From the mediocrity of Cowboy athletics, all the way to the national scene, in my time as a self-proclaimed college-level sports columnist, I have hovered over the mainstream sports for the most part.
If for some inexplicable reason you happened to slip and fall face first onto the opinion page of the Wednesday edition of The Branding Iron, perhaps you realized some common themes in the writing you saw there. The Yankees, Tar Heels, Red Sox and Patriots are bad. The Wyoming Cowboys are a team worth watching, but sometimes need to be told exactly what they are doing wrong. And, of course, Brett Favre is a cool dude.
Also, deeply embedded in my ramblings, you may have realized I believe there is not much room for politics in sports, and if there were, its name would most certainly not be Obama. Obama bashing aside, I realize this is a somewhat naive way of thinking.
Sports are definitely a breeding ground for opinion and disagreement. A prime example: the 2010 World Cup this summer. An event with perhaps the most passionate following and with the most potential for violence, the 2010 World Cup, begins on June 12 in South Africa.
Some stubborn American sports fans still refuse to accept soccer as a sport. Who cares if you can’t use your hands and there’s a little bit of whining. If you don’t do anything else this summer, watch the World Cup.
Maybe Americans are still upset that foreigners still try to steal the name “futbol,” the name of America’s highest grossing sport.
Call it what you want, but believe me, it’s worth watching. If it means anything, and maybe it should, ESPN has jumped onto the bandwagon and is on for the ride as they plan to show every game of the 32-country tournament in spectacular HD on ESPN and ESPN2.
You may have heard David Beckham is hurt and out for the World Cup, but this is the type of thing that ESPN would over-cover, because his wife is a rather good looking human being who used to sing in some goofy pop band. Though he may be just as pretty, he is an aging soccer player whose leadership will be missed on a talented, but shaky and young English team. England will not suffer too much without him. When a world-class soccer player comes to Los Angeles to play in the MLS, and he doesn’t dominate, it’s easy to tell he is past his prime.
What you should pay attention to is the fact that England is beatable. This matters because the U.S., the country most of us are from, is in a group with England, Slovenia and Algeria this year. Instead of watching Beckham gossip, pay attention to American players like Charlie Davies, Josey Altidore and Clint Dempsey. Also, there are players like Lionel Messi, Christiano Ronaldo and Kaka that are downright exciting to watch.
It’s a little like if the Super Bowl lasted a whole month and involved teams from all around the world. Even if you don’t care, it’s easy to tell that someone does.
According to the Associated Press, there are only 4 percent of the 2.8 million tickets that remain unsold. This is no surprise, packed stadiums of European soccer games are shown sporadically on American television.
I can only tell you so much. It comes down to just watching some of it and deciding for yourself. Back in February when the U.S. hockey team played Canada for Olympic gold, I watched my first full hockey game. I’ve never been much of a hockey fan, but that game was amazing, because I’m an American. Sappy patriotism aside, just watch some soccer. I promise your friends won’t make fun of you too much.
the author.