Copa de Mundial: You Give a Rat's Ass?

Yeah, it's the world's biggest sporting event. But we're not in the world, we're in Texas. Dallas, more precisely, where football is king, spring football is queen, basketball is a part-time curiousity, hockey is a memory, baseball is foreplay to more football and soccer is ... Stupid? A game played by...

By Richie Whitt

June 10, 2010

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18855504",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17105533",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18349797",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17105532",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18349797",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17105535",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Yeah, it's the world's biggest sporting event. But we're not in the world, we're in Texas.

Dallas, more precisely, where football is king, spring football is queen, basketball is a part-time curiousity, hockey is a memory, baseball is foreplay to more football and soccer is ...

Stupid? A game played by children but discarded by teens? Unevolved to the point players can't use their hands?

However you view it, soccer isn't a mainstream sport in these parts. Or is it?

The 2010 World Cup kicks off Friday morning in South Africa and Saturday afternoon the U.S. plays England in its first game. The New York Times yesterday called it "The most anticipated American sports event in many years, perhaps decades, is about to take place."

Two words: Stephen Strasberg.

My brief soccer-like affair ended with the departure of Tatu and the Dallas Sidekicks. The Dallas Burn/FC Dallas has never really intrigued me. My step-son was fully engaged in the sport at age 8. Yesterday I had to remind him the World Cup was even this year, much less this weekend.

I'm going to a local watering hole Saturday to watch U.S.-England. What can I expect to find?

KEEP THE OBSERVER FREE... Since we started the Dallas Observer, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Dallas, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.