Hi Hoddlers! It’s Day 5 of the World Cup and Day 1 of Fitzie’s Extended Work Vacation from the Hoddle. So you’ve got me instead.
Without dipping too deep into politics, there’s been a lot of talk and digital ink spilled already about what an absolute s**tshow the planning and execution of this World Cup has been, and fair enough. Between FIFA taking every opportunity to milk football fans for their precious hard-earned dollars to half-empty stadiums to players, support staff, referees, and former
Arsenal sexual predators being denied entry to host countries, everyone I think expected this World Cup to fall on its face. And at some level, it already has.
But I think what a lot of people forget is that Americans on the whole are decent people — kind, generous, accepting folk who just like to have a good time and are enormously welcoming to people from other cultures. That’s evident from this Bluesky skeet which contains some stories about foreign fans coming to the USA for the World Cup and having a great experience.
I’ve seen so many heartwarming and awesome stories about Europeans and people from other nations coming here expecting to encounter hordes of arrogant people and instead finding awesome Americans and incredible food, and being blown away by the experience. It’s made me feel a lot better, and is also a reminder that social media is not society, and that I need to log off once in a while and get out to actually talk to people now and then.
As an American, it’s worth remembering that, whatever else is going on in the world that’s outside of our control, we still have power to be kind and welcoming to people who are different from us, and those experiences go a long way towards establishing what kind of a country we want to be. FIFA sucks, a lot. But that doesn’t mean we as a people have to as well.
Song of the Day: “Smoko” (The Chats)
News and Links:
Not footy related, but the New York Knicks won their first NBA title since 1973 with Saturday night’s win over the San Antonio Spurs. I’m not a Knicks fan but after the Europa League win I feel like we’re spiritual cousins now. [ESPN]
A short profile on Nestory Irankunde, the Australian goal-scorer who came to Oz as an immigrant from Burundi via Tanzania, and found his home in soccer Down Under. [BBC]
West Ham might soon have a new owner after the David Sullivan scandal; relegation might end up being one of the best things to happen to that club in a long time. (The Times)
