World Cup Wondering

If my Facebook friends, brother, and the media are any indication, World Cup Fever has spread across the nation like a particularly aggressive flu.

I haven't watched an entire soccer game since my nephews were in grade school, but I'm tuned in today for the USA-Ghana match. I might not be a soccer afficionado, but never let it be said that I don't have a full amount of national pride. If the U.S.A. had a team playing in the World Series of Kumquat Pickers I'd root for them.

I'm not convinced that most of America really cares that much about soccer and I bet that if the U.S. gets eliminated, the television interest and beer consumption in all 50 states will plummet.

I'm a little confused at how the World Cup works. I listened to a recap of yesterday's results. Apparently there were two games where the teams fought to a no goal draw. They tied at not scoring and yet all four teams advanced in the tournament. Essentially, they could have stayed in the locker rooms and achieved the same results.

I'm pretty sure that the U.S.A. advanced after playing a tie-game in the first round, but at least they scored.

Tie games should be eliminated from all sports. Baseball doesn't accept ties. I once sat through a Phillies-Padres game that went 18 innings on a hot August afternoon before the Phils finally won. Two tennis players at Wimbledon played 138 games in the fifth set to decide a winner! Their match took 11 hours. If two lone guys can put up that kind of battle, I think an entire team of soccer, football, or hockey players ought to be able to keep going to a win.

Oh well. Who am I, a Mary-come-lately to the World Cup competition, to criticize how soccer is played? I guess I'll shut up until it's time to yell, "U-S-A! U-S-A!"