Addendum to the Soccer World Cup

07/23/2002 English German

Edition # 38
San Francisco, 07-23-2002

Addendum to the Soccer World Cup Personalized tickets The Raging PERL MAN The Newsletter Top Product The CD of the Month The Osbournes on TV Finally, the Green Card Priority Date Medical Examination For the Green Card Passport Photos Affidavit of Support Finger Prints Processing Fee and Passport Stamp In the Same Line With Americans All's Well That Ends Well

Addendum to the Soccer World Cup

Michael I rarely manage to sit through a soccer game on TV these days. While I can run around on the soccer field for hours, I just don't have the patience to watch the usual back-and-forth in the midfield during the usual soccer games on TV. I always think to myself: Oh my, the time, the time! I could have written three Perl programs by now!

This year, however, we couldn't resist: We actually got up at 4:30 in the morning and watched the World Cup games live. Probably because no one does that here. Although the USA made it to the round of 16 this time, "soccer," as the Americans call it, remains an exotic sport.

Figure [1]: David Beckham and I wear the same football boots.

Except for our Mexican neighbor, of course, who was watching enthusiastically. And suffered along when Mexico lost to the USA. Mexicans are not highly regarded in the USA, as most have to work in minimum-wage jobs due to a lack of alternatives, and very few manage to escape the vicious cycle.

In California, Mexicans harvest citrus fruits and grapes, cover roofs, and carry out private demolition work, clean cars, mow lawns, and wash dishes in restaurants.

Figure [2]: Union leader Cesar Chavez on a postage stamp

Without Mexicans, the Californian economy would immediately collapse. On Cesar Chavez Street in San Francisco, which ironically bears the name of a man who advocated for fairer wages for low-wage workers, hundreds of Mexicans stand every day waiting for a wealthy homeowner in a pickup truck to drive by and pick up three or four people so they can do jobs for five or six dollars an hour that no one else wants to do. But in soccer, they had been ahead so far -- and then the overlord USA comes and wins, which was bitter and was discussed as such here and in Mexico.

Figure [3]: In California, almost only Mexicans wash cars.

What I actually wanted to say: The Mexicans here are absolutely passionate about soccer and speak very highly of the German team. Our neighbor recently told me that the German superstar goalkeeper Oliver Kahn is called "el gato volador" on the Spanish channel in San Francisco -- the "flying cat," who pounces like a predator and deflects the balls. Recently, the Mexican commentators on TV have not only been extending the word "Gooooool" for 20 seconds (no joke, I timed it), but the latest trend is to chant "Gol Gol Gol Gol Gol Gol," which sounds like an American police siren. By the way, it doesn't matter which team scores the goal, the "goool!" celebration happens in any case.

And in San Francisco, as is well known, there are more foreigners than Americans, and that's why some bars were even open in the early morning hours to give soccer fans the opportunity to watch the games live. However, there was no beer, because there is a ban on alcohol sales between 2 and 6 AM in San Francisco, which is strictly enforced.

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