we've got cans of red bull in our trousers

Dear Chicken Nugget,

Your mom and I went to a NY Red Bulls game on Saturday night at the new Red Bull Arena and it was awesome.

It's a big deal because it's the very first soccer specific stadium built in the New York City area.  It's been a dream to have a solid soccer team in this area for a long time and it finally feels like we have one.

I was taught about soccer, or futbol as I like to call it, by my grandfather.  He would watch the important matches on TV and would often have matches he didn't even care about as background when he was doing something else.  When I went to Ecuador as a child I realized that futbol was the sport that made the world go round.  I hope you'll realize this too.

Often my cousins in Ecuador would get me to play a game.  In Ecuador a game can be started in the middle of the street with four rocks to make goalposts and a ball.  Unfortunately, with little practice and little athletic ability, I was awful.  But, the love for the game stuck.  I was just recently thinking that a possible dream job would involve being a sports writer focused on soccer.  How awesome would that be?!?

Your beautiful mom bought me my first Red Bulls jersey last night and I love her for it.  Someday you'll inherit my jersey if you want it - I'm sure it'll be a little retro but I hope retro will still be cool.

Well, after fifteen years of following the local NY-area team, we finally have our own soccer stadium.  Every seat is a good seat, it's got real grass, and the upper level makes incredible noise that I hope will help intimidate the opposition.  When you're old enough to handle the noise, we're totally taking you to the Arena.

I do plan on introducing you to the beautiful game as early as possible and will encourage you to play it so that you stand a better chance at it than me.  Remember, futbol is the game that the whole world plays.  At any given moment, somewhere in the world, soccer is being played.

I want to share futbol with you.  I hope that you'll love it as much as I do.  And, if someday you become a major soccer star, well, how awesome would that be?!?

Eternally yours,

Your papa