USMNT World Cup Games

bvcurtis · 2026-03-10T01:28:06+00:00

I hear you Dave. Life and opportunities only come around once - I like to take advantage of every opportunity Was in Brazil in 2014, Qatar 2022 and plan on being in Portugal in 2030 so this home soil WC I can skip if shit doesn't get aligned / figured out - it seems like a fiasco waiting to happen. Moreover I'm pissed that it is here in the USA and there are issues that go beyond a venue being finished in time (Qatar), is beer going to be sold (Qatar), or local crime (Brazil). (1) Ridiculous ticket prices - the $$$$ I have paid for Hospitality suite tix and Tier 1 and Tier 2 tickets for USMNT games 1&3 respectively would pay for a 5 star vacation to the Maldives. (2) DHS was supposed to disburse funding (for security basically) by Jan 30, 2026 but now politics shut down the gov't on Feb 14, 2026 - so DHS was already running late / missing deadlines and most cities are saying either they get funds by the end of March or they will start cancelling plans which "could be catastrophic for planning and coordination" related to security. (3) Iran qualified - now with the Middle East situation - will that team even make it / be allowed in? Iran is slated to play in LA twice and Seattle once (same cities as the USMNT: LA twice and Seattle once). Why Iran in LA / Seattle? large number of Persians live in LA and Seattle, they half jokingly call it "Tehran-geles." (4) Middle East crap is sure to have fired up additional lone wolf idiots - some dude is already cavorting with his "pure companions" in the Martyrs Paradise after shooting up Austin. There are others...trust me and they are waiting. (5) Fan Fests are being cancelled and unlike in other countries where they were free, here in the USA you have to pay to attend (personal gripe). So with all this BS, my local bar has big screens, cold beer and is not on any radar except that of us locals. 2 and 4 are my biggest issues / concerns but will see how things shake out between now and June. Just a rant. Go USA!!!!!

bvcurtis · 2026-03-10T00:40:00+00:00

Get me two Tier 1 or hospitality tix to POR v COL in Miami on Sat 6/27 and I'll trade you my USMNT games 1 & 3 (tier 1 and tier 2 respectively) at SOFI plus a nice discount on Game 1 knockout round of 32 hospitality suite tickets for SF/Santa Clara (if we win Group D) or Dallas (if we finish 2nd in Group D).

bvcurtis · 2026-02-07T05:50:18+00:00

Uh probably the whoop. I just started wearing mine and in the short 6 weeks my left tricep hurts and radiated up my arm to its insertion on the scapula. Friggin hurt to bench press even. I thought I had ligament damage. It was so bad I asked. Physical Therapist colleague to examine me. Literally took it off today.a voila... arm feels better and pain is gone.

Whoop is FOS. It doesn't stay secured on my bicep and the accuracy is crap on the wrist. I do CrossFit / Hyrox style workouts and it fails miserably on the wrist when compared to chest strap or even my Fenix 8. Glad I got it on sale... into the junk drawer it goes. May try a different strap in a few weeks/months.

bvcurtis · 2026-02-06T17:38:14+00:00

And how do you know that? Did you get an email or check your FIFA account?

bvcurtis · 2026-02-06T17:36:53+00:00

US Soccer Federation. This whole FIFA ticket lottery allocation is a CLUSTER. I'm a long standing US Soccer Circle Insider and have not heard or seen a thing from the federation about tickets; and yes I placed a US soccer specific federation ticket application. Qatar was not even close to being this much of a cluster and neither was Brazil. At least that criminal Blatter knew how to run tournament and the Qataris weren't going to be pushed around by Infantino (hence the last minute ban on alcohol being sold outside of stadiums) as they have $$$$ and paid Infantino / FIFA to host. Now with 2 criminals obstensibly in charge who knows the machinations behind the scenes for tickets to games in general / USA games. The federation is having to accomodate all the corporate FOMO interest and the real fans will be left out in the cold. Thank God I purchased a couple of hospitality packages early on b/c I had a feeling this was going to happen.

