Jackson Free Press

A hundred red, white and blue Jell-O shots sat in the Capitol Grill refrigerator. Server Lyndsey Terrebonne had prepared them the day before during a slow shift at the bar. If the U.S. Women's National Team claimed the Women's World Cup against Japan that night, Terrebonne would distribute them all to a jubilant crowd of fellow American Outlaws.

Founded in 2007, American Outlaws has become the U.S.'s most prominent soccer support association. Members gather to watch every televised national game and often travel hundreds of miles to give the national squads home-field advantages akin to the ones that the national teams of Latin America and Europe enjoy. 
 More than 150 official and provisional AO chapters exist today in 49 states, excluding Wyoming, and London even has a chapter. While they aren't soccer hooligans like their name might suggest, the American Outlaws are devout backers of the men and women who don the U.S. insignia at the U-20, U-23 and national levels of soccer.

The American Outlaws consistently look to recruit new members and often convert them through the power of ales and lagers.

It's called the Free Beer Movement: Invite an uninitiated friend to watch a game, guarantee them a free beer just for showing up, and the Outlaws trust that the atmosphere and on-the-field product will do the rest. The Jackson chapter sees success in this approach, as membership topped 100 for the first time this spring. The local chapter formed at the height of the U.S. Men's World Cup run in 2010, when 150 people packed the tight confines of the Ole Tavern on George Street to watch the Americans play Ghana. It was the first official American Outlaws: Jackson viewing party.

Along with Terrebonne, Cody Dear is also a local American Outlaw. Fox's pregame show for the final had only just begun the of the Women's World Cup Final, but Dear's hands were already shaking with anticipatory jitters. He had arrived at Capitol Grill three hours before kickoff, sporting the white jersey of his favorite player, Kirsten Press. He was thankful his work schedule as an able-bodied seaman on an off-shore oil rig afforded him the chance to be here among the Outlaws, watching what soon became the most viewed soccer match in American history.

"We have members now who hated soccer (or) knew nothing about it back in 2010," Jason Thompson, president of the AO Jackson chapter, said.

Thompson remembered one man who called it "footieball" when he stumbled upon a cluster of Outlaws watching the 2013 Gold Cup at Capitol Grill. By the next year, the man had joined the chapter.

For the 2014 Men's World Cup in Brazil, the American Outlaws helped draw crowds of 400-plus to the bar to watch each of the U.S. Men's National Team's four matches.

Capacity was beyond standing-room only. As a result, some in attendance lay beneath the main projector on the bar's front stage, craning their necks to see. U.S. players scored five goals across four games that tournament, and Capitol Grill erupted in cheers as many times.

As the official home bar of Jackson's AO chapter, Capitol Grill must show every televised U-20, U-23 and National Team match, be it a "friendly" against Poland or a knockout round of the World Cup. International soccer doesn't always start at times convenient for those operating a bar in the Central Time Zone.

Still, Lance Gammill, executive chef and general manager of the restaurant and bar, accommodates the American Outlaws. During the U-20 Men's World Cup in New Zealand this June, the quarterfinal match between the U.S. and Serbia kicked off at 11:30 p.m. local time on a Sunday night, and the doors stayed open past normal closing time. The game stretched into penalty kicks, and the Outlaws did not leave until 3 a.m. If the match ended any later, Gammill said he would've cooked everyone breakfast.

"For us, to be any part of this atmosphere is special," Gammill said.

As the bar filled and kickoff for the 2015 Women's Finals drew near, the American Outlaws led intermittent chants of "U-S-A! U-S-A!" Patriotic-clad spectators left no chair open. Many in attendance had stars-and-stripes bandanas tied over their nose and chin—the Outlaw's official uniform.

The match began. In the opening minutes when the U.S. netted four goals to Japan's zero, the ebullient Outlaws broke out into hysteria. Dear said he vaguely recalls doing laps around the bar after the third goal. The fourth goal, a 54-yard missile from Carli Lloyd's right foot, brought tears to his eyes. "It was surreal. You couldn't comprehend what was happening," Dear said, echoing the mindset of the other Outlaws, most Americans and probably the Japanese goalkeeper.

Twenty minutes in, the AO "I believe that we will win" chant seemed too obvious to say aloud. Then, everyone began getting Jell-O shots.

For more information on the American Outlaws: Jackson, find the chapter on Facebook.