The US referee crew is still in Toronto, but we have a feeling that's going to change on Tuesday. We haven't received a game in the knockout rounds, and they only need five crews for the next three games. So, we think we're going to be among the released referees on Tuesday.

This past week was spent mostly training - each morning we have a three hour fitness and technical training session. Both the fitness training and the technical sessions have been very good. I'm learning some new things to do to maintain/improve my fitness. We haven't done much more than train, eat and find time to get some "normal" work done.

I (we) did get the opportunity to see each of the USA games here in Toronto. And, as we get VIP tickets and hospitality passes, Terry Vaughn, Chris Strickland and I were able to spend a few minutes talking with US Soccer President Sunil Gulati and Secretary General Dan Flynn. I know some of you know Mr. Flynn, and I can say that both are tremendous individuals and have done great things for our sport on many levels. At least two other notables we got to rub shoulders with were US Men's National Team Coach Bob Bradley (whose son Michael had excellent tournaments for both the Men's Senior - Gold Cup - and U-20 teams), and Austrian Men's National Team Coach Andreas Herzog. Mr. Herzog played for the Los Angeles Galaxy after his career with the Austrian National Team and time at Bayern Munich, among other teams. There were many other high-ranking officials from FIFA and other confederations, as well.

My time here has been a great learning experience. I've been blessed with the opportunity to spend time with some of the world's top referees and have made some good friends. I've also been blessed with an amazing, loving and overachieving wife who has spent the past 6.5 weeks taking care of our house and son without me. And, one of my favorite parts of this job...I've been able to see some parts of the world that many people never will.

I've enjoyed bringing these updates to you, and I hope you've enjoyed reading them. I'm still open for questions, as always. If for some reason we are kept here for the next week and get a game, you can bet I'll write another update. But otherwise, I look forward to seeing everyone the next chance I get to come by for a game at OB Clark's.

Best regards,

George Gansner

FIFA Assistant Referee

USA

Hello everyone! I'm sorry that it has taken so long for me to write another one of these. It's been a long and challenging week on many levels.

As you know, we were sent to Vancouver last week and refereed the first round match between Jordan and Zambia. It was a difficult match, but overall everything was fine.

The morning after the match we were sent to Victoria, BC by plane. The plane never got above 5,000 feet...and it's only a 15 minute flight over the Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands. If you've never been to Victoria, or Vancouver Island, I recommend you plan a vacation there as soon as possible. The place is amazing. From my hotel room at the Grand Pacific Hotel, I could see the snow-capped mountains in Washington State and the Straight of Juan de Fuca. The hotel is located on the Victoria Harbour right next to the BC Parliament Building, which is absolutely fantastic in its architecture (see some of the photos on the link below). There are so many places to walk, eat, bike, boat (including whale watching, but we didn't do it), etc. that you could spend so much time there. And, it's so relaxing.

While in Victoria, we refereed the 2nd round match between Scotland and Nigeria. Both are very physical teams and we feel like we had a very good game there.

The day after our 2nd round game we did a quick early morning recovery training and then left for the airport to fly back to Toronto - where we've been since Thursday. Now, everyday we have breakfast, training, lunch, debrief of the previous day's games, watch the first game, dinner, watch the second game, and go to bed (it's been a challenge to fit a couple hours of "real" work in everyday). We'll find out whether we'll get another appointment in the next two days - both of which are "rest days." The US team is doing well, so I don't know how that will affect our (US referee team) chances of getting more assignments. But we'll see.

In Toronto, we're staying at the InterContinental overlooking Lake Ontario. Right out my window (because I have a different room with a much better view this time) is the CN Tower (which we'll get to visit on Tuesday) and Rogers Centre - where the Toronto Blue Jays play. They're in a homestand right now, so we need to decide whether we'll try to take in a game. There are lots of people outside the stadium right now, so I guess there's a game this afternoon.

There's a U-20 WC game tonight here in Toronto that we're all going to get to go to (those of us not working, that is). However, there's also an INDY car race today - the Grand Prix of Toronto...and, the stadium is in the middle of the race track. It's raining, too, which means they may have to delay the start of the race - so it's going to be interesting to see how they get 22K people into BMO Field for an 8 p.m. kickoff when the car race doesn't end until 6 p.m. I'll try to let you know how that goes.

