Born in the USA
World Cup 2006: Wandering Europe
SNAPSHOTS:
1. Paris et Les Invalides
2. Zidane, Ribery, et le Trocadero at Midnight
3. Aller a Strasbourg
4. The Autobahn and the Art of Happiness
5. What Happened in Berlin
6. My Birthday: Berlin in Summer
7. Back in the Thick of It: Ghana v USA
8. Sam's Army, Cognitive Dissonance, and Facepaint
10. "USA!" he yelled. "USA!"
11. And our best player left the field on a stretcher.
12. We watched happily as the scores of passing Ghanai...
 Star Spangled Banner |
Of course much of me would prefer the Ghanas and Ecuadors and Irans of the world to win. The victims of imperialism instead of its perpetrators. It's the World Cup, the world's biggest event, and one wonders if someday we'll be able to share the glory. But those thoughts are for the other parts of my life, the other parts of my heart and mind. This is the sport I've played since I could barely walk, and I know all of the American players by name and by face.
Sam's Army does not sit. There was to be no contact between pants and seat in this section. Elsewhere, the stadium was full, seated, and nearly as passionate. The energy was at crescendo. Thousands of the attendees were like the two of us - not ostentatious supporters of either team; but of those making their allegiances known, American fans outnumbered the Ghanaians and their colorful dancing, drumming, and trumpet-playing.