Same is not the Same

It's World Cup time, I'm not talking about Road World Champs, World Cup as in Futball or as we like to call it Soccer. The US was just eliminated by Belgium, it was a sad day, any other day and I'm OK with getting mopped up by the Belgians (cyclocross), but soccer. We actually had a chance, it's not their game, it's the World's game. They (Belgians) own cyclocross as the Canadians own Hockey, but soccer we were on a somewhat level playing field. Pun intended. I digress. The Dutch are going all the way, or Germany, or maybe even Belgium. Stay tuned.

I'm not a huge soccer fan, but I will watch it and converse about what is going on in the world of futball. It is a fringe sport here in the States as is Cycling. So. Being a cycling fan you should be able to empathize with the soccer hooligan. We are the same, but different. The World US sees us as weird when we ride bikes or kick a ball. I would like to think that this is out of ignorance. Mostly. Maybe I should not use such strong language, but it is a lack of knowledge that makes people fear something. Something beautiful such as cycling or futball. I don't play soccer, but I appreciate what the players can do with the ball. Magic, and all the running.

Yes there is an ugly side to both sports, the diving, the drugs, the biting, and all the lying. That is the human side to any pursuit, that is what we do. Hate it for what it is, not for what it is a part. I choose to see the beauty in my sport, I know there is a fresh body in the closet waiting to become a skeleton, but I still have the love. The positives outweigh the negatives. Le Tour starts this weekend and the World will be watching Futball and The Grand Depart, and a small slice of the globe will be driving their petrol burning over-sized death machines to the lake with no thought to either. Hating something because you don't understand is ignorance. Ignorance is bliss, and there are happy people everywhere.