I had a request to tell you all about the Fitness Testing we do - fortunately, we only need to do it one time during our time here. The referees and assistant referees run exactly the same test, but there are two slight differences. In the 40 meter sprints, the referees must run them in 6.2 seconds, while the assistant referees have only 6.0 seconds. And, the rest/recovery period in the endurance test has to be completed by the referees in 35 seconds, while the assistant referees have 40 seconds. So here's the test:

6 x 40 meter sprints with 1 minute 30 seconds recovery between each sprint (if you miss a time, you get one retake at the end...miss two = fail the test)

10 minutes rest

150 meter run in 30 seconds with 50 meter recovery walk (in time specified above) - minimum of 10 full laps around the track (if you miss the gate - even by one step - before the time runs out, you get a "yellow card." If you miss the gate a second time before the test is over, you get a "red card" and you're out. In this case - one guy from your team misses and your team goes home, no matter where you are from in the world.)

They stopped us at 10 laps when we took the test in Miami for Gold Cup, and here for this tournament because it was so hot - 95 degrees.

I want to wrap up with a comment about my wife and son. Remember, I've been traveling now since June 2nd with only 3 days home in between tournaments. That means my wife has done everything around the house that's needed to be done - landscaping, normal house work, etc., taken care of our 13-month old son by herself (actually, thank goodness grandma and the neighbors have been there a LOT), has a full-time job, and is training for the O-30 Women's Amateur National Championships in Seattle (Aug 3-5). I don't know how she does it, but she's been amazing with her support and her work to achieve her own goals. So - thank you Jen...I love you!

If you've read to the bottom of this, here's a link to some photos from the Gold Cup and the U-20 World Cup downloaded from the camera of Terry Vaughn. I hope you enjoy them....and, can figure out which person I am if we haven't met.

Talk to you soon.

George Gansner

FIFA Assistant Referee

USA

Hello from VANCOUVER!

Friday was dispersal day for the referees - at least for those who either had a game in the first day two days or had to travel to the West Coast of Canada. The US crew, along with a couple other crews left early Friday morning. We were sent to Vancouver with the German crew for the games on Sunday.

My US crew will referee the Jordan vs. Zambia game. I thought it was going to air on GolTV, but I didn't see it in the lineup for tomorrow. So, it may not be on in the US.

As we prepare for the game, I am learning that Zambia is in South Central Africa and has a population less than the State of Missouri. English is their official language, so that should help us. And, Jordan is bordered by Isreal, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Their language is Arabic, but most people speak English as well.

Friday was a long day...5 hours on a plane from Toronto to Vancouver. For FIFA games we usually fly business (or First) class. However, the airline we flew doesn't have first class, though they have TVs in every seat - so that was nice. But, we were mostly interested in sleeping. Unfortunately, we were on the same flight as the Canadian Football League's British Columbia team who had beaten the Toronto Argonauts the night before in Toronto....and, we all had middle seats - between the football players. Imagine sitting on a cross-country flight in a middle seat -- for 5 hours! -- that doesn't recline (I was in the row in front of the exit) with two lineman on either side of you. Now, I'm 6'2" and 200 lbs. My shoulders aren't too small, either. But these guys were 6'4", 300 lbs with shoulders that could have reached across all three seats. At least they were nice guys....right!

It was great to get a good night's sleep and do a light workout this morning. It rained here a lot yesterday, but I think that's typical for this part of the world. The climate is pretty much the same as Seattle - considering they're only 100 miles apart. After the light training and stretching this morning we played a 4v4, two-touch game against the Germans. It was a lot of fun - and we won! Not that there was a whole lot of hard play, but it's always important to win...even if there's nothing at stake.

We're sitting here getting ready for tomorrow's game by watching the opening match from Montreal. Howard Webb is the referee and he's doing a nice job setting the tone for the whole tournament. The first game of the tournament is extremely important for all of the referees and teams. Everyone's watching! If the referee of that game lets them play too much, or they get away with things off the ball, it's bad for the whole tournament.

