Ten Reasons to Watch the World Cup, Part 3

4. Coaches
There are only two current coaches, Sven Goran Eriksson with England and Bruce Arena with the US, that were in control of their teams during the 2002 tournament. It's fun to see, just minutes after the group stage is over, how many coaches are fired or "voluntarily" quit do to underachieving expectations. If professional sport is a harsh mistress, then international football is Oprah on her period with a broken limb in the second week of her new diet.


3. US announcers.
In a way, the cheese feels sorry for the poor sods that get "chosen" to do play by play for the US World Cup audience. The cheese watches and reads about a lot of football, and even he has trouble with names from some of the smaller, more…um…less developed countries. He can't imagine what it must be like for "Billy Whiteboy," who's used to NFL player names, when he looks at a roster list from Croatia or Angola. But listening to them stumble over the player's monikers for 90 minutes = good entertainment.


2. The referees.
Allegations of match fixing are never that fun, but in the last year there has been substantiated cases of refs in Germany and Italy taking bribes to fix games. Add to that the overwhelming opinion of players, fans and coaches that the refereeing in 2002 was seriously sub par, and the refs at this year's world cup, then, will be under so much scrutiny that they're pretty much f*ed no matter what happens. If you love a little chaos in your sports, like the cheese, then this is the stuff of legend. Also remember that gambling is legal in nearly every part of Europe and Asia. You think the various mobs, cartels and gangs won't have an invested interest in this tournament? In a way, the World Cup represents something akin to Desperate Housewives, mixed with the Sopranos, set in a sporting atmosphere, that exists in the real world. There's nothing else like it.



1. It's not about who wins.
Well, OK, it is about who wins, eventually. But the list of possible winners is pretty short. After Brazil there are only four or five teams considered to be serious contenders, and a smattering of darkhorse teams. There is always the possibility that a Cinderella team can make a run; Greece was a 92-1 long shot before the start of the last Euro Cup, but eventually finished with the title. But with teams like Brazil, Argentina, England, the Czechs…well, it's even more unlikely in this tournament. The important thing to remember, though, is that the World Cup doesn't just include 32 teams that play for a month. This tournament has been played over the last four years, and included 190+ teams. Yes, only 32 qualified for the final, but every national team on the planet has taken part. And for most teams, just making it this far is a point of national pride. Citizens of Togo, Tunisia, Iran, and Trinidad & Tobago will simply be delighted to see their teams play alongside the world class players on other, more high profile teams. A surprise win will no doubt lead to days long celebrations in these countries. It's nice to see (from the vantage point of being in a country that only prizes victory, not effort or sportsmanship) people really excited about their teams, regardless of the specific outcomes, and that's something we could maybe use a little more of in this country.