i'm happy that maximum favorite writer took the time to consider the merits of tennis and soccer, with a little history lesson, to boot. i went into this year's WC with real zeal. i loved isolated moments from previous cups (that i can't specifically remember. but the games in south korea provided spirited company through a very discouraging insomnia) and most of my friends picked up the rallying cry for all different teams (plus the US), which made for fun "social networking". hell, i was even reading football blogs.
but whereas this year's wimbledon tournament has made me love tennis ten times more, this world cup has made less interested in football, by half.
you know you're cooked when the vuvuzelas all of a sudden became the least annoying thing about the games. between the flopping, the blindness (corruption?) of the refs, the refusal to embrace technology, and the drama-mamas, i was done. i told my friend teresa that i could never be truly invested in a sport like that--the cheapness of it, the injustice of it would make my head pop off.
i want to be uplifted by sports, not perpetually outraged. i'll have it on, of course, in case i get lucky like i did last friday, when i switched the PIP just in time to see landon donovan score, in OT. i have no doubt that these guys are spectacular athletes, they way they dance over and around the ball--when you can get a good camera angle, their skill can drop your jaw. during one game yesterday, there was a close-up shot of a portuguese player, below the knees--weight on his left leg, he quick-wrapped his right leg behind it and kicked the ball, and it was all right there, strength, force, balance, creativity, surprise--he apparently almost scored with that move. but the long views of the field aren't doing the "new" fans any favors. this game would benefit from technology that would allow a fan pick one player and follow him alone--almost like PIP. (or a video game.) i'll keep watching the pre-game/primetime reviews (next time 'round, can we tennis fans swap out hannah storm for mike tirico?)
and i'll be hopeful to see something in upcoming games to change my mind...
***
the photos are spectacular, i'll keep up with them for sure (via boston.com)
REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi
this reminds me of my parents, who confessed during the last WC that they had a hard time discerning the japanese team from one of the european squads because both teams had so many blondes.
REUTERS/Toru Hanai
JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