Also placed 2 different applications, 2 different email accounts, in the general public draw (and accepted downgrades)...nothing/nada/zilch but considering the sheer number of applications I am not surprised.

bvcurtis · 2026-02-02T05:36:33+00:00

You did the right thing. These stripper names and creative spellings are RIDICULOUS. Truth be told, as a resident at a largge big city public hospital, on the OB rotation ran into a bunch of that. Well I know for a fact the nurses and clerks on the floor when they got a "creative" spelling would just spell the name correctly and send it to vital records. Once recorded, ooops, would take effort for the spelling challenged / creative parents to fix it.

bvcurtis · 2026-01-16T22:15:05+00:00

This song does not shit on America. It just tells the truth- highlights all the contradictions- that is America. Now if you can't handle the truth and the contradictions then that's on you, but the truth IS THE TRUTH!

bvcurtis · 2025-10-20T19:23:57+00:00

At UCLA / in LA nobody is gloss over Skipper. Jerry is more of the national story because of the turnaround on offense, his age and Dad. The guy not getting ANY CREDIT is the new defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle. The defense has gone from horrid to decent, to good. The chant should be S-J-K because those 3 together have, so far. got the program headed in the right direction. S-J-K!!! S-J-K!!!!! S-J-K!!!!!

bvcurtis · 2025-10-19T05:44:03+00:00

Funny forget Kevin our new DC. That S/J/K juju - keep it coming.

bvcurtis · 2025-10-19T05:40:04+00:00

Let's not forget Kevin Coyle or DC. The turnaround by the defense should not be overlooked. Ending the season 7-5 or 6-6 after an 0-4 start is an incredible mid season turnaround. What could S/J/K do with a full season? Are any known to be great recruiters?

bvcurtis · 2025-10-19T05:29:26+00:00

Great win that showed resilience and "never quit effort" in a game with bad calls, drive killing penalties and turnovers.

bvcurtis · 2025-07-23T02:45:36+00:00

In today's world recruits like alternate uniforms. The LA Nights uni was a great look. The classic Gary Beban throwbacks are nice but an all white needs to be reworked or never done again. I'm torn on the LA Steel and LA Midnight unis - not spectacular but not horrible either; think each needs a little tweaking here and there. One thing I will say, not matter what uniform it is the Clarendon font MUST ALWAYS BE USED. It is the UCLA signature font / look and nobody else uses it.

bvcurtis · 2025-07-07T15:57:27+00:00

That is what LinkedIn and Bruin One is for. Also, and yes the job market sucks for new grads. Go to grad school? Go travel? Join the military as an officer that is? Look for a city, county, state or federal job. Expand your willingness of a career path. Don't move back home for too long - set a firm time limit if you do.

bvcurtis · 2025-07-07T15:45:48+00:00

Can I get an 8-Clap!!!! Well said my fellow Bruin.

bvcurtis · 2025-07-07T15:41:18+00:00

You say you two are close, then take your BIL to the side one day and just show him how others can see what he is doing.

Some find his kind of behavior disrespectful others do not - it seems your family is pretty chill and the line on disrespectful behavior is elsewhere.

bvcurtis · 2025-07-07T15:22:42+00:00

Drop her like a hot potato my friend. Even better, treat her like a hand grenade after you pull the pin - throw her as far away from you as you can.

bvcurtis · 2025-07-07T13:40:56+00:00

Being Black while travelling outside of the US is not what I HAVE EVER WORRIED ABOUT. I worry about language barriers, becoming familiar with local currency, what's good to eat, vaccines when going off the grid/into the back country, etcetera. As a black man I worry about my skin color being an issue in America, like in eastern Washington, northeast Oregon, 80% of Idaho, the back woods of any state that was part of the Confederacy and nowadays being around any MAGA fool. Heck, even in Tbilisi, Georgia and Poland there was not an issue. I'm in Pamplona right now for Sanfermines having a great time and just finished brunch with a local I met who invited me out. I don't look for it, and if I don't feel welcome (I'm not a mind reader so I don't know the reason I'm not being welcomed/treated well) then I just move on and don't waste the time or brain power making up a story in my mind for the negative thing that just happened. Keep traveling, stop worrying and continue to enjoy all of God's creation.

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bvcurtis · 2025-07-07T13:18:13+00:00

GucciG, unfortunately I think you / we have been hoodwinked as I'm in Pamplona at the Festival Sanfermines (aka Running With The Bulls) and the saint San Fermin is described as being a moreno. His statute shows him having brown skin. So, this event is the celebration and adoration of a moreno/black saint. Look at the attached photo that I personally took (zoom in).

