Viva España!

For the first time since June 20th, 1993, I raised my voice while watching
a sporting event on television! On that date, Chicago Bulls guard, John
Paxson hit a late three point shot to give the Bulls the NBA championship
over the Phoenix Suns at America West Arena in Phoenix. Me? I was on
my couch in Naperville, Illinois watching the game. It was one of those
moments that makes a sports fan jubuliant and yell out with excitement.
17 years later, I'm not much of a sports fan, but today I let out that same
yell, as Andres Iniesta scored late in extra time of the FIFA World Cup
final to give Spain it's first title. I'm far from a expert of soccer (football),
but it was exciting as the team I was rooting for in the game (my favorites
going into the tournament were the USA and New Zealand) came away with
a win in a game who's outcome was far from certain. Exciting...yes. A major
milestone in my life...no. I reserve that moment for when the Chicago Cubs
win the World Series. Hopefully I'll still be young enough to get off the couch
to yell and be excited!

World Cup

I guess I'm not much of a soccer (I mean football) fan. I grew
up in an era when kids got together to play baseball and
basketball. Games in which you used your hands instead of
your feet. My nephews and niece of course grew up with the
game and it's totally natural for them to think of the sport on
an even keel with other sports. However, I definitely have a
small portion of my inner self that enjoys the complexity of
the game and the way it can stir the emotions of it's fans.
When I was in the hotel business, back in 1994, lots of
fans of the German national team stayed at our hotel while
first round games were played in Chicago. The fans were
really excited...both before and after a match. I occasionally
look at the scores of the Chicago Fire and was a fan of
the Chicago Sting in the early 80's when they won the first
championship of any kind Chicago had seen since the 1963
Chicago Bears. Even a few months ago I gawked at the
stadium of Real Salt Lake before Lynn chided me and we
almost drove off the road. So now, the US national team has
made it to the final 16 of Soccer's biggest show. I feel like I'm
following "The Beautiful Game" only lately, but I guess in some
ways, I've been following it all along. I hope our team does
well!