Ouzo F.C

CANTON:  MICHIGAN:  Ouzo F.C took their show on the road this year by entering the US Indoor Nationals (Over 30 Division).  The event was in Canton, Michigan at High Velocity Sports, a mega Indoor Soccer Facility with 3 full sized pitches and two practices pitches.  It was a 2-Day tournament that featured some top teams in various age divisions. 

Ouzo assembled a team that could not only do well on the field, but create havoc of the field as well.  It all started with a 12pm gathering at the carpool lot in Milton.  It was their the boyz got their first taste of “Late Nate”.  Their star striker, previously known for his goal scoring abilities, became known as “Late Nate”.  The team set off with a mini-van and Delaney’s car off to their first “out-of-country” tournament. 

With the tournament not starting until Saturday afternoon, the team picked up tickets to a Detroit Red Wing game on the Friday night.  The Red Wings faced a Nashville Predator team and finished victorious, beating them 5-2.  The event night featured the first ever “Ouzo Celebrity” picture (Ouzo player wearing Ouzo gear with a celebrity)when Behn and Stu got their picture taken with recent Canadian figure skating Gold Medalists “Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir”.  The game was a great way to kick start the weekend.   

Quote by PK: 

“Coming back up to our seats at redwings with beers I got held up until a break in the play and Detroit scored.  As I turn to  head up to our seats I see stuey, arms up in the air, head tilted to the side with his eyes closed in celebration far to passionate for a redwings game.  It was a wonderful sight to see.”   

Later that night, the boys continued to drink and prove “Our drinking team has a soccer problem” ©.  With a late game in the afternoon, the boys took advantage and enjoyed their time away.  Happy Spence, “The green Buffett” and “Angry Delaney” led the charge that night putting together a solid off-field performance.  Delaney leading the charge, somehow got his hands on a “cargo Van” to grab a few teammates to really get things going. The night finished with a classic video of Rusnov doing his daily sit ups at 3AM…not a pretty sight (Video to prove it)…Chocolat 

The next morning the team set out for breakfast without a few players.  "Gotta take advantage of this time away from the kids to sleep in" said PK.  Funny coming from one of the few players who doesn’t have to wake up for any rug ratz at home.  The team made their way to the facility around 2:30pm for a first game at 4pm.  The place was packed!  Various vendors were spread out around the place:  selling jersey’s, boots, professional photography booth, etc.  After getting settled, Management unveiled Ouzo’s new Tournament jersey’s – A White England kit with a Canadian flag on the sleeve to show the Americans where the top (smelling like booze) came from.  The first game was against Dale’s Bar and Grill.  Final Score:  Ouzo F.C (6) vs. Dales’s Bar and Grill (3).  Up next was against AAFC Elite, a team that just came off a 11-1 Victory in their first game.  The boys knew they were in for a test.  In a fast paced game, with many fans and players from other teams watching, Ouzo lost their first game of the tournament.  Final Score:  AAFC Elite (7) vs. Ouzo F.C (5).  Of note, Stu Fletch scored the goal of the Tournament by chipping the keeper from his own half.  Very similar to Beckham's goal when he was with Man. United, but indoor.  Pure class!

After digesting the game, the players decided to head back to the hotel for a few beers and food.  First up however, was a much needed hot tub. There were several people in the hot tub, but slowly player by player, Ouzo completely took over the hot tub.  With beer in hands, the full team relaxed in a nice post game tub.  Still disappointed with the result in the previous game, the boys were reminded that “win or lose, we still have our booze”.  The night ended after some food and a few “quiet ones” as the boyz were too tired after playing 2 X 40 Minute games (with no half time).  Doesn’t sound like a lot, but with boards, the game never stops.  And that second game was about as fast as you could play. 

It was day 3 in Michigan and the boys were well rested and ready to take home some hardware.  Knowing they would likely face AAFC Elite in the final, they set out to win their 3^rd game, while saving their legs for the final.  Saving their legs is not “Ouzo Style”.  The team trounced an older team from Ohio (Internationals)  Final Score:  Ouzo F.C (9) vs. Internationals (1). 

That set up a rematch of yesterday’s game in the Final.  Both teams looked ready, however AAFC brought out a new goalie and two new players that did not play the day before.  One of which was a current Indoor Professional with over 10 years of pro indoor experience in the US.  Ouzo had their work cut out for them. The game started fast and Ouzo jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a goal from Ouzo's only American, Mike Graston.  The gritty midfielder saved his best game for last.  That didn’t stop the opposing team from Ann Arbour, Michigan.  They fought back to tie it up.  The game went back and forth and after forty minutes, AAFC Elite won 7-5 and grabbed the National title from Ouzo F.C.  While the boys were disappointed, it was a hard fought match that could have gone either way.  “if it wasn’t for those new guys, we would have won” said Mike Pesic after the game. It was back to the hotel for some showers and then back home.  

A few beers in the hotel after the game was a nice way to finish the weekend.  On the way home PK reminisced by saying “I enjoyed it at the hotel after the final, it was rusnov's turn for the shower and big mike, after a night of violating his little Croatian friend in their tiny double bed and now standing bear chested in his underpants, says 'I'll join you in a minute rob'.   you could see the fear in rusnov's eyes.” 

Overall a successful weekend for Ouzo’s first “International” tournament.  US Indoor Nationals Finalists!  Not a bad way to finish. 

