Anyone who has spent 5 minutes in my presence over the past week and a half, followed me on facebook, or who knows the slightest bit about me, really, can affirm that the World Cup has taken possession of me completely. It's a good thing the Weltmeisterschaft only happens every 4 years, because we're talking dangerous levels of enthusiasm here. I pore over my bracket. I read match analyses in every minute of my spare time. I have soccer anxiety nightmares. And, of course, I live for the minutes spent glued to the TV - or, in less fortunate circumstances, the computer or the phone - when I can glut myself on the irresistible action, the waxing and waning of each team's stardom, the scandal, the gossip, the glory. It goes without saying that all this enthusiasm is multiplied by infinity when it's Germany that's on the screen.
Having blessedly been in Europe during the 2006 World Cup and the 2008 European Championship, I've really missed the evolution of the American soccer scene. Whether because the sport really has become more popular or because I live in New York, city of both soccer-crazed immigrants and wannabe-cosmopolitan yuppies who think following football is cutting edge (or perhaps both?) I can't say exactly, but it is gloriously apparent that the beautiful game has finally made it big in the US of A. And, while I still can't really bring myself to root for the US national team (though I will sheepishly admit that they're starting to gain my favor - now that they're not playing Germany in the round of 16!), I couldn't be happier about this transformation.
I could rhapsodize on and on for pages about how I think soccer has incredible potential to bring people together, especially in countries that have been through collective ordeals and need to rally around something, but I'll spare you that bit of soapboxery. Suffice it to say that soccer has finally become the talking point I've always wanted it to be, especially (and somewhat surprisingly) in the port. Soccer allegiances in New York City (and Newark) are particularly fascinating, because so many people here come from countries that never qualify for the World Cup, or that didn't this time. In the past week, I have had people from Egypt, Colombia, and the Philippines tell me that they're rooting for Germany, and people constantly surprise me when I ask them who they support. What's even more fascinating is the ability of a televised match in our seafarers' lounge to bring together anyone who happens to be in the building (which almost always includes me...) for speculation, gossip, and commiseration, even if only for a few minutes. At first I felt guilty for being a slacker and watching the matches at work (in my defense, I always make sure my ship-visiting is done first...), but then I realized that bonding with seafarers, truckers, and port workers over who can kick a soccer ball best is just a different face of chaplaincy. Which is cool. Really cool.
That said, I'm anything but an effective chaplain when the Mutterland's future is at stake. The poor Russian seamen who were trying to use the internet while the Germany-Ghana match was on this afternoon doubtless thought they were in the room with a complete lunatic. It certainly doesn't help that I've been exposed to Spanish match commentary (for some reason, we don't get ESPN and thus must resort to Univision), which means that my incoherent, trilingual rantings and ravings at the television have become quatri-lingual - to everyone's confusion, most especially my own. They snorted shamelessly when I shrieked at Özil's goal and giggled like schoolgirls each of the (many) times I swore. Anyone who tried to talk to me got waved away with a "for heaven's sake, NOT NOW!" and I may or may not have lied outright to shoo away a seafarer who wanted me to activate his sim card (during a match!? you've got to be kidding!!). But, I mean...everyone has their little obsessions, right?
Okay, I'm done rambling - at least for now :) It's just that I try to blog about what's on my mind to keep things as authentic as possible, and I'd be giving you a pretty damn skewed vision of what life has been like if I didn't at least mention soccer. So - let the games continue! And, more importantly:
LOS GEHT'S, DEUTSCHLAND!!!
"...but then I realized that bonding with seafarers, truckers, and port workers over who can kick a soccer ball best is just a different face of chaplaincy." Agreed.
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