Yes we’re are a little behind on our site upkeep! We’re just pretty damn busy producing, shooting and editing season 2 of the show!  And if I don’t say so myself… it’s lookin’ alright.

We’ve been to Tampa, Toronto, D.C., Chicago, Las Vegas and Costa Rica already and we’ve got more places to hit.  We’ve talked to amazing people, seen some awesome sights, watched some incredible soccer… and hung out with our fair share of beautiful women.  It’s all headed your way to the small screen on both GOLTV (in Canada) and FOX Soccer.

Remember to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ to get all our updates.  While your there, give us a shout, send us a message!  We’ve got great things planned for the upcoming season of We Live Soccer and we want you people to be apart of that. Let us know how you’re living soccer, tell us about how crazy your supporter group is, show us why you are one of soccer’s hottest. You never know, if we think you’re cooler than cool, maybe we’ll put you on the old picture box for the whole nation to see.

In the meantime, here are just a few shots of from the upcoming season. And we’ll try to eat our fiber and be a little more regular here on the blog.

Time to be honest – I dig on the occasional video game.  And by “occasional”, I mean at least a couple of hours a week.  And by “at least a couple of hours” a week, I mean – oh never mind.  Just understand that I do like some video games.

You will find that the United States is a video game nation powered by Madden NFL. It is the sports franchise that dominates the video game landscape. There are even television shows dedicated to Madden NFL football.  I don’t look down on those people, honestly.  I respect them.  They love playing a game and have a good time.  No harm in that, right?  Well I am no where near that level of fanaticism for any game.  I get the odd game in here and there after work is done and the kids are in bed for the night.  But there is a passion that resonates with me and others like me: FIFA soccer.

The one game that has always held a special place in my heart has been the FIFA soccer franchise, which is produced by EA Sports. I have had a version of this game for every console since the 1996 incarnation.  And much like its big brother, Madden NFL, the game focuses on realism and actual pro player ratings.  You get to experience virtual players who are designed with their actual level of skill as based on the performance of their living counterpart. It lends itself to some very fun and realistic video game action.

I’ve won FA Cups, Olympic medals, Community Shields, and even used Alan Shearer to score a last second game winner allowing long-suffering England to hoist the 1998 World Cup.  Truly I am a man who has been living the dream. So, as you can imagine, in recent versions of the game, the Rooney’s, Messi’s, and Ronaldo’s of the virtual world tend to run rim shod over the “mere mortal” players.

This is why I come back to play over and over again (and also it’s a great way to kill time when I’m on the treadmill.  Seriously, you can jog for like an hour and it feels like 5 minutes.  You have to try it.  Just be safe.  I speak from experience.)  Anyway, I come back to it over and over because of its realism, sort of.  Occasionally, EA Sports likes to make some players even more amazing then their real-life counterparts. 

For instance, when I play against my nemesis, Wayne Rooney, he likes to torment me with jukes and dekes unlike anything you’ve seen from a human.  It becomes downright comical at times.  That is until I try to take him out of the game with an absolutely malicious tackle.  This very seldom works as this super human virtual Rooney detects that somehow.  He manages to keep the ball, dance around my tackle, and proceed to beat my goal keeper in a variety of ways.  I am left scratching my head, vowing vengeance, and then find myself surrendering even more goals as I try too hard to equalize.  Ah – good times, good times!

Come to think of it, I’m not sure why I keep coming back to the game.  That damn Rooney (and Messi, don’t get me started on his virtual prowess.  Craaaaazy.)

I guess I should stop ranting about video games and go get back to my life.  However, if you are cut from the same cloth as me, drop a comment below. Maybe we can even play a game on line sometime.  Just don’t mock me when I flip out over your virtual superstars skills and try to take him out with every member of my back 4.  Also, please don’t ridicule me when my team has to forfeit because too many men have been sent off.  You have been warned.

We’re getting ready for season 2 here at the WLS headquarters and we have a great post coming tomorrow from our man with the plan Kent. All things tying together… he’s writing about his mad skills with the EA Sports FIFA series and one of our final profiles from last season was our behind the scenes look at FIFA 12.

