World Cup
Posted: June 14th, 2010, 1:01 am
Man it sucks being in the States during the World Cup. Everybody here hates the sport because it is dominated by foreigners and xenophobic Americans call it "commie ball" or "eurotrash fag ball." Before I was in the military, I also hated soccer and was your typical American who believed America was the greatest country in the world and had a "f**k Yeah" attitude towards non-Americans. After being stationed in England and watching the English Premier League games, I fell in love with the sport. People have such a passion for the sport and its genuine unlike--say American professional sports where piped in music is played to pump up the crowd and bandwagon fans follow the crowd mentality that exists here. In other countries, football (soccer) fans cheer, sing songs, and live and die with the sport.
I was in France when they won the Euro 2000 and the French people were cheering through the streets, marching along the Champs-Élysées waving their flags proudly and even waving hello to Americans and other foreigners. A bunch of French students we didn't even know invited us to celebrate with them through the streets. It was an amazing experience. The first World Cup games I saw was in 2002 when Korea and even the U.S. had amazing runs during that tournament. I wish I was in Korea during that time dressed in Red and celebrating with all the other foreigners there during that time. I still love watching baseball and sometimes basketball, but the fake atmosphere and the idiotic athletes that always get caught doing stupid things like drugs, rapes, and other misdemeanors, really is starting to turn me off American sports. I mean look at the corruption in the NCAA where so called "student athletes" don't even attend classes, yet, they get full scholarships and get money under the table from donors. The steroids scandals with A-rod, Sammy Sosa, and all the other obnoxious athletes.
I know soccer players can be just as much of a douche as the other athletes in other sports, but what I like so much about the sport is that it will always remain a sport of the working class and the poor. I also like the fact that nations compete for pride of their country during the World Cup in a genuine way, unlike, let's say in the Olympics where it's become a joke ever since they lets professional athletes compete in the events. I miss the the Olympics pre-1992 before the pros were allowed in and the mentality was 'us against the commies.' I miss moments like the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team and I miss the amateurs that competed for the love of country and sport. The only sport left that captures this emotion is the World Cup. I hope it doesn't up like the Olympics.
I was in France when they won the Euro 2000 and the French people were cheering through the streets, marching along the Champs-Élysées waving their flags proudly and even waving hello to Americans and other foreigners. A bunch of French students we didn't even know invited us to celebrate with them through the streets. It was an amazing experience. The first World Cup games I saw was in 2002 when Korea and even the U.S. had amazing runs during that tournament. I wish I was in Korea during that time dressed in Red and celebrating with all the other foreigners there during that time. I still love watching baseball and sometimes basketball, but the fake atmosphere and the idiotic athletes that always get caught doing stupid things like drugs, rapes, and other misdemeanors, really is starting to turn me off American sports. I mean look at the corruption in the NCAA where so called "student athletes" don't even attend classes, yet, they get full scholarships and get money under the table from donors. The steroids scandals with A-rod, Sammy Sosa, and all the other obnoxious athletes.
I know soccer players can be just as much of a douche as the other athletes in other sports, but what I like so much about the sport is that it will always remain a sport of the working class and the poor. I also like the fact that nations compete for pride of their country during the World Cup in a genuine way, unlike, let's say in the Olympics where it's become a joke ever since they lets professional athletes compete in the events. I miss the the Olympics pre-1992 before the pros were allowed in and the mentality was 'us against the commies.' I miss moments like the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team and I miss the amateurs that competed for the love of country and sport. The only sport left that captures this emotion is the World Cup. I hope it doesn't up like the Olympics.