Well, today on Face The Nation one of my Washington heroes, Bob Schieffer, blurted out a confession that rocked my soul. He said, "I have never seen a soccer game." He was responding to an allusion to the World Cup used by one of the reporters on his round table to illustrate a political point. I was really crushed, because I consider Bob Schieffer as one of the good guys--who year after year keeps an open mind, presents a balanced discussion and then at the end of his show gives us a little food for thought and lets us know just where he comes down on an issue or event of our time.
But, Bob, you are now part of the problem. The U.S. will never really be accepted as any more than a bully in the international stage if our leaders, our press, our citizens cannot understand the most basic points of the 'beautiful game'. American football, which I refer to as 'gringoball' to distinguish it from what the rest of the world calls football, does have its following in other countries and even a fledgling European league, but the world doesn't stop for it every four years. Baseball, okay, that's a little more international, since we introduced it to certain Asian countries while we occupied them after major wars and to certain Caribbean nations as entertainment for sugarcane plantation workers, but it hardly occupies the entire globe's collective imagination the way soccer does. And our 'World Series'? What is that? We toss in a token Canadian team and call it a day.
Once when I was teaching English in Brazil, I was helping a student read an economics article in Time. It wasn't even a whole page long, but there were eleven uses of baseball terminology to illustrate points throughout its text. A marketing homerun here. An economic plan in the bottom of the ninth there. A curveball of a policy move. I don't remember them all. While we might think the whole world is learning English, they don't all speak baseball. They do speak soccer. But not us. Not even enlightened, open-minded people like Bob Schieffer speak soccer. Is there any hope for us? The rest of the world does not strike out; they get a red card. They are not in the ninth inning, but the 90th minute.
I actually enjoy baseball. I even like a good game of gringoball, but I have room for soccer in my heart, as well. And during the World Cup, I want to not only feel like an American, but a citizen of this planet we share. Come on, Bob. Come on, America, check out the 'beautiful game'. Join the rest of the world in its joy and celebration for a change. It might make us all a little more welcome when things aren't so bright.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
al-Zuquari's dead. So what? Let's watch the World Cup.
Hey everyone. I'm back from my trip to Spain with some students, parents and a friend. It was fantastic, as always. Lots of sights, history, food, wine and shopping, but in between, I kept an eye on the news.
I know, for example that we killed al-Zuquari. Upon finding out, I looked at one of the moms on the trip, one who shares my politics, thank God, and said, "Well, I wonder who will pop up next. You know it is like playing that gopher game with the mallets over there." "Yeah, I know what you mean", she said.
I read that there is already some guy who is supposed to have taken his place at the helm. Meanwhile, we have the developing Haditha massacre, in which seemingly normal, level-headed, moral, god-fearing marines, under the pressure of unrelenting battle and the loss of a beloved comrade seem to have slaughtered innocent civilians, including children. Over here in our hemisphere we had the suicide of three "enemy combatants" who have been held for years with no charges brought against them down in Guantanamo. More good news. I hear the administration feels that it was somehow politically motivated to draw sympathy to the prisoners. I'm sure that being held for years on end with no due process or contact with their families had anything to do with it. Oh well, the "War on Terror" goes on. But never fear, Bush just popped up in Iraq. The new Prime Minister had five minutes warning. Yeah, we trust 'em. Good message.
So, I can't take anymore. Let's just watch the World Cup, people. It is more fun, more therapeutic, more uniting, more festive, more global and more equalizing than anything our whacked out government could ever come up with. It even puts the UN to shame. It rocks! If you are one of those clueless Americans who don't really get it. That's okay. It is a forgiving, inclusive event, so just jump on in. It has been going on for a very long time. We are now in the"finals", but they'll go on until July 9th. You see, each region of the globe only gets so many spots in the "finals", so the qualifying goes on for the year leading up to the "finals", which is a tournament with 32 countries represented. And wow! Look at the countries...the U.S., perennial favorite, Brazil, Italy, Mexico, but also Iran, and little bitty countries like Trinadad and super poor countries like Togo and Paraguay. It is so cool, because unlike the Olympics where we walk in with an army of athletes and some other country has two, all the teams are the same size. They are all playing the same game. They all play with the same equipment--a ball. No super sonic bobsleds for the U.S. and a hand-me-down for the Jamaicans here. No this is as fair as it gets.
The fans are crazy, joyful, partying fools, who have been saving up for the trip since they first found out their team had qualified. They cheer every goal and bemoan every foul in unison--rich or poor, who cares while their team, their country, is on the field.
