LA Galaxy Game

Who doesn't love soccer?!
ummThe United States. Not until I was 21 and studying abroad did I realize that America is an extremely ethnocentric place. Don't ya think? While we act like we are so cool and so cutting-edge and just so enviable, Americans are nonparticipatory and moreover largely unaware of global trends such as compact economical cars, smaller dietary portions, and the metric system, just to name a few. Is it by choice or by ignorance that America missed the boat on this stuff? Probably the biggest boat that passed us by is Soccer aka Futbol aka the largest most globally followed sport ever in life. Just isn't that cool here.

Until one day when the UCSD alumni association Los Angeles chapter took a trip to the Home Depot Center in the Philippines--err, Carson. My first soccer game! I went with other soccer game first timers, my best roomie kathy, brian, and patrick. I don't know too much about soccer, but I thoroughly enjoy any excuse to scream and cheer and be obnoxious. Put a beer in me, and I am good to go!

It amazes me that glitz and glamour hasn't yet reached the soccer field. In Japan, futbol players are stars, and constantly clamored by the media. Especially Hidetoshi Nakata, damn he's fine...all pimped out in Armani suits and Louis Vuitton monogram luggage, rolling through the airport with an entourage, tearing the game up, traveling around the global with his firm booty...but I digress. Oh yah, soccer just doesn't dazzle us the way football and basketball do.

I hope that Beckham Hottie McHots' arrival reshapes this country's image of soccer. Since it is the most internationally followed sport, I think it will broaden Americans' global perspective. And that maybe by watching soccer on tv, little american boys and girls will learn at an earlier age that there is more to life than is defined by our home turf. That countries like Portugal and Korea exist, and we can all play together. HEAL THE WOORRRRRLLLLDD MAKE IT A BETTERRRR PLAAAAAACCEEEEE rrrrright?!