A Football Epic

The World Cup has had some highs and some real lows. The quarter-final match between Ghana and Uruguay was heart-wrenching drama the likes of which I have not felt since the Colts lost to the Steelers in 2006. I sometimes think that I'm not as into sports as I once was, and then a game comes along to remind me of the incredible array of emotions that can unexpectedly fall upon a person in less than 3 hours.



It is truly tragic that this years World Cup has been so tainted by "injustices", some of which could have been eliminated if the beureucrats had seen fit to allow video replay of some form or another. I don't think they need to do much. Just replays for goal-line situations and events directly effecting a goal.

That said, as a relative neutral to this game (albeit one whose heart had been won by Ghana early in the tournament) I have to say it was as epic as they come.

I love the World Cup. I like that I can measure my life by it. I can vaguely remember the hype of USA 94, and played my first soccer that year. Four years later my camp-counselor nick-name was "FIFA" during the lead up to the French victory of '98. I was engaged to my wife a few weeks later. We watched the Brazil victory of 2002 in the wee hours of the morning on a black and white television plugged in outside a campsite washroom with friends. And in 2006 it was with family and friends and our first two sons in the living room at my in-laws, watching the Zidane shocker and Italian glory. This year in the UK, feeling the palpable tension of the England build up and inevitable let down. My sons now as emotionally invested as I am! Its been quite a ride already. How will it end this time?

I was beginning to think that I might cheer for Uruguay, but this incident has soured those prospects I'm afraid. I had come in cheering for Spain and England, but Torres not being in form has dampered my enthusiasm. I guess at this point I'm hoping for a Spain Holland final. Both these teams have knocked on the door for years, I think it would be cool to see one win it. That said, you have to admire this young German squad and you hope to see their style of play get contagious. It should be a good finale.