So before we get you Kent’s take on rockin’ the game, here’s our look at EA Sports from last year (with a little bit of our new graphic look!)…

While some of my American friends and co-workers may scoff at soccer as being a “boring” or “not for them”, they almost all change their tune when it comes to league design.  These friends and co-workers may be criminally insane as well, but that is actually not the point here. (And, for the record, I said “may”.)

Who cares about league design? Well, I do.  So there!  But honestly, in most European soccer leagues, there are no conferences or divisions or playoffs (well standard playoffs as we know them.)  There is none of that crap.  There is one league.  There is one giant table of teams and every team plays with the goal of being number one.  Get a win? There are points for that.  Get a tie? You grab a point for that. The team with the most points at the end of the season wins the title. The simplicity is elegant and refreshing.  And don’t forget relegation.  Oh my, never underestimate the pain and agony of relegation.

What is relegation?

Well, it is a “motivator” to make sure all teams are performing to the best of their ability. Basically, if your team finishes in one of the bottom spots in the table, they are relegated to a lower league the next season.  Then, the top teams from the lower division replace them at the top flight.

To put it in American terms: based on 2011 Major League Baseball standings: Houston, Seattle, and Minnesota would be playing in AAA this upcoming season, and they would be replaced in MLB by the Pawtucket Red Sox, Durham Bulls, and Columbus Clippers.  Insane, right?  Not so much!

It is a crazy and downright frightening feeling to have your favorite team in the relegation “zone” fighting for survival.  And let me tell you, it adds a great deal of tension (and a bit of fun) to the proceedings throughout the end of the season.  You will see teams literally weep with joy for finishing out the season above the relegation zone.  And, on the flip side, you will see the despair of those who are being “sent down”.

To further add to the excitement, teams finishing near the top of the table get to play in special European cups the following season.  These are prestigious tournaments held across Europe with the top teams from leagues from England, Italy, Spain, Germany, and many more.  The revenue streams as well as the credibility that comes from playing in Europe can propel a team for years to come.  They suddenly become a viable destination for the top talent across the globe.

Other amazing aspects of overseas soccer are tournaments like England’s FA Cup.  This prestigious event traverses all of England’s leagues.  So the English Premier League and all of its “minor leagues” get to play.  You win and you keep going.  Normally, an established Premier League team wins this event, which goes on concurrent with the existing season.  But sometimes these lower division teams come out of nowhere and shock the world. In 1980 West Ham was out of the top flight and came through to win it all.  And as recently as 2008, we saw Cardiff City make it to the final only to succumb to Portsmouth (who, incidentally, was the only Premier League team to make the semi-finals!)

None-the-less, it is always a treat to see major teams like a Manchester United take the pitch at an away leg game against a smaller team, like Huddersfield Town in their old Leeds Road stadium.  It can be culture shock for both fans and players.  To use the baseball analogy again, it would be like the New York Yankees showing up in Niles, Ohio to play the single A Mahoning Valley Scrappers.  Their stadium seats a whopping 6,000 or so people. And, more importantly, the game would matter!  It would be worth something, not just an exhibition.  It would be televised internationally! How cool is that? I am sure it would be quite a treat for the fans and players of the minor league team.

Ultimately, the design of these leagues is far superior to those we see in the major U.S. sports.  There is always something to play for.  Be it the top of the table, a particular tournament, or even just avoid regulation.  Every match counts for something.  And we all know that is not something we can say for most of the sports in our country.

I am writing this in a post-match glow.

As you likely know, Barcelona just took on Leverkusen in Champions League. What you may also know is that Leverkusen was positively thrashed by Barca, 7-1. Furthermore, you may be aware that a diminutive forward for Barcelona named Lionel Messi took the game over and basically disrespected anyone who has ever tried to play soccer. Why, you ask? Well, he was that good. Any of us who have ever touched the pitch now look foolish for even trying. Messi showed us what football looks like. He reminded us what is so great about our sport, and why it has been dubbed “The Beautiful Game.” During the rout, Messi tucked in five goals. Many of them were of the “spectacular” variety. At one point during the second half I was quite sure I caught myself screaming like a little schoolgirl. This cannot be confirmed, however, and for that I am grateful.