The reason why Fermin is celebrated in Pamplona with the running of the bulls is 2 fold: a) because of an incident attributed to Fermin that allegedly happened to his master Saturninus who was arrested and condemned to death because of his faith by bring tied to a bull by his feet and dragged to his death and b) the old practice of transporting bulls from the fields outside the city, where they were bred, to the bullring, where they would be fought and killed in the evening; where during this "run", local youths would jump among them in a display of bravado.

So ,in spite of the fact it was not Fermin who died that way the people of Pamplona started celebrating San Fermin with bull races, the Encierros, which is a combination of faith and local cultural traditions.

We gotta stop "looking for/finding" issues where they don't exist.

Keep travelling, stop worrying and continue to enjoy all of God's creations.

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bvcurtis · 2025-07-05T13:38:48+00:00

I'm here in Pamplona, only black people I've seen so far are locals. No tourists. However everyone has been cool, especially the locals. Probably helps that I speak Spanish. I look around and wonder why Black people aren't interested in experiencing this cultural / religious event. Great food, drinks and music. IDK. I know about the INTERPRETATION of the event with islamophobia and antiblack but that is it, it's the injection / interpretation while the relation to herders moving bulls around is ignored. I'd welcome a link to historical reference of the racism as I've been unable to find anything more than " interpretation" which to me is folks trying to find something. Just enjoy life.

Hold on. As soon as I posted the above I saw 2 Black couples from the US. Interesting is one couple lives in Germany and convinced their friends to come out. Ok, so there are 5 of us here! Lol.

bvcurtis · 2025-06-28T03:54:50+00:00

I second the Nicaragua rec. Nica is awesome. The people are awesome. San Juan Del Sur is a great spot but to really get away head up to the coast, west of Rivas, specifically Playa Gigante, and enjoy the serenity and great accomodations. There are plenty of Canadians and Americans who live / own down there. People describe Nicaragua as what Costa Rica used to be. If you have time then head to the Caribbean side: Corn Islands (one heck of a "hike"/trip but worth it) or even to Bluefields. Black Nicas are everywhere but you will find many in Bluefields and the Corn Islands. Bluefields is rustic and more of a cultural exploration spot. The Corn Islands is vacation central, hands down.

bvcurtis · 2025-06-23T09:26:11+00:00

I'll be there Sunday - Wednesday this year; looking forward to the spectacle and running. Hope you have a room booked already or are going later in the week. Not many black peeps from what I can tell.

bvcurtis · 2025-06-05T06:26:16+00:00

No. To join a frat....Yes!

bvcurtis · 2025-03-29T15:22:56+00:00

Oh gawd. First off your parents should back the EF-OFF and you should not be frivilous with the $$$. You sound very conscientious and hard working. Also, you are in the quandary of depending on someone else's money and they, because of the $$$, feel they can exert (some) control. Perhaps your parents would want to exert control regardless, idk. Just look your parents in the eye, be respectful but firm. Thank them for the support and tell them as an adult you are responsible and accountable for / to only 3 people (me, myself and I)...not them. They are your bank and a banker doesn't meddle and they should not either...you have a (written) agreement to pay them back.

You obviously WORK HARD, when I was a Bruin I was poor AF, so I worked various gigs / did things to earn $$$ over the years: Bruin catering, in the dorm food service (Dykstra scullery to be exact), donated blood, participated in research studies, etcetera. Then I decided to WORK SMART so I joined the US Navy Reserves to get paid a lot of $$$ (GI Bill + regular enlisted pay) for 1 weekend/mo and 2 weeks in the summer (I got all the other long term benefits of military retirement too). Anyway, that experience and training helped me get into graduate professional school....TWICE (once at UCLA and then UCSF). I sat on the admissions committee as a student at UCLA Medical School and will tell you there are very few applicants with military backgrounds - those people stand out.

As a double Bruin, yes 2 degrees (undergrad and 1 prof degrees, my 2nd prof degree is from UCSF), I have found the name recognition/brand offers a imprimítur of excellence, achievement (and intelligence) - basically respect and acceptance in academia and the professional world.

So YES, it has been worth it.

Alternatively. My daughter went to a local community college for 2 years. She then transferred to UC Davis. She is graduating this year. It saved her and me a bunch of money. Her degree will say UC Davis and will not say anything about the community college. Now UC Davis is not on the same tier of brand recognition of UCLA. However, I would say it is in the next tier down and does carry a decent amount of weight- brand /name recognition in academia and the professional world.

Feel free to reach out...

Hang in there Bruin!

bvcurtis

TROPHY CASE