Just a Gwai Lo fun within prescribed limits [?]

Four years ago today I linked to an article about nationalism and soccer, saying that I wasn't too caught up in World Cup fever in 2002. What a difference four years make, as I've seen at least a half-dozen full games and a few more second halfs of games, including Brazil's two goals in the second half of their match against Australia. (I watched it at Pogue Mahone Irish Pub in Toronto, while eating brunch. Australia deserved a draw, with several glorious chances.) In the streets of Toronto I've seen flag-waving for Trinidad & Toboago, South Korea, Italy, Brazil and surely others the flags of which I don't recognize. Little Italy, after their victory against Ghana, still had people in cars hootin' and hollerin' and waving flags on College St. in Toronto 4 hours after the game. Canada, not having its soccer team in the World Cup, doesn't have a home team, so each nationality cheers for "their home team", where I've been cheering the athleticism and excitement that comes with each goal.

Detailed explanation with examples of the offside rule in football. I just wanted to make sure that offsides did not apply to throw-ins (that is indeed the case), because of a quick throw-in by the German team to a way "offside" teammate. (Great stop by the German keeper two minutes ago! Or, in the words of the Québécois announcer: "Quel arrêt!")

Anne Applebaum: “Outside the stadium that day, soccer mania had gripped the nation--and it is a mistake to imagine that only the hooligans temporarily turn into chauvinistic nationalists on the day of an England match. Otherwise well-behaved friends of mine were genuinely outraged that I, a mere foreigner, had received a press ticket. Germany jokes, usually involving the Nazis, were all the rage. One was attributed to Mrs. Thatcher, who upon being told that Germany had defeated England (which they did, of course) had allegedly replied, 'They may have beat us at our national game, but we beat them twice at their national game in the 20th century.'”

The World Cup, I realized today, interests me not. Sure, it happens once every four years, and I used to believe I was interested, having played the game and since I actually understand the offside rule. Early morning start times (here anyway), the scene of dejected Italy fans on Commercial Drive blaming the ref for their team's loss (oh so cliché) and no idea which team to cheer for (I lose interest in playoffs when the team I'm cheering for gets kicked out anyway) lead to disinterest on my part. The final game will be the only game I watch in full, but I'm not even sure about that.