Sporting emotions at the highest pitch:Beyond that, what the hell was happening to me? Why was I starting to get hooked by soccer -- a sport I have never totally liked and even actively hated at times? Was this an extremely early midlife crisis? And if so, why soccer of all things? Couldn't it have been a Porsche or an 18-year-old Starbucks barista? Wait, am I saying that out loud?Read the whole thing on ESPN.com. For an admitted soccer newbie, he is very perceptive about the game - this one in particular and soccer in general.The good news? My trip to Mexico quickly morphed into one of those "I'm going to remember everything that happened 40 years from now."
I was that first group of kids to play youth soccer while the NASL was in operation. I'm about 2 decades ahead of Simmons in my development as a soccer fan. World Cup '94 was my conversion. I was in LA for it. The US beating Columbia and advancing out of group play was astounding. Brazil beat us, and Brazil ended up winning the whole thing, so... that meant we were tied for #2, right?
ReplyDeleteI'll never forget this one happy Brazil fan. I don't know if he went to a single game, but he sure was there riding his hand-painted green/yellow motocross bike with lotsa Brazil flags hanging off all over Pasadena the whole month. He drove it all the way from home, his Brazil home.
Now I'm getting up before the sun's up on Sat. mornings to catch EPL games on the West Coast. Once you're bitten...
Welcome to the brotherhood.
ReplyDeleteWhat team are you rooting for Adam?
While I saw the opening match of Italia90 (Cameroon/Argentina) it was USA94 that hooked me. Then living in DC -- DCUnited, internationals at RFK and FedEx Field, and lots of new friends who played and followed the sport.
ReplyDeleteThat was a really enjoyable article that I probably wouldn't have stumbled upon, so thanks. Although I would have to disagree with him on one thing, I thought Steevie actually had a pretty poorish game.
ReplyDeleteTimbers first but Sunderland in the EPL, Gawd help me.
ReplyDeleteTheir fans are legends, but they were even legends all over the PacNW when the club did a N. Amer. tour right before that wretched 15 point season a couple years ago. That's loyalty. Their fans stole a lot of hearts around here.
@Joe Ketley, that was Neal's first thought too and I would agree. On any other day that would likely have been the case, but not Sunday. I think Simmons didn't want to give up his point so he 'cheated'.
ReplyDeleteHaha re: "Cheated" Exactly what I thought!
ReplyDelete