The World Cup is over. Unlike the masses of Americans who spent the last month pretending to give a damn about a sport they never watch I'll go ahead and admit it, I'm glad. I'm glad the World Cup is over because I don't like soccer, and let's be honest, most likely, neither do you. I'm tired of turning on Sportscenter and seeing highlights. I'm tired of hearing fake fans talk about the games as if they have any idea what was happening on the pitch. The fact is, no matter how much you pretended, you honestly just don't care about soccer. Now I understand there are some real live soccer fans out there and this article isn't for you. This article is for the seemingly millions of sheep who will watch, and pretend to care about whatever event the media shoves down their throat as "the most important thing right now."
Excuse me for my anger or frustration, but I just don't get it. America suffers from this bizarre phenomenon. For whatever reason, every four years, thousands if not millions of us decide to pretend to give a damn about things we just do not. Whether it's presidential politics, the Olympics or the World Cup, Americans find the need to jump on whatever bandwagon is plopped down on the screen in front of them.
Be honest, when I say the 2010 World Cup, what's the first thing that comes to mind? If it's that foolish horn the vuvuzela then you probably just aren't much of a soccer fan. It's fine, the vuvuzela was far and away the biggest story of the 2010 World Cup here in America. And why not, it's not as if we actually understand or give a damn about the game. We don't. I'd be willing to bet in those countries around the world where soccer is big business, the vuvuzela, while mentioned, was not talked about more than the games on the pitch. Because those countries love the games, they weren't forced to manufacture stories about it, by resorting to talking again and again about a horn.
This article appears in Jul 8-14, 2010.