Imagine your life without the World Cup

May 3rd, 2006 | by: WC Bob |

I just had a conversation with an old friend that I haven’t seen for almost a decade. We started catching up and I mentioned being involved with World Cup Blog. To my utter amazement he not only didn’t care about the World Cup, but he also didn’t even know about it. Can you imagine being a reasonably educated person who has been on this planet for a few decades and not even knowing that the World Cup exists? I seriously was tempted to kidnap the dude and take him to the laboratory so that scientists could study the last human being that does not know about the world’s biggest sports event.

After our conversation ended, I started thinking about what life would be like without a World Cup every four years. For one thing I wouldn’t have a job, but that is minor compared to the sense of loss I would feel.

The World Cup is, of course, about football. But it is also about so much more. Without a World Cup this year, I would probably still think that Angola is at war, that Togo is the name of the dog in the Wizard of Oz and that Polish hooligans didn’t know how to operate chainsaws.

Can you imagine if you have never heard of the Hand of God? Would life be the same if you never saw Ronaldinho kick a ball? What would you possibly do to pass the time if you weren’t reading about broken metatarsals and roster decisions?

Even though he is missing out on a lot of fun, I don’t feel sorry for my friend. He is leading a good life and is very happy. But our conversation does make me feel even more fortunate that the World Cup is a part of my life and that through the powers of technology I am having the wonderful opportunity to share this experience with strangers like you from all over the world this year.

Group hug.

[/sentimental]

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Mary

Don’t have a heart attack – but he’s probably not the last! Hopefully, very close to the last, though!
David

Even the guys living in the caves in Afghanistan are following this thing. Is your friend a full time coke addict?
Futahaguro

Is he from the US?:)
Mesto

The only thing worse than not knowing about the World Cup is being a fan of a team like Spain. Better to be ignorant than to have your heart broken every 4 years.
http://www.worldcup2006news.net/ Knut Karnapp

Can you imagine being a reasonably educated person who has been on this planet for a few decades and not even knowing that the World Cup exists?

I talk to such geeks on a daily basis, crazy.
Razzle

David is right. The warring factions in Afghanistan would pause their bombings during the 1998 world cup so that they could follow the cup. Same used to be the case in Lebanon. We need more civil wars to show the world they can be paused by the World Cup!

I plan on hijacking the American Idol feed during the world cup and broadcast matches on it. All your base are belong to us.
http://ecuador.worldcupblog.org/ Trent

Forget that lady in the picture; this is Edvard Munch Scream territory. Isn’t this like not knowing about the Olympics? The United Nations? How could that be?
Brett

What’s the United Nations?
http://erichkohl.homedns.org/~erichkohl Erich Kohl

I care more about the FIFA World Cup than I do about the SuperBowl. I’m the oddball around here.
http://www.viuasfotos.com/euler.htm Euler

Tilt! My brain does not work under that hypothesis.
http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/big-question-which-current-coach-was-the-best-player.html#comments Pedro P

Bob, after reading your text, I almost had a tear in my eye…
Ahmad

Razzle what you said about world cup during the civil war is true. Also here in Lebanon during the worldcup, everyone puts on his balcony the flag of the team the family supports, I am going to put the dutch flag.
leo

Ahmad, are u allowed to put up other countries flags on your windows?
Fizie

Much love to ahmad (not in a gay way). For supporting of the team that actually tries to play attractive football, instead of just rooting for brazil what would be just too easy for my taste. RESPECT