Get ready for a month of the beautiful game

While this week marks a big week in my household because we are celebrating two birthdays, it is also huge as Friday marks the beginning of the 2006 World Cup. I know there are a lot of soccer fans in this area but I also know that a lot of people around here don’t “get it” and that the nation as a whole may be collectively yawning about this event. Whatever side of the fence you are on about the World Cup, I urge everyone to support the United States squad and give this amazing athletic experience a chance.

Things get started on Friday as Germany, the host country, opens up with a match against Costa Rica and the U.S. enters their “bracket of death” on Monday with a game against the Czech Republic. Think “bracket of death” sounds a little harsh? Well, consider that to advance to the next round, the U.S. likely needs to win two games and their other opponents are Italy and Ghana. Italy is always a contender for the cup title and Ghana is an up and coming team in Africa that some liken to Cameroon. The Czech Republic team will be tough to beat as well. The U.S. will face Italy on Saturday, June 17 and will meet Ghana on Thursday, June 22.

The U.S. is coached by Bruce Arena, a secretive type coach who keeps his cards close to his vest and unleashes different line-ups and strategies quite often. Think of him like the Bill Bellichik of soccer. Players to watch on the U.S. squad include Brian McBride and Georgia boy Josh Wolff in the forward position, Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley in the midfield - with questions remaining about the availability of Claudio Reyna and John O’Brien, and Eddie Pope, Carlos Bocanegra and Oguchi Onyewu on defense. I would think that Kasey Keller will likely get a start in goal, as he has made 93 appearances for the team, but Tim Howard and Marcus Hahnemann have also seen time in the net.

There will be great games on television every day. On Saturday, June 10, England will face Paraguay and this World Cup is rumored to be David Beckham’s football (that’s what everyone else calls soccer) swansong. Brazil and France will play their first games next Tuesday, meeting Croatia and Switzerland respectively. Both of those games will likely be very close. Other fun teams to track in the first round will be Argentina, Mexico, Korea, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. There are also several teams that will be like the George Washington of this tournament including Ecuador, Sweden, Cote d’Ivoire, Serbia and Montenegro and Tunisia.

Think soccer is boring and too low-scoring? Well it’s no different than watching a “pitching duel” in baseball. Think soccer is not as physically challenging as other sports? The players are constantly on the move and only have shin pads to protect them. In the games leading up the World Cup, the U.S. has also seen several players knock noggins with their opponents at full speed - that’s right with no helmets.
I don’t expect that too many people will convert to a lifetime of fandom of soccer during this World Cup, but a team representing our country deserves our support in whatever sport they are playing. Wear your red, the color that Sam’s Army, the incredible fan group that supports the U.S. recommends, and tune in for 90 incredible minutes of action.

All 64 World Cup matches will be broadcast on ABC Sports or ESPN starting this Friday.