In Spain, I watched the opening game between power-house, home team, Germany, and tiny far away Costa Rica in a little bar in Toledo, where my Mexican-born friend and I stopped in for some bottled water. The only other people there were the Spanish owner and his Ecuadorian-born bartender. We were united behind the little Spanish-speaking underdogs, knowing that only a miracle could help them, but cheering them nonetheless--bonded in this life by a soccer game and the joy it brought us, even in the loss. At least they scored two goals. Not enough, as Germany scored four, but they were glorious goals.
But talk about an upset, tiny Trinidad tied one of Europe's toughest squads, Sweden, and earned itself a point towards advancing. Wow.
Spain, long divided by the separatists terrorists of its Basque region and the regionalists in Catalonia, is united for its time on the World Cup turf. Some young Spanish only recognize the national flag as a symbol for its country's soccer team. But at least, they are united in that.
Portugal faced its former colony of Angola head-to-head in its opening game. But no shots were fired as Portugal captured the victory this time. Australia won its first game over Pacific neighbor, Japan. The Aussies went wild over their first-ever World Cup win.
Now, back in the States, and an ardent Brazil fan, I dragged my husband to a Brazilian restaurant to watch the game with all the Brazilians in the Austin area. There was a samba band, of course. And we won, but just 1-0 over Croatia, so we need to step it up.
Tune in, folks. I promise it will make the news more bearable.
I know, for example that we killed al-Zuquari. Upon finding out, I looked at one of the moms on the trip, one who shares my politics, thank God, and said, "Well, I wonder who will pop up next. You know it is like playing that gopher game with the mallets over there." "Yeah, I know what you mean", she said.
I read that there is already some guy who is supposed to have taken his place at the helm. Meanwhile, we have the developing Haditha massacre, in which seemingly normal, level-headed, moral, god-fearing marines, under the pressure of unrelenting battle and the loss of a beloved comrade seem to have slaughtered innocent civilians, including children. Over here in our hemisphere we had the suicide of three "enemy combatants" who have been held for years with no charges brought against them down in Guantanamo. More good news. I hear the administration feels that it was somehow politically motivated to draw sympathy to the prisoners. I'm sure that being held for years on end with no due process or contact with their families had anything to do with it. Oh well, the "War on Terror" goes on. But never fear, Bush just popped up in Iraq. The new Prime Minister had five minutes warning. Yeah, we trust 'em. Good message.
So, I can't take anymore. Let's just watch the World Cup, people. It is more fun, more therapeutic, more uniting, more festive, more global and more equalizing than anything our whacked out government could ever come up with. It even puts the UN to shame. It rocks! If you are one of those clueless Americans who don't really get it. That's okay. It is a forgiving, inclusive event, so just jump on in. It has been going on for a very long time. We are now in the"finals", but they'll go on until July 9th. You see, each region of the globe only gets so many spots in the "finals", so the qualifying goes on for the year leading up to the "finals", which is a tournament with 32 countries represented. And wow! Look at the countries...the U.S., perennial favorite, Brazil, Italy, Mexico, but also Iran, and little bitty countries like Trinadad and super poor countries like Togo and Paraguay. It is so cool, because unlike the Olympics where we walk in with an army of athletes and some other country has two, all the teams are the same size. They are all playing the same game. They all play with the same equipment--a ball. No super sonic bobsleds for the U.S. and a hand-me-down for the Jamaicans here. No this is as fair as it gets.
The fans are crazy, joyful, partying fools, who have been saving up for the trip since they first found out their team had qualified. They cheer every goal and bemoan every foul in unison--rich or poor, who cares while their team, their country, is on the field.
In Spain, I watched the opening game between power-house, home team, Germany, and tiny far away Costa Rica in a little bar in Toledo, where my Mexican-born friend and I stopped in for some bottled water. The only other people there were the Spanish owner and his Ecuadorian-born bartender. We were united behind the little Spanish-speaking underdogs, knowing that only a miracle could help them, but cheering them nonetheless--bonded in this life by a soccer game and the joy it brought us, even in the loss. At least they scored two goals. Not enough, as Germany scored four, but they were glorious goals.
But talk about an upset, tiny Trinidad tied one of Europe's toughest squads, Sweden, and earned itself a point towards advancing. Wow.
Spain, long divided by the separatists terrorists of its Basque region and the regionalists in Catalonia, is united for its time on the World Cup turf. Some young Spanish only recognize the national flag as a symbol for its country's soccer team. But at least, they are united in that.
Portugal faced its former colony of Angola head-to-head in its opening game. But no shots were fired as Portugal captured the victory this time. Australia won its first game over Pacific neighbor, Japan. The Aussies went wild over their first-ever World Cup win.
Now, back in the States, and an ardent Brazil fan, I dragged my husband to a Brazilian restaurant to watch the game with all the Brazilians in the Austin area. There was a samba band, of course. And we won, but just 1-0 over Croatia, so we need to step it up.
Tune in, folks. I promise it will make the news more bearable.
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