Sunday, July 13, 2014

Let's Run It Back

I don't think there's much argument that this year's World Cup has been great fun from a fan's perspective. From the great stories and moments of the Group Stage, like Costa Rica's terrific run, or Tim Cahill's bolt of lightning that served as Australia's highlight, or John Brooks' life-defining chance to the sublime play of the Germans, Tim Howard's magnificence, the gut-wrenching penalty kick shootouts, and the grinding tension of the knockout rounds, it's been a brilliant display on the world's largest stage.

The only thing that would've been better is actually being there.

So next summer, I'm doing something about that. Canada hosts the 2015 Women's World Cup, and I'm packing up the family truckster and headed north. It may lack Brazil's samba sensibility, only 24 teams will participate, and the stage won't be as large as the one Germany and Argentina take this afternoon, for one 10 year-old girl and her Dad, it might as well be.

A few months ago, my daughter got to meet her idol, Washington Spirit and Canadian National Team midfielder Diana Matheson. My shy kid, who'd be perfectly happy not saying another word if she didn't have to, lit up like a Christmas tree, and told the diminutive Matheson that she was attending the Women's World Cup. So I guess we're pot committed.

My wife has accused me in times past of being a poor planner. As in, I don't plan. So let this post serve as a marker. I've gone public with the fact that we're going to Canada, so if it doesn't happen, I've opened myself to mockery. Of an entirely new sort.

The draw for the 2015 Women's World Cup doesn't take place until December, so we're going to have to wait at least a little while to firm up our arrangements. Matches will be played in Edmonton, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal, and Moncton. (One of these is not like the others.) Our only hard and fast guideline is that we need to see at least one match played by Canada and one by the United States. Oh, and apparently I need to buy my daughter a Canada jersey, since Diana Matheson told her she needed one.

I spent eight days in Atlanta attending the 1996 Olympics. It ranks among the top sporting memories of my life. And I saw two matches in RFK when the U.S. hosted the men's World Cup in 1994. Both of those were all about me. This time I get to experience something on the grand sporting stage with my family, and I'm entirely too excited about that. Messi and Mueller and Robben and Rodriguez and Neymar get replaced by Morgan and Wambach and Marta and Sinclair and Sawa. And Matheson.

I think I'm gonna need a travel agent.

14 comments:

Shlara said...

The Wiz signed Paul Pierce while I was sleeping?!!?!
I don't even know how to react

KQ said...

That is EXACTLY how I felt! I think I'm happy but it will be weird to see in him a Wiz uniform.

mayhugh said...

Rob - good for you guys. Sounds like a quality experience that you will get to have both for yourself and through your daugher. Good times.

For some reason I do not think I sould be happy about having The Truth as a member of the Wiz. I did not see a lot of him this year but I feel like he might be Mitch Richmond 2.0 for us.

Clarence said...

Rob- veryvery cool.

Listening to the final on the radio. Love the term "Glasgow kiss" but it sounded like a doozy.

rob said...

pretty sure i saw lovie smith at dulles this morning. because you care.

Clarence said...

The flopping and pathetic hysterics are escalated to World Cup status in this final period. Who knew the key to making a German writhe around on the ground in agony was to graze his shin with your toe?

Mark said...

What a touch and strike. World class.

zman said...

Seven nation army has jumped the shark.

zman said...

Schweigsteiger is German for pig climber. True story.

zman said...

Schweinsteiger

rob said...

told my daughter it was pigsticker. and i'm, um, sticking with that.

zman said...

You have to climb before you stick, right?

Mr KQ said...

KEXP bringing it this eve. Like they always do.

Mark said...

You just got to this point with Seven Nation Army, Z?