Throwback Thursday: 1999 Women's World Cup

Way back in 1999 (Whoa!  20 years ago!), I was at my Grandma and Pa's house with my cousins during the final game for the Women's World Cup.  I remember watching it upstairs in their library, all of us older cousins sitting on the floor.  The game ended tied, went into overtime, that ended tied, then went to kicks.  We were on pins and needles for each shot.

When Brandi Chastain ripped off her shirt in celebration, we were going crazy jumping around in front of the TV.  Well, all but my cousin, Mark.  He nonchalantly asked, "What did they win a pizza party or something?"  He was always full of jokes.

I love that team.  It is the one I fondly remember.  It had Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Michelle Akers, Julie Foudy, and the intense looking Briana Scurry.  I remember Mia Hamm attended a GT basketball game one time with her husband, Nomar Garciaparra.  Because he had played baseball at Tech, the cameras sought him out.  All you could see of Mia was her nose, but I knew it was her.

Back to '99, after the game, we continued our week with the grandparents doing things like playing soccer, watching movies, playing board games, and drinking Sonic slushes.  We would visit Pa at his shop occasionally, go to the lake, and go to church.  I'm sure it was at one of the more casual church services when I ran into my grandparent's dear friend, Gerald Hill.  Gerald was one of those men who was always smiling, always laughing, and probably saying something slightly inappropriate to see who would be embarrassed.  Anyways, it must have been casual because I distinctly remember wearing my "La vie est simple... manger... dormer... jouer soccer" shirt that my mom had bought for me in Quebec.  And the shirt sparked Gerald to ask, "So are you wearing one of those sports bras like that girl on TV?"  Laughing and probably going red I responded with, "I'm not telling you that!"

Oh, I miss Gerald.  I've sent his widow a Christmas card every year until last year.  Nothing personal, but nobody received a card.  I didn't want to pay more for Shutterfly to mail them for me, and mailing from here would be more expensive and less reliable.  Yes, I'm that cheap.  I think I did try to send grandparents updated pictures since I happened to be home before Christmas to help my mom, but even that "memory" is foggy.