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Show THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE Monday, June 19,2006 Page 8 World Cup Journal Another world Germans don't love soccer—because love isn't a strong enough word K aiserslautern, Germany—A sea of rowdy Germans made its way Wednesday night past a group of five amused Americans— me, my mom, dad, younger brother and boyfriend—who sat watching the disorderly march from a table outside a cafe. Draped in German flags worn like capes with their faces painted black, red and yellow, they headed in droves to watch the eagerly awaited 9 p.m. game—Germany vs. Poland—on one of several gigantic screens that were set up throughout the usually tame city of 150,000. Drunken I4~year-old boys carried miniature kegs on their shoulders like boom boxes as at least three generations of Germans collectively boozed up. The earlier games at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. had been broadcast in Kaiserslautern as well, but those matches were largely ignored. Only the Germany game being played in Dortmund, a two-hour train ride away, really mattered. Most of the people, including us, had spent the day at a festival in the surrounding streets, a massive pre-game party where hundreds of vendors stood in tents selling jerseys, souvenirs and foods that rhyme with "itzel." We were interested to see what the atmosphere would be like among the German people during their match, so we stuck around to see what might transpire. In the hours leading up to the kickoff of the country's premier event, bands of musicians playing tubas, trombones and snare drums—many of NATALIE DICOU whom wore jerseys and wigs bearing the colors of the German flag—made their jolly way through the masses. However, others were more daring with their look—a young woman stood nude, except for a thong, in the packed thoroughfare between the tents as she was painted into a walking German flag. To the delight of onlookers, the woman was more than willing to pose for photos with any men who approached her. As the hour grew later, the fenced-in areas in front of the screens became packed with thousands of the German faithful, who waved flags and beer steins while singing patriotic songs.Either they were headed to war or going to the world's biggest frat party—it was hard to tell. But it sure wasn't like any sporting event I'd ever seen. The overflow, filled with people who couldn't fit into designated areas, stood in spots as many as hundreds of yards away where many could see only a quarter of the screen, and from a distance where it was difficult to detect which team had possession of the ball. My dad and brother managed to get fairly close-up— they had an unobstructed view, at least—but could scarcely move in the packed, elevator-like setting where the body heat of their neigh- bors made the muggy night an even sweatier affair. Before the game, the emcee asked if there were any Americans in the crowd, which incited a chorus of boos. Adorned in German jerseys, my dad and brother looked sheepishly around them and smartly-kept mum. To my great surprise, they returned un-maimed (lacking a death wish, the other three of us had decided to keep a safe distance). My brother reported that the crowd was friendly, that they sang for much of the game and that every touch of the ball was a dramatic moment of suspense, whether fueled by fear of impending doom or the thrill of the chance of a goal. The game went scoreless until the final minutes when Germany's Oliver Neuville scored, finally giving relief to the tense crowd. The cup's motto, "A time to make friends," does not seem entirely in sync with the actual goings-on of many of the fans, to say the least. Hooligans have staged "practice brawls" so that when real brawls break out, they'll be at their best. The NATO planes that pa- German fans take to the streets to watch their national team compete in the World Cup. trol the skies are a stark reminder that, though the world whom we've come in contact, was having a great night, and thing to do with the "world" now turns its attention to its is surely synonymous with one of the commentators said Germany is into the knockout most popular sport, it is only ruling the world outright. something like, "The eyes of round and has a chance to win a temporary diversion from Unfortunately, the tumultu- Germany are on its national its fourth World Cup. Only graver matters like terrorism, ous country lost its first two hero, Dirk Nowitzki." Now Brazil, which has won five war and deep ideological divi- games to Argentina and Hol- that I'm in Germany, I almost Cups, has been more successsions. land, denying them one of the have to chuckle at that senti- ful. The Ivory Coast, for in- precious invitations into the ment. The chance for World Cup stance, has postponed its civil knockout round. We are an isolated bunch glory comes but once every war as it unites to root for its Not long before I left for over therein America. We call four years. So, I feel pretty team in the long-shot hope Germany, I was watching the the winners of the NBA the confident in saying: I've seen that the war-torn country Western Conference Finals. "world champions," but right Germany's eyes, and they're might rule the world of soc- German national and Dal- now it's hard to see how a Dal- not on Nowitzki. cer—which, to many fans with las Maverick Dirk Nowitzki las/Miami match-up has anyn.dicou@chronicle.utah.edu BELLAMY DISCOVERS NEW SPORT The Chronicle is hiring a continued from Page 6 Contact Kendra at kJ?OVn@chvcmtcUdltah,edu if you are interested. ESCAPE THE SIMMER HEAT 20 YHN FROM UNIVERSITY OF I T VII CAMPUS FOR SALE \W\ S. Buckboanl Drive, Park Cil\ name, ,1 thought, sounds like phlegm, but I'll go with it. What happens is players use curved wooden sticks to slap around a hard, round, rubber disc called a "puck." When the opportunity presents itself, players shoot the puck toward the opponent's net to try to score a "goal." Of course, scoring chances are impeded by "goaltenders." Also, players can't really use their hands to handle the puck—sticks only, please. You know, now that I think of it, it's kind of like soccer—except faster, more physical and more unpredictable. To make things tougher—I completely forgot to explain this!—they play on a thick rink of ice. I mean, have you ever tried to walk—or play a sport, e v e n on ice? Well I have, and let me tell you, it is slippery! But don't worry—hockey players are wearing ice skates, so as to help them move around a bit easier and limit the number of times they falldown-go-boom. Hockey players skate all over the place, they score goals, they beat one another up, they hit one another with sticks—I really think this game just wmbartonsscooters.com • Appiox. 4,114 iqu?t« fttt • ftpaolovi (pomt • Op*n floorpkm « few btdroomi [he * whore Quality is Fr««p ultimate SCOOTER'N machine Buy * Sell "• Trade * Service • IHidy • Two tomily loom* • LWQ*. HgM kttchtn • Itainteit itttl appliance* might catch on in the States. That is, if The Man (i.e., the powers that be in the NFL, MLB, NBA and PBA) isn't too threatened by such a radically subversive phenomenon, In fact, it got me to wondering why "hockey"—I hope I'm pronouncing that right— hadn't become known in this country before yours truly pulled off the amazing discovery. (Just call me the Columbus of sports.) Turns out, it was popularized in Canada. You know that huge mass of land at the top of North America? Yeah, that's Canada—which was news to me, too. 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