I'm still allergic to sports, so don't get any ideas from today's post that I've gone all mushy. It's just the times.
First, I am unlikely to give the World Cup a thought, so if you hoped I'd keep you advised, I'm sorry to disappoint and recommend you look elsewhere. I do have this tidbit however.
The US plays its first game against England. It is the first meeting of these 2 teams in 60 years of World Cup play. The last time they met, the US beat the defending champions. It was so spectacular that 55 years later they made a movie about it. The Game of their Lives. Kind of like Chariots of Fire, only on grass. Trivia fans may note that 5 of the US starting 11 were from St. Louis, 2 of the 5 coached my 1st. grade soccer team.
Second Point: In the US major college sports conferences, in a never ending rush for the almighty dollar are breaking up and reforming with different conferences. The group I have known all my life committed suicide this morning, as one team left and the rest will seek TBBD. How this will play out is anyones guess, the only constant is change.
But for those who provide the fannies in the seats what teams are we supposed to hate? Rivalries are developed over time, not invented.
I'll mix my metaphores for the sake of non US readers for a bit. Suppose you are a NHL hockey fan in love with Toronto. All your life you have despised the hated Montreal team. Suppose you woke up tomorrow to find Toronto would never play Montreal again? Man U would never play Chelsea? Michigan never to visit Ohio. Sports fans have to hate some other team, its required. So who would root against?
Can a team join a new conference, attend the first organizational meeting and say hello, how do you do, we would like to hate your team and state too, OK? Doesn't work.
And finally. Apparently, no one gives a flying fig about basketball. The switcheroos are about making stronger televised football packages, at the cost of destroying some major basketball conferences.
If only NIKE would just take over the whole mess.
Toad
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