Thursday, June 17, 2010

the games people play


I am trying very hard to get into the World Cup; partly because I know that it is the number one sport in the world and also because South Africa holds a special place in my heart. I even bought a decal for my car (see above).

But... it's just so exasperating; all that exertion for very little reward. Not just scoring a goal but just getting the chance to attempt scoring a goal. I find myself thinking "If I had been playing this game since I was a little kid, I should be better at it."

And nooooooo, I am not soccer-bashing, which seems to be all too prevalent in this country. And I readily admit that I know precious little about the rules and nuances of the game. And I understand that other countries look at some of the USA games and yawn.

So I asked myself why my favorite game to watch is baseball. I think the answer is precision. The players have very specific places to stand, the location of the bases is precisely defined and the ball must cross the plate within the parameters of a very small box. And it would be impossible for a player to score a run for the opposing team.

Maybe if soccer teams had more players or if the field was smaller...

No comments: