The 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer Tournament has grabbed the four corners of the world by the nap of the neck and carried it to South Africa. It’s as if the Gulf oil spill has been put on hold and everything is alright again on planet Earth.
No need to worry about super banking institutions charging you 27% for the use of their credit cards and forget about keeping a watchful eye on the ever changing weather systems that invite floods and hail the size of golf balls…anything like that happens, the makers of local news will just run a scroll at the bottom or top of the screen.
The only language spoken in the past 72 hours is soccer.
98% of Carolina’s have no clue that Chick-Fil-A has shattered their extremely protective outer shell and created a delicious hot and spicy chicken sandwich. Forget about Old Navy selling men’s Polo shirts for eight bucks. What about gas prices falling below $2.65 a gallon? None of it is big enough to talk about.
Once every four years…the world hears the soccer call. And within it’s birthing shadow rests a little ditty about The United States getting all tangled up with a 1-1 tie with England…the folks with incredibly cool accents aren’t taking it too lightly…Sarah Ferguson collecting illegal dollars to talk to the Prince is nothing compared to their goalie letting that ball bounce into the net!
Soccer is the word and will be until the king’s of the world field are crowned. American’s will fork out giant trucks filled with bucks for colorful jerseys, unforgettable flags, endless supplies of beer and really, really big flat screen TV’s but few will truly put out the energy to physically turn this sport into what the rest of the world has made it…a phenomena.
Is it because we’ve already got too much? We’re in the midst of a seriously cool pitching season in baseball. Kobe and the Lakers are in the finals again. Housing sales may be up but the fear of losing our jobs is the highest in history. The average monthly water bill is so high it means sacrificing the summer vacation.
Maybe it’s just me but this vividly wild and constantly up to date imagination I carry into every newly designed twenty four hour period cannot name or identify a single player on team United States. I couldn’t buy them a Dairy Queen Dilly Bar if I wanted to. Got no clue!
According to Google, Clint Dempsey joined Brian McBride as the only player to score in two FIFA World Cups as the U.S. Men’s National Team came from behind to tie U.S.England. But who are Landon Donovan and Tim Howard? They’re Team USA right? Or are they Team Edward or Jacob?
Sure it’s making me look like an idiot! I can’t even name the top dogs on the Professional Bowlers Tour and when did they start hosting tournaments outside in the hot sun under palm trees and more beer, flags and really, really big flat screen TV’s?
Who has the average American become? As long as the bills are paid…does it really matter? The way we live and choose to become is a replica of a very famous quote: A game is the hearts creation of a challenge in which one tests ones self.
We do it at work, while driving down long boring highways, sitting on the sofa in front of the tube while the little people test your patience during another extremely hot boring summer vacation day. If there’s one thing American’s are brilliant at, it’s masterminding the makings of a new game.
The British may have given us American Idol but we own Family Feud, The Price is Right and Oprah!
Soccer is the sport middle school kid’s play when they aren’t big enough to suit up in a football uniform or run faster than a rabbit in track. I remember having to make the choice at Riverside Jr. High…soccer or archery? To this day I fail to understand the rules which include the length of a game and why you can’t check a player like hockey and or get beyond a tie. It’s like college football not having a national championship—you’d get more fans if there was a winner and giant box filled with losers.
Nobody likes to lose but man we can identify with those who do. This is why people refuse to seek medical help until a cold or flu has not only built condo’s in your lungs but is offering free rent to any passerby whose first name begins with any letter between A and Z.
Sick? Not me! I have this beat. The empty gas tank light is on…no sweat; we can go another ten miles. The new IPhone 4 will be released at the end of June. No! Apple thinks I need it now! I must have! Paul McCartney tickets were reportedly going on sale this past Saturday…not true, for the right price, you could get lower level seats a week ahead of those feverishly typing into the keyboard at 10am.
A game is the hearts creation of a challenge in which one tests ones self.
We’ll go another four; eight and quite possibly twelve years and soccer still won’t be more popular than Beckham coming to the states…once here, it was…ok so now what? Wayne Gretzky felt the same pressure when he left Canada. Look how long it’s taken NBC to put hockey on primetime.
Why isn’t men’s and women’s fast pitch softball on the tube? Ever tried to get into a park after 5pm? By the time it gets to the Summer Olympics it’s buried deep into the late night hours. Trying to score a great seat at the Avatar premiere should’ve been broadcast around the world. Anytime a big movie opens, nobody gets more competitive than a moviegoer demanding their space in the place.
Soccer in America? Not now... Look how long it took us to catch up with the Beatles…we were extremely late and Justin Timberlake had to leave the country to gain fame in Germany before getting some attention in this country.
Too much to do...don't clog up the path. No time to figure out the knots.
arroecollins@clearchannel.com
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