It's upon us. If you're anything like me, you're experiencing unprecedented levels of stoke at the arrival of the World Cup. The World Cup is an epic exercise in binge-nationalism. We put aside bi-partisan politics, don our best ridiculous Uncle Sam garb and look fucking ridiculous, and stand (butt) cheek-to-cheek in crowded bars to watch our squad duke it out with the world's finest.
Although we have a lot to learn about the finer points of soccer fandom/hooliganism, I've been impressed by the genuine passion and level of fan engagement with this WC. After Portugal knocked the wind out of us with the last minute equalizer, I wandered out of the bar to witness a man sitting on the curb bawling his eyes out, as if he had lost his job, girlfriend, maybe even his dog too, all at the same moment. That's what being a true fan is about. Passion=pain. One moment it's pure elation, and the next, Cristiano Ronaldo crushes your vibe with a pinpointed cross to his boy up top. It's enough to reduce a grown man to a drunken mess. No one said that this would be easy.
Enjoy the rest of the World Cup. Bask in the togetherness, and try to start at least one obnoxious U-S-A chant before this thing is all through. A wise former co-worker once told me... if life don't hurt a little bit, you're not doing it right. In other words, if you end up a weepy mess if/when the U.S. gets KO'd, that's a good thing. If it doesn't devastate you for at least 10 minutes, you might be missing the point.
Be well ya'll, and enjoy this week's playlist.
