World Cup anecdotes
Imagine ... the Super Bowl ... except it goes on for two straight weeks. That's the only thing to which I can compare the European World Cup experience. I haven't set foot in a pub in two weeks, because they're all packed, all the time. While the matches are on, people stand on the sidewalks, on tiptoes, looking at TVs through the pub windows. It being London, however, they can have beer in hand.
Some anecdotes:
1. A week ago, I went to see my Italian (from Italy! Turin, to be exact) hairstylist, GianLuigi. He asked me if I was following the Cup, and we got to discussing the coming Italy vs. U.S. match. He did a very Italian shrug and gesture with scissors and comb in hand, and said, "Sorry!" (The joke was on him, though, as it ended in a draw.)
2. The night of the Italy vs. U.S. game, we were dining in an Italian-owned Italian restaurant in London's southern suburbs with one of Mrs. Werbenmanjensen's co-workers and his wife, both Americans. The owner dropped by our table at the end of the evening and said, "Did you hear about the game?" He told us the news, and in particular, the scuffling that ended with an Italian player red-carded. I mentioned to him that I really didn't have much hope for the U.S. team since America really wasn't yet a soccer nation. He said, "Ah, look at rugby in Italy. We only started a few years ago and now they let us enter the the Six Nations."
3. How important is it? Annie Mole reports that the Tube staff are intent on keeping customers informed.
I'm sure I'll have more.
Some anecdotes:
1. A week ago, I went to see my Italian (from Italy! Turin, to be exact) hairstylist, GianLuigi. He asked me if I was following the Cup, and we got to discussing the coming Italy vs. U.S. match. He did a very Italian shrug and gesture with scissors and comb in hand, and said, "Sorry!" (The joke was on him, though, as it ended in a draw.)
2. The night of the Italy vs. U.S. game, we were dining in an Italian-owned Italian restaurant in London's southern suburbs with one of Mrs. Werbenmanjensen's co-workers and his wife, both Americans. The owner dropped by our table at the end of the evening and said, "Did you hear about the game?" He told us the news, and in particular, the scuffling that ended with an Italian player red-carded. I mentioned to him that I really didn't have much hope for the U.S. team since America really wasn't yet a soccer nation. He said, "Ah, look at rugby in Italy. We only started a few years ago and now they let us enter the the Six Nations."
3. How important is it? Annie Mole reports that the Tube staff are intent on keeping customers informed.
I'm sure I'll have more.
posted by Smitty Werbenmanjensen at 4:07 PM
7 Comments:
I've been watching as many live matches as possible (easier this year than four years ago, when the World Cup was in Japan and Korea -- 3 a.m. TV viewing is NOT for me), since my work situation, as Smitty knows, is conducive to sneaking out to watch the telly. I was disappointed when the U.S. failed against Ghana yesterday, but couldn't help but feel glad for Ghana that its national dreams are still a reality. I didn't think our team played well enough to win, frankly, especially after that awful first game. After that, they were in catch-up mode, and although there were some thrilling moments, they didn't add up to the kind of play that one needs to advance out of pool play.
Needless to say, the American sports community issued a huge collective "ho-hum" and went back to rejoicing with the Miami Heat.
Errr...sorry for the multiple comments, Smitster, but can you please enlighten me as to why England is using the flag of St. George instead of the Union Jack? Maybe you did that in an earlier post, but I'm too lazy to sift thru the archives to find it. Thanks.
St. George's flag: It's the England team, not the Great Britain team. The Union Jack is the flag of Great Britain, incorporating elements of the St. Andrew Cross flag (Scotland) and the St. George Cross flag (England) and some element of the Welsh flag (probably--although the Welsh often seem to be dismissed). In other words, anything north of Northumerland or west of Shropshire, you can't be on the England team. This is similar to the case with the Commonwealth Games, where Scots and Welsh (and even Manx) compete on teams separate from England, even though they would be on a Great Britain team for the Olympics.
England has a national anthem separate from "God Save the Queen." It's Land of Hope and Glory. Sound familiar?
Actually England doesn't have a national anthem, which is often a cause for heated debate. Land of Hope & Glory has the line "wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set" which harks back to our imperialistic past and therefore not really PC. Jerusalem, poem by William Blake, music by Hubert Parry is probably the favourite with most people.
Scotland doesn't have a national anthem either and use either Flower of Scotland or Scotland the Brave (anti-English) as their unofficial anthem
Ah. I knew there was a reason. And now I know what it is. Thanks!
*Sigh* OK, maybe "Land of Hope and Glory" isn't an official national anthem, but it is what they played at medal ceremonies during the Commonwealth Games when English athletes won a gold.
guess you put me in my place, I get the message...family and friends only. Enjoy England.
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