This thing called football

Every morning we wake up to the BBC news I am naturally a light sleeper so upon hearing the radio I am up, but usually lay in bed and listen for a while waiting for Mike (who upon first waking up has no idea where he is) to come to. The other morning the BBC had guest economist and author of Freakonomics Steven Levitt, on discussing his thoughts on

Will North Americans ever fall in love with football? (Soccer for those of you who might be slightly confused).

This actually made me sit up in bed and listen.

As most of you know the World Cup is on. Singapore is in FIFA fever and a city that doesn’t’ sleep and I am feeling dumfounded in my naiveness over this sport and have been trying to wrap my head around everything going on around me. It bugs to no end that while the rest of Singapore and every expat I run into are so excited and gitty about the world cup, I feel like a deer in the headlights, but back to Freakonomics guy.

After making a few jokes at North American’s expense on why we are the only continent to refer to the game of “football” as soccer he dove into this topic and why it has taken off basically everywhere else in the world but at home. To summaries Mr. Levitt feels that “soccer” is all about the esthetics and the beauty/pursuit of the game and as a result North Americans are a long way off from embrace football because we are obsessed with statistics and the ability to measure “greatness” in sports. With “soccer” the only thing that can really be measure is number of goals and wins vs. loses, okay if you want to get picky I guess you can measure the amount of time one posses the ball but really what does that have to do with winning?

Regardless on your thoughts on Mr. Levitt theory or of him as an economist he might be on to something as I do live with a man who keeps a working excel sheet on the Canucks.

Never the less I am embracing, I am learning and I am really getting into it. Having no Canadian or Russian team to cheer for I have found myself deferring to my husbands roots and favoring the Netherlands (deBruijn) and Slovania (Plut). Although after Mike’s grandfather Frank’s comments on what he thought about my new beloved sport I think my money is on the Netherlands and there well dressed silver fox of a coach ;).

Eating out right now has turned into a “get they’re early or we might be sold out” experience. As most Singaporeans don’t have TV’s in there home they plant themselves at the hocker stalls (where for some reason there are TV’s) decked out in their respective team color and watch. A few times already Mike and I have left our favorite hocker stands disappointed and we are only in the first round! Heading across the river to Robertson’s Quay where some of our favorite sit down restaurants has also proven to be interesting, as the main courtyard itself has been turned into FIFA headquarters. The whole quay has tables, chairs and large screens set up showing the games, replays and highlights for what feels like 24/7, good luck at find a seat or standing room, service has turned is a nightmare (although it has never been something that Singapore has been known for in the first place) but the vibe is great and once you have a beer its good too!

Even going out in the daytime has been entertaining the other day I had a five minute conversation with a cabbie about how he to was cheering for Denmark after he saw me in my red top and white capri pants, it then another 10 minutes to figure out what we were talking about.

It feels like the Olympics all over again but for some reason bigger. Regardless it’s fun, exhilarating and exciting, if it keeps up Mike and I might have to do a trip to Brazil in 4 years.