I am not alone

in my passion for soccer, as it turns out. In addition to Professor Geras, who is British after all, I heard from Anise in California. Her husband is in Iraq with the National Guard. He requested English football tapes, requiring her to wake up at 6:15 to start taping. She finds it telling that, in 140 degree heat and “surrounded by people who want to kill Americans,” he wants “footie tapes.” She gets to the heart of the matter in her concluding line — “a boy and his sports.”
In addition, Gary Maxwell writes: “I too grew up living and breathing baseball. Not a day went by that I did not play it in some manner. Even short sided games with right field out or even pickle with two bases and a runner. I did not know a person who owned a soccer ball nor any place in town where you could find a pitch (that’s field for the uninitiated).
“Then my oldest child got old enough to play sports. I took him to the Y and put him in baseball. He scruffed around in the dirt and after a few games told me on the way home that baseball was boring. Crestfallen but not wanting to be a bad Dad, I asked him what he wanted to do. ‘Soccer’ was his reply. It’s been a wonderful experience for the last 15 years.
“I now have two children playing Div 1 college soccer and two more who play in youth leagues here. I even played in adult leagues until about two years ago. Pele was right, it is the beautiful game. And locally, a Dallas kid just signed a contract to play for Man United as a striker. That is a sea change in attitude for the Brits, to admit that Yanks can play at English Premiere level (other than at keeper). Wax on Deacon, at least one faithful reader is listening intently.”
Gary, you may know that an American, Joe-Max Moore, played for Everton. He had a bit of success coming off the bench, and the Goodison Park faithful liked “the Little Yank” a lot because of his work rate and willingness to et “stuck in.” They even had a song for him: “Joe-Max Moore, how do you like him, how do you like him.” But you are right — there has been a bias against Yanks in English football and it is finally diminishing. The other day, a top English talent scout predicted that the U.S. will win the World Cup before England wins it again. He may well be correct.
Finally, a Southampton supporter from Oregon, Gordie Dickinson, tells me he caught the bug while traveling with the Air Force. For what it’s worth, Gordie, I think the Saints will make a solid run at Europe this year. (Gordie knows what I mean).
So there, Rocket Man. This is all the invitation I need to indulge my soccer passiion on Power Line. However, I will try to restrain myself, lest I blog about little else.

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