Ireland

Ireland

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Just anaother day

I imagine I probably start my day like most people.
For instance, today I woke up, made a pot of coffee, grabbed my vuvuzela, turned on the World Cup and started to blow.

If your anywhere near a TV at anytime during the day, then you've heard the incessant buzz those ever present South African horns make during all World Cup games.
Since learning the odd sound coming from my TV while watching World Cup soccer wasn't my flat screen on the fritz, I have come to enjoy this strange yet interesting sound.
I'm big on traditions.

This year, I just can't seem to get enough of the World Cup. To be honest, until this year, it is safe to say I have never watched an entire soccer/futbol game.
I have no idea what "offside" is, but I just keep watching.
I love it when the ref quickly snaps the yellow card out of his pocket and runs up to the offending player, sticking it in his face. It cracks me up.
It took me a few days to figure out that when two of the contestants accidentally bump into one another, the guy flailing around on the ground has not been tazzered. He's just acting.
Very cool.

I can't stop thinking how much fun those horns would be at, say, The Masters Golf tournament.
When Tiger is addressing his ball and all the little signs go up that say "Quiet Please", to have a symphony of vuvuzelas.....oh what fun!

A strange thing has happened at my house while watching this World Cup. I noticed my wife has seemed quite interested all of a sudden, in the game of soccer. This is odd because my wife isn't what you would call a big sports fan. So, to see her focused on soccer, the least popular of the sports here in the U.S., well, it was noticeable.

But then she said something that made it all make sense during a game Uruguay was playing.
She sat down next to me on the couch, watched the game for a few minutes, then asked, "What do they do, hold tryouts for the nicest looking soccer players to make the team?"
I then started watching the game differently, and I must agree, in the 4 games I've watched since she made that statement, I can't find one ugly soccer player anywhere in the world.
It's like a GQ Magazine in 3D.
What is it with this game?
It has music. (vuvuzelas)
It has acting. ( see the many tazzered players ) and it seriously has some really talented athletes running on the pitch.

Surprisingly, I just can't get enough.
Tomorrow morning I'll be there, vuvuzela in hand, blowing.

10 comments:

dcpeg said...

GQ in 3D -- LOVE it!! I also ilke the idea of "horning" Tiger. Your thinking is scarily like mine. . .

As for the attractive players -- oh yeah!! And the long hair. I wonder if it's a sort of Samson-esque thing with the long hair. Maybe they would lose their powers if it was cut off! ;-}

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

I'm guilty... they are gorgeous. And fiesty! and that's the only reason I pay any attention at all.

I am a sports fan too, I watch football (Patriots!)and baseball (Yankees!)... have never watched a futbol game until this year either, but the faces!... and the game is amazing too, when you actually pay attention to what they are doing with the ball... the passing, the strategy..

Jerral Miles said...

Mark,
The people who recruit soccer players are definitely onto something. My wife has also taken a keen interest in soccer... and I don't think it's the buzzing horns... I was on my way to L.A. from San Diego yesterday, and she called to tell me that the U.S. had won the game in the last two minutes of overtime... It's a great game... How much better it is for people to play peaceful games in competition than to shoot at each other in war.
By the way, I love your sea photographs on your way to Puerto Rico... They make me want to be there.
Beautiful...
Jerral

Marilyn Miller said...

My husband played soccer in college and I still love the game. But my massage therapist actually canceled my appointment tomorrow because she wants to watch Chili (her home country). Now can you believe that?

Alison said...

We are pretty excited here in New Zealand because our team got through the first round unbeaten. We were rated about second to worst team beforehand,I think. (Out of all the countries!) We didn't make it though to the next round but it has been an amazing experience. And we ended up ahead of Italy in our group! Yay! I've always followed soccer as my late husband played, and my kids did/do too. But we are a rugby country, so for many people this is the first time they have taken an interest. Even getting up at 2.00am to watch!

Keda said...

Everyone in South Africa has soccer fever, although slightly less since we are no longer in the game. We are now paying attention to being the perfect hosts.

Anyway, I agree, soccer players are really gorgeous, but it still has not made me pay attention.

What is / has been great though, is waking up to the sound of the vuvuzellas every morning, and the day that the world cup started, the air was crackling with energy and coming alive with the buzzing of the horns... Patriotism would flair in anyone with the energy that was created that day and for a few minutes I honestly contemplated watching every single game that would be shown.

I still have no desire to watch a match, but I am proud of SA for the job we have done and the talk we have generated wrt our cultural vuvuzellas.

mjsbunny said...

You can't find ONE ugly football player? Dude, the English side is FULL of them! Wayne Rooney, being chief. He's 25, balding and looks like Shrek!

beth said...

you make me laugh so hard !
but she's right...they are handsome men, aren't they ?

and offsides...too hard to explain here, where i can't use my hands to show you while i talk, but for years i coached kids soccer and even played on an indoor women's team where i was a part-time goalie....

i know, i'm cool like that :)

Unknown said...

yeah - I was pretty disappointed when the Australians didn't make it through...talk about some nice looking men...

And I'm with you on the vuvuzelas - the first game we watched...the drove me CRAZY. Now...i kind of like them!

(and anytime you want the lowdown on offsides...let me know. I'm pretty sure I finally understand it...) :)

anno said...

You've done the unthinkable... made me wish we had TV, made me wish we could watch the games. Never had soccer fever ever before, but, gosh, sure am feeling warm!