And on women's sports this week... not much happenned
This week, on FIFA Women's World Cup, Brasil has been eliminated after playing with the USA, and our girls are coming home. But that's okay, because no one cares.
Let me be clear. I care, but not because it's football. As a brazilian, I have to love soccer. That's how we are raised. Football is even worst than religion in my country, and people take it seriously - terrorism has been commited in the name of football. When World Cup comes, the whole country stops. Really, everybody gets a holiday whenever Brasil is playing, and if we win, that will be our subject of discussion for the rest of the year. Next cup will be in my country! You have no idea the pressure we gonna be putting on our players.
I'm just explaining this whole thing so you'll understand this: football = Very Important Thing For Brazilians.
Now, as I said, women have been playing on their very special cup as well this year. But, sadly, brazilian girls are coming back home. Now, I don't care all that much about football. I like it, I have my team of preference and it was my favorite sport to play in Phys. Ed. But if you ask me if I put on a jersey and go watch my boys play every sunday, no, I do not. I am not crazy about football as, say, my seven year old sister is.
However, whenever the men are playing World Cup, I know they are playing. I see the flags and we get the family together and the WHOLE COUNTRY STOPS to know what's happening. That's all we talk about. That's all we care about.
When the girls are playing, then it's a whole new story. I had no idea we were playing in a Women's World Cup this year - I didn't even know the Women's World Cup was this year. I found that out this week, when someone mentioned it on the night news I don't usually watch. A casual mention.
"Oh, by the way, our girls won this match!"
Then the same news announced tonight:
"Oh, yes, and the girls lost to the USA tonight. We're out. And now, Important Stuff."
No, I don't care about football. And that's because I don't really like it - not like brazilians usually like it, lets call my liking "loving it from a distance". But this seems horribly unfair that we can stop and stare at a television for two hours every time a man in a LOCAL team is kicking a ball, but we can't even acknowledge our WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM is playing a WORLD CUP.
I truly don't understand.
Let me be clear. I care, but not because it's football. As a brazilian, I have to love soccer. That's how we are raised. Football is even worst than religion in my country, and people take it seriously - terrorism has been commited in the name of football. When World Cup comes, the whole country stops. Really, everybody gets a holiday whenever Brasil is playing, and if we win, that will be our subject of discussion for the rest of the year. Next cup will be in my country! You have no idea the pressure we gonna be putting on our players.
I'm just explaining this whole thing so you'll understand this: football = Very Important Thing For Brazilians.
Now, as I said, women have been playing on their very special cup as well this year. But, sadly, brazilian girls are coming back home. Now, I don't care all that much about football. I like it, I have my team of preference and it was my favorite sport to play in Phys. Ed. But if you ask me if I put on a jersey and go watch my boys play every sunday, no, I do not. I am not crazy about football as, say, my seven year old sister is.
However, whenever the men are playing World Cup, I know they are playing. I see the flags and we get the family together and the WHOLE COUNTRY STOPS to know what's happening. That's all we talk about. That's all we care about.
When the girls are playing, then it's a whole new story. I had no idea we were playing in a Women's World Cup this year - I didn't even know the Women's World Cup was this year. I found that out this week, when someone mentioned it on the night news I don't usually watch. A casual mention.
"Oh, by the way, our girls won this match!"
Then the same news announced tonight:
"Oh, yes, and the girls lost to the USA tonight. We're out. And now, Important Stuff."
No, I don't care about football. And that's because I don't really like it - not like brazilians usually like it, lets call my liking "loving it from a distance". But this seems horribly unfair that we can stop and stare at a television for two hours every time a man in a LOCAL team is kicking a ball, but we can't even acknowledge our WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM is playing a WORLD CUP.
I truly don't understand.