First Semi-final Match against Pinheiros

Hey everybody,

So this morning was the first semi-final game against Pinheiros. The way the playoffs work is that we play each team twice and then the winner advances by goal differential, so we shall play Pinheiros again tomorrow morning. We won 12-9, so we go into the game with a 3 goal advantage. Anywho, enjoy the highlights. I again am #5 for the white team and am at 2-meters a majority of the time. I had 3 goals today, but one of them is not on the video :-( haha. Also Juan is #6.

Enjoy,

Marty

Game 1 of 2 vs. Tijuica in Quarterfinals matchup

Random Tidings...

Just thought I'd share some extra pics that I have lying around. Hope you enjoy...

These are from my hike up Sugar Loaf or Pao de Açucar, which is the mountain that you can see from our pool...

Going from this kind of Jungle to...

...Technology such as this kind of reminds me of the Dark Tower and Shanarra (I've been reading way too much fantasy)

View from the top and backside of the mountain

If you look really closely you can see the Corcovado over in the right side of the pic

The view from the other side

This from one of our first weekends out...

The first of many Caipirinhas while down here...

... and delicious!!

Juan, Fabiano, and Ricky... Getting ready with vodka and Volcano, Yummy!!

In the car en route to our second club for the evening... Time- 4AM

And Joao, Ricky, and Fabiano at Mariuzinn

The Whole Gang

We ended up having our own dance party outside the Big Bi (juice bar) on the corner of our street at about 630-730... grand times indeed.

Well hope you enjoy some more pics. Everything down here is going great and kinda bumming that we only have 3 weeks left.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and I shall check in soon.

Ciao,

Marty

The Corcovado: Third and Final Attempt

Hey everyone,

So we finally did it... this might be the only time in my life you'll hear me say that I found Jesus... and I loved it. Visiting the Corcovado was great. The views were spectacular and the man himself is a pretty impressive sight to see. So enjoy the sights of The Corcovado, Christ, The Redeemer.

Ciao for now,

Marty

Recognize the Shirt Kevin?

Jesus!!

There is a saying at our club: Christ faces Botafogo, and his backside faces Flamengo... so here is the Flamengo side

The Redeemer

It's kind of hard to see it, but in the background is the largest soccer stadium in Brazil: Maracana (they also have a pool where we will have the finals of our tournament)

A cool view... Flamengo club is in the background as well as Ipanema and Leblon beaches

So this is supposed to be showing our pool, but it's really hard to see. The tiny light blue speck on the water's edge is our pool haha

Another one for you Platy Plat

Live Futebol

Howdy again,

So Juan and I had our first professional soccer experience and it was pretty awesome. It was a game in the Copa Sudamericana: Botafogo vs. Cerra Portenho, a team from Paraguay. It was a really exciting game, even though Botafogo lost 3-1 it was really fun and we got to go up into the VIP section and sit in a box. We watched the first half from the ground level and then the second half from the VIP box. It was awesome... Enjoy the photos.

A video of the Player Intros... It was nuts with flares being lit and so loud.

Before we left the pool after practice

The moon looked really cool through the stadium

Bright and Loud

A good group shot

Me and Juan as close to the field as we could get

Again

After the Game from the VIP box

A few more photos from the game

Hey all,

didn't have a game this week, but I downloaded a few pics from the website from last weeks Flamengo game. I'm trying to find all of them but it's difficult for me to navigate the Portuguese of the webpages.

The shot leading to my first Brazilian goal... a 5m foul shot

Juan about to light it

can anyone say close up?

BBQ and Futebol

So today we went out to the countryside on a long and rainy drive. We headed to our teammate Bernardo's ranchhouse and it was amazing. We had some amazing soccer matches and ate great food. It was raining so everything was wet but we had fun in the pool and I attempted to teach some of the guys and girls how to throw a football. We then watched the Botafogo vs Internacional soccer match, in which botafogo won 1-0. So everyone was happy. Enjoy the pictures and until next time.

Ciao,

Marty

Mamao watching the game

Ique (our team director) and Bernardo's dad

Juan and Ricky

Mamao showing off for the ladies

Anderson "Cirillo" (our goalie) and Fabiano

The View from the Window

Helping with the BBQ'ing

Ricky's a Flamengo fan so he wasn't as interested in the game

Game Day and an attempt to find Jesus

So we've now been here almost a week and had our first game under our belts. Training has been good, a bit of getting back into shape but overall things are really fun. We have been body surfing and playing polo everyday (terrible life, i know). Our first game went well. There were a few kinks to be worked out, it having been the first game that Juan and I played with the team, but it was a good experience and we played well. You always know it's going to be fun when the only thing you understand in the pregame meeting is that we don't sub out unless we want too haha. We ended up winning 11-5, and I had 2 goals, Juan had 1.

Our next adventure (actually happened before the game) was a trip up to see the Christ statue. However, what was a sunny day on the beach turned out to be extremely cloudy and foggy and rainy in the mountains. So we were unable to find Jesus, hopefully another day. We ended up going to a lookout on a point just below the statue and saw some cool views, but most was obscured by the clouds and rain. It was a fun excursion and at least we got to see monkeys!!

Me and Adhara (and random kid who jumped in the pic) before practice

Getting a view of Sugar Loaf and the pool

Me, Angelo, Joao, and Juan at the lookout near the Christ statue

Monkeys!!!

Arrival... Yay!!!

Hello everyone,

So It finally happened. Juan and I made it to Brazil!! After 2 weeks of highs and lows, of having "confirmed" tickets, only to not be on any flights... after 5 hours of delay in Houston, 3 of which we were sitting on the plane waiting until 2AM before we took off, we are finally in Rio... in Copacabana!!

We arrived to an overcast and rainy day, though quite warm, and waited a bit at the airport for Angelo (our coach) and Joao (his son and our teammate) to pick us up. A short drive later and we were home. Got settled in and then headed to our first practice, 7-10PM every day. And our pool is amazing, I cannot wait to see it in the daytime the views are spectacular.

Anywho, here's promising more to come.

Obrigado,

Marty

Juan and I Sitting in LAX

In front of our Polo logo at the pool

Juan at the pool at night after practice

Me after prac at the pool