(oh in case you have yet to witness… here be some highlights, or lowlights for you Leverkusen people, from our friends at FOX Soccer)

A quick check of twitter, facebook, and other sites among the web showed me that I was not alone in my accolades. Twitter was blowing up, and that was to be expected. But even mainstream sports sites in the United States were leading with Messi’s performance. This made me pleased. Honestly, we don’t that type of exposure on a mainstream level very often.

While Barcelona was wrapping up their destruction of Leverkusen, (10-2 on aggregate, daaaaaamn!), I couldn’t help but start thinking about other notable individual performances I have seen throughout the years.

• Romario personally lit up the Manchester United team when he was playing for Barcelona in 94. He made runs both with and without the ball that were downright mesmerizing.
• As a goalkeeper myself, I was particularly drawn to a match Peter Schmeichel played against Germany during the 92 Euro Final. He was flat-out clutch. Germany’s attack seemed incessant, and Schmeichel was brilliant in response. He singlehandedly delivered that championship to the Danes.
• Leverkusen was victim again in 2002 during the Champions League final. This time the culprit was none other than a pre-headbutt Zinedine Zidane. ZZ played sensationally in midfield the entire game before scoring the game winner on a cross from Roberto Carlos. That game winner often overshadows the masterful performance Zidane displayed in midfield. The volley was one of best goals ever scored in international competition.

Now, there are numerous great individual performances. Many more than just the few I have mentioned. These just happened to jump out at me. Feel free to sound off and let us know what you think. Will Messi’s performance be topped? Or is it not even at the top of the heap?

We Live Soccer airs on FOX Soccer in the US and on GOLTV Canada and we bring you so many stories about so many different things throughout the season.  We are continually uploading those features to our PROFILES page so feel free to get your bad self over to the page to check out the who’s who and the what’s what and the where’s where in the North American game.  Did any of that make sense?  Short and sweet translation… go check out the profiles of cool things we shot.

I just uploaded a cool clip in which we met up with Bumpy Pitch.  We dig these guys as they make some ridiculously cool clothing.  Here’s the video with some instructions to follow for the rest of your day (but only if you are medically cleared to partake in).  Watch the video below.  Check out some more profiles. Go to BumpyPitch.com.  Buy yourself a shirt.  Go to the fridge.  Grab a drink.  Chill out.

How did you land the gig as Philly’s team photographer?

I shoot mostly college athletics in the Philadelphia area but have always been a big soccer fan; I was actually an inaugural season ticket holder for DC United in 1996 when the league started and I grew up in that area.   When I found out MLS was expanding to Philadelphia I was really excited and knew it was a job that would fit in nicely with my schedule.  I made some inquiries with some of the contacts I have developed over the years working around town, and found out that a colleague and friend of mine would be working for the team.    Aimee Cicero was hired as the teams Manager of Communications and I had worked with her for the previous 5 or 6 years while she was at Drexel and Temple Universities.  Once I knew Aimee was on the staff I knew I could make this happen and with her help I did!  Thanks Aimee!

Much of the MLS season runs through the summer when the majority of my clients (local universities) aren’t playing, so not only is it great work shooting a sport I love in a beautiful stadium, but it really fills during the collegiate offseason.

Coolest thing about the job?

I imagine most people will say the access, but after you shoot sports for a while you learn it’s not such a crazy thing, the athletes are people too, just better at sports than most of us are!   Being the Union’s Team Photographer, much like all the other places I shoot for the coolest thing is the people you meet and the relationships you make.

New ESPN Color Analyst Taylor Twellman was on the Union’s broadcast team this past season and it was really great listening to him talk before matches about the work he is doing with concussions.  The Union’s Goalkeeper’s Coach Rob Vartughian is a great guy and always comes over to ask how my family is before each game.  The Communications and Marketing staff are really wonderful to work with.   A lot of my best friends are people I work with on a regular basis for the organizations I shoot for, and I know I will say the same thing about the Union if I am lucky enough to shoot for them for a long time.

