The Hotel Room That Shook American Soccer Forever

One of the most iconic soccer teams in the US started after two dudes tore apart a hotel room in California. This week, we look back at the crazy story of how the San Jose Earthquakes actually came to be back in the ‘70s. Plus, we dive into the NYC Marathon winner’s soccer past, check out five bears crashing a soccer game in Asheville, remember Gerd Müller’s time in South Florida, and much more.

This week’s stories:

• 🏃‍♂️‍➡️ NYC Marathon Winner Was a Soccer Player

• 🥔 No Small Potatoes

• 🏨 The Hotel Room That Shook American Soccer Forever

• 💣 Der Soccer Bomber

• 🗳️ Poll + Last Week’s Responses

• ➡️ And More

CULTURE
NYC Marathon Winner Was a Soccer Player

Over the weekend, Swedish runner Andreas Almgren shocked the world by winning the NYC Marathon on his debut.

But did you know before switching over to long-distance running, Andreas was a talented youth player for one of the biggest soccer clubs in Sweden?

In his teenage years, Andreas played as a right wing-back for AIK, where he became known for his speed and stamina.

“I played football until I was 18 years old. Some people that I played with are now going to the U.S. for the World Cup,” he said in an interview before this summer.

“I was at the youth national team camps and back then we were one of the biggest clubs in Sweden. I would play on the right wing, then finish and go run track. I was an ambitious young kid who wanted to do everything. And when you're not fully grown yet, your bones are not quite as dense. You start getting those problems.”

Eventually, recurring injuries pushed him away from the soccer field and towards track, where he’d end up making his name as an athlete.

File this under yet another example of soccer being a core influence in a superstar’s life

AGRICULTURE
No Small Potatoes

They’re calling it the greatest fan gift of all time.

Over the weekend, the Colorado Rapids (in partnership with Colorado Potatoes) gave away 5 lb. bags of potatoes to fans exiting the stadium after their match against the Chicago Fire.

If you do the math, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park seats 18,000 people, which means that they had 90,000 pounds (or 45 tons) of potatoes ready to give away.

Safe to say I am incredibly jealous of all the fans who got to be there for such an awesome gift. It’s honestly the most NASL-coded thing I’ve seen in a while!

COVER STORY
The Hotel Room That Shook American Soccer Forever

I spent the last 48 hours locked in a hotel room with a terrible cough and a fever that only just broke. I swear I entered another realm. But amidst all the sweaty tossing and turning, my subconscious was still lucid enough to remind me of another “sick” individual (in the best way possible) whose life changed inside a hotel.

And that’s none other than Dick Berg, the San Jose Earthquakes’ first-ever GM back in the NASL days.

Dick came from the NFL world with the San Francisco 49ers, and he was determined to create a soccer team based in San Jose.

After the franchise was established, Dick made a couple of hires to help get the team officially up and running, but he soon realized they had no place to work.

So, he had the genius idea of setting up shop at the San Jose Hyatt House off Highway 101 (where, coincidentally, Pelé would live for a week a few years later).

Dick and his colleagues reshuffled their hotel room, tossed out the beds, and brought in desks to create the team’s first office. Talk about resourceful.

Up next was coming up with a team name, and inside that hotel room/office, the iconic “Earthquakes” name was born.

Though legend has it that the name came from a contributor to a contest held by the San Jose Mercury News, one of Dick’s closest colleagues remembers it this way:

“I honestly believe that Dick came up with the name Earthquakes himself as we were going through all the names. Teams those days had very masculine names, like Raiders, 49ers, Warriors, Rams—a name like the Earthquakes was completely out of left field. When I heard it, I said, ‘No. There’s no way in the world.’

Dick said to me, ‘Johnny, I’m telling you, everybody’s gonna hate it, and everyone’s gonna scream about it. The press is going to write about it, and we’re going to create a bigger splash about it than we would any other way.’ And he was absolutely right.”

A true visionary in every way.

And of course, the name was so good that decades later, when the San Jose Clash in MLS needed a little “marketing shot in the arm,” they changed their name to the San Jose Earthquakes, becoming the first MLS team to hearken back to an NASL franchise name (a practice that the Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers, and Vancouver Whitecaps followed in subsequent years when launching).

Who could’ve guessed one of the most famous teams in American soccer—and its legendary name—kicked off with a GM flipping a hotel room upside down…

It’s really all I could think about as I tried to fight off this illness.

OUR HISTORY
Der Soccer Bomber

Today would’ve been the legendary Gerd Müller’s 81st birthday.

And of course, how can we forget the years he spent dazzling crowds all over America with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Just check out the time he scored four goals in one game…

And if you’d like a deep dive into his years in South Florida, check out this amazing read!

CLUBELEVEN
The Supporters Section

Let us know why you’d choose one over the other—we’ll feature your best answers next week!

CLUBELEVEN
Aggregates

Fitness Machine: Yup, that’s Premier League legend James Milner running the NYC Marathon. And he proved he’s still in top shape with this amazing time.

ROLL FOG: Help support this incredible grassroots doc by the San Francisco City FC community! Their fundraising deadline is this Friday!

New Home: Big news coming out of Omaha. Check out the plans for Union Omaha’s stadium set to open in 2028.

Cutest Halloween Costume: This one really got me for some reason. Too cute!

Howler’s Back: Believe it!

ENVIRONMENT
Five Bears Crash a Soccer Game

You know soccer has made it big when bears are coming out of the woods to catch a game.

Last week, the UNC Asheville vs. Winthrop women’s soccer match had a seven-minute Bear Delay when five bears decided they wanted a pitch-side view of the action.

Check out the unreal scenes here!

BUSINESS
Suffering From Success

What can’t they do?

In the past three years, Gotham FC has won the NWSL Championship twice, lifted the inaugural CONCACAF W Champions Cup, and now raised the 2026 NWSL Shield over the weekend.

But did you know THIS might be the secret to why they won a trophy this year? A mind-boggling fact…

CLUBELEVEN
Your Takes 🗯️ 

Last week, we asked you: What American league has the best playoffs? Here are some of your answers:

• “It's not even a competition. NWSL all the way.” - P. Deliso

• “Other. I want LESS teams to make the playoff but MORE ‘best-of-3’ situations so both teams get a home playoff game.” - R. Downes

• “There's something uniquely chaotic about the MLS playoffs every year. Spiritually similar to March Madness somehow.” - TD

The poll results came in at 44% for “USL,” followed by 22% for “NWSL.”

I must admit I’m a sucker for the USL playoffs. Pure chaos in every way. Just look at what happened with the #1 seed Tampa Bay Rowdies this weekend. But my close second would be the NWSL playoffs for sure.

TRAVEL
Catch a Game in Europe ✈️

This 2026/27 European season, we’re teaming up with Champions Travel once again, this time as our official European Ticketing Partner to help us with our storytelling efforts across the pond!

And if you’re looking to go on a European adventure of your own this season, make sure to use our code CTCLUB11 with Champions Travel to receive 10% off all football packages! (cap of €50 per person, can be used once per person.)

UP NEXT
Bring the Bus Home

We spent the back part of the week driving through Arizona and New Mexico on our mission to bring the Soccer Bus back home.

Of course, we had to make pit stops at the Grand Canyon and a few other National Parks, while also taking a break to get in the Halloween spirit.

Had to go full Breaking Bad mode as we rode into ABQ!

We’ll keep you posted with more updates from our travels back East as we continue the long drive!

Enjoying This?

Make sure to forward this email to a friend and help us spread the soccer gospel far and wide! We’ll see you next week with even more untold stories of soccer.

Have a great Tuesday!

Pablo