"Opps! Sorry , I thought this was the men's restroom."

That will be my most vivid memory of the Fox and Firkin which has closed down according to the Gazette Times. The closest thing we had to a traditional English Style Pub in Corvallis has always had a loose connection to the local soccer community.

I will recall often seeing the old OSU women's coaches Andy Richards and Heidi Slaymaker enjoying a beer there. Sometimes with former players like Jeanette Scotti.

The Fox and Firkin was also one of my favorite places to watch Champions League matches. It had the only sorta-large screen television in downtown Corvallis that was tuned into ESPN2 during the mid-day games.

The riverside location is really nice and I am crossing my finger in hopes that a new pub will open that will give us a real soccer pub atmosphere. I'm talking about ten televisions showing Fox Soccer Channel, GolTV, Setanta, and ESPN Deportes all at once. I want an ongoing debate at the bar about who was the better player. Maradona or Pele? And I want the owner to fervently remind us that George Best was better than both.

Farewell Fox and Firkin. Thank you for giving me a place to watch soccer with my friends over a beer. And to that woman in the ladies restroom, again I apologize.