What in the Bleep is a World Cup?

I have been hearing about this thing called the World Cup from my Facebook friends for some time, but I really had no clue. I knew it was being hosted by South Africa, a country until now I hadn’t given much thought to. Not even sure exactly where it is on the map. Note to myself: you really need to get out more!

Last night I accidentally caught the last half hour of the musical festivities on ABC. I was impressed with the energy of the entertainers; both professional and what I assume were ordinary dancers and singers. The colors were vibrant and amazing and I thought the use of children was very special. Everyone looked like they were having a wonderful time.

I also accidentally tuned in to the soccer match between England and the United States this afternoon. Now I do know something about soccer because my grandson has played on a youth team for the last four years and he loves the game. As a dutiful grandmother I love to watch him play and he is good!

I started watching this match toward the end of the first half, but because I saw no recognizable insignia on the uniforms I wasn’t sure which team was which. By the beginning of the second half I realized I had been cheering for the wrong team. It really didn’t matter because the score was tied 1-1.

As a viewer who obviously is not particularly a sports fan, I enjoyed the match very much. Comparing it to the youth games I usually watch, I was amazed at how big the playing field is, how many times the head is used to keep the ball in play and the tricky foot movements. I hate to say this, but I really thought England played a better game then the United States because most of the action was in their end of the field.Tim Howard did a fantastic job of fending off England's attempted goals.

So now I know what a World Cup is- sort of, well I know a little more than I did yesterday at this time anyway.