Once upon a time in America...

I find it hard to believe it's been 16 years already. Memories are still fresh in my mind. Oh yeah ... the mellow '90s when we were so easily impressed by things coming from the West.

Remember how people used to say "we've been waiting for the Americans to come, since WWII"? Well, our boys were going to America, themselves. Our best team ever was going to play at the most beautiful World Cup final tournament ever - USA '94.

3-1 against Colombia, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, 1-4 against Switzerland, at the Pontiac Silverdome, MI, 1-0 against USA and 3-2 against Argentina, again at the Rose Bowl and then 2-2 against Sweden, at the Stanford Stadium, in California.

I was 16 at that time and already a big fan of the World Cup tournament and of the national team. I remember watching the games in the countryside, in balck and white, at 2:30 am. Crazy times ... but I was so happy! We were all so happy! 
 

The infamous Silverdome



16 years later ... it's raining ... a late spring rain, cold enough to make you want to stay inside. I stop my Toyota Camry next to a mesh fence and I take a long stare at what seems to be a stadium. Yes, it's the infamous Silverdome.

I gaze off into the distance, while my mind travels back in time, trying to imagine how our boys must have felt back in '94, when they were about to enter this temple of metal and concrete.

I tried to explain to my American friends why I wanted to see the Silverdome so badly. I can't stop thinking that even if they understood why, it would have been almost impossible to make them see how memories from 16 years back were brought to life by the sight of a stadium almost abandoned in desolation.