« hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia | Main | poetry in cheesemaking »
June 11, 2006
American Idol, you can't begin to touch this
a few weeks ago, T.T.'s father had surgery. he's fine, but still recovering, so T.T. has been calling him most mornings (evening in Germany) just to check in with him. Saturday morning they were having a serious conversation when suddenly his father interrupted himself. "gotta go, game's on!" he said, and abruptly hung up. and just like that, the world ground to a month-long halt.
yes, kids, the World Cup 2006 is off and running, and America is somewhat dazed and confused because, well, the NBA Finals are also happening, and basketball is a much more appealing sport to this adolescent, ADD nation. the good news is that in America, the only nation in the world that more or less remains ignorant of "the beautiful game," one can choose whatever team one likes and cheer wildly for them. the bad news is, you'd better either have cable TV or satellite radio. we have neither, and T.T. spent that whole morning looking in vain for an internet feed. he had to resort to watching a live ticker on Deustche Welle. luckily, because Germany is hosting this cycle's Cup, the embassy here in L.A. is being very helpful with informing its citizens where they can watch games. so these days he'll be having breakfast at the historic Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and watching the matches with other homesick Europeans and enlightened Americans (the link explains everything).
it's hard to exaggerate the phenomenal power of the World Cup. every four years, the world becomes united in its obsession with a black-and-white ball and two teams of 11 men who have 90 minutes to dance an athletic ballet of sorts with it, and with each other. (it is a dance; Brasil, who has won the tournament 5 times, are called the "Samba Boys.") if you add up all the viewers of all the matches, 26 billion people will be watching: American Idol's ratings look paltry compared to that! when the final game of the World Cup is played on the 9th of July, one of six people on the entire planet will be watching. the force of these games are such that wars stop and nations reunite. religious vows are suspended and religious powers are invoked.
okay, so you're intrigued. what now?
i suggest first watching these wonderful 30-second spots. no, i'm not just sending you here because i'm a U2 fan. they really are a great introduction to the idea of the World Cup.
next, read these amazing essays by the likes of Nick Hornby (About a Boy, High Fidelity)and others. they are short reads, but are evocative, funny, poignant, and honest.
then you can pick a team. sure, you can go for the United States in Group E, but why? it may be more American to cheer for all the "underdogs" that miraculously qualified for the tournament. well, come to think of it, the U.S. is considered an underdog too... or just pick a team based solely on looks; some of these players do have day jobs as underwear models, you know.
now, find a radio or a television broadcasting the matches. that's not too hard; walk down the street and just listen for the shrieks and cheers. hint: you'll get better results if you're in a predominantly Latin neighbourhood... or, if you're in L.A., join T.T. for breakfast. the important thing is just to participate in the greatest international human spectacle ever.
it will truly make you a world citizen, if only for a month.
Posted by hadashi at June 11, 2006 10:12 PM
Comments
I have to admit that I'm a typical American that thinks soccer is boring. But I got an earful this weekend from my dad who forced me to watch the Mexico vs Iran game. I was also schooled on how American announcers have no passion for the game as he proceeded to flip back and forth between KMEX and ABC to show me the difference. But alas, I don't think I'll be watching the game on any of the 12 channels showing it. Then again, I didn't watch American Idol and I won't watch the NBA playoffs. Maybe I'm not a sports person. There is a What Not to Wear marathon on TLC though :)
Posted by: Marti 
at June 12, 2006 12:08 PM
an update: apparently the World Cup has the power to raise the dead... yes, last week, a woman in Germany who had been declared dead by her doctor suddenly sat up and demanded to know the latest scores. i am not making this up.
Posted by: hadashi at June 21, 2006 8:13 AM
Ah... as an American that is in love with football (even before being in love with my English husband), I don't understand how peeps aren't really excited by the whole thing. Can I brag: I was at a World Cup game in '94!!!
Here in the UK, they show every game on the telly. We have a chant: 2, 5, 8. That's when the games are on. And not on cable, mind you -- regular telly that you need no payment to enjoy (other than that pesky tv license). The last World Cup (2002) was watched on Telemundo. (Very funny: announcer calling "Emily Hesky", as opposed to Emile Hesky.)
Anyway, I say, don't bother. I'd rather people watch the game because they find football interesting or sport interesting. I'd rather not people watch for middle-class pretentions of widening their global view (you know: "Look, all those poor Africans watch it, so there must be something to it.") You'll either get football, or you won't and it won't matter that 900 kazillion people think it's great.
Posted by: hokukonane at June 22, 2006 12:17 PM
i remember you and Erin being fanatic about the '94 Cup. that was great, except for the American commentators... Erin watched/taped it all in Japanese because she couldn't deal with the drivel.
um, while i agree that there will be those who won't care about footie despite the rest of the world screeching to a halt for it, i do disagree, though, about not bothering: i believe that the beauty of the game itself can convert those watchers who orginally tune in to "widen their global view." they may not get football beforehand, but they sure will afterward.
Posted by: hadashi at June 24, 2006 11:37 AM
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)