World Cup Soccer 2006

The 2006 Football World Cup is upon us. Football, or soccer as it is known to most Americans, dates all the way back to the 1800s. It is the only game that is truly enjoyed and one that actually involves the whole world. There are many other sports that some people might call "universal," but none that can compete with football. Basketball is played by everyone on their driveways, parks, or wherever you can dribble and shoot a ball, but professionally and commercially the world of basketball is dominated by the NBA, which is an American association. American football, which is aptly named since it uses a player's foot about 1% of the whole game, is played only by, well, Americans. Rugby is somewhat popular in Europe and . Hockey is dominated mostly by Americans and Canadians. Tennis players come from every corner of the world, but it is not a team sport, which is probably why it doesn't have so much flair, and that reason can also be applied to golf. Badminton is played in Asia and that's about it.

That leaves football (hereafter referred to as "soccer" to avoid confusion with American football) as the one and only true international sport, the one that is enjoyed by the whole world. Or is it? I've lived in Asia for 15 years and in the States for 9, and never have I felt a soccer culture in Sam's country, even though the is ranked 5th in the world by the International Federation of Football (FIFA), and why is that?

There is a physical, and commercial reason to this. First of all, Americans like contact sports, ones that have a certain macho-ness to them, and also sports that move fast. In football, players crash into each other and the only need for skill falls onto the quarterback, the running back, and the receiver. The game of hockey has its fights, and they are real fights where players beat each other up. Basketball has its slam dunks, and a fair share of fancy tricks, be it on the floor or in mid-air. This combination of speed and power is what grabs the average American's attention.