"Gay" sports fever (American Ignorance Part 1)

As many of you know, IT'S WORLD CUP TIME! If any of you have been paying attention to the US team, then you have obviously heard about their advancement out of group play to the round of 16 with a goal against Algeria in the 91st minute. Definitely a good ending to a game that started off a little weak by the US. And you have been paying attention to the early rounds of Wimbledon then you have heard of the game between American John Isner and German Nicolas Mahut that went to more than 100 games in the fifth set before being postponed for completion the next day. Both of these events have captivated American audiences and brought much-needed attention to both of these sports that are usually pushed aside for other sports such as baseball and sports considered more "American". I played soccer through the majority of my youth life and have been an avid Seattle Sounder's supported since before they even became an MLS team. My parents also brought me up watching Wimbledon every year watching the rise of Rodger Federer and Rafael Nadal and the retirement of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.

It's about time these sports got the attention they deserve from American audiences! There's a reason why they call soccer (or football) the worlds game. It's time to jump on the soccer bandwagon America and start promoting and supporting this sport like it deserves. Why is it that the highest payed player on the Sounder's gets payed 1/200th the amount that Jason Giambi (in my opinion, a far less talented athlete) gets payed? Baseball is the only sport where it's acceptable to be fat. Even golfers are in better shape than most baseball players. Another reason supporting the idea of America being satisfied with mediocrity.

The Wimbledon match on the other hand is a true exhibition of endurance, skill, and physical and mental strength that I have never seen matched by any sport! The first day of the match went on for 10 hours and it's not even over! I can't even comprehend the amount of mental concentration that it would require to stay competitive in a match like that, let alone how much endurance it would require.

So my point is, if you aren't watching the world cup and supporting our national team or at least paying attention to Wimbledon and supporting Andy Roddick, you should be asking yourself "why not"? It's not like you're watching American football now and do you really want to watch baseball?

By the way, I'm drinking a cup of Earl Grey this morning while watching the Italy vs. Slovakia game (3-2 Slovakia). Go USA!