New #28: Watch the World Cup

This was one new I shared with the rest of America: watching (and caring about) a pro soccer game. Yes, I jumped on the bandwagon rolling along with the black and white ball during this year's World Cup.

Without a TV, I'd mostly followed games in the news, hearing about them after they'd been played. It wasn't until it came down to last one that I knew I had to watch it live. Not only because it was the finale, but because the Dutch, my people, my motherland, had made it to the finals. So maybe they didn't win, but I had a great time cheering them on and getting a taste of the sport the rest of the world just can't seem to get enough of.

Ben and I went to watch the game at a local sports bar, where even on the Sunday afternoon it was filled with people in orange and blue, the Netherlands and Spain's colors. Coming in at half time (or whatever they call it in soccer), we were lucky to find a seat. I ordered a Heineken, adjusted my ears to the ringing vuvuzela and began to watch the game.

Just in case you're not sure what a TV or a soccer game look like,
I took this picture.

It didn't take me long to fall in love with the over-the-top theatrics of the game. These guys are drama! Every few seconds one of the players would flamboyantly fall to the ground as if someone had just taken a bat to their leg. In reality, they were just trying to flag that yellowcard for a penalty shot (if I'm getting my soccer lingo correct). It was so obvious it was all an act, one case in point being when a Spaniard fell to the ground grasping his shin, only to spring up like a young gazel seconds later to run after and shove the guy who allegedly kicked him. Too classic. Ben thought they were all wussy cry babies, but I appreciated their efforts in acting hurt. It was all very European.

I also thoroughly enjoyed slow motion clips. The best were the ones that came after the guys tried to head butt the ball. It's hard to even describe the faces they'd make, but more times than not they resembled a baby seal being born. That was my interpretation, at least. See for yourself with this slo mo montage.

Even without either team scoring until the last few minutes, the game moved along so fast, with the ball continuously bouncing up and down the field. And the players kept giving it their all for 90 minutes straight - even all 123 minutes, in this case. In the end, the one and only goal was made by Spain. But I'm still proud of the Dutch for getting so far and playing such an great game. And no matter which team wins, I'm always a sucker for how happy the victors get, especially with the misty eyes.

All in all, any sport that mixes this much athletics with acting - not to mention marvelous slow motion clips - is a great sport to me ... although I'm sure I'll forget that until the next World Cup. Hey it's a start, America.

Cheers to soccer!