World Cup: Germany's First Win

So if you’ve known me long, you know that a) I do actually enjoy sitting down and watching sports {i.e. I am not an anti-sports nerd}, and b) I never watch soccer. This stems from deeply rooted familial tradition {i.e. my dad doesn’t really care for it}. So as I’ve grown up, I’ve had no interest in an almost two-hour game where people win 1-0.

It has thus been interesting to be residing in Germany and Europe for the duration of the World Cup. I can’t find anything to compare it to in the States. It is not like our NFL football or NBA basketball. Those are cities against cities, and city pride will never equal national patriotism. Perhaps the Olympics come close, but I feel most of the time {the occasional heated hockey game excepted}, the event hinges more on the aesthetic and and doesn’t include all the raucous passion of NFL or the NBA. The Olympics are a spectacle more than a contest, at least is that how I often feel watching them as an American.

The World Cup combines the passion of Super Bowl fandom with the Olympic patriotism of countries. In that respect, it is one of the coolest things I’ve seen while here, and, well, ever.

{Even their dogs are passionate about soccer. We took this video after church on Sunday. Unfortunately, the best feats of the athletic animal were occurred after I stopped recording.}

Last night, I watched my first game. I wasn’t planning on doing so; I was planning on buying milk and cereal and going home to catch up on much-needed sleep. And then Julius appeared in my hall and informed me that our conference room had become a viewing party for members of both our lab groups. Okay, then. {Viewing parties are as vital to the World Cup in Germany as the game itself.}

Germany won against Portugal, 4-0. A nice way to start the games.

Once it was over, I took the bus back to the Hauptbahnhof/Busbahnhof, which is grand central station when it comes to buses, trains, and trams. I intended to grab a tram immediately to head back to my place, except it wasn’t running as normal. In fact, nothing was normal. There was traffic.

I’ve been here for three weeks and have never once seen anything close to traffic. But this was traffic, and not just traffic, but celebratory traffic. Honking, waving of flags, cheering of people, “Ole! Ole, ole, ole!” I watched a crowd of college-aged guys spill out of a bus at the Busbahnhof and throw a loud firework to the ground, where it proceeded to spark and flame and smoke for a good minute afterward.

I compare the chaos to the night the Longhorns won the National Championship in 2005 {a night I was privileged to be a part of}, but not quite so big. After all, this is just the first game, not the World Cup itself. Not yet, at least. :)