World Cup Soccer Tournament

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The entire culture here has stopped – for the World Cup, the most popular sporting event in the world. The news commentators talk and write of nothing else. As the World Cup is only held once every four years, like the Olympics, fans and players are really up for it when it does come around again.
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As for a minority opinion, it is said:
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“There are only three sports: Mountain Climbing, Auto Racing and Bull Fighting. All the rest are merely games.” -- attributed to Hemingway.
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I like that, although I have never tried bull fighting and I wonder why he didn’t mention boxing.
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I never was a soccer fan, and I get so sick of seeing it on Thai TV news here nearly all of the year. But I will say that these World Cup players look extremely competent at their game. The play is definitely much better than the ordinary footage throughout the year. As it is a worldwide national-team event, feelings run high. I will also say that soccer demands incredible stamina from the players, who run up and down the pitch at full speed with no time-outs.
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Also, I was never much of an American Football (gridiron) fan. But seeing soccer so much on TV, I yearn for some good old football. There are farang sports-bar venues downtown that show American football, and next season I’m going to look them up. But for now, it is the soccer players' moment.
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In about 5 hours – 01:30 hours for me here – the teams of the USA and England will square off. Of course, I must stay up to see it. I have popcorn and beverage ready.
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-Zenwind.