Ferris State Soccer Coach Andy McCaslin's World Cup Blog - Final Thoughts On Trip
Ferris State University women's soccer head coach Andy McCaslin was in Brazil for the 2014 World Cup. During his trip, he periodically shared his thoughts and experiences on the competition, the culture and more. This final blog post below was written upon his return home.
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Hello everyone,
We're back in the states as the World Cup is winding down. The internet connection was fairly sparse as we finished the trip so there was little chance to check in. However the last few days in Brazil were some of the more spectacular we had down there.
We traveled from the Amazon jungle to meet up with an old friend of mine in Brasilia where he met us at the airport and showed us around the capital city at night, the buildings all lit with yellow and green lights. The city was planned by a German architect in 1960 who laid out the city very tidily. The main thoroughfare was lined with government buildings with separate buildings for different departments of state including sport, agriculture, business and so forth.
The city was very clean and very modern feeling. There were zones that could only have so many stories in the buildings and every property had to include green space for landscaping. There has been much expansion to Brasilia since the capital was moved from Rio in 1960, but the zones remain in tact and the city is very easy to navigate.
After Brasilia we made our way down to Recife, another coastal town for the US match against Germany. It was difficult to get to the game as the roads flooded with a constant downpour the night before and the day of the game so taxis were not interested in navigating the roads. We were able to convince a van driver to take us and fortunately we were able to make kickoff, but we've heard stories of fans that were not to the game until 20 or more minutes into the second half.
The US lost the game, but as you probably know advanced to play and eventually lose to Belgium in the Round of 16. The night after the game though is one I won't soon forget. The stadium was a bit out of town and after the game, the only way back was by bus that dropped us at a metro station. We hadn't used the metro in Recife so we had no real idea where to get off but only vaguely knew where our hotel was. We ended up getting out at a stop that looked like we could find something to eat but it turned out that there was only one stand. We had a bite to eat and started talking with the owners and something clicked for all of us. Only one spoke English and was fairly limited, but was definitely better than any of our Portuguese. We had been decked out in our game attire and Stacey gave the owner's wife an American flag bandana. That small gesture apparently went so far. The people at the stand wanted to take pictures with us, they gave Stacey a keychain of the local soccer team, gave me a Brazilian flag. They wanted us to stay and talk and offered their home, "When you come back."
Another young man who had stopped for a coke heard us talking and wanted to practice his English. He had taught himself using the internet and songs and he asked us what the lyrics meant that were confusing to him. It was incredible. He had picked up on nuances of English and was really keyed in to learning. He said that his dream was to visit America and stay for a year.
We left our newest friends at the food stand to head back to the hotel to fly home. When the taxi let us out we passed by a field that we had seen the night before. It was a small artificial turf field that was lit, but no one was playing, but there was a group ofguys sitting at the snack shop. We asked if we could play and they were eager for us to play. We played barefoot for about three hours. Games were 10 minutes long or first team to three goals. Toward the end of the night, we asked if they wanted to finish up on their own and they said that they weren't going to be able to play had we not shown up to boost the number of players. It was one of the most fun international friendlies I've ever played in. There were former pro trialists on the field and some were only heroes in their mind, but none of it mattered as it was the game that brought us together. We laughed, scored goals celebrated those goals with goofy celebrations and had an unforgettable time.
Security
Before we left, everyone told us to be careful. Brazil can be a dangerous place they said. I understand some of the concen as it's a far away place, the World Cup wasn't the most welcomed event in the country, and you always hear stories about Americans being targets. I feel that there is some truth to the dangers of Brazil. I'm sure there are places you wouldn't really want to go, but I also feel that way about some places in the US. I've felt uneasy in a lot of places, but never felt that way in Brazil.
We were well protected at every turn. The markets had armed guards. The walk up to games were lined with police and military. The places that visitors to the world cup should be were very safe.
The most impressive military presence I thought was in Natal, the site of the first US game. There were army cruisers out on the water and an armed helicopter made a pass up and down the coast about every 30 minutes. The first night we saw the US team bus after training and the security detail was impressive. There were dozens of police motorcycles leading the way, at least three military trucks full of armed soldiers in front and behind the bus and a helicopter overhead with spotlight on the motorcade.
When asked about the presence of so many guards and police, the typical response was obvious, "So that nothing happens." I think that this shows how proud the Brazilians were to show off their country and to welcome the visitors.
My friend Mateus in Brasilia filled us in on the fact that the US government was in charge of the security detail for the team. I couldn't find out if there were other countries that went to the same lengths to keep their teams safe, or who was footing the bill for it, but we did pass a number of hotels with numerous guards that were keeping watch.
I haven't heard of much happening in terms of unrest after the tournament started.
Cuisine
The food in Brazil was incredible. Breakfasts consisted of fresh fruits - watermelon, mango, pineapple, and breads. Thick, strong, dark coffee. Fruit juices, cheeses, meats and eggs were pretty standard as well. There was a cheese bread that was delicious and apparently pretty typical to Brazilian cuisine. There were also what looked and tasted like hot dogs in a red sauce that were fantastic.
We encountered a lot of pressed sandwiches, pizzas with all sorts of toppings, steaks in white sauce, shrimp and seafood in the coastal towns. Pastas were served as well and there were a lot of rice and french fry pairings in meals. Typical staples of chicken and beef were normal too.
Three of the things we were told we had to try were tapioca, acai (ah-sah,ee), and coxina (co-shee-nah). The tapioca I was most leary of because of the pudding. This was nothing like that though. It typically comes as a sort of sandwich. It's prepared flat almost like a tortilla and buttered and filled with meats and cheese. I had one with shrimp, cheese, and a white sauce and it was fantastic. Acai is a berry that is becoming more and more common in the US. In Brazil it is served more often than not as a drink that you mix with granola and banana. Coxina are tennis ball sized dumplings made with chicken and fried. They were delicious.
In a lot of the restaurants, meals were for two people and served family style. It felt more intimate that way, for us at least, as if we were to sit and really enjoy the time with the people we were with. And we did. Meals were rarely rushed or quick. You sat, ate, talked and enjoyed the flavors and mood. It was very pleasant and very different than the in and out type service we are accustomed to at home.
The trip was so memorable in so many ways. We met great people from all over the world, traveled and saw beautiful areas that we may not otherwise would have seen, and experienced things we'll never forget. It was difficult to leave as the tournament went on especially with the US advancing, but I had to get back to run our College Prospect camp which had a great turnout. But seeing the games on tv and still hearing buzz about games being played and controversy of calls and Germany's dismantling of Brazil on the field in the semi-final and on and on still lets us feel as if we're still invested in it. As the tournament winds down this week, I hope you watch as a beautiful and proud country hosts the culmination of the world's biggest event. There's still a lot of drama left!
Thanks for following along on the journey!
Coach McCaslin
World Cup Blog Archives:
1st Blog - Departing For Trip
2nd Blog - After Two US Matches
3rd Blog - Final Thoughts From Trip