Football (that's soccer for ya Americans..) world cup

[susiej]

I will admit though, the atmosphere is Munich has been pretty good so far, but I´m getting a bit fed up of footballs everywhere.

Which is why I can stand watching it. It's every four years and most of America doesn't know it exists. Plus 45 minutes of play without commercial interruptions.

The year my son was born, the local team was in the Super Bowl. I REALLY wanted to deliver during the game to avoid all the nonsense. Most of the OBs in my practice are women, so I hoped there would be little chance of the doc being distracted. As it was, the little guy showed up a few days before that. At least our team lost, and I didn't spend our first night at home with crazed fans honking outside my front door.

[Jones]

Once, when I was channel surfing, I saw the All Blacks doing their pre-game Maori war dance and I must say I have had quite a fondness for Rugby every since.

[crazycanuck]

Ummm it's called the HAKA...It's not meant to be a "war dance"-it's symply a sybmol of challenge to the other team...

Roadraven & other kiwis could tell ya...

c

[Trekhawk]

www.piccom.org/dancesoflife/newzealand2.html

Check out this site for info on the Haka.

[Bron]

Hmm, this is interesting. We are supposed to work until 17:00, but there is not a German to be seen in the office. Let's just check who is playing.......ah yes, what a coincidence - Germany! So I guess all of my colleagues are in a beer garden.

Bron

[salsabike]

Hey! The Socceroos made it through to the next round! Congrats, you guys.

[arnaew]

I LOVE football (soccer). I follow my local team (Adelaide United) avidly, as well as the Adelaide Sensation (women's team). I've barely slept over the past fortnight, either getting up at crazy hours or retiring at ridiculous hours, and I'm having so much fun. As for Australia's performance - we were happy (read ecstatic) that we made it to the first cut, and then scored the first goals ever in a World Cup series. But after beating Croatia to the final 16 last night, well, we're okay if we don't win any more (although Italy shouldn't feel too relaxed come Monday night). Soccer is the largest participant sport for young people (mixed) in Australia, just behind netball/basketball (primarily women). But as players get older, depending on which state they're in, they generally have to play with the dominant codes (Rugby League/Union in Queensland and New South Wales, Australian Rules Football in South Australia, Victoria and West Australia). Australia's performance in this competition is being seen a real breakthrough for the World Game in this country, as the only football code that is played nationally, and of course internationally, unlike AFL. Which is all kind of weird, considering that the majority of our population comes from (or is descended from) soccer playing nations such as the UK and just about every country in Europe (there were three Australian born footballers in the Croation team against Australia). Oh, this is a bit long - but I am a bit of a tragic, and it's just fantastic to see football getting the coverage it deserves for a change!
A

[salsabike]

I think it's fabulous, especially because of the unfairness that left them out of the Cup four years ago. So go Socceroos and fans!