Growing up in western Nebraska is a lot like growing up in a tiny country. You know pretty much everyone for a radius of about three counties. We call it the “waving radius”. You have to wave at passing cars as you drive down the highway (or the rough and washed out backroads) within that radius…it’s part of being in that extended community.
Another part of being in that community is learning to love the Huskers (or keep your mouth shut). If you think you’ve seen Husker fans during your time going to school in Omaha or Lincoln, you’re wrong. The dyed-in-the-wool, die-hard fans are in out in the Middle-of-Nowhere, Nebraska.
Growing up, I never saw the attraction. Yes. Let’s sit on the couch and eat junk food and drink large quantities of beer whilst listening to some guy comment on how well the practices have been going, whilst also waiting for something…anything…to happen. And then oh my gosh look at that they carried the ball almost four yards would you look at that! (heavy sarcasm) Don’t get me wrong. It’s easy to get caught up in the energy of a room full of ardent fans, but I have never been able to get into the game.
Futbol though, or as most Americans call it, soccer…there’s a reason it’s call “The Beautiful Game”. I have friends who say they get bored during a soccer game, and I’ll admit, I cannot understand that. Every move is carefully calculated, each pass is intentional, and every battle for the ball is a test of skill, agility, and power.
And every last second of the game is packed with action (and sometimes drama…I’m looking at you, Ronaldo…).
Let’s compare. In 174 minutes of run time for a football game, a full hour (60 minutes) was commercials, 75 minutes was a lot of standing around looking at each other or the players milling around setting up for plays, 17 minutes was replays of stuff that had already happened, 15 minutes were taken up by coaches throwing hats about and injured players being carted off to be patched up, and a whopping eleven minutes was of actual play, with the ball in play, when the players were…playing.
Contrast that to your average college soccer game, where, for two 45-minute periods, the players only stop moving when there’s a severe injury or a penalty, and you can see why I don’t understand how a person could get bored during a soccer game.
Now, let’s talk about this weekend, friends. On Saturday the 21st, two of the greatest sides in our lifetime met at the Bernabeu to do battle. And I think we can all agree on who won. Barcelona’s side dominated right from the get-go. Real Madrid put a little pressure on them in the first half, but it was Barca’s ball all the way, with two goals in the first half from Suarez and Neymar.
It was a pretty exciting game for FC Barcelona fans for the first half, but we all know that especially in soccer the game can completely turn around in the second half. Not so with this game. Despite some good chances for Ronaldo and Ramos (who were getting a little frustrated…and dramatic…), Real just couldn’t find net. Barca went back into destruction mode. A goal from Iniesta (which was a sight to behold…) widened the gap even further.
And then the moment we had all been waiting for! Lionel Messi was put in for the last part of the second half, only a few days short of two months out of commission with an injured knee. The Argentine superstar started the play that gave Suarez the ball and all the space he wanted to set himself up and send it in for a fourth goal. It was like Real’s defensive line was standing still.
The jibe that’s trending on social media right now is that Barcelona is the only club with two practice pitches: Camp Nou, and the Bernabeu. And truly, they made a meeting of giants look like a practice scrimmage.
Is my excitement over The Beautiful Game increased by the fact that I go to a school with a top-notch soccer program? Possibly. But it’s also a product of growing up around football and never once seeing the attraction. I found Futbol and never looked back. I’ll never be a good player, but I sure as shootin will be a fan.
Barca! Barca! Barca!
