Those of you who know me to much any extent at all know that I am a big fan of the sport known as America's national pastime -- baseball. Unfortunately, baseball's popularity is much less in most places outside America (and Japan and Cuba). Even within America, baseball has lost its monopoly on the national sport.
Of course, the most popular sport in the world is soccer (aka football). I never have really gotten into it much. There are a couple attributes of soccer which frustrate me. First, it seems that while all sports have an aspect of officiating subjectivity, soccer has a stronger element of that. But more importantly, I become frustrated at the seeming meaninglessness of 99% of the game. Players kick the ball back and forth, and once in a blue moon something actually happens (i.e. a score). I didn't sense any strategy in the game -- just some tactics and a lot of quickness (which I don't have).
Well, a couple weeks ago I was at a Settlers of Catan tournament. One of the people mentioned that he was going to the US/Honduras world cup qualifying game at Soldier field. Well, I'm not sure if I'll ever get another opportunity like this...hmm When is the game? Is it sold out? Turns out, he thought there would be some tickets. My friend directed me to the field and there were indeed tickets available.
The soccer game was loads of fun. Honduras fans came in droves and outnumbered us natives. Apparently we were supposed to win fairly easily, but I didn't know that. The game was quite close and tense all the way. It also had a side effect of giving me a lot better feel for the game. From being at the game, to being able to see the whole field, to conversing with knowledgable fans (primarily one in particular who looked about 10 years younger than me) to sensing the excitement to seeing players at such a high level, the game has taken on a whole new depth of meaning.
Now there is no way soccer will replace baseball in the deep dwellings of my heart, but it is in competition with basketball...
I saw a soccer game/futbol match when I was in Egypt, and I must say that it also increased my interest in the sport. A week or two ago I turned on the television in the morning after coming back from a run to find Egypt and Brazil dueling it out. Then I heard that the United States beat Egypt later in the week and went on to take down Spain as well. I do not know if I can put soccer up there with basketball, but maybe baseball...
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