Also, all of the players/teams went through the same classroom instruction we went through - and the referee instructors did the training for the teams, just like they did for us. So, the message is clear as to what they should expect. It's kind of nice this year - there are no new rules FIFA is trying out...we get to go referee the game we referee all year long. Same focus points as the Gold Cup and in general as of late: eliminate the bad tackles, eliminate elbows, and help make the game fair and fun. That's all - nothing special.

This afternoon we'll do some sight seeing and then do some more homework on the teams we're refereeing tomorrow.

I hope you can catch the game tomorrow. On July 4th, there's a doubleheader where Scotland plays Nigeria and Japan plays Costa Rica in Victoria, BC. We don't know what games we'll have from here, but we do know that we're going to Victoria on Monday - we assume that's for Wednesday's round of games. On Thursday, we'll go somewhere else....we just don't know whether that will be Edmonton, or back to Toronto - hopefully, I'll get a window seat this time.

Best regards,

George Gansner

FIFA Assistant Referee

USA

Hello again from Toronto, Canada. We're still here in Toronto, just training and having meetings everyday now. Tonight we'll get our first round appointments and then we'll either disperse to the new locations tomorrow, or we'll wait here in Toronto until it's time to leave for our game.

By reading the above, you can tell that I wasn't sent home for failing the fitness test - we're still here, which means our team of three passed. Had any of the three of us failed the test, all three of us would have been sent home. Three referee teams did fail for various reasons. This probably means that their dream of refereeing at WC 2010 is over.

The fitness test presented a tough challenge! It was grueling - 95 degrees Fahrenheit and not much breeze. It wasn't very humid, but it was HOT! I am very glad we took the test three weeks ago in Miami where it wasn't quite so hot, but was much more miserable because of the humidity. It made getting through this week's test much easier for me...and the others.

Our regimen at this FIFA tournament is a little different than it was for us at the Gold Cup. We're still all together in Toronto and will use it as a base. So, each morning we have breakfast at 7:45 a.m. and depart for the training facility at 8:30 a.m. So far, we've trained each day from 9 a.m. to noon, though yesterday was a little shorter because it was a recovery day from the fitness test. Yesterday, we did light jogging for 10 minutes or so and then did stretching - for about an hour. We did it with a ball, without a ball, with a partner, and without a partner. It was good for the body after getting beat up in the sun the day before.

Yesterday, I went to the physio here for the first time. I've been having some trouble with tightness in and around my hips - in Miami, the doctors said it was the Soaz (spelling?) muscle, but here they think it's a lot more than that. Anyway, we're working on getting that area of my body stretched and loosened up so I'm more comfortable. Back to the physio - his name is Mitsu and he's from Japan. He has an interesting technique of finding out if something's wrong with you - and it's pretty much fail safe.

Basically, he asks you to put your fourth finger (next to the pinky) and thumb together as tightly as possible. You squeeze, and he pulls (or tries to pull) them apart. Not a big deal...right! WRONG! He takes your left pointer finger and places it on different parts of your body - different muscles or joints. If there's no problem with the area your finger is pointing to...your fingers stay tight together. But, if there's an area where there is weakness in your body...your fingers come easily apart - and that's how he is able to tell if something's wrong with you. It sure keeps you from being dishonest in case you didn't want someone to know there was a problem. Amazing! And, he uses a chart of your back and bones to do the same thing where you can't reach.

After my analysis with Mitsu, he asked me to turn over so he could begin....get this...an acupuncture therapy. It's the first time I've ever had that done. And when he was finished, I felt significantly better and much looser than I did before. So, I don't honestly know if it works, but what he does is amazing and it made me feel better. I'll keep doing it!

We did individual and group photos this morning. They get it done pretty quickly because we're under some serious time management. After the photos, we did another field session - it was a "Speed Endurance" day - warm-up with light stretching and then some speed work. In the field practical session, this time we focused on teamwork and offside decisions. These are the types of training sessions we like as referees - actively working toward a result. We need to do more of this on the local level.

