The locals

After the U.S. Guatemala game ended, I exited the press box to head to the press conference.

"I'm following you," said Jonah Freedman. "I figure since you live here, you know where you're going."

"It's going farther if you follow me, but we'll get there more quickly," I promised.

He did look a little confused about that, especially when we walked away from the other reporters.

"Do you really want to ride the stadium elevator with twenty other media guys?" I asked.

"This place is a maze," said Jonah. "How do you ever find your way around?"

Funny thing is, I don't even think about it any more, I just go, but I do remember it was confusing in the early days.

Jonah was saying something about the coaching in the match, but I shushed him as I recognized the group walking just ahead of us in the echoey corridor - Sunil Gulati and Dan Flynn with a couple of other USSF folks.

"Don't say anything about the game you wouldn't want to have the president of U.S. soccer to overhear," I cautioned.

We both said nothing, until the group turned another corner.

Soon after, we reached a larger tunnel, just as a few U.S. bench players appeared. We nodded to Frank Simek and Justin Mapp, among others.

Then I stopped at a door and pulled it open.

"Here we are," I entered the press conference room.

Sure enough, we were about the first ones there. The media officers wouldn't start, however, until more reporters arrived.