Imagine your life without the World Cup
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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Comments
By Mary | May 3rd, 2006 at 3:14 pm 
Don’t have a heart attack - but he’s probably not the last! Hopefully, very close to the last, though!
Posted from 
Canada
By David | May 3rd, 2006 at 3:16 pm Even the guys living in the caves in Afghanistan are following this thing. Is your friend a full time coke addict?
Posted from 
United States
By Futahaguro | May 3rd, 2006 at 3:16 pm Is he from the US?:)
Posted from United States
By Mesto | May 3rd, 2006 at 3:48 pm 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.
By Knut Karnapp | May 3rd, 2006 at 4:20 pm 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.
By Razzle | May 3rd, 2006 at 4:24 pm 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.
Posted from United States
By Trent | May 3rd, 2006 at 4:43 pm 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?
Posted from United States
By Brett | May 3rd, 2006 at 5:41 pm What’s the United Nations?
Posted from United States
By Erich Kohl | May 3rd, 2006 at 7:45 pm I care more about the FIFA World Cup than I do about the SuperBowl. I’m the oddball around here.
Posted from United States
By Euler | May 4th, 2006 at 4:58 am Tilt! My brain does not work under that hypothesis.
By Pedro P | May 4th, 2006 at 5:09 am Bob, after reading your text, I almost had a tear in my eye…
Posted from 
Netherlands
By Ahmad | May 4th, 2006 at 7:30 am 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.
Posted from 
Lebanon
By leo | May 4th, 2006 at 10:06 am Ahmad, are u allowed to put up other countries flags on your windows?
Posted from United States
By Fizie | May 9th, 2006 at 2:08 pm 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
Posted from Netherlands
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