FIFA World Cup kickoff

Jun08

FIFA World Cup kickoff

Sports/Soccer

Tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. home team Germany will take the field against Costa Rica to kick off The World Cup, the biggest sporting event in the world. I am a total soccer nut and I'll be distracted for the next month as I watch from afar as the U.S. lives up to its #5 ranking and Ronaldinho weaves through the defense with his golden boot and a smile. The world's attention will be on Germany for the next month watching blades of grass fly and a thermal-bonded ball hit the back of a specially woven net.

This is my first World Cup watching from the technology industry instead of from the world of soccer. In 1994 I was at Santa Clara University watching Brazil train. In 1998 I was working for the San Jose Clash and the coaching staff got together to watch the big games on satellite TV. In 2002 I ran an online sporting goods business scrambling to get high end Adidas soccer balls out of Pakistan while the country tested its latest missiles and the longshoreman's union was on strike here in the U.S.

I've added the major games to my work calendar with various levels of importance. Netherlands versus Argentina? Definitely watching that one live. United States vs. Czech Republic? I'll be on the edge of my seat. I've warned my coworkers to not be alarmed by the screams of joy and agony coming from my office over the next month.

Let the games begin! Ole!

Posted at 3:36PM
Updated at 3:45PM
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7 Comments

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Diego Barros on June 8, 2006 at 8:01 PM wrote: #

I know how you feel! I'm also counting down the hours until it all starts. Got my coffee ready to go, since being in Australia means I have to be up during the night and early hours watching. BTW, here's a football tipping site http://www.footytips.com.au/ see how well you predict. :)
Ian Kennedy on June 8, 2006 at 9:04 PM wrote: #

I'm watching a documentary on Japan's defeat of Germany in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. If it happened once before, maybe it could happen again? Go Nakata! Gambatte Nippon!
hombrelobo on June 8, 2006 at 10:33 PM wrote: #

Soccer ??? Please, 3 billion people call it already football !!! :)
Simon Leyland on June 9, 2006 at 1:39 AM wrote: #

England is going world cup crazy. Lots of flags of St George all over the country. Just hope we see some great football. BBC have a great prediction webpage: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/spl/hi/predictor/html/football/world_cup_06/default.stm
Stephen Davies on June 9, 2006 at 5:45 AM wrote: #

Come on England, come on England, come on England! :-)
Wes on June 9, 2006 at 12:33 PM wrote: #

America ( 295 Million people ) calls it "Soccer" while the rest of the world ( 6 bllion people ) calls it "Football". Until American fans acknowledge this fact you will never have any credibility and you guys need to stop quoting weight. This isn't American Footbal where they seem obsessed with weight and height. US World Cup commentary is just dreadful - "...and here is Zidane on the ball weighing 190 pounds"...WTF? Also, levels of importance.. "I've added the major games to my work calendar with various levels of importance. Netherlands versus Argentina? Definitely watching that one live. United States vs. Czech Republic?" What about Brazil, England, France etc? USA will make it to the Quarter Finals at the most if they are lucky.
Stephen Davies on June 9, 2006 at 3:30 PM wrote: #

Wes, Who cares what people call it as long as the passion is there. Even though the world is flat (apparently) we all live in different cultures. Get over it. Anyway, it's not just the US who call it soccer - there are other countries too. And, of course the US games are going to be of high importance to Niall...it's his home country! Seriously though, watch England tear Paraguay apart tomorrow. Michael Owen on for a hatrick...I can sense it.