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I have always been a bit of a bystander when it comes to soccer football but the more I watch it the more I enjoy it. It beats the hell out of the lifeless NBA, a lot more exciting than major league baseball, and lacks the over the top machismo of the testosterone driven NFL.

It is quickly closing in on my favorite sport of college hoops. In terms of the World Cup it is especially appealing given that the players are playing for love of country and the game/pride etc. This really only comes close to what happens in college sports (yes I know about the sponsors, corruption, boosters etc. etc. but humor me will you?). More than anything I just love the enthusiasm and the sportsmanship shown. What a great moment when the Iranian goalkeeper brought the Mexican goalie flowers for the recent passing of his father. Ace move.

Slate has a great couple articles on the World Cup. The first was "How Intellectuals Became obsessed with the Beautiful Game" the pretentious title turned me off so I skipped to the second article by Dave Eggers called "The True Story of American Soccer." This article is a must read. The other article that Slate posted was a funny one called "Why Ronaldinho Has No Last Name."

Anyways, I have watched ever game possible and even was able to see the routing of the US at the hands of the Czechs on my lunch break today. So far the Germany CR game stands out (wish I could have caught Japan vs. Australia which must have been great to watch). Aside from the US squad I am rooting for Mexico and Holland/Netherlands.

I should also mention that I am in a blogger fantasy World Cup pick'em and for being a newbie to the football world I am holding my own currently beating soccer guru False 45th and my boy Halden over at Palms Out Sounds. For now.

Who needs the NBA Finals when you have the World Cup. Dirk who?

6 interested person(s)

Anonymous said... @ 6/13/2006 06:12:00 AM

Yesterday I saw the USA team, it striked me that the players looked like normal men. Without caps or helmets. Maybe that's a strange remark but in Europe we always get the image of too big, too fat, too large, too caricatural, too empty-faced people.

(I'm talking about the image, not the reality)(and sorry for my english)

:-)

Anonymous said... @ 6/13/2006 10:59:00 AM

Chuck Klosterman on soccer (from "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs"):

http://thinklings.org/jared/?p=217

K said... @ 6/13/2006 02:42:00 PM

that is some funny stuff thanks for sharing clint. i know your love for soccer runs deep.

Jim Hendry said... @ 6/13/2006 05:41:00 PM

F*ck yeah K, I've been watching every minute of the WC, cheering on my limey counterparts... in fact I'll be liveblogging the England/Trinidad game over at Deadspin on thursday, so I need to keep on my toes.

Best football quote, from legendary Liverpool manager [my hometown] Bill Shankly:

"Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that."
- Taken from the Sunday [UK] Times, October 4, 1981.

Anonymous said... @ 6/13/2006 06:38:00 PM

I have no real problem with soccer. I just read that book and thought that chapter was pretty funny. Something can be said about the fact that my favorite sport involves two men wearing 4oz gloves and sometimes little more than speedos while grapplin~!

K said... @ 6/13/2006 09:03:00 PM

Anon that was a fantastic point. I think the image of too big, too fat, too large, too empty faced is not an image I would say that it is definately a reality.

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