The World Cup: Sporting Event or Marriage Bait?
Posted by Guillermo, "The Senor" - 09/06/10 at 08:06 am
The Senor is here, ready to give a man’s perspective to the ladies. And this week, the topic is sports. Some see games, others see manhunt.
The greatest sports event in the world is upon us. No, ladies, I’m not talking about the Olympics, and I’m not referring to the Super Bowl. I’m talking about that event that unites the entire world in a frenzy no other event can even come close to replicating. I’m talking about something that actually interests the entire world at once and will be the most followed event EVER.
The World Cup.
You know, that event every four years that determines the world soccer champion.
I realize that soccer isn’t the most popular sport in the US, but the sport has grown a lot since we hosted the World Cup in 1994. As a matter of fact, this World Cup (which will be held in Africa for the first time ever…South Africa is the lucky destination) will be the most watched one ever (easily over a billion and maybe two billion), and we’re even sending Vice President Biden to the Cup to represent the US at the Cup. Heck, President Obama even visited with the team at the White House before they departed for South Africa.
Ok, ok. Why should you care? Because a lot of guys (especially a lot of those foreign guys you think are hot) are going to be REALLY into watching and talking about the Cup. You could score some major points by knowing a few things about the Cup and even more by watching it at a sports bar, an outdoor location (Dupont Circle in DC will have big screens), or just chatting up some Brazilian guy at a bar.
Here’s what you need to know:
- The World Cup is a competition of 32 teams from around the world to determine the world champion.
- The Cup begins on 11 June and finishes one month later on 11 July.
- The competition is divided into two phases. The first phase is the “Group Phase,” which has eight groups with four teams in each group. Each team in each group will play each other once and at the end of this phase, the two teams with the most points (three for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss) will advance into the second phase, which is the “Elimination Phase.”
- The Elimination Phase has 16 teams that compete in a “you lose and you go home” tournament the rest of the way until there is a champion.
- The US team is in Group C with England (the favorite to win the group), Slovenia, and Algeria. Many think the US team should take second, but Slovenia could be tough. The US has a decent team, but it’s unlikely to make it to the quarterfinals. The US begins play on 12 June at 2:30 pm (all times are EST) against England, then plays on 18 June against Slovenia at 10 am and Algeria on 23 June at 10 am. BTW, David Beckam is with the England team, but will not play as he is injured. Even if healthy, he would have been a substitute at best.
- The favorites to win the Cup are the usual suspects: Brazil, Spain, Argentina, and Italy. Germany is an outside threat as is England. Traditionally the South American teams and the Europeans are the toughest areas. Indeed, they’re the only ones to ever win the Cup. Italy won the Cup in 2006.
- The Brazilians are known for their flair and fun (think Harlem Globetrotters or your favorite shoes that are freaky fun and everybody applauds them), while Italy is known for being very defensive. They like to score a goal and then bunker down to squeeze out a 1-0 victory. Argentina has a lot of flair too and Spain has some too, while the Germans are typical Germans: great work rate, good team effort, and very technical…but boring.
- For more information on the Cup, the matches, or just to learn more, go to www.fifa.com. If you’re interested in World Cup history, just type in “World Cup” on wikipedia.
Now, here’s how to use this information to help you out if you meet a guy and you want to sound like you know a few things. First, support two teams. The US should be your first team (unless you’re not a yank) and you should pick one of the international teams that has a shot to win the title. Brazil is a safe bet and you can tell a guy you like “Brazil’s style of play is like a beautiful dance.” Second, tell the guy that you think Messi (who plays for Argentina) reminds you of your kid brother or cousin or something (he is only 22) because he looks so boyish. Also mention you think he’s the best player in the world. Third, make sure you google photos of Cristiano Ronaldo (he plays for Portugal) who is regarded as the heartthrob of the tournament. Make sure to tell the guy you may think Ronaldo is hot, but that he’s a punk. Lastly, admit that you don’t know a lot about soccer (or football as everyone else calls it), but that you REALLY want to learn. After that, he’ll be yours. :)
Enjoy the Cup, CityGirls, and make sure to show off your newfound knowledge!
The Senor
