JOURNAL COMMUNITY
CLINT DEMPSEY
UPSTATE THRIVING WITH SOCCER TALENT Esquivel contends “the East Coast is probably the best college soccer in the country.” Programs such as Clemson, a two-time NCAA men’s soccer national champion, produced top-level athletes before Dempsey was a household name. One such talent is Clemson’s Bruce Murray, who scored in the 1990 World Cup, the first time the USMNT qualified for the tournament in 40 years. Another former Clemson player, Oguchi Onyewu, had three starts at the 2006 World Cup and two in 2010, that time accompanied by fellow former Tiger Stuart Holden, who played the Texas youth circuit with Esquivel and Dempsey. Ricardo Clark – the standout of Dempsey’s Furman recruiting class – was also named
to the 2010 USMNT 23-man roster alongside Dempsey, Onyewu and Holden. And while Dempsey may have recently scored the fifth-fastest World Cup goal in history, another Clint – “Cleetus” Mathis, a former Gamecock – also scored a historic World Cup goal that advanced the USMNT after a 1-1 draw with host South Korea in 2002. Asked about Dempsey’s Upstate influence, Esquivel says Furman players “know this is where Clint sat, and they are playing on the same field Clint played. For our pro-
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Soccer fans crowd Larkin’s Sawmill last Sunday for a World Cup viewing party.
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Esquivel’s family shared a dinner with Dempsey in Jacksonville the night before he left for Brazil. “Everyone else sees him as the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, the cover of Sports Illustrated, and the captain of America’s national team; and for us he’s still just the Texas boy that loves to fish, loves to rap, and you know, is a great soccer player,” Esquivel says.
14 THE JOURNAL | JUNE 27, 2014
increasing attendance at Gringo’s viewing parties. “I knew the potential was there for this, as I know many wonderful soccer players in Greenville, but I’m not sure they ever had a place to go to watch soccer.” Robert Anders, former Downtown Soccer Association (DSA) athlete and the orgaA WANDERING FAN BASE nizer of Sunday’s viewing party at Larkin’s FINDS ITS PLACE Sawmill, says the lack of outlets for soccer The local soccer community hasn’t al- fans to commune was his motivation. ways been so connected. “Soccer fanship in the Upstate right now Matthew Eison, vice president of the is unbelievable,” Anders says. “I decided American Outlaws (AO) of Greenville – a to organize the event because I noticed local chapter of a large national organiza- how a lot of big cities have large, coordition for soccer fans – says the Upstate has nated viewing parties, and I wanted to put “a wonderful presence of age group soc- Greenville on the map.” cer and fantastic college Anders commends soccer, but has fallen the “awesome groups See more photos online at short in the restauout there such as the greenvillejournal.com. rant industry outside of national organizaWorld Cups in allowing tion American Outfans to watch soccer on TV and commune laws, who always gather together for USA with fellow fans.” games, no matter the opponent or the sigEison spoke with the Journal from Bra- nificance of the game.” zil. He and his wife, Laura, AO of GreenEison expects opportunities for local socville president Joe Phillips, and other AO cer fans to grow alongside the MLS, parmembers attend professional soccer events ticularly with its Southeast expansion. The together. The local chapter, now upward league awarded its 22nd franchise to Atof 75 members, also gathers for games at lanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank in April. Gringo’s, a newer haven for soccer fans. “Other cities have public venues to gathEison says he created the @AOGreen- er the masses and celebrate together,” AnvilleSC Twitter account in 2013 to con- ders says. “One team. One nation. Why not nect with other fans. Since then he’s seen Greenville?” gram it’s really helped. I think now we are starting to see Greenville in particular take it to another level in terms of being proud of him and showcasing that he spent some time here, and there’s a direct link and connection.”
FOOTBALL continued from PAGE 13