Soccer Talk

Austin Aztex start 2013 season with an appearance in the U.S. Open Cup

The Austin Aztex play in the first round of the U.S. Open Cup Tuesday, May 14 at House Park.

The Austin Aztex officially kicked off its 2013 soccer season with a 2-1 victory on Saturday over the expansion Oklahoma City FC.

The Aztex, who play in the United Soccer League Premier Development League (USL PDL), enjoyed a banner first year. The team advanced to the Southern Conference final, and three players on the team’s 2012 roster were drafted within the first 11 picks in Major League Soccer’s January SuperDraft, an unheard of accomplishment for a PDL team.

Two of those players, Kekuta Manneh (from Lake Travis, drafted 4th by the Vancouver Whitecaps) and Dillon Powers (from Plano, drafted 11th by the Colorado Rapids) are making huge splashes in the league and have been mentioned as candidates for the MLS Rookie of the Year.

“Our first year was a huge success, and we are looking to build on it,” said Aztex Director of Communications Jeff Burns. “Last year, we were all about creating an identity in the community, and this year we are trying to continue to bolster support. We have the same front office, and the same head coach [former MLS player Paul Dalglish], and have signed some great players to bolster our attack.”

One of the new wrinkles in the Aztex schedule is an appearance in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, which is the oldest ongoing national soccer tournament in the United States. By reaching the Southern Conference final last year, the were Aztex guaranteed a berth in the tournament, and will be hosting the NTX Rayados (Dallas) on Tuesday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. The Aztex play all home games at Central Austin's House Park.

For the newest reincarnation of the Aztex (the team was founded in 2011 after the original Aztex relocated to Orlando, Florida), this is the first appearance in the tournament. It offers the young team a chance to compete against the top teams in Major League Soccer — if the Aztex advance that far.

“Winning this first round game would be huge for us,” said Matthew Gray, former President of Eberly’s Army, the official Aztex supporter group. “Not only would it give us the chance to host a pro team [the Wilmington Hammerheads] from the USL 3rd Division, but will give Aztex alum Gareth Evans [who plays for the Hammerheads] a chance for a homecoming."

“If the Aztex win their first round game," Gray continued, "we will learn a lot about this team early, as they will have played five matches in 14 days.”

The 2013 Aztex are led by Zach Pope, who was named to the All-Southern Conference team, and Andres Cuero, who played for the Hammerheads team mentioned above in the 2011 and 2012 seasons. In addition, 11 players on the Aztex roster have U.S. National Team experience, whether from the Under-17 team or the Under-23 team.

The Aztex posted a 5-1 record in the preseason, outscoring opponents by a combined 20 goals to five goals. For those soccer fans who might not be able to make it to the weeknight game, the Aztex official home opener is Saturday May 18 at 7:30 p.m. against the Houston Dutch Lions.

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Refill, revere, rejoice

Austin distiller refills Kentucky Bourbon bottles for $1 in UT game day stunt

Photo courtesy of Still Austin Whiskey Co.

Still Austin is filling up empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles and adding its own label in a display of Texas dominance.

Cheap bourbon isn't usually something people line up for, but in this case they know it's good. Still Austin Whiskey Co., a favorite Austin distiller, is offering $1 refills of its own Cask Strength Bourbon in empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles on November 23.

The promotion celebrates the Texas Longhorns vs. Kentucky Wildcats football match the same day. This is a highly anticipated game because the two teams have only been matched up once, back in 1951. Kentucky coach Mike Stoops reportedly also upped the ante by saying the Longhorns have "no weaknesses."

Essentially, this is a parallel challenge by Still Austin: Replace your Kentucky Bourbon with our Texas spirit and watch the Lone Star State win again.

"Why would I ever taint your bourbon with dried up Kentucky juice[?]" asked a (frankly, terrifying) customer on Instagram.

There is a misconception that bourbon has to be made in Kentucky. The Kentucky Distillers’ Association itself points out that, "According to the 1964 Congressional Resolution, in order to have “Bourbon” on the label it must be made in the United States of America and meet all other federal “standards of identity” for Bourbon."

Still Austin CEO and co-founder Chris Seals is setting the record straight with a little snark, inviting both fans and "skeptics" to stop by to take advantage of the deal.

“We’re deeply grateful to Kentucky for inventing the stuff, but after 200 years of the same old bourbon, people want something new,” said Seals in a press release.“The idea that great bourbon can only come from Kentucky is a myth based on decades of misinformation. We’re inviting everyone still holding onto this old guard notion to ‘Kentucky Fill Up’ to experience the difference for themselves.”

The product he's chosen to represent the brand, the Cask Strength Bourbon, is described as "a deeper more 'metal' version of our beloved straight bourbon." It's 116 proof (58 percent ABV) and has won double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition twice, in 2022 and 2023.

Still Austin will only refill 500 bottles. Here are the rules: The bottles have to be 750 milliliters, clean, intact (with the original cap on hand), and they must have originally contained bourbon from a Kentucky Distillery. There are two time slots for refilling at 9 am and 11:30 am. Patrons can get tickets ahead of time at stillaustin.com.

In addition to the fill-ups, Still Austin will host a watch party starting at 2:30 pm. More Texas-Kentucky crossover will include Frozen Texas Julep cocktails, Texas fried chicken, and an armadillo derby race. There will also be exclusive merch and giveaways. Still Austin is the official corporate partner of Texas Athletics.

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Fans of Austin sports and Austin food and drinks can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. The event, presented by Verizon, goes down from 6-9 pm December 12 at Distribution Hall. Find out more about it here.

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