Dinner and A Show

Tonight, the team got out of the hotel for a wonderful dinner at a local steakhouse called La Cabana. (If you are ever in Juarez, we highly recommend). The players were in fine spirits as the dinner served as sort of a celebration for qualifying for the Olympics and the team had a great time. The evening was certainly complemented by a two-man band (guitar and drums, and they also had a song machine that played melodies) at the restaurant that played some excellent renditions of some American classics, including Hotel California, I Just Called to Say I Love You and La Bamba. The players sang along loudly and enthusiastically (which is pretty much how they do most things when the team is out together). U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage, who is talented on the guitar and as a singer, was called up to the front of the room and brought down the house with rockin' rendition of Chuck Barry's Johnny B. Goode. She was then joined on "stage" for a second number by team doctor Scott Powell who (and we CAN'T BELIEVE we have haven't mentioned this in the WNT Blog yet) was a member of the "1970s rock and roll revivalist /comedy group Sha Na Na" before he went to medical school and became an orthopedic surgeon. "Originally from New York City, Sha Na Na performed covers of doo wop hits from the 1950s , simultaneously reviving and sending up the music, as well as 1950s New York street culture, in their performances." (We love Wikepedia). Known as Santini during his Rock n' Roll days, needless to say, Doc Powell can still carry quite a tune and they combined for a touching duet of Bye, Bye Love, originally by the Everly Brothers. Among other amazing experiences in his "former life" Doc Powell played at Woodstock and had a small role in the cult classic "Caddyshack" as Gatsby, one of Rodney Dangerfield's buddies. Doc has so many great stories, he could have his own blog, but he's too busy taking care of the U.S. team these days.