"Hockey on grass without the action or physicality". June of 2010, this was my blanket assessment of the game of soccer (as we all it in the States). It's a sentiment many of us have of the game that has just never been able to break into the realm of NFL, MLB, NBA or NHL here in America. It was with the cynical attitude that I decided to look in on the 2010 South Africa games to see what all the fuss was about. I chose Germany as my team (not yet realizing their elite standing in the world game) because I speak a bit of German, have ancestral ties and thought it would be a bit cliche to jump on team USA. I watched the qualifying games with a tempered interest, cheered for goals and got into things a bit. I liked that there were no commercials or breaks and that the 90 minutes went by quickly. I got pretty worked up for the Germany/England match as I know a few fans of England and the English Premiere League who laid some smack taking on this newbie fan. A 4-1 German win provided me with a fun afternoon of television and a chance to engage some other fans for the first time. Then July 4th weekend happened:
I made the 4hr drive west to Pittsburgh to spend the weekend with some friends who lived outside of the city. I had mentioned to them how into this whole World Cup thing I was getting and they mentioned the local Hoffbrauhaus hosted watch parties and that they'd be showing the Germany/Argentina quarter final while I was there. I was dying to hit the Hoffbrauhaus anyway so this was two birds and one stone. Little did I know, this was they day I was going to become a fussball fan. I strolled in wearing my Miroslav Klose jersey to find a sea of jerseys, flags and atmosphere. Strangers sitting together at huge tables sharing food, bier and pre match strategy. Over the course of watching a 4-1 German victory and downing four liters of German bier, I watched the people and decided I want in on this! I watched them as much as I watched the game....they understood the nuisances of the game and reacted in ways you'd only see during a college football rivalry game or an NHL or MLB game 7. I was like a kid watching that game, cheering, but I wasn't always sure why, booing, but I wasn't sure why.....but I was having a blast. I was hugging and drinking with complete strangers, screaming in German and joining in on soccer chants.
It was after the 2010 World Cup and 3rd place finish that I decided I hadn't had enough. There were a few players that I had attached myself to (Mueller, Schweinsteiger, Lahm) so I decided to look up the Bundesliga to see who some of these guys played for. As luck would have it, they're all Bayern Munich guys! I discovered a way to stream the games from Germany, it's perfect.....they play at 9:30am est on Saturday mornings. Games are over before college football starts and the feeds are in German so I can practice listening to the language....a win, win, win. Over the last four seasons I've watched as many Bayern matches as possible. I've watched them under achieve in my first season as a fan, I watched them lose a Champions League final on penalties to Chelsea and watched them take the treble in 2013. I'm very partial to the Bundesliga, getting to know the players and teams, the German style of play and it's led me to be an avid fan of the National German team. I'd have to say I'm hooked and I'm a fan for life!
I had to write this piece today.....Germany plays Brazil in the 2014 semi final at 4pm and I want to make sure I'm still in a good frame of mind before writing. In spite of Silva and Neymar not being on the pitch, I subscribe to the idea that "nobody will beat Brazil in Brazil until someone beats Brazil in Brazil". Not saying it won't happen today but these guys seem to play with a horseshoe up their asses in front of their home country, so I'll be watching with tempered expectations and the hopes my boys can come out and shock the hosts. After a 3rd place finish in '10, I am geared up to raise the trophy for the first time in 24 years. Anything less will have me in a bad mood for a while. I needed this piece to be written from the happiest place possible and that's where I am writing from. Six and a half hours till match time, cold bier and food on the ready and a head full of anticipation. So until then, as we stay in the States: Ich glaube, wir werden heute gewinnen!
......And just in case you didn't see the game, Germany won 7-1 and Klose set the all time goals scored record in the World Cup.
