I was up in MA visiting my Dad this week. I put on the Russia/Croatia game because I'm genuinely interested, and he sat down at half time and started making all the standard soccer jokes. Too much diving, too boring, not enough goals, whatever. But he sat with me and we watched. We are part Russian, so he naturally started rooting for them. And soon as you know it, he's enthralled. He starts cheering, and getting into it, and calling fouls and everything. When Croatia scored the extra time goal, he was stunned it wasn't sudden death...and when Russia tied it he cheered the loudest I've heard him cheer since the Bruins 2013 run, maybe louder. Obviously we were upset about the result, but I kept teasing him "and they say soccer is boring" as he sat on the edge of his seat. This world cup has really delivered. When Russia lost, we walked dejected down to finish bleeding the brakes of his car, but he kept commenting on it- it really sucked him in.
The last game he watched was in a bar in Barcelona, when he visited me while I was living there.... in the summer of 2010...
...needless to say he's spoiled.
Personally, nothing can top my 2010 experience, but this World Cup has had consistently exciting games, and an insane number of staggeringly beautiful goals. Can't wait to watch more.
