The date has been set (March 18th, 2012). The shirt and scarf have been unveiled and are available for preorder at Barktees.com. The raffle is being organized. The new Sons of Ben tailgate location has been announced.

Never, in my wildest imagination, would I have dreamed of this moment. Maybe I am just a fan boy gone wild, maybe I am excited to relive a young adult memory. Today, the 'Stache Bash takes on a whole new direction... live music.

It won't be just any live music. Sure, we could have found a cover band that played all the greatest hits of Nickleback, Green Day, Oasis, and Jack Johnson. However, that isn't good enough for the Bash. We decided, instead, to find the impossible local band, and bring them together for a live performance.

'Stache Bash is proud to announce that the festivities on March 18th will feature The Boils. The Boils are Philadelphia Union season ticket holders and have aspecial brand of rock/punk/oi.

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Scott Kessler, Jeremy Sharpe, and the Sons of Ben are at it again.

Gentlemen, it is time to put down the razors, grab the grooming scissors, mirrors, assorted mustaches waxes, choose the style that is right for you, and let testosterone do the rest, all to raise money for Help Kick Hunger, to benefit The Bernardine Center in Chester, PA.

As we did last year, there will be festivities during the Sons of Ben tailgate before the Philadelphia Union home opener, March 18, 2012 against the Colorado Rapids. Events will include the 'Stache Bash raffle, the mustache themed tailgate, and - we hope - a few surprises brought to you by are men and women of the SoB Bearfight Brigade.

More details of the tailgate festivities will be announced when they are confirmed.

Last year, the center piece of the 'Stache Bash tailgate was the tee shirt, featuring Philadelphia's favorite son, Ben Franklin, sporting a fashionable handlebar mustache. For those of you who missed out on the 'Stache Bash 2011 shirt, a limited number are still available from Barktees.com here.

Over 300 of the 'Mustached Franklin' were sold last year, and Barktees gave all proceeds to Sons of Ben Help Kick Hunger.

This year, we have partnered up with Mark and Ben and Barktees again. Along with the help of artists Jeff Eller and Trevor Machinia, Mark Jenkinson at Limepickle, and the Sons of Ben, we are proud to announce the 'Stache Bash 2012 shirt, and new this year, the 'Stache Bash 2012 scarf.

This year's shirt design incorporates our favorite torhymne and a 'stache that it has famously graced tv shows, movies, and children's costumes. The scarf incorporates a beautiful handle bar mustache design, the Jolly Franklin, and the tee shirt design, and celebrates our mustachioed pride. With out further adieu, the Brotherly Game, in conjunction with the Sons of Ben and Barktees.com, is proud to be the first to debut the 'Stache Bash 2012 shirt.

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The Brotherly Game is proud to announce that it has started a charity auction on ebay that is selling a Ryan Richter game/team issued Philadelphia Union jersey. The right back signed the jersey at the last Union home game of the 2011 season, an 1-1 draw against Toronto FC.

The jersey is brand new, an XL, with American flag and MLS patches on separate arms, signature on the front, RICHTER 23 on the back, BIMBO logo and Union crest on front. It is a 2011 MLS season jersey, Richter's rookie year.

All proceeds from this sale will go to charity, exactly which charity has not been determined yet. I think that if the auction gets to a satisfactory number, I'll leave it up to the winning bidder to decide what charity will get the auction money.

November 22 is the end of the auction, so please get a bid in before the event closes. We're hoping to raise at least the retail cost of the jersey (around $100). Currently the jersey is at $31.00 after two bids, so we'll at least donate a bit of money to a good cause.

Click the linked text here and bid away!

On September 10, 2011, before the Union's home match against the Portland Timbers, supporters group The Illegitimates will be hosting a charity tailgate to benefit Miles For MJ. The "Bearfight Brigade", a group of Union supporters that consists of Sons of Ben, Illegitimates, and other groups, is setting up several events to take place during the Miles for MJ tailgate. 

THE UNOFFICIAL AND NON VERIFIABLE WORLDS LARGEST BEARFIGHT! 

During the first event, they will make an (unofficial) attempt to undertake the "World's Largest Bearfight". This may be the most simple of the events planned by the Bearfight Brigade, and the name says it all: it's going to be a really big bearfight. Bearfight participants must be at least 21 years of age and must be signed up for the Miles for MJ tailgate, or they can make a donation in the Bearfight Brigade bucket (minimum $10) that will be donated to Miles for MJ. And, most importantly, participants must bring a donation from the bearfight supplies list. Once everyone has registered, we shall bearfight for charity! The winner of the world's largest bearfight will be given an opportunity to battle the Bearfight Champion at the September 17th tailgate, the day the Union host the Columbus Crew. 

