Road to Beijing 2008 requires win in Nashville

Two spots up for grabs by eight neighboring American countries: USA, Mexico, Canada, Cuba, Haiti, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama

Four teams will arrive in Nashville after field narrowed in L.A., Tampa

May 20 semis and May 23 finals here

Seats available from $18 to $65 for each doubleheader

Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and U.S. Soccer have announced that individual tickets for 2008 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying in Los Angeles, Tampa and Nashville will go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 30, at 12 p.m. local time in each market.

The eight-team event, which includes national teams at the Under-23 age level, will be played as eight doubleheaders from March 11-23, 2008, and will send two finalists to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Group A, which includes the United States, Honduras, Cuba and Panama, will play at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. on March 11, 13 and 15. Group B features Canada, Guatemala, Haiti and Mexico facing off on March 12, 14 and 16 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. LP Field in Nashville will host the semifinals on Thursday, March 20, and the championship match and third-place game on Sunday, March 23.

Tickets priced from $18 to $65 for each of the eight doubleheaders in the tournament go on sale beginning Wednesday (January 30) at 12 p.m. local time in each venue through ussoccer.com, by phone at 813-287-8844 (Tampa), 213-480-3232 (Los Angeles) or 615-255-9600 (Nashville) and at local Ticketmaster ticket centers in the venue cities.

In Tampa and Los Angeles (where first round doubleheaders are scheduled), teams competing at those sites will have seats at every price level set aside for their fans, allowing supporters of the same country to sit together. Fans must order online to choose from this allotment.

In Nashville, where the participating teams won’t be known until several days before the semifinal round, seating until the end of the first round will be allocated (based on the local population) for U.S.A., Mexico, and mixed/neutral fan sections at each price level.

Series ticket sales will end on 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 29, for fans looking to buy tickets to all three match dates in each venue.

The U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team is led by head coach Peter Nowak, who is also an assistant on Bob Bradley’s staff with the full team. The team is currently holding a training camp that features top young professionals based both in the U.S. and abroad in Bradenton, Fla., through Feb. 3.

2008 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying

– Details –

Event: Eight-team qualifying event to decide two CONCACAF positions at 2008 Olympics
Dates: March 11-23, 2008
Venues: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Fla.), The Home Depot Center (Carson, Calif.); LP Field (Nashville, Tenn.)
Teams: USA, Mexico, Canada; Cuba, Haiti; Guatemala, Honduras, Panama

– Schedule –

Group A (Tampa, Florida; Raymond James Stadium)
Date Home Visitor Kickoff (local)
March 11 Panama Honduras 5:30 p.m. ET
March 11 USA Cuba 8 p.m. ET

March 13 Honduras Cuba 5:30 p.m. ET
March 13 USA Panama 8 p.m. ET

March 15 Cuba Panama 4:30 p.m. ET
March 15 USA Honduras 7 p.m. ET

Group B (Carson, California; The Home Depot Center)
Date Home Visitor Kickoff (local)
March 12 Haiti Guatemala 5:30 p.m. PT
March 12 Canada Mexico 8 p.m. PT

March 14 Canada Haiti 5:30 p.m. PT
March 14 Mexico Guatemala 8 p.m. PT

March 16 Guatemala Canada 3:30 p.m. PT
March 16 Mexico Haiti 6 p.m. PT

Final Stage (Nashville, Tennessee; LP Field)
Date Matchup Kickoff (local)
March 20 Semifinal 1 * 5 p.m. CT
March 20 Semifinal 2 * 8 p.m. CT

March 23 Third-Place Match 1 p.m. CT
March 23 Final 4 p.m. CT

* Winner advances to 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing

Source: USSoccer.com

Labels: cuba, events, guatemala, honduras, mexico, panama, sports

"Parishioners who yearned to hear the word of God in their native language"

The Tennessean reported in this story that Sumner County Catholic churches are supportive of a groundswell in demand for Spanish-speaking mass and religious gatherings in various churches. The article lists three specific congregations and cites one reverend who visits five Spanish-speaking communities weekly.

"Diorka Ortega, a Cuban from West Palm Beach, Fla., said the idea for a Spanish-language Mass at Our Lady of the Lake started with a few parishioners who yearned to hear the word of God in their native language."

"'We had seven families that got together and proposed it to Father Bevington and the congregation. Everyone was so supportive,' said Ortega, who serves as the coordinator for the church's Hispanic ministry."

"Ortega said that the Spanish-language Mass began at Our Lady of the Lake about a year ago, with about 30 in attendance. 'Now, we have about 200 people who attend on a regular basis,' she said. Ortega attributed the rapid rise to word of mouth in a close-knit Hispanic community."

"She said that the Hispanic parishioners 'come from all over Latin America … Panama, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina and Peru. (Hispanics) are a growing part of the population, and there's a real need for spiritual enhancement in their lives,' Ortega said."

Read full story here

Photo by Tracy

Labels: argentina, colombia, ecuador, faith, mexico, panama, peru, spanish