Indomitable

I don't know how many of you have been following the performance of the U.S. soccer team at the World Cup this year in South Africa. To be honest, I've never followed it like I have this year. But this year, in part thanks to the enthusiasm of my flatmate, Lua, I've really gotten into it.

Those of you who've known me for a while, know that I'm a big soccer fan... but not really so much of the sitting in front of the telly and watching the sport as the getting into the grit of it on the pitch kind. I love this sport. Have loved and played it since grade school, all the way through into medical school. I love how you can just get on the field and go all out. Get down and dirty, fighting and tearing up the field. The aggressive physical and mental spirit of it is invigorating and liberating.

Maybe this year it's because I'm in England and not in my home country and we ended up in the same group as England. Maybe it's because I'm tired of taking all the BS I have to deal with being an American abroad. Maybe it's just because football/soccer is such a big deal here and it's hard not to be swept up in the excitement. But regardless of the cause, I have a keen interest in our performance at this World Cup. I feel invested. Similarly during the Olympics, but even more so. And being in England it's so much easier to really get into watching the game a the pub because everyone else is yelling at the screen so you feel liberated to do likewise. It's quite fun actually.

But I digress... I must say that I am so proud of our Team. We've performed above and beyond expectations. The first match against England was a HUGE deal here. Lua, Tiffany, and I were the only Americans at a pub jammed to the max with fans wearing their white and reds. At first we thought it best to keep a low profile... Especially when even just during the pregame show every time a commercial or commentary came on with the U.S. team showing there was much booing and jeering, which only escalated during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner. We went out in our blues to represent, since this was such a key game! Def not the time to be diplomatic and dress neutral.

I found that my cheers where largely overwhelmed by the groans of despair of the crowd, so I could pretty much cheer to my hearts content. It was a nerve wracking game, especially with England scoring only 4 min in. But watching soccer is so much more entertaining in England than it would have been Stateside. The crowd is much more involved and vocal. Every 5 minutes would be a round of singing and chanting with the lulls filled in with random berating or yelling at the screen. I remember sometime near the end of the second half, a woman screamed, "KILL THEM!!!!" To be sure, there's never a dull moment. I was so nervous during the first game, I was shaking. I wanted us to do well and represent ourselves before a world who thought we were just a bunch of pretty boys that didn't even know the name of the game.

I think that we've been playing solid games thus far. We've done a great job personifying what it means to be American. Our indomitable spirit and our sportsmanship have consistently stood out. Despite being plagued by injuries, ridiculously bad calls and denied goals, we have come through at the top of our group. We fight, get back up, stand our ground, move forward, and never give up. We are ready to take on the next stage. Inspirational.

Come what may, we're still number ONE! Bring it on!