Monday, July 13, 1998
World Cup brings new appreciation for popular sport to humble
expert
COLUMN: Complex strategies, athletically talented players
compensate for low scoring
I am an avid sports fan. Since I can remember, I have used every
bit of free brain space to accumulate more sports knowledge,
tidbits, facts and statistics. I assumed that this made me a sports
expert.
I was wrong.
When the World Cup began a few weeks ago, like most Americans, I
paid little notice. Sure, my patriotic side wanted the U.S. to have
a good showing, but quite frankly, if it wasn’t baseball,
basketball, football or hockey, I did not care.
I had always approached soccer with the attitude of, "If a 2-0
game is a blowout, how exciting could the sport be?"
Many people whom I encountered, including friends, coworkers and
family, were entrenched in the World Cup. It was a passion. I came
across people whom I never thought to be sports fans that would go
as far as taking a day off work to watch their team play in the
World Cup.
I merely brushed these people off as psychos. I could not
imagine myself calling in sick to work to watch the Dodgers play a
"qualifying" game. I mean, I bleed Dodger blue, but what difference
does it make if I can just check out the highlights on
"SportsCenter" when I get home?
For the next two weeks, I went about my merry way, alienating
all soccer fans that I came across with comments such as, "So you
find those 1-0 games exciting, huh? Maybe you should watch some
paint dry."
Then it hit me with more impact than a bicycle kick.
I had the day off, and I was obligated to update my friend (one
of the few soccer fans I still had ties with) with the score of the
France-Croatia Semifinal match, because he was working and had used
up his sick days in the previous rounds. I planned on checking ESPN
periodically and getting back to him every fifteen minutes or so
with the score, if there was one.
The first half went just as I planned: no scoring and no
excitement. But then again, I didn’t watch it.
As soon as the second half began, Croatia scored a goal. "Wow,"
I thought to myself, "I was lucky enough to be watching at the
exact moment the only goal was scored."
To my surprise, France answered back with a goal within thirty
seconds. It was pretty exciting.
I called my friend with the news and proceeded to sit back
diligently in front of the television, which was still tuned to the
game. Before I knew it, I was hooked. I was yelling like it was
Game Seven of the World Series. (Why is it called the World Series
anyway? There are only two countries represented in Major League
Baseball.)
Why the quick change in opinion? I was amazed at the pace of
this game. I was in awe of the athleticism and stamina these
players were blessed with. I was captivated by the strategy that I
had paid no attention to previously. I was finally viewing soccer
with an open mind.
I realized that scoring is not the only factor in making a sport
exciting. (Has anybody ever watched the Arena Football League?) I
was appreciating the sport as an art form, or at least a different
type of game than I was used to.
On top of it all, I realized why people around the world were so
mesmerized. The World Cup is the national teams from 32 countries
around the world gathering to compete in the world’s most popular
sport in order to crown a single champion.
It wasn’t just the teams that people were supporting; it was
whole nations. There is much more at stake in these games than in
Game Seven of the World Series or even the Super Bowl.
This epiphany was very humbling. I was not the sports expert or
guru that I claimed to be. If I lacked basic knowledge about the
sport that rules the world, what kind of sports maven does that
make me?
The World Cup has been a learning experience for yours truly.
The next time somebody quips that soccer is not exciting, it is
blatantly obvious that they have never watched a game. The next
time somebody tells me to watch a sport I think that I do not like,
I will do so with an open mind.
The World Cup has captured at least one more fan, and I only
regret that I did not tune in sooner.
Lovett is a fourth-year student and assistant sports editor.
Comments and questions may be sent to [email protected].
Evan Lovett