While It's Working

El internet, that is. We'll tell you what we know...

• Thankfully computers don't sleep, so we were able to upload overnight two videos and photos from yesterday's training
• The price for a match ticket for a Cuban amounts to about eight cents
• The field at Estadio Pedro Marrero is hard, bumpy, and very uneven. Also, the grass is quite long.
• Game-time temperature will be in the low 90's, with the humidity hovering at around the same level.
• About 50 international press attended yesterday's training session. Virtually every major news outlet around the world is covering the game.
• The U.S. reporters are staying at the Hotel Nacional, of Godfather II fame. When you see the hotel, it definitely makes you want to watch the movie again.
• Several players got out the the Old City yesterday and were enthralled with the local artists. We'll show you photos when we get back
• Our team hotel hosted a party to celebrate Malaysian Independence Day last night. Ambassadors from more than 30 nations were in attendance. Quite a show
• Sitting next to Brad Guzan, who says the most curious so far have been the three-wheeled taxis. He described them as looking like a 'half a ball rolling down the street'. Reminds him of the 'teacups' that you ride at the carnival.
• About 40 members of the U.S. Interests Section will be at the game, so yes, there will be some U.S. support.
• We sat down with ESPN sideline reporter Pedro Gomez yesterday for an interview on the Cuban Experience feature we will bring you next week. Gomez, whose parents left Cuba three weeks before he was born, made this interesting point. "Amongst all the intrigue surrounding this event, one of the things I'm most curious to witness is the playing of the U.S. National Anthem. That is certainly not a song that is played in Cuba very often."

The anticipation continues to build here in Havana, and the hours are counting down. Going to hit the send button while the connection still works. Should be a very interesting evening...