The Soccer Diaries - A Memoir

Synopsis - "The Soccer Diaries - Volume One - The Great Save"
Author: George McDermott - 267-679-8126 - [e-mail]

March 1981 - Championship Game
George McDermott, a small time Irish gangster, knew that the chances of him ever getting out of Kensington, the same neighborhood of Philly that put Rocky on the map, would be three ways; jail, death or soccer.
The Championship Game tonight against Fox Chase was something he dreamt of his whole life, an opportunity to prove to everyone that he was "somebody." His drug dealing career was now at a dead-end after Danny Fitz, his step-brother and local King Pin, had been told he was going to have to step down. George had no intentions of following Danny to rehab and going straight, unless it was as a Pro Soccer Player.
Kensington United was favored over the upper-middle class Fox Chase team, being led by All-American Goalkeeper Jimmy Kelly. The local Pro Scouts from the Philadelphia Fever would be there but not to look at George.
George knew that the only place he felt at home was on the soccer court. It was his "Thunderdome." This night would be no different. He wouldn't be denied. The 3-1 victory sent him into another Bipolar, manic high as he settled in on the Chug a Mug corner for the post game celebration. A few quarts of beers and joints into the celebration brought additional party favors to the mix, Window Pane LSD. Why not? George had nothing to lose with the return to his lowly life.
The arrival of two rival drug dealers, now the roof over George's head, signified an end to the party and time to work. It was just "something we gotta handle real quick" as Mike K. put it to George.
"Great game tonight brother. You played out of your fuckin mind! Here, take this card, it's from Jerry Sheridan, one of the scouts of the Fever. They invited you to the Rookie Camp in April."
This is what George had been waiting for his whole life.
The collection job was supposed to be quick and painless. George was to stand lookout on the corner while Mike and Mouse went down to the couple of Warlock Bikers who were way behind on payments.
But it turned out to be nothing close to a routine job!
Within seconds, they were pistol whipping and kicking the shit out of the tattooed, toothless biker right on his front step. And just as quick they were retreating back towards me, I was being chased by a dude with a sawed off shotgun and a chic with a pistol.
As Mike and Mouse's car screeched off I was left standing in shock as the meth-crazed biker pointed the shotgun in my direction. "Mother fucker!" as the first blast took the top of the fence off after I ducked. I could only pray that I ran faster then he reloaded.
As I entered the apartment I could here Mike and Mouse giggling like wild banshees upstairs.
"Did you see me shoot that Mother Fucker!" as Mike took another hit off the joint and followed it with a shot of whiskey.
"No you fuckin asshole, I saw you almost get my head blown off, you piece of shit!"
Mouse would calm the situation down after a while before he left and George would continue to boil as a drunken Mike K sat on the end of his bed. "Don't even think about taking this fuckin gun until you pay for it Georgie. I don't care if it was sent down for you or not. You hear me?"

"No problem Mike." Those words were the calm before the storm. As he fell asleep, I climbed under the bed, retrieved the Saturday night special and proceeded to line the barrel up against the back of his head.
The next fifteen minutes would change me for 20 years to life!



January 1998 - Shot At The Big Leagues
After four years of service in the US Navy and two years of playing Division I Soccer at Jacksonville University, the second opportunity of a lifetime would come my way in the form of another Pro Soccer tryout. The Jacksonville Generals were holding open tryouts and I was more than willing to give up my last year of college eligibility to give it a go. I had been told that I had a real good chance of being signed as the backup keeper if I was willing to forego my last year of college.
It was a dream come true walking into the first day of training camp with a who's who of the guys I had grown up watching on TV. Arnie Mauser of the US National Team, NY Cosmos and Ft. Lauderdale Strikers was the clear #1 Goalkeeper. But I didn't care, he was one of my idols. Ricky Alonzo, a 10 year veteran, Brazilian Star Marcio Leitie, and a little Irishman named Jimmy McGeough.
Jimmy and I would become best friends quickly as he explained to me the origins of the IRA over in the Homeland. Since some of my family and a lot of my neighborhood back home were Irish Gangsters, a large amount of fund-raising came from our neck of the woods. I loved hearing the stories from Jimmy and his family growing up on the streets of Belfast. It was just like Kensington in Philly!
But the pro soccer career turned into nothing more than an effort of futility as I continued to sit on the bench as the backup goalkeeper, not only for Jacksonville but also up in Hershey. I then made a corporate decision to throw in the towel and go back to try to fulfill my other dream; a full time gangster. As it would turn out quickly, this wasn't a dream, it was a nightmare.
I picked up with my addictions exactly where I had left off. Drinking and drugging were my plan of the day, every day. You can't sell product if you can't keep your nose out of it. I hit rock bottom within six months after leaving my failed attempt at Pro Soccer.

