Savage Words: From making fun of World Cup, to loving the sport
I was never a big soccer guy. Just never got into it.
Even when the World Cup came to America this summer, while most of my friends were wrapped up in it, I just didn’t get it. When the World Cup came to the U.S. in 1994, it was the same thing. Actually, honestly, I’d never even heard of it.
I was in Chicago 32 years ago for work on one of the weekends there was a World Cup game. I was young, pretty naive. I didn’t book a hotel for my trip and just assumed I’d get something when I got to Chicago.
Mistake.
I … could … not find a hotel anywhere in Chicago, or nearby, when I strolled into the Windy City. I literally drove all over northwest Illinois looking for a place to stay.
After about the fifth “we’re fully booked” message from the front desk, I finally asked what was going on.
I was told the World Cup.
Again, never heard of it. Truly.
I never did find a place to stay that night and genuinely drove around the Chicago metro area until the sun came up, afraid to pull over and sleep in my car.
This summer, I know I sounded like “that” guy. The guy who sort of made fun of the World Cup and the fans from all over the world who went nuts for it.
But watching ESPN SportsCenter one night when they led with the World Cup, and then stayed on it for the first 15 minutes of the show, I started to realize that the weird one was actually me.
Fortunately for me, things have changed, thanks in large part to Brandon Valley Lynx soccer. I’ve grown to appreciate the sport more. Truth be told, I kind of love it now.
Covering the sport the last few years for the Journal, my eyes have opened to how physical soccer is. Being down on the sidelines with a camera in front of my face, I’ve seen some of the collisions, some of the hits, some of the falls. It’s legit. Bodies are flying all over the place.
But this year, I’ve noticed more than the collisions, the hits, the falls. This group, both the boys and girls, are flat-out busting their butts – every play, every time down the field.
As I’ve grown older, I appreciate even more the tenacity, the energy of youth. I remember the days of moving like the Lynx do on the soccer field now, but those days are long gone.
When I get out of bed in the morning, there’s more cracks and pops than a Fourth of July fireworks show. My days of vodka and soda have been replaced with MiraLAX and orange juice.
Although I can’t run like they can, I can certainly appreciate the way the Lynx get up-and-down the field when I’m covering a soccer game.
It’s indeed inspiring.
And the collisions? They’re real.
My thoughts are with Brandon Valley junior Ellis Parker. I wasn’t there, but the blow he took Saturday in Tea sounded ferocious when he and the Titans’ goalkeeper collided. By all accounts, he’s going to be OK, but talk about putting an exclamation point on how physical the game is.
And the energy? That’s real, too.
These kids are just relentless on the field. They never stop.
I asked Brandon Valley girls coach Aric Spader about Claire Minion and her effort on the offensive end for the Lynx. That kid just never, never, never … ever stops moving.
I get exhausted just watching her.
When I talked to Spader after one of their games last week, he agreed.
“She doesn’t know a different gear, which I think has taken her game to another level,” he said. “She literally doesn’t know how to just jog. She either goes, or she doesn’t go, and when she goes, she goes.”
That might just be the quote of the year.
I was happy to see Claire get her first goal of the season last week at Tea Area. When the ball comes off her right leg, it’s a massive launch. She missed one last Tuesday at home that hit the crossbar. I was standing right next to the goal, and it was a thunderous boom that could be heard in Valley Springs when the ball drilled the bar.
I don’t know when the World Cup will return to the U.S., but when it does – I’m booking my hotel asap.
In the meantime, I’m looking forward to the Brandon Valley boys and girls in their post-season push next month.
