GC43QQ8 Messing to Beckenbauer to Roth (Unknown Cache) in California, United States created by jonathangstein

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GC43QQ8 ▼

A cache by jonathangstein Message this owner

Hidden : 1/2/2013

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Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

I have been a lifelong soccer player. Its something I shared with my dad. I now share soccer and geocaching with my kids so what a great way to put the two together. After reading some other puzzle caches, I decided to give this one a shot. The cache is not at the listed coordinates.

To answer A-E, you need some general soccer knowledge. It is relatively easy to learn. I added some background in each of these as I think that will make it easier for you to decipher.

A - Soccer uniform numbers used to mean something. You could tell what position someone was playing by their uniform number. Almost everyone wanted to be #9, the center forward. #9 was usually the star of the team. The Brazilian great Ronaldo, Mia Hamm of the United States, and now Lionel Messi, one of the greatest players of this generation. The right back, or right fullback, had this number assigned to him.

B – The 1994 World Cup was held in the United States. It had one of the most exciting games I can remember as an American soccer fan. The United States beat Columbia at the Rose Bowl. My dad offered me his tickets to that game, but I told him to go with my mom. The final score of that game had B goals. (As an aside, one of the American goals was an “own goal” scored by Andres Escobar. Andres was shot and killed in Colombia upon his return from the World Cup.)

C – I did not grow up a fan of the San Jose Earthquakes. I was not a Californian back then. But, living out here, my boys have adopted them as their team. This is not the Earthquakes first time playing in the top league of American soccer. The Earthquakes have had some interesting sponsors over the years, including Honda, Amway, Amway Global (there is a difference?) and Yahoo En Espanol. They also have had Rikter the Cyberdog as a mascot, among others, including Q. However, at one point, there was no mascot. C is the last number of the year between Rikter and Q.

D – I borrowed this title from a famous poem that I loved when I was a kid. The birthday of one of the title characters will tell you this number. Which character? The one who died the youngest.

E - The year I got married was the first MLS Cup. DC United played LA Galaxy and the game ended after this many minutes into overtime when Eddie Pope scored the Golden Goal.

F through J are all soccer related. But, most of these are related to when I played soccer and my experiences growing up. I didn't grow up in California, but rather New Jersey. Keep that in mind as you try to figure out some of these answers.

F – When I was growing up, my dad was my soccer coach. He liked to play an offensive style of play, figuring we had to outscore people because our goalie was the 2nd shortest guy on the team, following me. We had to attack to win. His favorite formation for us had 4 defenders, F midfielders and 4 forwards.

G – My family would go to Mexico when I was a teenager for vacations. I loved to play beach soccer. Who knew it would become a real sport? It is. The United States isn’t very good at it – we are 17th in the world. Brazil is generally considered the best team in the world. The best European team is Portugal, even though they have never won the FIFA Beach World Cup, an event now held every 2 years instead of every 4 years like the World Cup. It was held every year between 2005 and 2009. How many times did Portugal end up placing in the top 4 between the start of the tournament in Rio 2006 and the Italy 2011? (NOTE: WIKIPEDIA IS WRONG!)

H - I grew up playing soccer in New Jersey in the late 70s and early 80s. This guy was my soccer hero. (His name is in the title, but you will have to figure out which one it is.) He was not born in America, but did earn 15 caps, or international appearances, for the United States. He was also captain of the Soccer Bowl champions in 1977. You need his uniform number to get this.

I, J - Growing up, I went to soccer camps run by the guy who is the answer to H and to camps run by a Brazilian, The Professor. The Professor taught me that you have to learn to play the entire field, and even goalies need to learn to play without gloves. The Professor took over as the head coach of the best team in America in the year after IJ. (It also is the age he was when he died.)

If you are stuck on any of these, email me and I will provide some more hints.