It was a rough night for team USA last night who were eliminated by Ghana (2-1) from the 2010 Football (Soccer) World Cup. I decided to go whole hog in supporting the team and got decked out in a white sundress, straw cowboy hat and 3' by 5' American flag. I showed up at the AugustinerKeller beer garden two and a half hours before the game and had to wait about an hour before any of my friends showed up.
(Tip for single ladies, show up at a beer garden along, in a summery dress and cowboy hat and big American flag on the night of the US-Ghana game and you will meet loads of people...maybe not all the people you would like to meet, but still.)
What can I say about the result? Well, it sure was a lot of fun supporting the American team through their four appearances in the World Cup. It's a little strange being such an underdog and having most serious football fans thinking of our team and our fans as the cute younger brothers, trying to imitate everything the big brother does.
Mr. Kilt was hosting a bachelor party in Munich for a good university friend of his and they joined us to cheer on the States (well, mostly). We drew quite a few looks - one bachelor dressed up in dirndl and long, curly-haired blond wig, 11 friends of the bachelor mainly all from Scotland causing general havoc at the beer garden, 4 actual Americans, and random other hangers-on from Ireland, Austria, and Sri Lanka.
After the game, I headed home, walking absent-mindedly down the street, wrapped up in my flag. Chants of OO-ES-AH could be heard in my wake, and a few people actually stopped me to say good game or they were sorry we lost.
The game whet my appetite for the England-Germany game today. I climbed on my bike after lunch and headed to the Hirschgarten to watch the game with a few friends and several thousand rabid German fans interspersed with an England fan or two, clinging to each other for support.
I felt sure Germany would win and was not disappointed. The atmosphere was amazing. Finally a hottish summer day, crowds of people cheering at the top of their lungs and rewarded with a win for their team.
Only a couple more weeks to ride the ups and downs of the World Cup. While it is not by any stretch my favorite sport, any sport that captures the world's attention like football does is sure to resonate with me. All they have to do is show scenes of painted up fans and celebrations from around the world and I immediately feel simultaneously excited and dewey-eyed. It would be extra sweet if Germany manages to win the whole thing!
Posted from Munich
2 comments:
Sounds like a great thing, and a good time was had which is what counts most, right!!. I don't think there are that many Canadians watching it, mostly just a few guys here and there.
I'm personally gearing up for le Tour and can't wait for that, although sans tv, just internet...
AND way too many overdue photos!
Typically, my fussball watching is the local youth soccer league. But I have been entranced with this world cup. First the location and the backstory to that. Next the teams and their individual members. And who could not root for USA! I've been getting up at 6AM to watch Soccer! Who would have expected that!
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