In order to boost the popularity of soccer stateside, there have been several recent attempts by major broadcasters, bloggers, and just your average fan on the street to shed light on the sport. While FOX showed its first set of live Premier League games on the free-to-air network last year as well as broadcasting the final day across its family of networks, the Free Beer Movement uses social media and a blog to encourage current fans to convert others.

While I didn’t have to buy someone a beer to get him or her to watch a match, in the spirit of blending camaraderie and brews, I spent Saturday watching the first set of the Group of Death matches at this year’s Euros — Netherlands versus Denmark, Germany against Portugal — at a local Irish pub with a native Irishman and his friend.

The optimal viewing experience would have been to attend during Sunday’s Ireland against Croatia match (considering the result, probably the better for not going), but three neutrals holed up in a bar on a sunny afternoon made me realize there’s nowhere I would rather have been.

Amidst Guinness, Stella Artois, and Newcastle Brown Ale, soccer was strategized and cultures contrasted. We lamented the missed chances by the Dutch’s Robin Van Persie while trying to decide if Arjen Robben is a choker. We made fun of Cristiano Ronaldo’s magically-in-place, greased up mane and wondered if Saturday’s victory is the start of Die Mannschaft’s blitzkrieg on this tournament.

For a fan of soccer who has no friends that share his love, Saturday was a little slice of heaven. I was finally able to talk strategy with someone who not only understood it but could argue with me. I could talk trash about Mario Balotelli and take bets on what minute Pepe would get his first yellow card. But after joking about wives, American culture, beer, and soccer, I came away with two very important gems that made this more than just a day spent with new friends:

Getting not only a European, but historical, perspective of the teams and an understanding of the weight of expectations, I realized this is the second most important tournament behind the World Cup. And I actually felt a little bad for the teams that will inevitably be shown the exit door in a couple of weeks.

Secondly, I got a cultural perspective.

Upon hearing my friend say that when Ireland plays he won’t drink because he needs his full concentration, I was floored — I had watched Team USA begin their World Cup Qualifying the night before while cooking dinner. Perhaps maybe even more for Ireland, due to their failure to qualify for major tournaments, this one means a lot. His apprehension about the next day was palpable. But he swore he would be seated in the same spot come Sunday afternoon, watching the game unfold.

Comparing this passion with his statement that America should be commended for its place in the world rankings, I came away with mixed feelings.

I thought, “We’re America! We always have great athletes and a renowned will to win. Why can’t we bring home the World Cup?” Then he pointed out that our system for culling talent doesn’t compare with most other major soccer countries while the sport languishes behind the “big three” of football, basketball and baseball.

I realized that we need high expectations, but until the sport grows, we won’t be able to make the next step. We don’t have the passion, countrywide, that Ireland does. We won’t pack bars to watch our country play in a continental tournament (in fact, it’s highlights package is usually one of the last items to be shown on ESPN’s SportsCenter) and we won’t stop our lives to travel and watch them play.

But, as two strangers sat down opposite us, unfamiliar with the tournament, our conversation made them curious. We gave the lay of the land about the Euros and the Group of Death. We shared some basics of the teams and their strategy. And wouldn’t you know it, by the time Mario Gomez headed Germany into the lead, they were standing up and clapping just like we were.

And on days like Saturday, I realized that soccer can make it here. And I’m glad to be able to share the love with anyone, no matter if they are American or not.

As an American sports fan, my obsession with fútbol is only rivaled by my obsession with football. Here, another team I have supported for years — decades, actually — that sports blue and white, also recently said goodbye to a legend. When the Indianapolis Colts released their longtime, certified Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning this spring, it was as much a celebration of everything he gave the franchise as it was an emotional, unfathomable goodbye.

And now, I’m getting déjà vu as Chelsea says “so long” to Didier Drogba.

The contributions these two figures made to their respective clubs are similar — they came in with big expectations, lived up to them and propped their teams up for success that hadn’t been seen in decades. In the case of Manning, a Super Bowl win, two conference championships, seven division titles, and status as a regular contender. For Drogba, a UEFA Champions League title, three league titles, four FA Cups, and two Carling Cups.

They also were alike in that they never shirked from the big moment, instead, rising to the occasion when it mattered most. Manning made countless comebacks and put up huge numbers as the team was built around him. Drogba…well, just see the end of this season for a brief synopsis of what he has done throughout his eight seasons at Chelsea.

However, there are two major differences. One: Manning left, somewhat unceremoniously, after missing the last season with a neck injury and his team slumped to a NFL-worst and caused the franchise to embark on a rebuilding project. Drogba left at the top after dragging Chelsea back into the Champions League match against Bayern Munich before demanding the last spot kick and converting it to win the most coveted trophy of all.