Well, I think this is already getting a bit long. So, we're looking forward to watching the US play tonight against Argentina. And, we're looking forward to getting our appointments for the first round and finding out which city we'll be in tomorrow or over the weekend. We think we're going to Victoria, but that's only pure speculation. More from wherever I am when I get there....who knows, could still be here in Toronto!

Regards,

George Gansner

FIFA Assistant Referee

USA

Hello from Toronto! I hope everyone is doing well.

I'll get into the past few days in Toronto in a minute, but since today was the Gold Cup Final - I'll start there. We watched the game in an Irish Pub across the street from our hotel. I can't believe it...it may have been the first time I've ever been in an Irish Pub and DIDN'T have a Guinness. That has to wait until after the fitness test on Tuesday. And, with our unannounced weight check this morning (I was where I need to be, but we had a big dinner last night.so I was a little worried), I'm going to make sure I watch what I'm eating a little more carefully.

What a game it was! Terry Vaughn, Chris Strickland and I went to the referees lounge at the hotel expecting to find the game and watch it with our friends from CONCACAF. But, the game wasn't on the local or cable channels the hotel has, so we quickly left the room - our CONCACAF friends had not yet arrived - and went to the pub across the street. It was just the three of us along with a few others already in the pub who ended up watching with us. Very exciting, though, as the game went on. When the US scored the second goal (a terrific goal from Feilhaber), the man sitting in front of me nearly fell out of his seat because he wasn't paying attention and we all yelled! Congratulations to the team, and to Mike Sorber, assistant coach with the team - who I think is in this e-mail group. Oh, and at dinner tonight, the three of us (Terry, Chris and I) put our arms around each other's shoulders and began dancing and singing "Campeones, Campeones" in front of a full dining room of referees from around the world when the Mexicans walked in. It made for a great laugh for everyone!

So, after 3.5 days home last week with my family (my one year-old stood up on his own and took several steps for the first time - how lucky was I to be home for that! - and we had a nice BBQ on Thursday), I boarded a plane Friday morning for Toronto. Other than the guy from Canada who lives an hour from here, I get the award for the shortest flight of anyone here - 2 hours.direct.

Now, let me tell you something. When we travel for FIFA, we travel on a business class ticket. It's nice! Business class seats no matter where in the world you're traveling to. Unless of course you're on a Regional Jet like I was. Two hours cramped up with the guy next to you, small window, and nowhere to go. My first official FIFA tournament and my most direct route is by Regional Jet. Unbelievable.

Anyway, all of the referees arrived from around the world on Friday. Two of the most notables - Howard Webb (ENG) and Wolfgang Stark (GER). Every referee here has earned his place and we're all on even keel. No one is any more special than the other - we're a team.and must perform that way!

Friday was a casual day and by dinner time, most people were getting settled in and trying to get some sleep. Upon arrival we were met coming through immigration (I never knew how difficult it would be coming into Canada) and transported by Hyundai automobiles (they're a FIFA World Cup sponsor) to the hotel. Check in.get to my room.and what do I have in my room but a bag full of Adidas gear. Training and game boots, referee kits & track suites, clothing, etc., etc., etc. I had been told we would get some Adidas stuff to wear, but I never knew it would be so much. We have a schedule of what to wear everyday, and we will look like a team from the minute we set foot out of our room.

Saturday was a classroom session. We reviewed the points of emphasis for the tournament and covered administrative issues. We also did a video review of last year's World Cup. In the early evening, the whole group went for about an hour long walk on the waterfront (we're staying in downtown Toronto), and then I had to get back for my "fitting." Yes, we get a FIFA suit - tailored to our exact specifications. Pretty cool. Now all I have to do is pass the fitness test on Tuesday and I get to stay.

Today was our field practical session, so that was be something new for me. We spent time working together in team drills and testing on our offside decisions. But first was a nice warm-up and stretching. Three hours on the field - and it went by like it was 20 minutes. Tomorrow, we'll do another practical session on the field and learn about how they'll run the fitness test on Tuesday. I'm comfortable with my fitness level right now.especially after having just passed the test a couple weeks ago in Miami.