Now back to the access…that’s not too bad either, getting to be on the field when the Union walked out of the tunnel in front of a packed house against Everton, Manchester United and Real Madrid the last two years has been pretty cool!

Here is a shot of Jurgen Klinsmann celebrating after Robbie Rogers goal against Mexico, the first goal the team scored under his leadership. It was voted Sports Illustrated Snapshot “Photo of the Day” on the Google Chrome App when I took it.   If I wasn’t the Union’s team Photographer I would have never gotten the call to shoot this match from another client.

Who’s your favourite player to photograph?

Two guys come to mind here.  The Captain Danny Califf makes for fun photos with his sleeve tattoos and ever changing hairstyles.  He is really physical and always running opponents down with slide tackles and he gets into the box on set pieces and throws his body all over the place.  Second would be Roger Torres.  Although he comes on a lot of times as a sub, he always brings a lot of energy and the fans at PPL Park go nuts every time he touches the ball.  I think the fact he is 5-5 137lbs really gets people energized to see him.   Since he isn’t the biggest of guys he makes for some fun photos and good news is the Union just completed his transfer so he should be here for a while.  He’s only 20 years old!

On an average day, say your shooting game action, what’s your go to gear?

Normal game day set up is two cameras.  Nikon D3s body and Nikon D3.  In warm-ups I use my 400 mm f2.8 to shoot some close up face shots of some of the guys while they are near the sidelines.  On my other camera I usually have my 24-70 mm f2.8 to shoot fans or general stuff inside and outside the stadium.  Once the players go in from warm-ups  I take the 400mm off and put on a 70-200m f2.8 lens.  Sometimes I will use a flash for the Starting XI photo (PPL Park can be a tough place to shoot when the sun is going down.  The overhangs cast a huge shadow across some of the field while the stands in the background are still in full sun so it can be tricky sometimes but we make it work.  I usually leave my flash in manual at 1/16^th or 1/8^th power or so just to get a little kick of light on the players.   Once the game begins I am usually always two bodies, one with the 400mm the other with the 70-200mm for anything close along the sidelines.   The Auto-ISO feature the newer cameras offer has been beneficial at times when the field is half in shadow half in sunlight.  I shoot all action shots at f2.8. Occasionally I will use a 1.4x extender on the 400mm.  PPL Park is great because it offers a few places to shoot from where you can actually sit on the ground which I prefer to than kneeling behind the advertising boards.  The lower the angle you can get the bigger the action looks!

This year I have a few new ideas and will probably try setting up some more remote cameras.  I also always bring an assistant to the games with me as it is a big field and tough for one guy to cover.  You never know where the action might be and if you run around chasing it all game you might never catch it!  I have my assistant shoot with a 300mm f2.8 at the opposite end of the field and he did a great job catching some key moments for me last year.

For all you gear heads, my new Nikon D4 should be here within the next few weeks, I’m really excited for that!

I know you shoot a lot of other sports.  What’s the most difficult one to shoot?

Obviously each sport presents its different challenges.  I shoot a ton of college basketball, about 85 games a year, so that is certainly what I have the most practice at.  Indoor events are typically more difficult because you are thrust into some dark places which don’t allow high shutter speeds and might have horrible fluorescent lighting.  The new cameras have made this much easier though over the last 5 years.  I routinely shoot over 5000 ISO which was unthinkable before I got my D3.  Thank you Nikon…

Most difficult…how about volleyball?  I don’t shoot it often enough to get good at it and if you can’t anticipate where the ball is going, good luck trying to find it!

How competitive is it on the sidelines with other photographers?  Do you have to stake out your territory… is it all friendly?

Like I said before, it’s a huge field, and usually there are only 10-15 of us at a regular season league match.  There are certainly spots I prefer to shoot from, mainly the corners where I can sit as low as possible, but if someone else is there I don’t get too bent out of shape and move on to the next spot.  Sometimes being forced to move somewhere else can allow you to make a great image you would have otherwise never gotten and sometimes you wish you had been in your regular spot!

