

Growing up, I attended the First Unitarian Society of Schenectady with my family.  This past Sunday my mother (pictured left) was honored for her 50-year membership in the society along with one other member who had reached this milestone.  Raised Catholic, my mother was reluctant to embrace a new religion but did so after some coaxing from my father who was a quick convert after attending his first service.  Attracted by Unitarian’s acceptance of other religions, she also found a home in the society and went on to volunteer as the chair of the Visual Arts Committee, the performing arts committee, and teaching arts and crafts to the young children.

I have fond memories of my religious upbringing and feel fortunate for the decisions my parents made.

The group pairings for the amputee World Cup have been posted.  The USA drew Group E which contains Turkey, a perennial powerhouse. Nico is positively revved up for the tournament and we are all looking forward to our trip to Mexico and watching him compete.

I have now been a member of the Concord United soccer team for eleven years, first on the Over-40 squad and now with the 0ver-50 team.  The club has been around for twenty years and in that time has never won a match against Stoneham, a club that invariably wins the northern division regionals and more often than not, the Division 1 championship.  Today that all changed during our semi-final match with them.  Ninety minutes of play had us tied.  Thirty minutes of overtime produced the same result. Penalty kicks were tied 3-3 after five rounds.  It then came down to sudden death penalty kicks which went to eight rounds before our goalie made a decisive save giving us the win.  We celebrated at a local pub and I think it is the most meaningful victory we have ever enjoyed.  We now advance to the finals next weekend and we have a solid chance of winning the whole enchilada.

Dressed for a night out on the town, Maya looked lovely as she prepared to join her friends for a birthday party being held at a restaurant in the North End.  I spent the day winterizing the house which included turning off the outside water, purging the irrigation system, setting up snow sticks along the edges of the driveway (so you know where to snow blow when everything is covered in white), and assisting Kyle who got a good start on cleaning the gutters.

In preparation for the Amputee World Cup soccer tournament being held in Mexico later this month, I have been consolidating and updating my camera equipment.  I will be shooting stills and have engaged Maya and Kyle to assist with videography.  A critical piece of kit that I use to shoot soccer is a gimbal head.  It is the component sitting between the camera and tripod in the photo above. It is used to fully support the weight of a camera and telephoto lens while allowing perfectly fluid panning (left to right) and tilting (up and down).  Most pros use a monopod but I am not competing with others for space on the sidelines and prefer a tripod which allows me to shoot with a second camera without laying down the first.  Even better it would be nice to have a lens that is light enough to hand hold. I have such a lens on order and am therefore putting my trusty gimbal up for sale.

This morning the Massachusetts Air National Guard flew five F-15s at low altitude (1000 feet) over several landmarks in the eastern portion of the state.  Their first destination was Hansom Air Force Base and I correctly guessed that their approach would take them over Great Meadows where I set up to photograph them.  Scheduled to arrive at 8:10am they were 15 minutes late and I was just starting to leave when I heard them approaching.  Without a doubt, these are the biggest and fastest birds I have ever observed at this wildlife sanctuary.

Developed in Brazil and Uruguay, futsal is a variation of soccer played on a hard surface with five players to a side. The surface, ball, and rules create an emphasis on improvisation, creativity, and technique as well as ball control and passing in small spaces.  Having concluded her outdoor soccer season, Maya has joined an indoor futsal league and will train and compete through the winter months. Although she has never played the sport before, she got the hang of it very quickly and scored a few nice goals in her first scrimmage.

Maya hosted an end-of-the-season celebration party for her soccer team and coach.  Jeanine prepared pulled pork sandwiches, a healthy salad, and a fruit medley.  The otherwise healthy meal was balanced by the cookies and treats furnished by the players.  A more congenial and polite group of tough-minded girls you will not find.  I predict they will all go on to do great things.

The pear trees that line the drive into iRobot are always the last to turn and do so with great vibrance.  Not a bad way to conclude my morning commute.  In a week or two, even these holdouts will be reduced to bare branches in anticipation of winter.  All in all, this has been one of the most glorious autumns I can recall.

My soccer team was graced with ideal weather for the final regulation match of our fall season.  We cruised to an 8-2 win securing a second place finish in Division 1 South and qualifying us for the play-offs to begin next weekend.  I was not feeling my best but managed to finish the game with one assist, one impressively bad shot on goal (missed high, VERY) and most importantly, with no further aggravation to my slowly mending left hamstring.

Our over-50 (years old) league is composed of 5 divisions, each with a southern and northern region except for division 5 which also has a central region.  Each regional division has 6 teams for a total of 66 teams with a typical roster of 18.  That is nearly 1200 over-50 players in Western Massachusetts.  The playoffs pit the top 4 teams against each other to determine the league champion.  We are underdogs in the semi-finals to perennial winner,  Stoneham, but I like our chances this year.

Jeanine and Maya created an autumnal-themed floral centerpiece using a pumpkin for a vase.  It is a gift for the hostess of a gourmet dinner/birthday party we attended this evening.  When asked to take a photo of it, Maya was first in line with her new camera.  Once captured we reviewed her images on the computer which led me to show Maya the collection of images she has made over the course of her life, nearly 2000 in total.  Seeing the world through the eyes of your child is a rare gift and we both enjoyed our trip down memory lane immensely.

I was up with the sun for a little photography before breakfast. Hoping for dramatic light that often accompanies inclement weather, I had to make the best of what nature provided.  Any morning spent walking on a beach, however, is nothing to complain about and I was highly invigorated by the fresh air and sea breeze.