A DCU Fan in Stockholm
Last night the Insider told you about the light-hearted exchange between new Red Bulls coach Hans Backe and the D.C. United supporter who serves as a consular officer at the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm and is involved in the visa process.
This morning, I received an e-mail from the consul. He is Martin Tatuch, a longtime member of the Foreign Service who has been head of the Consular Section in Sweden since last summer. When not overseas, he lives in Arlington and purchases United season tickets. He said he has been a member of the Screaming Eagles since 1996 and, when at matches, often helps hang the banners. (He also says he's an Insider loyalist.)
"D.C. United has become a big part of my life and it's hard to be away," he said.
As for the meeting with Backe, "He seemed like such a nice guy, and he's certainly well-traveled and accomplished. We joked around a lot and he seemed to enjoy my ribbing. ... I was giving him every opportunity to save his reputation and get out of the Metro -- oops -- Red Bull job, but he didn't take my advice."
Let the Atlantic Cup resume!
By
Steve Goff
|
January 15, 2010; 8:59 AM ET
Categories:
D.C. United
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Posted by: Smitty68 | January 15, 2010 9:12 AM | Report abuse
I wondered where Martin had gone. I remember chatting with him in the early days of the Screaming Eagles, and he was posted to exotic-sounding places like Skopje.
Great story.
Martin, if you're reading, you need to hang a DC United flag at the consulate. Below the US flag, of course.
Posted by: mmathai | January 15, 2010 9:15 AM | Report abuse
OK, but can he scout us some Swedish players :-)
Posted by: DCUSince96 | January 15, 2010 9:23 AM | Report abuse
LMAO
OK, but can he scout us some Swedish players :-)
Posted by: DCUSince96
Swedish players? How's about some Swedish cheerleaders!
Posted by: KireDCU | January 15, 2010 9:43 AM | Report abuse
Ah KireDCU, you beat me to the punch.
Fun story.
Posted by: paj18 | January 15, 2010 9:47 AM | Report abuse
Hey, if DCU will give us the flags, we'll hang them up in every embassy in the world!
Posted by: troy6 | January 15, 2010 10:08 AM | Report abuse
Seriously, though...while someone like Ibrahimovic wouldn't come to DCU anytime soon, there are some great Swedes that would fit in well. I, for one, would love to see Olof Mellberg finish his career out in black and red. A no-nonsense defender with a wicked beard who is absolutely a fan favorite (google his last game with Aston Villa).
One can dream, can't he?
Posted by: daandre3 | January 15, 2010 10:10 AM | Report abuse
Fantastic story. I love that Backe got a taste of DCU - Metro before he even left his home country. I look forward to Martin receiving a scarf in the mail several times this season.
Well played, Martin!
Posted by: Mastodon_Juan | January 15, 2010 10:43 AM | Report abuse
United fans are everywhere. You can't escape us.
Posted by: delantero | January 15, 2010 10:44 AM | Report abuse
"I look forward to Martin receiving a scarf in the mail several times this season.""
Don't hold your breath.
Posted by: delantero | January 15, 2010 10:45 AM | Report abuse
WIN.
Posted by: EdTheRed | January 15, 2010 10:50 AM | Report abuse
Tweeked and Frogboy would hate sweedish cheerleaders.
Posted by: TheJim1 | January 15, 2010 11:06 AM | Report abuse
awesome!
Posted by: nairbsod | January 15, 2010 11:40 AM | Report abuse
Haven't seen this anywhere. It appears the ramp to RFK at the end of the SE-SW freeway is being demolished this weekend...not sure what that means really....
Posted by: dsheon1 | January 15, 2010 11:48 AM | Report abuse
that seems troublesome dsheon. I can't imagine them rebuilding them. So will the direct in and out access off the freeway into lot 8 be gone? If so that SUCKS.
Posted by: DadRyan | January 15, 2010 12:40 PM | Report abuse
I think Backe can expect a couple of scarves himself.
Posted by: Matte | January 15, 2010 4:03 PM | Report abuse
dsheon, DadRyan -- No, I think access to Lot 8 from the freeway will be OK.
What's being demolished is the ramp from the 11th Street Bridge inbound to the Lot 8 Access. If you normally go to Lot 8 by way of the SE Freeway, remember how it forks (right goes to Pennsylvania Avenue, left goes to RFK)? *After* you've forked left towards RFK, you may have noticed that another lane merges in from the left just before you reach the wooded RFK area, but no traffic ever seems to be coming in on that lane. That lane comes from a special ramp from the 11th Street Bridge inbound, that's been shut down for years and is being demolished right now.
If you're on the east side of the Anacostia, heading N on 295/Anacostia Freeway, and you take the 11th Street Bridge inbound into DC, just after you cross the river, there was an option to bear left onto a ramp that went direct to RFK -- that's the ramp being demolished. It was closed several years ago, so no traffic has been allowed on it for years, making RFK access from people coming north on 295 a real pain. A few months ago they started demolishing it. They're about to demolish a section that goes over part of the SE Freeway; and since they don't want chunks of concrete falling on cars while they demolish it, they're closing the freeway below for the weekend.
So we're not losing any access we didn't already lose several years ago.
Posted by: christopher_a_metzler | January 15, 2010 4:40 PM | Report abuse
This NY vs DC rivalry is coming at a right time for NY. NY as a business has had serious upgrade in almost every aspect... Hopefully DC can come through for Mr. Tatuch this season... and especially against NY!
Posted by: rigs88 | January 19, 2010 12:01 AM | Report abuse
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Beautiful.....just beautiful.
Vamos United!!