For some of the international matches it has been a little more crowded, but not too bad.   Real Madrid was a little crazy, and USA vs. Mexico also at Lincoln Financial Stadium was packed with photographers.  Obviously, a big rivalry and it was new USA Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s first game at the helm.

How do you think the Union are going to do in 2012?

The jump the franchise made from season one to season two last year certainly exceeded all expectations.  Everyone is saying how young they are, but they have a really solid backline, and their attackers all have a very high ceiling.  Zac MacMath is a young goalkeeper and a lot will fall on his shoulders, but I think we saw enough last season to know he is capable of handling the number one GK spot.   Season three of any new coaching staff or organization is really where you can see things start to take shape and I think that will be true for this group.  I think Carlos Valdes is an awesome player who everyone in the league will be talking about this season.  Peter Nowak is a fiery guy and I wouldn’t bet against him with all the previous success he has had in his career, and if I did I certainly wouldn’t tell him!  Go Union in 2012!  DOOP!

What else do people need to know about Greg Carroccio and Sideline Photos?

Between being self-employed and my kids there isn’t a whole lot of time for hobbies these days.  Photography and playing sports have always been my two favorite things to do and I have fortunately been able to combine the two and create a job that I really enjoy.   I still play basketball regularly with a group of friends and golf as much as I can when the weather is nice.   Aside from that though I’m trying my best these days to grow my business by adding photographers and new clients, it’s a process but it’s moving in the right direction.  Thanks for having me!

Check out more of Greg’s awesome work and do the old follow thing on the twitter and book of face…
www.sidephotos.com
www.facebook.com/sidelinephotos
Twitter: @sidelinephotos

So this is pretty cool.  We got in touch with Canadian Women’s National Team Member Stephanie Labbe and asked if she would contribute to the blog and without hesitation she said “Definitely!”  We didn’t really give her any great direction on what to write about.  Lame on our part… yes.  But Stephanie was fine with it and decided to give us the low down on packing up the North American lifestyle and heading back to Europe to play professional soccer.  It’s a new start for Stephanie with a new city and team in Örebro, Sweden.

Within my first week back here in Sweden, in a new city with a new team I have been asked the pretty standard questions from back home.  “How do you like your team? How do you like your apartment? Is the city nice?” Some friends who are a little more soccer oriented ask , “How do you like your coach?” and “How is training?”  Right now, I am going to give the full answers to what my life has been like in the past week in this new city!

The airport in Örebro is pretty small, so its much easier to fly into Stockholm and bus to Örebro.  So I did just that!  Only issue was that I had 3 big bags plus a small rolly carry-on.  I’m not sure if you know, but I’m not overly gifted in the sense that I only have 2 arms like the majority of people on this planet.  I managed to get them all onto an airport cart to get myself onto the first bus.  Had to transfer buses half way, and it was a little stressful until I got off and realized the next bus stop was right behind the one I got off.  Some guy said “I think you packed too much” then walked away…it might just be me but I think the nice thing to do would have been help? Never the less I managed to drag 2 at a time 10 meters at a time to the next bus.  Another bonus, free wifi on the bus.  They know how to do it here in Sweden!  My first few days I spent with a teammate, who I had never met but knew from playing against her with the National Team.  I had my own room in her apartment and she was very welcoming and helpful.  She showed me the ropes, gave me a tour of the field/locker-room/gym/coaches offices etc and had a full fridge of groceries waiting for me.  What more could I have asked for!  I knew after 5 minutes of meeting my coach that it was going to be a great year.  He has so much knowledge for the game, has coached the men at some of the highest levels and was very genuine and honest.  The trainings have been at such a high level, with good tempo and control.  I already feel the demands, and its a great feeling to have.