Regards,

George Gansner

FIFA Assistant Referee

USA

Good Sunday morning from Houston, and Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

Today's the BIG game....and, Terry Vaughn, Chris Strickland, Carlos Batres (4th Official) and I were appointed to it. As a referee, it's the game you dream of growing up. Two of the Region's three heavy-weights going at it on Sunday afternoon (2 p.m.) on national television (Univision) with more than 70,000 "fanaticos" in the stadium. This one's going to be fun - Mexico vs. Costa Rica in a Quarter Final of the Region's biggest event.

We found out about the appointment yesterday morning just before a ride back to Reliant Stadium to re-check the field. Normally, we don't need to re-check the field, but if you saw any of Wednesday night's games you could see that the field crew had difficulty getting it ready and it wasn't in the immaculate shape it's normally in. They did a pretty good job the past couple days getting it into better shape (though it is painted a little funny - I'm not talking about the field markings, but they painted it green...two shades of green - you'll see if you can catch the game today).

Training was good this week. We were able to get in some high intensity, some medium intensity, and some strength training. It took me a couple days to recover from so little sleep on Monday night, but I'm back on track. So, we're ready for the BIG game...as ready as we're going to be, anyway.

We did our pre-game last night in our room just so we would have some peace and quiet, and knowing we will be pressed for time today. Terry, Chris and I "escaped" last night and had a nice pre-game meal by ourselves. Away from the circus that is the hotel we're staying in. We're at the Westin Oaks at the Galleria - all high-end stuff. Stores like Gucci, Cartier, Sephora, and many, many more. The place has been packed and fans running around all over the place because Mexico is staying across the street at the JW Marriott. Yesterday, a couple sets of fans recognized us (we've all done a number of Mexico games, and a lot of the fans here like MLS, too) and wanted photos. Made us feel good since we're normally getting yelled at by them....

Friday was a special day. We were hosted by a local referee at his Mediterranean restaurant - after he arranged a tour of NASA for the group. It was really fantastic. I would definitely recommend a NASA tour if you're ever in the Houston area, especially with kids. And, the restaurant was directly across the street from the NASA entrance. The owner says the Astronauts come in there all the time - and he has photos to prove it.

This will be my last update from the Gold Cup. There has been enough interest to continue with a couple from the U-20 World Cup. We're going home tomorrow (though we don't know when yet) to spend a couple days with our families and then Friday we're off to Toronto for a month. I hope you've enjoyed these updates as much as I've enjoyed writing them! So long from Houston....talk to you in a week or so from Toronto.

Best regards,

George Gansner

FIFA Assistant Referee

USA

Hello from HOUSTON this time. Yep - we left Miami very early Tuesday morning..... This time, though, we don't know if we'll be working another game or not. We are anticipating assignments, but do know know where or when our next one will be...all we know is that we are in Houston.

Monday - Match Day 3. When I last wrote on Monday we were getting ready to leave for the stadium for the last night of Group A's round 1 games. We had heard we were going to Houston on Tuesday, but no one told us when. So, we thought for sure, since there was no reason for us to get to Houston early, we would be on an afternoon flight and have plenty of time to pack before departing the hotel. Well, that wasn't the case at all. When we arrived at the stadium they told us we would be departing the hotel at 5:45 a.m. Normally, that's completely reasonable. This time, however, we had not packed and wouldn't get back to the hotel from the games until well after midnight.

We ended up with about 2 hours of sleep at the hotel Monday night, then got another couple hours or so on the plane to Houston. Upon our arrival, we were picked up and went to the hotel. No surprise, though, that we didn't have rooms ready at 11 a.m. So we went to grab a quick bite to eat next door and when we got back our rooms were ready to go.

Watched the US game Tuesday evening. A nice showing for the USA. But the highlight wasn't the game. It was that several players from the Mexican team were wandering around the mall and, in walks Cuauhtemoc Blanco. There were hundreds of people following him around and many came into the restaurant to get photos and autographs. There were so many people bothering him that they had to call security to allow him to have a somewhat peaceful dinner. Funny - not one of them stopped to ask for our autographs.....

