Do you know how expensive beef jerky is at Noyes? It’s not cheap. Actually it’s about $5, the same price as everything else at Noyes. Maybe their price scanner is broken, maybe they just like ripping me off. Either way, when I buy two types of beef jerky and spicy jalapeno chips for $15, it’s a special day for me. When I mix Evan Williams with Wegman’s brand cola, you know I’m gearing up for my special day. When I skip all my classes, it’s probably a day like any other. But it might be my special day.

With conference play just under a month away, Ancient Eight soccer was in full force this weekend with all sixteen Ivy League men’s and women’s soccer teams in action. With most teams having played only three or four matches, the Brown and Harvard men remain the only two teams yet to taste defeat.

Men’s Soccer

Harvard 1, Maine 0

Harvard 2, Providence 1

Harvard came into the weekend ranked No. 13 in the nation and remained undefeated by beating Maine and Providence, 1-0, and 2-1, respectively. Harvard moved to 3-0 with strong play between the pipes from senior co-captain Adam Hahn and a pair of goals off the foot of junior Michael Fucito against Providence.

Brown 2, Santa Clara 1

Brown 3, Fordham 1

Tom Brady. Lebron James. Derek Jeter. Wayne Gretzky. They all have something in common: you’ve heard of them before. You recognize their names.

Here’s another set of names with far greater star power: Thierry Henry. Ronaldinho. Michael Ballack. Lionel Messi.

Yeah, you guessed it: the second set of athletes consists of soccer players. I’m not going to try to make you care. I’m not interested in converting non-fans into fanatics. However, it’s important you know what it’s like a world-wide soccer fan living in the USA. There are a lot of things people assume about us, so it’s time to clear the air.