What I Learned From Watching The World Cup

For most of the last month, I've been following the World Cup football (a.k.a. soccer) competition, initially because my girlfriend, LRC, wanted to look at the games and root for England's team. I really got into it all, and wound up enjoying it more than I thought possible. So, what of it?

1. Well, first of all, I think that these players deserve a huge amount of credit. Running up and down the field, tangling with each other, with no timeouts, no breaks, and only 3 substitutions for 90 minutes takes a lot of energy. Very impressive!
2. The slower pace of the game, as opposed to the quick & structured nature of American football, took a little getting used to. But it's a nice change. The game has its own rhythm, which is less subject to lead & momentum changes than American football, or basketball, but still is compelling in its own way.
3. It's nice to see the nations of the world get together on an athletic field to compete in a relatively peaceful way with a common set of rules.
4. The richest/most-populated nations of the world, China, India, Russia, Japan, and the United States, were not a factor in the tournament. That may not always be the case, and certainly is a change from Olympics competition.
5. Zinudine Zihane should be booking a ticket to Lehigh to try out for the Philadelphia Eagles later this month after this move in yesterday's title match. (see right). We could use him at cornerback this year.
6. The world's soccer fans certainly match the fans of college football, and the NFL for crazy outfits. And, bonus: there were no big violent incidents involving the "hooligans".
7. The tournament format, like the NCAA men's basketball field of 65, really is the best way to settle a championship.
8. Beckham will be back. Posh too!
   
9. I'm really looking foward to South Africa in 2010!
10. Did you know that Berlin's Olympic Stadium is where the USA's Jesse Owens put Hitler & the Nazis to shame at the 1936 Olympics? I already did, I'm only sayin' because I heard it like ... 9,000 times yesterday. Note to the ABC announcers: next time, beef up your notes!

Below are a few of many images I found of the great spectacle that is the World Cup.

English fans painted St. George's Cross on their bodies, or, as here, dressed in medieval regalia.

Go USA!

These women in blue were fans of the victorious Italian team.

Wow, her hairdresser is in for a treat!

Brazil is blessed with some of the more .... enthusiastic fans of any team on the planet.