July 2008 Archives

There is a time when we all realize the game of life is bigger than anything else. I received this email last week from an area soccer coach. Please take a moment to read it and lend a helping hand, because you know you would if this was your daughter.

The official seeds and schedules have been announced for the Fifth Annual Pepsi Showdown boys - www.pepsishowdown.us.

To this day, I remember talking to Wheaton Academy coach Chip Huber after Providence's 2-1 victory in a Class A sectional final. All Huber could do was shake his head and laugh when Brad Guzan's name was mentioned.

"Man, Joe, he's a stud," said Huber, referring to the 6-3, 205-pound sweeper who was the true man-among-boys during his high school career.

Prior to the Class A playoffs that year, I wrote a feature about Guzan, who actually played out of position his entire high school career.

The headline of that story was "The Intimidator." He was all year, and was again on that night when he drilled a one-timer home from 35 yards out for the game-winning goal in the Lemont Sectional.

With each passing year, the former Providence, Chicago Magic and University of South Carolina star continues to show why high school and club are the perfect match - despite their on-again, off-again love-hate relationship for one another.

I'm I the only person in the area that didn't know Wheaton Academy coach Dave Underwood isn't back, because he is the new men's soccer coach at Sterling College in Kansas? Don't believe me, read: http://sterling.edu/news/dave-underwood-tabbed-the-men%E2%80%99s-soccer-coach-sterling-college.

Now, I know Richard Nixon isn't President any longer, but seriously - I don't recall Underwood telling me this one. But then again, maybe he did. It was an ungodly busy spring this year for me.

Just as the case was with former Wheaton Academy coach Chip Huber, Underwood was pure class and went above and beyond the call of duty 100 percent of the time. I was stunned tonight when I sent out the 2008 Pepsi Showdown boys seedings and learned Underwood is hanging with Dorothy and To-To in Kansas.

Some people didn't think it would live to see No. 100, and now Cornerkicks has turned 200 - as in blog No. 200. It's been an interesting ride so far, and it's only going to get better.

Nevertheless, it's only fitting that I have a chance to write about a great event taking place tomorrow at Green Garden Country Club in Frankfort. I have been honored to take part in the annual Michele Bingham Golf Outing, which is held each July right around the former Lincoln-Way student's birthday.

Bingham, a freshman at the time, was tragically killed when a car plowed into her more than 14 years ago during soccer practice at Lincoln-Way East.

But just as she did during her life, Bingham is still touching lives today.

If you never visited the most popular high school and club web site in the country - StudentSportsSoccer.com - before, odds are you will now.

ESPN officially bought the national soccer web site, which was part of the Rivals.com network until yesterday.

Since I first signed a contract with StudentSports.com in 2002, the site has grown and grown - mainly due to the work of Sheldon Shealer.

So when you are looking for the best local coverage, you turn to suntimes.com. And when you are looking for the best national coverage, you now know where to go.

I was down in St. Louis for the Fourth of July weekend to see some friends and watch the Cubs sweep the Cardinals. If the Cubs didn''t choke up a two-run lead on Saturday, there would have been a sweep. But I've been a Cubs fan long enough to expect the unexpected.

I also got a first-hand look at the damage caused by the Midwest floods. The St. Charles (Mo.) soccer complex, which hosts a series of college showcases for high school teams each April, was still underwater. And we're not just talking about a little water. Picture a concession stand and imagine only seeing a small portion of the roof.

That's how high the water is.

The 16 fields at the complex actually sit 10 feet lower than the concession stand. So it will be interesting to see what type of shape the complex, which has had a series of field problems over the past five years, will be in next spring when Barrington, Neuqua Valley and Lake Zurich head back down.