My Opening World Cup Ramble

The World Cup. It happens only once every 4 years. The road to get there is laden with qualification matches out of a region that covers an 18 month period. Some people think that soccer or footy as I like to call it is boring. Low scoring, possession, and the 2 halves of 45 minutes with no stoppages in play. But what the World Cup represents is something greater. Soccer has always been one of those sports that you only need to speak one language in order to play with others....the language of footy. The fact you can have two teams who DON'T speak the same language competing against each other is what makes the World Cup a beautiful thing. It represents the best players of a nation coming together to play against the best teams in the world. It allows all of us to feel a kinsman-ship with our fellow countrymen over nationalistic pride. Something that often is not part of our daily meandering as we go about life. But the World Cup allows us for a moment in time to be excited about something. Excited about our heritage, our nationality, and a reminder of all the things that have affected us throughout the years as a nation of people. 

Yes, it can also bring out negative emotions and thoughts when country against country is pitted against each other in a sporting competition; depending on the past political, religious and actions of countrymen and their leaders. Pride is on the line as well as bragging rights, and no one enjoys being on the losing end of that. But it is also a chance to look at it for what it is. A game. One that requires perseverance, persistence, determination, skill and tactical acumen. While we often are fixated on sporting contests within our country, here is a chance for all Americans to embrace the 23 men (or women in a women's World Cup) as the face of US. The hope and belief resting on their shoulders on a global setting viewed by the world. 

For me, it represents what every person who loves a sport feels. The ability in itself to feel. Feel passion, anxiety, hope, excitement, anger, joy, frustration. Even those negative feelings are ones that remind us that we are human. And that when we feel, it is deeply. And for 90 minutes, we can forgot the reality of our life....good or bad. We can fall into this emotional roller coaster ride to which the result is not predetermined, that anything at any time can happen. Even in the dying moments of a game when hope is starting to feel lost and you are pondering flipping the channel or leaving the stadium. That it can in moments be resurrected and a surge of euphoria will overwhelm you. I can honestly say I don't ever feel euphoria when I go to work. But with footy....I do, I have, and I know I will continue to feel it until I die. Maybe not with very game, but with the ones that are important to me I do. I can honestly say there have been times where I am so on the edge of  an exciting moment about to happen, that I realize I have been holding my breath for at least 10 seconds. Unintentionally of course. 

Of course there are ugly facets to this game. The federation leadership (FIFA) being run by the Sith lord, the corruption, match fixing, violence because fans have taken things too far. I can't change any of that other than to not be a fan that contributes to that type of behavior. And I fully understand the root cause of those problems. As a result I choose to dwell on the purity of the game itself. To believe that despite obstacles, the actual game being played by the 22 individuals on the pitch is clean.  Maybe this is idealistic. Maybe naive, but it is how I view the game. How I want to view it, and how I want to illustrate to my child how I love the game.

There are 32 national teams that have descended upon Brazil over the next month in which one nation will lift the cup and be declared the best in the world. For that, I am truly excited to see how it all shakes out. There will be some surprises, some outcomes entirely predictable, but nothing is guaranteed. It's why you play the game. You have to work at it, for it, in order to deserve it. So what you will see is 32 teams whose players grew up one day dreaming to be part of their national team. Dreaming of one day lifting the cup for their country and earning that star on their national team jersey for years to come. 32 teams giving their all and leaving it on the pitch at the end. 

So even if you don't like soccer, embrace and support the 23 men who have been chosen to represent  the 314 MILLION Americans on the global stage. We are......One nation. One Team. #1N1T