It took a few days before I ventured into the city center which has all the shops, cafe’s and grocery stores.  Its a beautiful city with lots happening.  There is even a castle here!  Örebro was recently awarded the top sports city in Sweden because of all the different sports teams in the highest divisions.  I can already for see a future of a lot of sports watching!  I have got to know the girls on the team, and they have been so nice and welcoming to me.  Lucky for me I can understand most Swedish now, so it makes it a little easier to get to know them right off the bat.

After a busy few days, I was ready to unpack my bags and get settled into my apartment.  As soon as it was available for move-in I was picked up and transported over with all my luggage.  Its a small apartment with one room.  And by one room I mean there is a bathroom, a kitchen, and then one room for my bed/tv etc.  Its very cozy and its all I need.  And for me, it means less cleaning which I am always a fan of!  Now that I feel settled in, and I have decorated a little with some IKEA goodies, I feel ready to set out and explore a little more!  Step one is to find my way from my new apartment to the grocery store…good thing for google maps!
-Stephanie Labbe
@stephlabbe1

How did you land the gig as Toronto FC team photographer?

I was asked to shoot all the original advertising for the initial team launch and introduction. We didn’t really have a roadmap back then and sort of made pictures on the fly to get people excited. There were no players signed yet so we shot some fans in studio getting excited for TFC. The marketing people liked the shots and they asked me to come on board as the team photographer. Next thing I knew, I was flying down to South Carolina with Maurice Edu to shoot the training camp.

Coolest thing about the job?

Watching and being part of EVERY TFC home game. I may be the only person to attend all the matches so far.
I also love seeing my images used around town and in the media. It provides me with inspiration to get great images.

Are the guys on the team easy to work with?

I can honestly say that all the guys have been courteous and professional and they all understand that the pictures are all part of the package to promote and grow the team brand and get people excited about TFC.

My favourite shot is the Dwayne De Rosario portrait. I love the set-up, the lighting, the post work… what’s your favourite?

I am pretty critical of my work like a typical photographer so I am always revising my favourites but I really liked how a recent composition turned out. I also have a soft spot for one of the first fan images I have ever shot when the south section is going crazy. This was taken on only the 2nd home match ever and it helped people to realize just how fanatical the supporters are.

On an average day, what’s your go to gear when you shoot?

Shooting sports is pretty equipment specific and I usually carry 2 to 3 Canon camera bodies all equipped with a 400mm 2.8 for on field action, a 70-200mm 2.8 for closer action and looser shots and a wide angle 17-40mm for fan images and post game field shots. It is all natural light which at time can be pretty unpredictable. Also, rain gear on hand is a must just in case!

Not that your going to show any kind of team bias of course… how do you think Toronto FC are going to do in 2012?

Playoffs!! I love Aron Winters and the whole team direction starting from the ground up with the new academy initiative and right onto the first team. There is a winning attitude around BMO.

What else do people need to know about Paul Giamou?

I am always shooting and have been lucky enough the last few years to be able to travel the world for assignments and large productions. I have seen and done a lot of things that would only be accessible through photography. I love me job and that is why I always try to get the best for my clients.

To check out more of Paul’s awesome work go to www.paulgiamou.com

I really don’t like the term “insider,” but when trying to describe someone who works on the inside, in the action, in the game, in the thick of it… well, insider just fits.

Opinion aside, what I’m trying to say is that every once in awhile, we are going to present a blog posting from someone who comes to us straight from the inner workings of the beautiful game… a “soccer insider” if you will.

Our goal is to get a variety of inside voices to guest post here, and do it on a regular basis.  We really want to leave the platform open for them to write about what they think is interesting.  Hopefully we get some cool insight from the people that play or work in the game.  Most importantly, we hope that it’s something that will interest you!

We are going to start the series off on Monday with Stephanie Labb.  Steph just signed with Örebro in the women’s professional league in Sweden.  She’s going to give us a cool little look into what it’s like for a pro athlete to pack up and hit the ground running with a new team, in a country half way around the globe from her home.  It’s pretty cool to hear it from an athlete in their own words.

Like I said, hopefully this is a series that you guys dig and pass around the web… like an infection?  I’ll go grab a thesaurus, but I think you get what I’m sayin’…