Futbol Fanatic
You've probably already heard, but Germany won - 4 to 2 against Costa Rica. It was a loose game and from the first goal (which happened all too quickly) I suspected Germany would come out on top. It wasn't just that they had the home field advantage; the Ticos were playing poorly, perhaps shaken by the fact that no home team has ever lost out in the first round of the World Cup. Despite my past differences with Costa Rica, I was rooting for them, recalling with nostalgia the insane Ticos running through the streets, foaming beer and champagne bottles in hand, after winning against us in the last World Cup.
Ecuador won against Poland as well today, but I didn't find that game as interesting.
Half a year ago I wrote a humorous entry on how to appear worldly when you haven't traveled for an embarrassing amount of time. Well now that I have my butt planted more firmly than ever in Minneapolis, I found yet another item to add to the list:
- Watch Soccer and follow the World Cup fanatically:
I have never been much of a sports watcher, always preferring storylines with words, however I cannot resist the international draw of the World Cup. Soccer viewing is like watching dance and theater, with a lot of really cute (fit) guys of all sizes and colors in shorts running around. The steals, the falls, the goals, the blocks, are all there on the big screen and done so gracefully.
My roommate bet that I won't watch even a quarter of the games (thanks to the miracle of DVR I am recording them all for at least a day) and he may be right. After all, it is spring. The daylight lasts until ten and my social life seems to be more active than a beehive. Yet, watching the games (or at least parts of them) and learning about the players and the countries, has been irresistible so far.