For Ghana, the "Black Stars" are the source of great pride. Two years ago a very deferential university student became expansive when our conversation shifted to soccer. "In that sport, we are the big brother, and you are the little brother," he enthused. "We always beat you." In school yards all over Ghana, like the one picture here, boys dream of leading the Black Stars to international glory.
Of course that didn't happen this time around, as the Black Stars compounded poor performances against the U.S. and Portugal with bickering with the coach and reports of corruption off the pitch. Several opinion makers have identified "indiscipline" as the key problem, which commentators link to the broader failings of youth in general and politicians in particular. The national team's shortcomings prompt a sort of national soul searching.
The U.S. not only beat Ghana; it advanced out of the group stage and put up a good fight against two teams that were clearly much better--Germany and Belgium. People who follow the U.S. team closely are generally pleased. But more casual fans are irritated that the U.S. is still so far behind so many teams. Why is it, they wonder, that the U.S. can field a military about the size of the rest of the world put together, dominate sports such as basketball and American football, then be such a minor player in the world's most celebrated sports event?
I am sure that this irony is not lost on Latin Americans. I have been especially intrigued by the American fan who goes to matches in Brazil dressed up like Teddy Roosevelt, the quintessential racist and vulgar American expansionist. Given the wide gap between the state of soccer in Brazil and the U.S., I suspect that if the actual TR were somehow pulled out of the grave and restored to life he would stay away from soccer. As a commentator on a sports radio station put it: soccer can't be that important if we aren't much good at it. The rest of the world cannot help but smile.
No comments:
Post a Comment