Today, we had breakfast at 8 a.m. and went to Reliant Stadium to do a field inspection at 9 a.m. It's a pretty neat place - I've done a couple games there already, including Mexico vs. Bulgaria, and Barcelona vs. Club America. But, I've never watched a game there - so tonight will be a first for me. And, we're sitting in one of the Suites - even better! The rest of the day - work, work, work. I have to stay caught up and even get ahead if I can. If I don't, I may be looking for work when I get home. So, I have to use all of my time management skills to balance my commitments.

Being a FIFA Referee - Some of you have asked what it takes to be a FIFA Referee, and what my daily grind is when I'm not at a tournament or an MLS game. So, here goes.

First of all, I started refereeing when I was 12 years old (I don't think you can start now until you're 14, but I'm not sure). I began refereeing because my uncle thought it would be good money for a 12-year old...and, it was, but you can't referee for the money as you get older. I worked a lot of games nearly every weekend. Some people told me they thought I did a good job, so I kept going and trying to get better. I always try to do my best - no matter what it is that I'm doing.

I learned what a FIFA referee was, and when I was 14 I set a goal for myself: become a FIFA referee.

We start refereeing at a Grade 8 - eligible to referee youth level soccer (SLYSA was the big league back then..as it is now). From Grade 8, you can upgrade through Grades 7, 6 (State Referee), 5 (National Referee Candidate), and 4 (National Referee) by working a lot of youth and senior amateur games (which is why it's important for us to have such a league in St. Louis).

You have to have a certain number of games and then pass written and field assessments in order to upgrade. It takes a long time, because you have to spend at least one year in each grade level. From Grade 4, you have to work a minimum of 10 Professional Level games as a Referee to be eligible for Grade 3 (National Referee with eligibility for MLS and FIFA candidacy). From there, it's really out of your hands. You do your job as best you can and the administrators decide whether you become a FIFA Assistant Referee (AR) or Referee (CR). By this time, we're focused on our specific job as CR or AR, though. So, you pretty much know where you're going if you do get there.

I have been working MLS games for 11 of the league's 12 years, and have been an AR on the FIFA panel for 6 years. When I got on the list, I was told it was harder to stay on than it was to get on. And, that's completely true. Every game is do or die for us, and if you make too many mistakes you won't be on the list the following year. Remember, as I mentioned in what we covered in our meetings last Sunday (Update #1), every AR decision is critical. Each offside/not offside decision could be affecting a player's bonus or a team advancing in a major tournament - thousands and millions of dollars at stake.

At home, I'm focused on my family, job and training. My job, of course, is something I have to do and takes a lot of time. I cover 19 States as a regional marketing manager - so there are times I'm training more on the road than I do at home. I try to maintain a high level of fitness - so it only takes about two weeks to get ready to pass the FIFA fitness test.

My training during the week tends to be a little eratic based on my travel and family schedule, but I do the best I can to get two High Intensity workouts in (that's 90% or higher of maximum heart rate sustained for 30-45 minutes), and a Medium Intensity workout (80-85% sustained for a minimum of 30 minutes). If I have an MLS game, then the day after is always 20-40 minutes recovery (70-75% heart rate) and lots of stretching. Additionally, I'm watching as many games as I can - both MLS, which has gotten much better for those of you who are primarily Euro league fans, and any Euro league I can find. Sometimes I'll watch the Mexican league on Sundays if I'm going through withdrawal. And, I watch a lot of games on DVD or the "old" VHS versions...hey, you can always learn something, right!

That's about it. I hope I did a decent job sharing what it takes to be a FIFA AR/CR. But, if you have a question, feel free to write me. I'll try to answer right away, but it may take a day or two. Tonight we're off to see the games in Reliant Stadium. Should be fun...it's nearly sold out!

Regards,

George Gansner

FIFA Assistant Referee

USA

Well, it's Monday morning and we now know (or at least we think we know) that we're being sent to Houston tomorrow. That's subject to change, of course, based on our performances tonight...and, for that matter, the performances of the other referees and group results. But, at least we have some direction because we only have one breakfast certificate left!