October 1995 - Return To The Jungle
I would again return to the scene of all my original street life after leaving a life of high-end, white collar crime in New York. I had managed to work my way almost to the top of the food chain as I ran Global Financial Traders in Long Island, NY. My best friend from the Navy, Tommy C., was one of Stratton Oakmont's Top Producers. His stories of working for "The Wolf Of Wall Street" lured me to New York. Jordan Belfort was one of the financial backers and partners of Global Financial Traders. I knew if I could just show him and the rest of the boys up there what I could do on the phone they would love me.
Within three months I was comfortable enough with the stock and commodity game to have earned my way up the ladder as the Top Producer at Global and caught the eye of Jordan. Unfortunately my friendship with Tommy C. was the sacrificial lamb as I was offered his job and 10,000 shares of stock to go with it.
I thought I had it all at that point. I had a pair of Jordan's Ostrich Leather shoes, was being brought along quickly, and I was managing to deal with the loss of my best friend by drinking daily and pounding enough coke up my nose to choke a horse. I couldn't live like this forever.
Philly brought a reprieve for me along with protection as I had left Long Island with a contract on my head after stealing Global Financial Traders Client List. It also happened to be the Top Clients out of Stratton Oakmont at the time as well since both companies were in bed together. That didn't sit too well with "The Wolf Of Wall Street" or the Irish and Italian connected guys who were heavily invested in the game with him.

April 2006
Now with ten years sobriety under my belt, I thought handling Life on Life's Terms would be a lot easier. But unfortunately a failing mortgage business had me ready to file bankruptcy and I was on the verge of losing shared custody of my life line, George IV. His mother and I were not on the best of terms but she always knew that I would never, ever let anything happen to her or my son. Old habits die hard.
Her ex-fiance Bobby was a young gun Irish gangster who specialized in collections. Liz's knack for the bad boys had her engaged to this guy until he showed his true colors and brought our son to tears by screaming at him. Bobby and I were definitely not on each other's Christmas Lists and the last time it almost came down to blood-shed.
Liz told me she needed to talk to me after finishing a cleaning job around the corner from my house. Bobby had been safely tucked away in jail after stalking Liz when she broke off the engagement and tried to patch things up with me.
"George, I got a phone call today."
"This is about Bobby, isn't it?" I had drove by one of his old watering holes early today on the way to pick up Georgie at school and an uneasy feeling came over me, as if he were getting ready to haunt me again.
I knew he would be coming my way soon. It was inevitable.
Liz told me he had been released early from jail. He had been serving 18 months for stalking her and terroristic threats. The DA's office called her earlier that day to let her know of his release.
She pulled up to drop off Georgie later that week. I met them at the door. As they came in through the front porch I glanced down underneath I-95 as I heard the revving of an engine.
Poetic Justice I guess that it would come down to this right in the middle of our soccer programs for Success In The Streets, our anti-drug, gang and violence non-profit.
Bobby fish-tailed out from the under-pass and made a Bee-Line towards my house. I knew from word on the street that he was always packing heat. There was no way on God's Earth I was going to let anything happen to my son or his mother.
The decision to take a life would have to be made again, right here in front of the two most important people in my life.
The only thing I could do is pray for the Grace of God to direct me.