Quinn, Anni, and I flew down to Joberg, South Africa to experience the first and second round of group play at the World Cup and what an incredible week it turned out to be. Never did I think that I would go to a World Cup in my lifetime, mainly because I never really liked football, well, really I just didn’t stick with it as after I was nine years old and my self-given nickname “the wall” (I played goalie) never really panned out for me. But over the years of living and surrounding myself with football fanatics (Danny, Cory, and many more) and starting a non-profit with football at its core, one could say I grew to appreciate and love the game’s brilliance. Living in a country like Kenya where there is no national unity whatsoever, I have seen how the game of soccer can unity a people. If only for 90 minutes, crucial stoppage time, and redundant commercials, it is an important step for countries like Kenya and it’s incredible that a game has this ability. Many argue that a strategy for national unity in Kenya is actually to invest in their football team. I’ve talked with a few professors at the University of Nairobi about this point and there seems to be some weight to this suggestion. Anyways, back to the World Cup 2010…
Random Act of Kindness #1:
Quinn, Anni, Justine, and I are walking to the nearest shuttle service about an hour and a half before kick-off when suddenly cars from every angle are stopping and yelling at us, “Hey, you’re never gonna make it in time!” You would think that they might offer suggestions as to HOW TO MAKE IT on time, but no, they just drove off. We start to get a bit nervous, well by we I mean Quinn and I. Anni is playing it cool like she always does and Justine doesn’t think twice about it. “We’re fine,” the two of them keep telling us. Luckily for ALL of us, Quinn and I were wearing our respective Messi and Teves Argentina jerseys as we were heading to the Argentina Nigeria game when two middle-aged Argentineans in a car yelled, “WOOOHH, Argentina!!” We yelled back in excitement and this banter carried on for another minute or two (as they were stopped in traffic), when finally I asked if they could give us a ride to the stadium… initially declining the request, they must have seen the despair in our eyes as we were really not going to make it in time and they changed their mind telling the four of us to squeeze in the back seat. We sprinted through the streets weaving through cars and crammed in. We made it on time, seats were perfect, Messi was amazing. SUCCESS.
Random Act #2:
Quinn and I were navigating the public transportation mini buses on our way to the USA Slovenia game when we realized we had no idea where to get off for the Ellis Park Stadium. This woman sitting next to Quinn overheard us and told us she would take us, she said it was close to her house so it wouldn’t be a problem. We got off with her at the next stop and walked for about twenty minutes when I asked her where she lived. She said, “twenty minutes that way,” pointing in the complete opposite direction in which we were walking. We continued through the neighborhood – passing groups of children playing football in the streets as South African flags hung from banisters waving in the wind. Finally, thirty minutes later we arrived near the stadium, we thanked her and she went on her way.
National Pride:
I never thought I had any first off. I mean I appreciate the fact that I was born in the United States, I have been afforded many opportunities that are not possible throughout the world - it’s a blessing in many ways, but let’s be honest, I’ve been known once or twice to criticize some of our domestic and international policies and priorities. It might have started with the election of Obama, to tell the truth though, it was the England USA match where my pride blossomed.
For those of you that didn’t watch this match, within 4 minutes England put in a goal which followed with these obnoxious England fans screaming and hollering, smirks all over their faces bragging that this game was over. They were beyond annoying and after 4 minutes they were already calling the game. Lot of game left we kept telling ourselves, lot of game… I forget what minute it happened in, but their goalie blocked a shot of ours but it slipped out of his control and slowly rolled into the goal. We were all stunned at what we just saw.
And then it happened…
American Pride surged through my body. My arms became giant American flags and I waved ‘em high and proud. I suddenly started jumping five feet in the air, continuously, out of control… screaming any word that came to my mind… yes, profanities included. I don’t think any of us expected it but we all went wild. A USA mosh-pit practically occurred with that goal. Chants of “USA all the way!” and “England sucks!” or other creative profanities with the word England interjected in there surrounded us. Quinn was running around out of control like a new puppy. It was too much fun so we just kept the pride going. I did at least. For the Slovenia game I got a USA jersey, borrowed a USA swim suit, painted the face and became “that” guy at the stadium - starting cheers, getting the crowd to stand up, taunting Slovenian’s, and taking hundreds of photos with other decked-out fans.
Vuvuzelas:
If you don’t know what they are, google it. They rock!
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