I've been watching a bit of the FIFA U-20 World Cup broadcasts. I'm not enough of a football (aka "soccer") fan to get much from these games. As my father the hockey player and San Jose Sharks fan once said after returning to the prairies and watching his first Manitoba Moose game, "If you're an NHL fan, you tend to see the mistakes."
So it is with U-20 and those of us who, like myself, are nominal FIFA fans. The kids have a lot of spirit and no lack of talent ... but you tend to see the mistakes.
HOWEVER, you do also see aspects that impress, specifically a general revulsion among the U-20 set for cry-baby antics that might, just might, lead to a penalty for the opposing team. None of this, "My ankle! Your shoelace touched it!! GAH! I need the stretcher! Coach, strap me in!!!"
Yes, if you look hard enough you will find signs of hope flourishing among the younger generation.
2 comments:
It was also heartwarming to hear the crowd boo when a stretcher came out for a player who suffered the near death experience of a temporary limp.
I tried to watch a few times, not wanting to be an ignorant North American, but kept finding the remote switching itself to CFL football... oops.
Considering how little outside commentary there's been on these games, I'm starting to wonder if this is just another case of Canadians being sold another round of Old Famous. "Hey everybody! We're hosting U-20!!"
"Right. They're that U2 cover band, aren't they?"
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