I’ve always wondered why football (soccer, to some) is dubbed as such. If you look at it, it’s just a bunch of people kicking a ball, trying to score a goal in a span of 90 minutes. At the end of the game, you can practically count the final score with the fingers of one hand—if at all there is a score since a scoreless game is possible. I’m not a hardcore fan and I must admit, I sometimes find football games to be boring.
But for some reason, I can’t get myself to dislike the sport. I haven’t played a single game of football—the first time I kicked the ball, I hurt my toe and I sprained my foot the second time I tried [so much for potential…LOL!!!]. Despite that, the interest never left—dormant maybe, but the appeal of the sport never waned.
Three things truly fascinate me about football. First, the skills—control the ball without using one’s hands—kind of defies ‘logic’ such that tasks usually done with one’s hands have been designated to other body parts [feet and legs primarily]. Next is the stamina it takes for a footballer to play the sport well—that pitch is pretty big. Finally, football draws out emotions from men— ^o^ LOL! I have never seen a sport that makes grown men literally cry in agony or rejoice in jubilation—and we’re not even in the finals yet! And the emotions do not stop there—take a look at the fans and their joys and sorrows reflect those of their team.
I don’t recall the exact commercial blurb prior to the start of the World Cup Germany 2006 but it said something like it unites people and stops a war. Well, if the idea behind a bunch of boys and girls kicking a ball around, trying to score a goal in a span of 90 minutes makes nations set aside their differences and join in the display of camaraderie and excitement of the game, then maybe football can indeed be the greatest sport on the planet.
But for some reason, I can’t get myself to dislike the sport. I haven’t played a single game of football—the first time I kicked the ball, I hurt my toe and I sprained my foot the second time I tried [so much for potential…LOL!!!]. Despite that, the interest never left—dormant maybe, but the appeal of the sport never waned.
Three things truly fascinate me about football. First, the skills—control the ball without using one’s hands—kind of defies ‘logic’ such that tasks usually done with one’s hands have been designated to other body parts [feet and legs primarily]. Next is the stamina it takes for a footballer to play the sport well—that pitch is pretty big. Finally, football draws out emotions from men— ^o^ LOL! I have never seen a sport that makes grown men literally cry in agony or rejoice in jubilation—and we’re not even in the finals yet! And the emotions do not stop there—take a look at the fans and their joys and sorrows reflect those of their team.
I don’t recall the exact commercial blurb prior to the start of the World Cup Germany 2006 but it said something like it unites people and stops a war. Well, if the idea behind a bunch of boys and girls kicking a ball around, trying to score a goal in a span of 90 minutes makes nations set aside their differences and join in the display of camaraderie and excitement of the game, then maybe football can indeed be the greatest sport on the planet.
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