World Cup Brings Out Passion and Patriotism
MIDDLETOWN - Every four years for a few weeks during June and July, we get the privilege to witness the greatest global sports tournament on the planet called the World Cup. Yes, while so many Americans have an unabashed disdain of soccer, the world, along with many of my fellow Americans, tune in and pay close attention because of our passion for the game.

       Every quadrennial, the greatest soccer players in the world adorn their national colors and play what has been dubbed â€"the beautiful game” for national pride. In 2014, Brazil has played host to the tournament and so far the games have been remarkable, with some of the finest athletes displaying incomprehensible fitness, skill and technique that puts baseball players to shame. Try running for 90 plus minutes, often times covering between six to eight miles of distance, in the Amazonian heat of Brazil and then come talk to me about who are some of the greatest athletes in the world.

       I am biased, of course, as I am a youth soccer coach and played the game growing up as a child in Connecticut all the way through high school. The sport in America has clearly grown in popularity, yet the old guard of traditionalist football and baseball fans continue to obstruct and bash the growth of the game through ignorance, disinformation and, in many cases, ridicule. The common knocks I hear from the naysayers are the same tired old mantras, such as â€"there is not enough scoring,” or â€"the game always ends in a tie.”

       Yes, I concede, many soccer matches end up in low scoring affairs, but the purist who understands the game knows just how difficult it can be to put the ball into the back of the net without the use of one’s hands. I am amazed how a player of the caliber of Lionel Messi can dribble the ball 40 yards at full speed with opponents all over him and kick a ball with pinpoint accuracy and power into the back of the net past a goalkeeper who can use his hands. Simply amazing!

       In full disclosure, one area of the sport I disdain is the flopping around after a hard challenge in order to waste time or the blatant â€"diving” that occurs in the hopes of drawing a foul. The game has no place for that unsportsmanlike behavior. Another blemish to the game that FIFA is trying to outlaw is the hooliganism in the stands in Europe and South America and the even uglier racism by a vocal minority of fans in countries like Italy and Spain. This despicable fan conduct is being dealt with, yet many clubs have had trouble completely eradicating this vulgar behavior.

       So, getting back to the World Cup, at the time of this writing our beloved team USA has beaten Ghana and tied Portugal, leaving them in a good position to advance to the knockout stage, providing they attain a good result from their match against Germany or get a little help from the Portugal-Ghana match. Regardless of the results and where team USA ends up, I feel a sense of pride in my country when our national team takes the field and I know many millions of Americans feel the same way. According to some preliminary reports, the USA-Portugal match averaged over 18 million viewers on ESPN with an additional 6.5 million viewers on the Spanish language network Univision. Both are records and soccer ratings are starting to challenge both Major League Baseball and the NBA for viewer counts. Soccer has an uphill climb against American football, particularly the NFL, as ratings for the post-season and Super Bowl are off the charts. Some of those numbers are skewed because so many people could care less about the game and are only interested in the commercials and are not real sports fans. Yet clearly football is America’s national passion and I enjoy the game myself, as a big New England Patriots fan.

       Regardless of the ratings, team USA’s games have been gut-wrenching and exhilarating, as each pass and possession had become more critical than the last, leading up to exciting conclusions that left many in this nation breathless, exhausted and struggling to get to work the next day. Many non-soccer or casual fans have approached me with excitement and amazement at the skill and precision of these great athletes, but they also have shown enough interest to ask me questions about the game itself, such as clarification about the offside rules.

       Will interest in soccer continue to grow in the Untied States? I believe the answer to that question is yes. More children play soccer in the U.S. than any other country in the world, including Brazil, whose passion for the sport rivals faith in Christianity and is completely ingrained in their culture. With the ever-expanding Latino and Eastern European populations growing in the U.S., interest will continue to skyrocket. Major League Soccer over the past 15 years has grown with new franchises popping up every year.

       Now, can the United States produce the next international superstar such as Lionel Messi or Cristiano Rinaldo? We have some of the greatest athletes in the world in this country, but the problem to overcome is can soccer stop losing them to football, basketball and baseball to a lesser extent? Imagine if LeBron James chose soccer at a young age instead of basketball?

       The World Cup is probably the greatest international tournament on the planet and even though the United States is not considered to be a serious contender, I kind of relish that role. All too often we are considered the favorites in most team sporting events and it feels better to be the underdog. The game of soccer evokes passions within, especially when athletes play for their countries, and that desire exists here in the United States as well. This is evidenced by the thousands who are showing up for viewing parties across the nation in cities like Chicago, Kansas City, New York and Seattle.

       From a personal perspective, I have been able to share these moments with my own children, who are now old enough to understand the tournament has meaning. I will always remember that moment on June 16, 2014, with my nine-year-old son sitting right by my side when John Brooks scored the go-ahead goal against Ghana, giving the United States the lead and ultimately the win. Those priceless moments of joy that I shared with my son that evening will stay with me for the rest of my life and provide fond memories for him of our time together when I am gone. Sports and the World Cup have that power to bond and connect the generations.
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