The Game I Used to Hate

I’ll admit it.  I’m one of “those” Americans.  You know what I’m talking about.  Those who hate soccer for 3.9 out of 4 years then acts excited about it during the World Cup.  I have no problem admitting that.  I didn’t play soccer growing up, don’t really understand it, but I can get excited about the World Cup.  But it is new for me.  I didn’t love it until four years ago.  It was just after March Madness, and we had hired a guy from Portugal at our office.  He saw how we pretty much shut down the office for the basketball tournament, with brackets covering our walls.  He innocently asked, “So what do you guys do for the World Cup?”  Really?  My response was, “Uh, work.”  He was crushed.  The World Cup came around, I saw how passionate he was about it, and I started watching some games.  He shared stories about how, during Portugal games, the entire country shuts down.  People fill pubs, pour into the streets, sing, dance and cheer together for the entirety of the game.  So I found myself glued to the TV.  I loved seeing countries come together and screaming their brains out for 90 minutes, shaking stadiums with their unified chants.  I was blown away.  The US only gets that unified over the Twilight Saga and its hatred for Britney Spears.  I found myself staying up late to watch games.  Getting up early to watch games.  I was watching soccer.  The one sport I had always hated (besides hockey, which still sucks).

It ended, Italy won, and I didn’t care about soccer anymore.  Four years later, the World Cup is back.  And I’ve been pumped.  I’ve watched as many games as I can – mostly online, but still.  The US had a huge match against England that ended in a tie.  I know, I know, ties are ridiculous.  I agree, but still it was a riveting game and the US was lucky to come out with a tie (thanks to England’s weak goal keeper).  Then came Slovenia.  The US was down 2-0.  Not good.  The second half was amazing.  Landon Donovan, a guy I can’t stand, had a ridiculous goal.  2-1.  Then Bradley scored.  2-2.  Game on.  In the final 10 minutes, Edu scored.  Game, set, match, US.  Wait, it didn’t count?  There was a penalty?  Of what?  On who?  Questions we still don’t have answers to, but it was ridiculous.  Here’s a picture of the US getting bear hugged on the goal.  Not sure where the US penalty was:

The US tied.  Hearts broken.  Outrage.  Suddenly America is interested in soccer.  Amazingly, the team handled it well.  Then Algeria.  Win and you advance.  Lose and you go home.  Tie and you still need some help.  I was impressed, the US came out firing.  Barely missing on some shots, but playing well.  Then Dempsey scores!  Wait, what?!  Offsides?  Clearly FIFA hates the United States.  Their quality control is worse than BP’s.  Here’s the mysterious off-sides:

If I’m the US, I probably quit right there.  Either that or have Dempsey, a Texan, calf-rope the ref into submission.  Ridiculous.  The US had what seemed like 10 shots on goal that barely missed.  England had scored in their match against Slovenia, so the US had to score in order to not go home.  Honestly, the US deserved to beat Algeria.  They had played incredible.  But after 90 minutes, 0-0.  They were awarded 4 minutes of extra time (something I still don’t understand, but sure do love right now).  45 seconds into extra time, Landon Donovan scored.  The US would go on to not only win the game, but win their group and advance.  Redemption.  I could watch this all day.

Go Soccer.  Go America.