Friday - Off Day. Friday was our second off day in a row. If you look at the schedule, each group has a set of days where they get two days off between games. Our group's was first because the other groups are both traveling - LA to Boston, and NY to Houston, respectively. We should be in Houston on Wednesday when the third games from Group C are played. That should be fun considering anyone can win the group at this point.

Friday was laundry day. We walked a couple blocks from the hotel to a coin laundry to wash our stuff. It was time....let me tell you. Puma gave us a lot of stuff to wear around the hotel, but even that only goes so far. It was a little scary. I don't know how much you know about Miami, but outside of the small area known as the Financial District it can get a little sketchy. At one point, the little hispanic ladies running the "Lavanderia" quickly locked the door when a car pulled up and this guy jumped out. Once the guy got back in and the car pulled away, they unlocked the door. Nothing happened, but it was not how I wanted to spend my Friday. We did walk down to the Bay Front Center to watch the Group C games in the evening. It's about a mile from here and not a bad walk (we've done it three or four times now). The Bay Front Center is near the Port of Miami, so many of the tourists go there before departing or after returning from a cruise. Basically, a few restaurants and lots of shopping.

Saturday - Match Day #2. As I said before, game days are boring. We pretty much just get prepared for the game, do our pre-game, and rest. Nothing special. It was a good crowd (about 25,000 according to the newspaper) at the Orange Bowl because Haiti and Costa Rica were playing each other. I'll call it "festive" - lots of singing and music and chanting for 90 minutes. A great atmosphere to be a part of.

Sunday - Off Day. Yesterday was a complete recovery day for me. I only checked e-mail once and spent much of the day doing absolutely nothing (don't tell my wife, please - she's at home this whole time working her fulltime job, tending to household matters and minding our one year old. She told me on Thursday our neighbor was cutting our grass and my son went to the window and started yelling "Da....Da..." She had to tell him it wasn't "Da" and that "Da" would be home next week....maybe.) So, while Chris went shopping with the Jamaicans, Terry and I went for a run and then a massage. Terry did a high intensity workout again - 30 seconds running (high pace), 30 seconds jogging...for 30 minutes - since he's fourth official again tonight. I did another recovery/medium-level workout - jogging for 20 minutes at a heart rate around 158 (about 85% heart rate max) and stretching for another 20 minutes. We jogged over to Brickell Key where there's a path around the small island. It's a luxury property location - so we were just happy not to be kicked out.

Assignments. Today is Match Day #3 for Group A. I am working the second game - Canada vs. Haiti as AR1 (bench side). The referee for the game is Marco Rodriguez (MEX) - better known as Chiki Dracula. If you get a chance to watch, you'll know why he gets his nickname (8 p.m CDT.... ONLY ON GALAVISION). Marco refereed at the 2006 World Cup as CONCACAF's third referee (replacing a very disappointed referee who got injured). Chris has the night off, and Terry is the fourth official on the early game - Costa Rica vs. Guadeloupe. By the way, don't discount Guadeloupe...they're leading our group right now with four points.

I mentioned in note #2 that we have a meeting the morning after the games to review the previous night's matches (which won't happen tomorrow since we're all departing - some home, some Boston, some Houston). But, it's at the end of that review meeting that we get our appointments for the next Match Day. I don't know the rhyme or reason behind the appointments, but they are what they are. It's difficult to work with guys you're not used to working with, not to mention the language issue: Marco speaks Spanish...with a bit of English, I speak English/German...and, just a bit of Spanish, AR2 speaks Dutch/English/Spanish (Mr. Baesch, from Aruba) and the fourth official speaks English (Mr. Campbell, from Jamaica). This will be challenging, but the bottom line is that we're all referees and we all have the same job to do. I'll let you know how it went in my next e-mail.

Well, this is getting kind of long. Next time I'll go into what it takes to be a FIFA referee. I'll give you a little taste of what we do, and what a typical week is like for me at home. Until then, enjoy the games....and I hope you're still enjoying this e-mail.

Best regards,

George Gansner

FIFA Assistant Referee

USA