Be a part of the worlds largest bearfight!

BEARFIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH 

Second, the current "Bearfight Title" will be on the line at the Miles for MJ event. The current Bearfight champion (TBD from a 3-way championship dance on August 28) will take on the #1 contender (TBD from the Bearfight undercard battle on August 28). The last two championship battles have been epic, and we expect the same from the battle on August 28, the same day the Union host the New England Revolution. With Mark 'Bolton' Dunfee hungry to regain his title, and Travis Rego taking an up and comer under his ginger wing over the last few weeks, we could be heading for a major collision on September 10th as part of the Miles for MJ festivities.

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September 10th's game between the Philadelphia Union and Portland Timbers will feature an event of more importance than the three points that will be won or lost (or split) on the pitch at PPL Park.

A joint tailgate among the Sons of Ben, The IllegitimateS, The Corner Creeps, Tammany Saints, The BridgeCrew and traveling members of the visiting Timbers Army will provide money for the Miles 4 MJ charity. Sheanon Williams, the Union's starting right back, is one of the charity's supporters, championing the cause on Facebook and Twitter.

Miles 4 MJ is a charity that raises money for research and awareness about Neurofibromatosis. The following is a summary of what the disease causes, per The Illegitimates (who are at the forefront of Union fan support for the charity):

NF is a progressive disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. Complications from NF can lead to deafness, blindness, learning disabilities, bone abnormalities, cancer, and other serious complications. NF is more prevalent than cystic fibrosis, Duchene muscular dystrophy, and Huntington's Disease combined.

Tickets for the tailgate are available via the linked text here (brings you to Ticket Leap).

More information about the tailgate details after the jump.

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[Editor's Note: The following is a press release from our good friend Jared Montz, formerly of the Chicago Fire, Vancouver Whitecaps and Puerto Rico Islanders.]

Every 45 seconds a child dies from Malaria.  You can help!

You can help by participating in the OSA World Juggle-a-thon to benefit Nothing Buts on World Malaria Day which is today, April 25th!  Soccer players, fans and coaches everywhere are juggling to get better, juggling to save lives at 6pm their standard time anywhere in the world they have a soccer ball.  The OSA World Juggle-a-thon is put on by OnlineSoccerAcademy.com for Nothing But Nets.  Nothing But Nets is an MLS partner charity and for every $10 raised they provide a life saving bed net to a person in need in Africa.  

How do I participate?

1.  Download a pledge sheet on the "OSA World Juggle-a-thon" page of OnlineSoccerAcademy.com (link too http://www.OnlineSoccerAcademy.com)

2.  College pledges or flat donations prior to juggling.  The minimum suggested amount to raise is $30.  Do that, you save 3 lives and you get a shirt! 

3.  Juggle for your juggling record by yourself or with friends at 6pm your time!  After follow directions on pledge sheet and mail in your funds raised!

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After a month of preparation, marketing, writing and hoping, the 'Stache Bash is finally here.

During the Sons of Ben tailgate for today's Philadelphia Union - Vancouver Whitecaps game at PPL Park, 'Stache Bash will be taking place. 6abc will cover the event and will have something on the event in the upcoming week.

If you haven't already bought a shirt, Bark Tees will have a limited supply available for sale during the tailgate. Credit cards are now accepted for payment.

So far the 'Stache Bash has raised over $6500 for the Sons of Ben's "Help Kick Hunger" campaign, which collects charity funds for the Bernadine Center in Chester. During the 'Stache Bash itself there will be raffles for various prizes, including Philadelphia Flyers suite-level seating for the team's first playoff home game in the 2011 NHL playoffs.

The hope is to raise as much money as possible for Chester and the Bernadine Center. If you did not buy a ticket to the tailgate, do not worry. Tickets for the tailgate were for the food that the Sons of Ben serve (and last year, also for beer. It's currently BYOB), not for 'Stache Bash itself. You can enter the tailgating area and participate in the booths or raffles without payment for the food. Please do. It's all for a good cause.

For where the tailgate is, go here. For what is available in the raffles go here. For the history of the 'Stache Bash go here.