It's been and slow and steady process of rising interest, but this year I've finally blossomed into the full-fledged passionate soccer fan I was bound to become. DC United is my team of choice, but lately it hasn't mattered much who is playing, it's just exciting to get to see the game. This summer, between the Confederation Cup, the Gold Cup, and the World Football Classic - or something like that - there's been plenty to watch and plenty to get excited about.
I blame my liking for the game on three things. First off, Steve Goff. The Washington Post's Soccer Insider keeps me up to date on the latest from all over, and he does so two or three times a day. It's great. If only I had something to write about two or three times a day. Anyways, I really don't think it would be the same without him.
The second reason, and arguably the biggest, is video games. I gave up on the University of Duffy and my $3 NCAA Football '05 about a year ago and took up FIFA '08, where I've lead Leeds United to glory and fame. My team is great and a few weeks ago I bought a kid name Danny Szetela, last week the real life Danny Szetela joined DC United! Oh, how I love it!
And the biggest reason in my opinion, it's what I played, and loved, as a kid. Sure, I played out dreams of hitting the buzzer-beating three-pointer or making the impossible catch to win the game, but my numero uno dream was to grow up and play for Team USA in the World Cup...
I can picture it now... (cue the non-descript European accent)
It has been an improbable run through the early stages of the World Cup this go around. The Americans have been the talk of the tournament as they have surprised everyone with their play. The team has been out-matched by every opponent they have faced, but have found a way to survive. And it's one man that all these teams have fallen victim to, one man that has carried this team on his back, one man that has the world fearing the USA soccer...
That one man would be me. John Duffy. It's kind of crazy but this summer, I think a handful of Americans are actually living that. It's so exciting for them. World Cup 2010 is going to be great. By then, maybe I'll have grown from soccer-fan to outright hooligan, but we'll have to wait and see. Until then, Go United!
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