The du Nord 2012 NSCAA Convention Recap

du Nord spent two great days last week in Kansas City attending the National Soccer Coaches Association of America convention and the Major League Soccer SuperDraft.

It was filled with fun, frolicking, food, fantasy, fast cars, fast women (not nearly enough), french fries, famous players, a funky monkey, fruit plates, flaun, freaky beards, finely tuned speeches, frumpiness, factotums, flora & fauna, fajitas, fabulous lawns, firm handshakes, fake smiles, fake boobs, fantasmagorical nightlife, flibbertigibbets, florescent lighting, ferrets, fission, fusion, fashion, fabulous frickin barbeque, fat fucks, fine fine music, and more futbol fanaticos then you could ever hope to find in one place!

The following people have to be acknowledged as making the whole trip possible and more than worth while!

Brian Quarstad - IMSoccer News & travel partner

Ryan Knapp - NSCAA host

Sam Schroeder - Ripon College

Eddie Rock - Libero Sports

Rishi Sehgal, Kartik Krishnaiyer & David Downs - NASL

Aaron Davidson - Traffic

JP Dellacamera - TV commentator extraordinaire

Stefano Bontempo & Tommy Knapp - Fort Lauderdale Strikers

Matt Homonoff & Andreas Morse - FC Edmonton

Graham & Jenna Fox - King & Queen of KC, and Its Made Of Paper

Jeff Szajnuk - The Cauldron!

Frank Kuzava & Crew - Dinner & Dancing

Brendan Hannan - Chicago Fire

Amos Magee, Merritt Paulson & Brian Costello - Portland Timbers

David Lindholm & German Sferra - Colorado Rapids

Bill Manning, Andy Williams & Trey Fitzgerald - Real Salt Lake

Jesse Marsch - Montreal Impact

Shawn Francis, Matt Doyle, Simon Borg, Chris Bettin, Greg Lalas, Nick Firachau, Dan Courtemanche, Don Garber, Lauren Brophy, Susan Marshall & Will Kuhns - MLS Chiefs

Manny Lagos, Djorn Buchholz, Alex Haueter & Kevin Friedland - The Minnesota Stars FC crew.

Evan Fuhs - Augsburg

Sunil Gulati - US Soccer

Michael Lewis - Big Apple Soccer & Tropigoal

Kyle McCarthy - Boston Herald

Charles Gooch - Kansas City Star, and city tour guide

Jonathan Tannenwald - Philly.com

Kerith Gabriel - Philadelphia Daily News

Andy Mead - Yellow Card Journalism

The Roughneck Scarves gang

Ives Galarcep & Avi Creditor - Soccer By Ives

John Guppy - Gilt Edge Soccer Marketing

The Inimitable Coach Buzz Lagos

And our good FIF from MLS HQ Brett! Who we see everywhere around the soccer universe in 15-20 second increments!

We also need to tip our hat to the great barbequed food purveyors of Oklahoma Joes, and the late night bon vivant of YJ's Snack Bar.

And finally if I forgot anyone its because I am so sober its confusing, and I am apologize for not dropping your name!