Now that most of the soccer zealots have been talked off of their respective ledges following the Belgium match, I would like to point out how far we have come on the world stage.
When I grew up in the 1950s and ’60s, soccer was something foreign countries did and did well. There was no interest here then as we had our own sports born and bred in the U.S. Soccer wasn’t even offered in schools then.
Our rise to moderate world fame now is mind-boggling when compared to Europe and South America, for instance. Soccer is to them what hockey is to Canada. I for one am proud of our lads, especially the two representing the Sounders.
Soccer is alive and well in our country now, and I look forward to many more terrific matches on the world stage against the heavies of our planet. Heck, who knows? We may even walk out one of these years with all the marbles! Remember Al Michael’s famous words: “Do you believe in miracles”?
