As I write this I’m watching the World Cup final … and enjoying it!?!
For those who know me, even a little bit, you’ll realize how utterly absurd that statement would have sounded even four or five years ago. I thank (or blame) the Apple TV+ show “Ted Lasso” for this newfound later-in-life interest in what’s known as the beautiful game. I’ve written about my interest in Lasso extensively on my other blog here.
That aside, I’m sure longtime Troy Athens High School soccer coach, Tim Storch, is grinning somewhere today as I made this event required viewing.
If I’m being honest, the reasons are more varied than some streaming television dramedy.
Part of it was no-doubt that Saudi Arabia-Argentina match that aired at 5 a.m. here at home the first full day of Group Stage action. Getting ready for the day being able to watch an intense match that wound up in favor of the underdogs, 2-1 Saudi Arabia, no doubt helped stoke my interest.
Additionally, the fact the United States Men’s National Team qualified for the fist time since 2014 and was thought to be, at worst competitive, and at best a darkhorse to make some noise, no doubt helped generate some of my interest.
Finally, I feel a certain obligation to get specced up on the game, the various national teams, and the stars of the sport because the tournament comes to North America in 2026. The last time the World Cup came to our shores (1994) I was working in Fairbanks, AK, and had no chance to see action in person; even though the Pontiac Silverdome hosted four Group Stage matches. As I look over the 16 locations that will host matches four years from now, I feel drawn toward the three Mexican locations (Guadalajara, Monterrey, or Mexico City) because I feel a worldwide event like this should be experienced in, ya know, a foreign land. Having said that, I understand Toronto makes sense for me because of it’s proximity (and the fact I have family friends in Toronto that might be able to provide lodging:-). In terms of multiple options to see action, the trio of Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City (with friends in all three locations as well) could be a good play.
Bowl Bonanza Update
As I wrote Friday, my longtime friend Jud and I annually draft all of the bowls and the winner picks the dining spot and loser the tab. After the weekend, I lead the overall match, 5-4. Frequent readers might recall I unwittingly wound up going all in on Texas colleges and ended up with all nine of them. So far, that’s not worked out too well. All four of my losses have come by Texas schools. My next Texas hope is Baylor on Thursday.
