As I write this it’s been twelve
hours since Landon Donovan scored the stoppage time stunner. It’s been twelve
hours since the USMNT finally busted down the door they’d been knocking on all
game against Algeria. It’s been twelve hours and I am sitting here watching the
replay of the game on ESPN while simultaneously searching the internet for
videos of fans reacting to the goal.
Remember when the Phillies won
the World Series and you couldn’t stop jumping from website to website to read
all of the coverage? How many times in the ensuing days did you watch and
re-watch the video of Harry calling the final out as Wheels silently freaked
out next to him? Did you ever get tired of watching the videos fans posted to
YouTube of their reactions to Brad Lidge striking out Eric Hinske for the final
out? Yeah, my reaction to the US win has been the exact same.
Obviously, I realize the Phillies
winning the World Series and the USMNT winning Group C are not exactly analogous.
However, as a fan of both sports I can say without hesitation that both
victories were monumental and a long time coming.
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The fascinating thing for me has
been the way I’ve reacted to the win. Minutes after Donovan slotted home the
game winner I turned to my friend and said that the only thing the game was
missing was a monumental hometown announcer call of the goal similar to the
ones I grew up with from Harry Kalas, Gene Hart, and Merrill Reese. Think about
it, whenever you hear a replay of Harry saying “Swing and miss, struck him out,
the Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball”, it takes you
back to the emotions you felt, the people you were with, and where you were
when they won the World Series.
By watching all of the reactions
to Donovan’s goal on YouTube I’ve been able to relive the moment over and over.
Yesterday, there was no outlet to celebrate like there was on Broad Street
after the Phils won. People did not spill out onto Frankford and Cottman after
the US advanced. However, the continuing coverage and the videos help fill the
need for that shared experience.
At the end of the day sharing
experiences like that is what makes watching sports so much fun. The texts,
emails, tweets, live chats, parties, pubs, and going to games are ways in which
we connect with each other and enjoy sports. Why do you play fantasy football?
So you can send harassing emails to friends and break stones at the draft –
that’s why. It’s a shared experience. Having a vested interest in a team participating
in the World Cup is no different. Well, it’s a tad more gut wrenching, but
still. At the end of the day I think we can all agree that we want our national
team to do well, regardless of the sport. The drama provided by the World Cup
is right up there with the Game 7’s, clinching games, and must-win’s you’ve
watched.
Now, I am not a soccer proselytizer.
I have zero interest in converting those who aren’t fans. If you enjoy the
sport – great. If not, that’s fine too. But if you are looking for something to
share and experience with friends and strangers alike then I cannot more highly
recommend the passion and emotional roller coaster provided by the knockout
phase of World Cup soccer. This is not group play where teams play
conservatively and do not want to concede goals. Pure and simple this is win or
go home.
News
The US/Ghana game is at 2:30PM(ABC)
on Saturday. The US game should end soon after the scheduled 4PM Phils/Blue Jays
game begins. If you’re visiting this website you are a sports fan. If you are a
sports fan then you should watch this game. The US/Algeria game provided one of
those I’ll-never-forget-where-I-was-for-it moments. Who knows, Saturday may
provide another.