Ouzo4Life

Held at High Velocity Sports Arena in Canton, Michigan

Ouzo F.C Roster

Andrew Spencer - GK
Mike Pesic - GK
Sinisa Ninkovic - D
Phil Kennedy - D
Steve Delaney - D
Rob Rusnov - D
Stu Fletcher - MF
Rob Anderson - MF
Mike Graston - MF
Nesa Stefanovic - F
Behn Wurthman - F

Lost 7-5 in the Final to AAFC Elite (from Ann Arbour Michigan)

CANTON:  MICHIGAN:  Ouzo F.C took their show on the road this year by entering the US Indoor Nationals (Over 30 Division).  The event was year in Canton, Michigan at High Velocity Sports, a mega Indoor Soccer Facility with 3 full sized pitches and two practices pitches.  It was a 2-Day tournament that featured some top teams in various age divisions. 

Ouzo assembled a team that could not only do well on the field, but create havoc of the field as well.  It all started with a 12pm gathering at the carpool lot in Milton.  It was their the boyz got their first taste of “Late Nate”.  Their star striker, previously known for his goal scoring abilities, became known as “Late Nate”.  The team set off with a mini-van and Delaney’s car off to their first “out-of-country” tournament. 

With the tournament not starting until Saturday afternoon, the team picked up tickets to a Detroit Red Wing game on the Friday night.  The Red Wings faced a Nashville Predator team and finished victorious, beating them 5-2.  The event night featured the first ever “Ouzo Celebrity” picture (Ouzo player wearing Ouzo gear with a celebrity)when Behn and Stu got their picture taken with recent Canadian figure skating Gold Medalists “Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir”.  The game was a great way to kick start the weekend.   

Quote by Phil Kennedy: 

“Coming back up to our seats at redwings with beers I got held up until a break in the play and Detroit scored.  As I turn to  head up to our seats I see stuey, arms up in the air, head tilted to the side with his eyes closed in celebration far to passionate for a redwings game.  It was a wonderful sight to see.”   

Later that night, the boys continued to drink and prove “Our drinking team has a soccer problem” TM.  With a late game in the afternoon, the boys took advantage and enjoyed their time away.  Happy Spence, “The green Buffett” and “Angry Delaney” led the charge that night putting together a solid off-field performance.  Delaney leading the charge, somehow got his hands on a “cargo Van” to grab a few teammates to really get things going. The night finished with a classic video and Rusnov doing his daily sit ups at 3AM…not a pretty sight (Video to prove it)…Chocolat 

The next morning the team set out for breakfast without a few players.  "Gotta take advantage of this time away from the kids to sleep in" said PK.  Funny coming from one of the few players who doesn’t have to wake up for any rug ratz at home.  The team made their way to the facility around 2:30pm for a first game at 4pm.  The place was packed!  Various vendors were spread out around the place:  selling jersey’s, boots, professional photography booth, etc.  After getting settled, Management unveiled Ouzo’s new Tournament jersey’s – A White England kit with a Canadian flag on the sleeve to show the Americans where the top (smelling like booze) came from.  The first game was against Dale’s Bar and Grill.  Final Score:  Ouzo F.C (6) vs. Dales’s Bar and Grill (3).  Up next was against AAFC Elite, a team that just came off a 11-1 Victory in their first game.  The boys knew they were in for a test.  In a fast paced game, with many fans and players from other teams watching, Ouzo lost their first game of the tournament.  Final Score:  AAFC Elite (7) vs. Ouzo F.C (5). 

After digesting the game, the players decided to head back to the hotel for a few beers and food.  First up however, was a dip in the hotel hot tub.  The was a site to see.  There were several people in the hot tub, but slowly player by player, Ouzo completely took over the hot tub.  With beer in hands, the full team relaxed in a nice post game tub.  Still disappointed with the result in the previous game, the boys were reminded that “win or lose, we still have our booze”.  The night ended after some food and a few “quiet ones” as the boyz were too tired after playing TWO X 40 Minute games (with no half time).  Doesn’t sound like a lot, but with boards, they game never stops.  And that second game was about as fast as you could play. 

It was day 3 in Michigan and the boys were well rested and ready to take home some hardware.  Knowing they would likely face AAFC Elite in the final, they set out to win their 3^rd game, while saving their legs for the final.  Saving their legs is not “Ouzo Style”.  The team trounced an older team from Ohio (Internationals)  Final Score:  Ouzo F.C (9) vs. Internationals (1). 

That set up a rematch of yesterday’s game in the Final.  Both teams looked ready, however AAFC brought out a new goalie and two new players that did not play the day before.  One of which was a current Indoor Professional with over 10 years of pro indoor experience in the US.  Ouzo had their work cut out for them. The game started fast and Ouzo jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a goal from Florida born, Mike Graston.  The gritty midfielder saved his best game for last.  That didn’t stop the opposing team from Ann Arbour, Michigan.  They fought back to tie it up.  The game went back and forth and after forty minutes, AAFC Elite won 7-5 and grabbed the National title from Ouzo F.C.  While the boys were disappointed, it was a hard fought match that could have gone either way.  “if it wasn’t for those new guys, we would have won” said Mike Pesic after the game. It was back to the hotel for some showers and then back home.  

A few beers in the hotel after the game was a nice way to finish the weekend.  On the way home PK reminisced by saying “I enjoyed it at the hotel after the final, it was rusnov's turn for the shower and big mike, after a night of violating his little Croatian friend in their tiny double bed and now standing bear chested in his underpants, says 'I'll join you in a minute rob'.   you could see the fear in rusnov's eyes.” 

Overall a successful weekend for Ouzo’s first “International” tournament.  US Indoor Nationals Finalists!  Not a bad way to finish. 

Ouzo4Life