Soccer as a Countercultural Sport

My friend Paul Semonin, long a critic of mainstream American culture, remarked that soccer is a subversive sport.  It has certainly seemed so to me over the past week.

First our Old Nicks team was euphoric over a 2-0 loss.  Why?  Well, we had just two subs and managed to play the best team in the league even for long stretches.  We had a lot of possession and worked hard and smart the whole game.  Also, to be truthful, we are usually pretty happy regardless of the score because it is a joy to play together with people you respect and enjoy.

Then, a day later came the second leg of the Western Conference finals between Portland and Salt Lake City, in Portland.  Portland had lost the first leg, 4-2, and also lost this game, 1-0, so lost 5-2 on aggregate.  But as the end of the game neared and the Salt Lake City players began a long celebration, most of the 20,000+ Portland fans--rather than walking out in disgust or booing-- serenaded the team with a song: "I Can't Help Falling In Love with You."  Click here for a short video.

In soccer, as in life, "winning" can be both difficult to achieve and subjective.  Likewise, "losses" can be transformed by friendship, loyalty, and passion.