And two: They differed on the amount of impact they had on me. I had been following the Colts long before Manning arrived.  But as I began to watch and fully understand soccer, Drogba immediately caught my attention. He was the player to watch and the way the team played won me over. I mean, the first soccer shirt I ever owned had his name and number on it.

From a neutral’s standpoint, his power, pace, and ruthlessness in front of and bearing down on goal was a spectacle. A “big man forward,” he mastered the art of holding up the ball, heading, and shooting with power and precision. My favorite example of Drogba’s unique combination of skills are the chest down, touch, turn and vicious shot he put into the roof of the net against Tottenham Hotspur in this season’s FA Cup semifinal. It combined everything I love about soccer — finesse, power, and the unexpected.

More importantly, as a Chelsea fan, you knew you could rely on him. You knew that if given the chance when it mattered most, of course it would be Drogba (even my wife, who I forced to watch the Champions League Final, gathered enough about the club and player to say “Of course it has to be Drogba,” as he approached the spot for the final penalty). When all seemed lost, he rescued our hopes. He gave us belief.

And you knew you would be entertained, whether it was a goal like the one mentioned above or if it meant him rolling around on the ground when someone brushed up against him.

As hard as it was to come to grips with Manning ending his career at another NFL team, I find it equally as hard to picture Drogba not lining up at Stamford Bridge next season.

The silver lining is that Manning, 36, also proved that an aging superstar could begin again (he signed with the Denver Broncos), just as Drogba, 34, showed at the end of this season that he still has plenty left in the tank to offer a team, somewhere.

And even though they’re not still wearing blue and white, I wish them both well.

Chelsea may be 90 minutes away from a much coveted UEFA Champions League title, but supporters everywhere need to embrace the reality that a title would be a false dawn.

The writing is on the wall that Chelsea is on the verge of having to rebuild its squad and might have a rough future ahead.

If nothing else, Tuesday’s league match against Liverpool was an interesting experiment in squad rotation and chemistry where some lessons can be taken away.

Sure, key players including Juan Mata, Frank Lampard, and Didier Drogba were rested while players such as John Terry and Ramires were weary from the exertion at Wembley only three days earlier. However, the match may be a result that the club will have to endure, at least at first, as some squad regulars move on. And the holes made by their departure will be harder to replace under Financial Fair Play (FFP).

It is likely that Paulo Ferreira and Jose Bosingwa will be sent packing this summer while Salomon Kalou, Michael Essien and Florent Malouda will be sold. And, of course, Didier Drogba is out of contract.

These holes will be no real problem to fill with the current players in waiting. However, the unpredictable nature of owner Roman Abramovich is another thing entirely.

If Chelsea does win the Champions League final next Saturday, he could consider this part of his “project” done and sell off the Jose Mourinho remnants to usher in a new period of domination. Petr Cech, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, and even Mr. Chelsea himself, J.T., could all be given the famed Abramovich axe for mission accomplished. That leaves the squad without a captain and a long list of established players to replace.

So the question is, “Where will the players come from?”

Bit players would need to step up while there would be one or two major signings and some bargain deals. This week’s revelation that Lille winger Eden Hazard will be moving to Chelsea or Manchester City is promising since the team has been lacking a real winger since Arjen Robben left. And the team is sure to pursue Tottenham’s Luka Modric again, as it did last year.

But Abramovich would have to choose. I can’t imagine FFP allowing that much money in transfers to go out.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, fresh off winning the Europa League title, could come in for Cech. Josh McEachran would need to finally make good on his promise and play alongside a revitalized Mikel. Ryan Bertrand would need to capitalize on this season’s solid displays to show his worth at left back. Newly signed Marko Marin and January transfer Kevin De Bruyne would provide options on the wing and in midfield. And Daniel Sturridge would be moved, finally given his chance as a sole striker upfront.

The only problem areas are defense. Chelsea would need to buy a solid right back to take over for or deputize under Branislav Ivanovic. Cover would also be needed at left back and the center.

Scouring the market for a bargain would go against the Abramovich type of spending big and asking questions later, but FFP would make it a necessity lest Chelsea have a thin backline.

So the choice team would more than likely appear something like this:

Courtois

Ivanovic — Luiz — Cahill — Bertrand

McEachran — Mikel

Ramires — Mata — Hazard

Torres

Subs: Turnbull, Meireles, Marin, De Bruyne, Sturridge.

The last piece of the puzzle is determining who would manage this squad.

If current interim manager Roberto Di Matteo is handed the reigns, it would provide some stability, but he would be reluctant to let the club legends go. And if Abramovich does want to start new, he might as well get a new manager to go with an overhauled squad and potential stadium at Battersea Power Station.

Is this scenario the best option? No. Is it the worst? Not if Torres continues to find his footing and the players who have shown promise this season take the next logical step.

It’s true that the club can’t seem to function without it’s stalwarts, but their departure is going to happen sooner or later.

And Chelsea’s greatest glory could lead to its biggest shakeup.