The whole sporting world is watching the World Cup. It ranks in global audience second only to the Olympics and above Formula 1. Interesting that the USA doesn't care much for 2 out of 3 of those sports.
I suppose the rest of the world shows the same disinterest to Baseball, Basketball, American Football and cars going round on ovals.
If you enjoy it then enjoy it. If you don't then...well, just enjoy something else. It doesn't matter.

logos999 , I know it wasn't such a very good match. But I've enjoyed it more than any other in this World Cup (except for the Spain-Ukraine last wednesday) and I wanted to express that. Sometimes I can't find the right words in English, but I will learn, sure !!

Hi there Kenderina, although I do not follow sports at all I watched this game and really enjoyed it. I wish my Italian born and bred son-in-law had not had to work today, he would have enjoyed it so much. Where I lived before we got an Italian station on our TV on the weekends and I consequently started watching the games.

Your English is wonderful, do not worry!! Best wishes to you.

We've been watching all week. Boring? Tell that to the next generation. I laugh when all the sports experts say it will never be important to Americans. My 15 yo DAUGHTER was stomping her feet at the red cards. She's never played a game of soccer in her life but is a fan. Think of all the kids that do play. So experts, what do you think of the red cards? Justified? Bad reffing?

Interesting to see that the officials play as much a part in the game (and possibly it's outcome) as they do in the typical US sports.

I have grown to appreciate the world's football game. I also like US baseball but find MUCH more action in "soccer". It is a beautiful game when well played. It's kind of like a complex game of keep-away.

MvK

So what if most Americans hate soccer? We don't like opera either even though the rest of the World thinks it something special. Don't forget, we were the people that the rest of Europe kicked-out of their continent. Our reason for existence is to be different.

Americans hate soccer? You've got to be kidding me!

http://soccer.org/

This American & her family love soccer. And, the US-Italy match up was a good one today. Too bad about the ref.

Zeus--

How can you say Americans hate soccer? It's now the most widely played kids' sport in the US.

We care about it, too, and have had a lot of fun watching!
We were in Greece when they astoundedly won the Eurocup in 04, and are excited to be in Europe again this summer during the world cup.

dina

LOL, <i>Americans hate soccer</i>...Where did the expression <b>Soccer Mom</b> come from? All those moms taking their kids to ballet?

How about that !!! <font color="red">U</font>S<font color="blue">A</font>-1...Italy -1 yay!!

I can never understand this football bashing thing that goes across the Atlantic in both ways. I don't care much for any form of football on the TiVu, be it Association, American or Australain rules, although the end of season AFL gets quite intense, if you have the 3 hours to spare (uh that's why they play on sundays!) and likewise the final 8 in the world cup, and BTW to AR, I think that the World Cup does attract a bigger global audience then the Olympics, although not in USA.

Anyway although I stay away from football madness this time of year, I did watch the Italy-USA game and instead of rooting for my adopted country Italy, I was cheering for the guys in white (funny shirts they had), I thought that they were very plucky and played a superb game, its much harder 9 against 10, then it is 10 against 11, to hold off one of the world's football aristocrat nations to a draw and I thought they deserved a draw, and I only fell asleep once (and I love opera and ballet but always drop off in the middle, so they must be equal). Why, well I always support the underdog (LOL) and imagine if USA won the tournament? If that miracle happened then USA would be converted to fans overnight, look at the example of Lance Armstrong and bicycle racing (now there's a boring spectator sport). even the TV networks would have to find a way to deal with no commercial breaks for 45 minutes, what a thought!

Go team USA!

Before anybody ask the inevitable &quot;So, who cares?&quot; question. Well, I do.

So, who won?

I'm used to being in the minority...I am never quite w/ the mainstream US regarding what sports I like to do or watch (I obsess over Winter Olympics, get up insanely early to watch the Tour de France, and while I'll follow college basketball, football is one big snooze for me).

So, I tend to talk about the World Cup w/ my friends and students from...gee, just about any place besides the US.

But I have realized this summer how many of my friends' kids are following the World Cup. Interesting.

PS - and could someone please explain to me why we call our US baseball series the...World Series? There must be a reason.

The same people that have to have &quot;ice&quot; in their wine overseas while wearing their fanny packs and white gym shoes are the ones who could care less about the World Cup. Heck, I am a basketball queen but love watching the World Cup with all the various countries participating in it AND Amazing Race won't be on for another couple months............besides,who doesn't like to look at men in shorts and kneesocks?

I watched the game and have one question. What was the referee smoking and where can I get some?(okay thats 2 questions)

Tom

Not an &quot;Expert&quot;, but I do watch a great deal of Football (Soccer). The Referee was harshly judged - I thought the first two were absolute sendings off. An elbow to the face will always be a straight red card. The tackle resulting in the first American dismaissal was a two footed lunge - potentially a career ender fot the player on the end of it. FIFA have specifically stated they want this sort of tackle punished.

Pope may have been a little unlucky, but it was a foul, and he had already been booked. If anything the Referee became more lenient as time went on - several tackles towards the end of the game were worth 2nd yellow cards and dismissal.

The disallowed goal was unlucky, but Mcbride clearly attempted to kick the ball, so was &quot;Actively offside&quot;.
I really admired the US team last night - I hope they do well against Ghana in the last game of the group.
(Sorry to all those who have fallen aslepe from boredom during this post)

Totally agree with Northshore...a lot of crying/drama and faking of injuries...and it wasn't the Americans...it was the melodramatic bambola Italian team. One American got clocked in the face by an Italian and bled all over. Did he cry? Nope! Mammone Italian players!

So Americans - you see a draw can be exciting!

Also there were a lot of yanks at the game because it was played in Kaiserslauten which a a ginormous US base in it.

So there's an outside chance of getting into the next round.....

Well, no wonder it was a tough game that ended in a draw. No one could see for all the smoke being generated by the hot hot hot Italian team. Mamma mia! ;-) I don't know anything about soccer, but that was all right because I was busy imagining any of those guys in tight jeans and sunglasses, on a Vespa. With me. (insert girly giggle here)