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over the past month, the world cup had won me over. for real.
i found myself watching every chance i got. national pride was overwhelming. rabid fans. painted faces. international stars. incredible athletes. i even began to understand some of the nuances of the game.
i was pulling for the US and when they lost, i joined in our national disappointment. US soccer is behind the rest of the world, but they are making up ground. i’m really starting to get it.
once the tournament reached the quarter and semi-finals, i was hooked. the speed, the strategy, the flow of the game…amazing. for all of the years of my life, i was never interested. soccer was nothing more than running and getting kicked in the shins. and i never much liked either one of them. but now it was different.
this is the greatest sport in the world…on the largest stage in the world…serving up the greatest competition in the world…by the best athletes in the world.
until today.
today i was reminded of why i still prefer baseball and football and basketball and volleyball and bowling and horseshoes.
today, the epic showdown of the two greatest teams on earth laid an egg. i could have just as easily gone out and watched my grass grow. it would have been more interesting. the best part of the world cup final between spain and the netherlands was being able to watch the drama of fake fouls and injuries play out in slow-motion HD on my big screen.
and don’t get me started on how soccer refs control the flow and outcome of the game. the poor officiating was the single most influential factor in the game. can’t imagine that ever happening in the world series. maybe a bad call, but not an entire bad game…from start to finish!
i battled going to sleep. if it weren’t for being able to make fun of the real soccer fans in my living room, there would have been no reason to watch. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
my disappointment is huge. i thought i had been won over. i thought i had finally joined the world…and become part of the enlightened global community. nope.
i’ll try again in four years. i’m afraid it’s going to take me that long to get over today.
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