Gol!
I have just finished watching Spain's first match of the World Cup against Ukraine. I am usually oblivious to sports in general, and have always felt like an outsider to the sports mania in the U.S. For some mysterious reason, though, something about soccer in Spain kind of interests me. I've been talking about the World Cup with my students at the business where I give English classes, and it's fun to hear their input and explanations on Spain in relation to other teams. The U.S. played their first World Cup match a couple of days ago and suffered what had been the worst defeat so far against the Czech Republic (0-3). The U.S. is not known for its soccer.
Anyway, I watched Spain's first match today, and they totally kicked Ukraine's ass, and it was really exciting to watch and to hear the cheers from everyone nearby. When I was on my way home from work earlier, just after the match started, all the bars in my neighborhood were full of people glued to the screens. My students today informed me that they would need to leave class 20 minutes early so that they could go meet their friends at a pub to watch the game. I told them that I supposed it was a valid reason, since the World Cup only happens once every 4 years.
The television kept showing thousands of Spaniards gathered in Plaza de Colon here in Madrid down in the lower left corner of the screen, and every time there was a goal or a good play, the crowd went crazy. It reminds me of when I was growing up in Lincoln, Nebraska, on the days that the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team played at home. The entire town was transformed into a sea of red (Go Big Red!), and the cheers of the tens of thousands of spectators in Memorial stadium could be heard from miles away. Strange how I always felt completely isolated and put out by this, but I somehow feel connected to the Spanish soccer teams attempt at a World Cup title. Something about my being American makes it OK for me to act completely clueless, and the Spaniards are happy to fill me in.
I also get a really different impression about sports from the Spaniards. If you're not into soccer, they understand that you're not into soccer. Maybe you like tennis or Formula 1 racing, or maybe you don't like any of it. I get this attitude from guys in the U.S. that if you don't like sports that you're a nerd or a sissy or a freak. I think it may have something to do with the way that American boys are raised to be really competitive and always trying to out-do each other. Like my friend Shaun said, in the U.S., you're either a winner or a loser. In Spain, if you come in second, you're still a winner, just the second place winner. Interesting...
I have just finished watching Spain's first match of the World Cup against Ukraine. I am usually oblivious to sports in general, and have always felt like an outsider to the sports mania in the U.S. For some mysterious reason, though, something about soccer in Spain kind of interests me. I've been talking about the World Cup with my students at the business where I give English classes, and it's fun to hear their input and explanations on Spain in relation to other teams. The U.S. played their first World Cup match a couple of days ago and suffered what had been the worst defeat so far against the Czech Republic (0-3). The U.S. is not known for its soccer.
Anyway, I watched Spain's first match today, and they totally kicked Ukraine's ass, and it was really exciting to watch and to hear the cheers from everyone nearby. When I was on my way home from work earlier, just after the match started, all the bars in my neighborhood were full of people glued to the screens. My students today informed me that they would need to leave class 20 minutes early so that they could go meet their friends at a pub to watch the game. I told them that I supposed it was a valid reason, since the World Cup only happens once every 4 years.
The television kept showing thousands of Spaniards gathered in Plaza de Colon here in Madrid down in the lower left corner of the screen, and every time there was a goal or a good play, the crowd went crazy. It reminds me of when I was growing up in Lincoln, Nebraska, on the days that the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team played at home. The entire town was transformed into a sea of red (Go Big Red!), and the cheers of the tens of thousands of spectators in Memorial stadium could be heard from miles away. Strange how I always felt completely isolated and put out by this, but I somehow feel connected to the Spanish soccer teams attempt at a World Cup title. Something about my being American makes it OK for me to act completely clueless, and the Spaniards are happy to fill me in.
I also get a really different impression about sports from the Spaniards. If you're not into soccer, they understand that you're not into soccer. Maybe you like tennis or Formula 1 racing, or maybe you don't like any of it. I get this attitude from guys in the U.S. that if you don't like sports that you're a nerd or a sissy or a freak. I think it may have something to do with the way that American boys are raised to be really competitive and always trying to out-do each other. Like my friend Shaun said, in the U.S., you're either a winner or a loser. In Spain, if you come in second, you're still a winner, just the second place winner. Interesting...
posted by Chromest*r at 4:55 PM
1 Comments:
Viva Espana! The games are pretty exciting out here in the States too, I only wish the times of the games were more geared to my 9-5 schedule. Alas, I have to check into the Fifa site and catch up on everything I missed over the weekend. Get ready for some even more crazy games to come. Viva el soccer!
ps - we miss you out here!
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