Well, Darn. Germany lost, but what a game! Both teams were really good, but Italy was always closer with their attempts at a goal. It finally paid off for them in the last 4 minutes of the 2nd half of over time. I can’t imaging playing for 120 minutes with that intensity. So. Last night’s final score 0:2 Italy. I think this game should have been the final, but you never know how the other two teams will fair. Germany will play later in the week for the 3rd place position. So let the ‘European’ World Cup roll on. Go France!

[Edit] My take on ‘Soccer’ (for the sake of USA-icans):
This is a sport I would most prefer to view live and take part in the ‘Mexican’ wave. No. 2 choice: would be among a large group of people in front of the tube and take advantage of the added benefit of watching up close the player’s hairstyles and facial expressions (a downside for American football). Sitting at home and watching a game also has its advantages (e.g. shouting unbecoming profanities and minimal clothing) but it also has its distractions (for the same reasons).

Now that I’ve been introduced to world soccer I find that I really enjoy it. The simultaneous rivalry and friendliness (with some exceptions) between the countries ought to be implement in other world relations. Viewing the respect from teams like Ghana who were just happy to qualify while ending their streak against Brazil gave nations a further glimps that influences are continuing to expand between continents. Africa will be more involved in coming years. Watching how other countries celebrate, singing the same soccer melodies but with different words, different languages, you can’t compare that kind of connectivity.

I know it’s easy to say the U.S. doesn’t have a team that represents the American way, a.k.a. Winning, so why bother. Hey, in the World Cup, winning the game for me was secondary to gaining more knowledge about our neighbors. I can recognize far more world flags than I could a month ago. I didn’t even know what Pelé, or Edson Arantes do Nascimento, looked like before the WC. Yeah, the living legend in world sports, and I was in the dark.

American TV networks may cover other world events, like the Olympics, but show only the U.S. teams with such fervor. Yet, the USA winning the World Cup isn’t going to pique the interest of NBC, ABC, or Fox networks for more than 5 minutes. Making this event a reality for more Americans has to come from the citizens themselves. It should be ‘American’ to have a genuine interest in a world event that happens only 1 time every four years and demand to know a little something about our neighboring countries both near and far.

What’s the harm in asking the barkeeper you want to watch the game with your friends while wearing jerseys either from South Korea, Mexico, or the Ivory Coast? That should be the way to perpetuate freedom. Exchange an apple pie with your trinidadian or angolian fellow human.