Our man in Deutschland II: Forza Italia?
18 June 2006, 17:51
Josh Dean writes from Germany about the operatic battle between the USA and Italy:
And, so, Kaiserlautern. It’s been a long time since I felt comfortable being patriotic, but going to those U.S. games, in Europe, it was impossible not to get swept up in the furor. As it was in Gelsenkirchen, the first German city hosting games that I’d never heard of before the Cup, the scene before the game in the other host city heretofore unknown to me was overwhelming: hundreds of US fans congregating downtown, singing, drinking, and dancing on picnic tables, taunting Italian fans with old chants—“We are the U.S./Mighty mighty US” is a favorite—and hilarious new ones—“You Can’t Buy A Referee” sung to tune of “Oh my darling, Clementine.”
From there, the crowd marched en masse up the Fan Mile, through streets so clogged it was almost impossible to move, meeting up unexpectedly with an Air Force band that led a patriotic wedge up the hill to the stadium, playing fight songs while U.S. supporters waved flags and chanted “U-S-A!” Between songs, the band members high-fived each other and posed for photos with fans. They couldn’t believe what they were seeing. It was inspiring, and I say this as a cynic who hasn’t been proud of his country in a long time. I felt like we’d just liberated Europe.
My friend Mike, who like me and everyone else who watched the Czech game, was perhaps most disgusted by the team’s utter lack of spirit said, “I wish Arena could bring those guys down here just for five minutes to see this.”
I guess it wasn’t necessary. I have been to World Series, Super Bowls, NBA playoffs, national championships, and all manner of other sporting events, but nothing comes close to the atmosphere in Kaiserslautern for the U.S.-Italy match. And the team seemed to feel it. Despite being outnumbered three-to-one by Italians, who can drive up to Germany in half a day, the U.S. crowd was inspired—loud, enthusiastic and unceasing in their energy. I can recall only a few times when the Azzurri faithful drowned out the U.S. section and one of those times was when an Italian player literally turned around before a free kick and pumped his arms, urging the Italians to drown out the USA chants. It’s not something I ever thought I’d see in Europe.
It’s too bad, then, that a referee decided the match. As was the case with our loss to Germany in 2002, I don’t think anyone watching this match could argue that the US wasn’t the better team on the field—at least when both teams played at full strength. We were faster, fitter and more skillful on the ball. I had bought a returned ticket, and so was smack in the middle of the Italian section, and those fans looked scared. I remember thinking, over and over during the first half, “Oh my god. We are the better team.” We all know what happened next.
I’m still not sure why—when his team played nearly an entire half with 9 against 10—Arena didn’t sub in Eddie Johnson for McBride (aside from the need for fresh legs, you need a creative player in short-handed situations), but it’s hard to find many other complaints for Bruce or his team. I had goosebumps for a half-hour after the final whistle, when the U.S. team, drained and dehydrated, walked the perimeter of the pitch saluting fans, including the vast swarms of blue-clad Italians. Johnson didn’t play, but he walked alongside Onyewu with his arm around the giant defender, a gigantic smile on his face. Like the other Cup rookies, he was blown away by the energy in the stadium. He’d never seen anything like this. Neither had I.
Now, the so-called Group of Death has been turned upside down, and I’m forced to root for Italy, which is going to be very, very hard. The team is undeniably talented, but is also almost impossible to like. As Frank Foer nicely points out on his New Republic blog today, there is a pathology in Italy that makes cheating acceptable. It was painful watching the players flop, dive and writhe in mock agony each time an American so much as sneezed in an Italian player’s direction.
Alas, Forza Italia. At least until Friday.
Comments
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You write: “It was inspiring, and I say this as a cynic who hasn’t been proud of his country in a long time. I felt like we’d just liberated Europe.”
Well, we just liberated 50 million people in Afghanistan and Iraq.
I’m ecstatic over the team’s performance v the Azzuri and hope we can get the necessary results on Thursday to line up against Brazil.
Go USA! 24/7/365!
— Clinton AFC · 18 June 2006, 20:48 · #
Regarding, “Well, we just liberated 50 million people in Afghanistan and Iraq.”
Perhaps we should save some of that $20 billion a month we’re spending and develop a few more world class players. Fewer casualties too, I suspect.
— Andrew · 19 June 2006, 11:07 · #