…I smell the blood of Englishman. Most of us recall the words from the children’s
tale, “Jack in the Beanstalk.” In World
Cup action today, perhaps that was the tune running through the minds of the Uruguay
futball (soccer) players, and their fans.
If anything it seems that this World Cup is, so far, different from
those in the recent past. A few examples
of this come to mind. First, 60 goals
have been scored in the first 20 games this year compared to 38 four years
ago. The next closest total in the past
five tournaments was in 2002 when 51 were scored. Perhaps futball is taking a page from
American football and utilizing the soccer version of the spread offense. I do
not want to take anything away from Uruguay, nor do I know much about soccer,
but when you have that increase in offensive production and power house England
losing to a team from South America, it may be near home-field advantage, or
the strategy used, but to me it was a remarkable outcome. Lou Holtz once said that the spread offense
has the ability to make a team not near as talented compete with a more talented
team—it levels the playing field.
Perhaps some similar soccer strategy works the same way. I am sure the soccer aficionados that read
this post may be able to enlighten me. Second,
through the first 20 games six teams who scored the first goal have gone on to
lose. Of the past five such tournaments,
two was the next highest. Finally, the
Iberian Peninsula, often a powerhouse, is reeling with defending world champion
Spain having been eliminated in the early going, and Portugal, with one of the
greatest players in the world, licking their wounds after having lost to the
Germans 4 – 0. Perhaps they will gain some redemption against the US on Sunday,
but yet the fans on that European appendage cannot be feeling good about
themselves—just like the fans of the island nation off the west coast of
France. Let us just hope there are no
riots today in England.
While Uruguay smelled the blood of an Englishman, the tale
in the United States is a rather different story, …fe-fi-fo-fum, I smell the
blood of German mum. The US not only has
a German born coach who is married to an American, but he has recruited heavily
from Germany finding five German-American’s, (are they known in Germany as
American-Germans?) who have strong ties
to Germany to play for the US squad. All
have German mothers, and American fathers, with the father at one point worked
in Germany, often in the military. I believe
“Sports Illustrated” has noted that in all but one case the father was
essentially out of the picture and they were raised substantially in Germany by
their mother. If they were born in the
US perhaps they would be playing football, or baseball, or basketball, but
growing up in Germany they became a cog in the great German soccer machine. One cannot think of Germany but in any other
way than a machine. When people talk of
love, they may refer to Italy or France, but seldom Germany. Three of the Germans, SI notes, made
significant contributions to the US victory over Ghana.
I am sure many gifted athletes in the US could play soccer,
but at this point it is a second rung sport.
Demographics may change that as the US becomes more “brown” due to immigration and the higher birth rates of Latino Americans. They too love the sport of soccer, although
they do not seem to have a strong presence on the American squad, someday that
may change. The US does need to develop
more local talent, but for now it has a heavy reliance on those with joint
heritage. And, yes because they have a
father who is a citizen of the US they too are a US citizen. Are they really Americans from a cultural
sense is a different matter. Although we
know the US is like a stew—part melting pot, but part where cultures maintain
aspects of their heritage (like potatoes and carrots in a stew). It is one generally unique aspect of the
United States, and one to be treasured not avoided. Most all of us are products of immigration.
Perhaps the best thing about the World Cup, was expressed by
a sibling, who with his family is enjoying some time in Brazil enjoying three
World Cup games. It is the ability to
mix with, enjoy and feel the benefits of the people with different heritages who
came to cheer on their team, and who bring a zest to doing so. I am sure my brother, his wife and two
daughters are being the good Americans that people from other cultures can
enjoy as well. I can attest to what he
means as just over a year ago on a pilgrimage to Israel, Palestine and Jordan,
also present there was a unique sense of pilgrims from a variety of cultures all
their for the same purpose; yes it is similar to the World Cup—a group of
people from different cultures there for a specific purpose. The world is seeing much strife, but this
seems to be common through world history, yet small events can draw the world
together, this is hoping the World Cup accomplishes more than producing a
winning team and that a greater world good leaves in the hearts of the
participants. Although if you are a fan
of Spain, you will have to dig awfully deep.
Note: All images from Google images
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