DAY #5

TIME FOR A SUB

Every so often I am treated to an intern who is capable of carrying a conversation. And since we, Red Bull New York, are graced with the presence of one Scott Hammer, I thought we would put him on assignment for Day #5 of the blog. Scott is not just an intern, but some may say a revelation in the front office in Secaucus. Here is not only a bright young man, who hailing from Syracuse has a wonderful future ahead of himself in Public Relations, but he is also one of the few interns I have met over the years who has yet tried to steal a sign ball and/or jersey from the team in the first month of work. Scott, I thank you for your ethics. But more importantly, I thank you for covering me at Opia with Youri today as I picked my wife up from the airport. Here is “the Hammer’s” entry:


No sport on Earth has fans that compare to soccer. Passionate, teeming with enthusiasm, and always 100 percent behind their team, soccer fans are ready to explode at a moment's notice.

And then there's the French.

At least that's the impression I gained from watching France's opening match of the World Cup against Switzerland at Opia in New York City. Don't get me wrong, les Bleus hold a special place in the hearts and minds of the French, as we saw after their World Cup victory in 1998 when they flooded the Place de la Concorde in celebration. But like with so many other things, the French are characterized by a certain -- 'je ne sais quoi' when expressing their love for their national team.

To start, Opia is unlike any other 'bar' I have seen that opened its doors for World Cup viewing parties. With three expansive rooms for viewing, there was plenty of seating available for fans to sit and enjoy lunch while watching the game. A tireless wait staff provided patrons with intricate dessert platters and fine wines. Some fans sported the national team's threads, but most had obviously skirted out from work to see the game and were still in business attire. Every nation around the world should enjoy lunch breaks like the French.

For at least one fan in attendance, though, the restaurant could have been serving bowls of Cheerios and he wouldn't have cared in the least. New York Red Bulls midfielder Youri Djorkaeff, who was an integral part of that 1998 team that brought home the nation's first World Cup title, was focused on the performance of his new teammates. Youri is part of the furniture at Opia, and his presence alone seemed to remind his compatriots exactly what les Bleus are capable of when it comes to football.

As for the match itself, it became increasingly clear as the second half wore on that no amount of national spirit would will the French team to a victory over the Swiss. A back line with too many gaps is often referred to as Swiss cheese defense, but on this day, Switzerland's defensive unit bore no resemblance to the porous dairy product that it is famous for producing. Thierry Henry and Zinedine Zidane (hearing shouts of "Allez, Zizou!" never gets old) could not help the French muster that golden scoring opportunity and the game ended in a 0-0 draw.

Still, the last few minutes of the match provided a chance to see exactly what French football fans are all about. This wasn't a group of French people like the ones we see during the Tour de France - smiling and waving to riders as they pass through their villages, cheering the spirit of competition. No, these fans wanted to be dazzled. Some fans mentioned that in soccer there are good ties and there are bad ties - the unmistakable opinion of the group that this was certainly the latter.

As I walked down the restaurant's stone stairway to street-level, I half expected to walk through the glass doors and find myself on the scenic banks of the Seine. No such luck. The harsh noise and fast pace of New York City snapped me back into reality, which should tell you just how enveloping the atmosphere of Opia was. The only thing missing was the chance to see the French supporters celebrate a goal. C'est la vie, I guess.



NEXT STOP:
Wednesday, June 14
The Parlour (Germany vs. Poland 3 p.m. ET)
50 W 86th St
New York, NY 10024-3104
(212) 580-8923
Cross Street: Between Broadway and West End Avenue

I've been running around with my head cut off the last couple of days, so I have decided to stay close to home for the Germany vs. Poland game at 3 p.m. I have heard nothing but great things about this UWS establishment. I look forward to seeing everyone there for what should be a great game.