Open Season

Colbert, you should know, is a comedian, whose program is broadcast on the aptly named The Comedy Channel. His character is an ironic parody of right-wing talk show hosts bleating as much all-American apple pie as those wackos can spray out of the pudgy mouths.

At least, I think it is. Some right-wing American politicians and pundits think he's the real deal. But I digress.

Two weeks ago, Colbert broadcast from Baghdad in front of a live audience of US hoo-rah military, treading a genius thin line between mocking what the USA was actually doing in Iraq and paying tribute to the troops doing a dirty, dirty, job that the politicians who sent them there would be incapable of doing themselves.

Colbert is, however, something of a cultural barometer. One week in Iraq, this week talking about "soccer" on his program and interviewing former US defender and ex-Los Angeles Galaxy boss Alexi Lalas.

Surely some scheduling mistake? No.

The USA's run to the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup cracked the sports pysche of mainstream America. It didn't break it, admittedly, but it cracked it. After the US victory over Spain, I received text messages from Brazilians, Bulgarians, and Americans all celebrating the win.

One particular thing to note is that this interest boom came from the Confederations Cup, often maligned by audiences and media from more established football-following nations (read: England) as being "Mickey Mouse" or irrelevant. Yes, it is irrelevant when you don't meet the criteria required to compete.

FIFA's evil genius in this is that any TV broadcaster wanting a piece of World Cup action next year must also show Confederations Cup matches live. This has meant that US behemoth ESPN has been obliged to show the Confederations Cup, even South Africa against Iraq, in the late morning and afternoon. This has mad the tournament something of a genuine accessible TV event for US audiences.

Colbert, though, hit a button when he asked, "Is it time for the USA to finally care about soccer?"

He answered his own question by giving up almost 10 minutes of his show to discuss it. In a week when Michael Jackson's bizarre and untimely death saw CNN broadcast almost 24-7 on that story, maybe Colbert was looking for some light relief.

But maybe not.

In an already surreal week for the US team, pity coach Bob Bradley and captain Landon Donovan when they were asked before the final if they would be planning any special tribute to Jackson before the match against Brazil. Really? Donovan moonwalking? Tim Howard wearing one white glove?

"World events have reached a fever pitch," claimed Colbert.

"The international crisis that [Vice President] Joe Biden predicted is at hand…
 
"Normally, folks, I wouldn't think twice about this sport but that was before we were good at it!"

The rah-rah reaction to beating Spain and a hot-cold (actually, make that icy cold) display against Brazil has masked the US team's deficiencies for many observers (can't defend, useless at holding on to the ball) but perhaps the positives outweigh the reality of the team's ability.

The New York Times featured a report from a US soldier in Baghdad who told a story about trying to watch the USA's matches in a war zone.

"When Dempsey's volley found the corner, the room erupted like any good Irish-themed soccer pub back home. A chest bump with the sergeant was interrupted by a kind-of-conga-line by the Ugandans, who were now actually rooting for the Americans, and in the back of the room filled with a high-fiving group of soldiers who had rushed in from the computer room after the noise."

One sharp commenter suggested wider US acceptance of soccer/football/who-cares-what-it's-called may have wider implications as the US sets out to reposition itself globally.

"I am absolutely serious when I say that I am going to write both my senators and congressmen stating that I think that the US military serving overseas should have access to every major soccer tournament in the world." suggested the commenter.

"Not least importantly for cultural acclimatization reasons. Soccer is a common language spoken all over the world. The more the US military personnel know about the game, the more they have in common with others in the countries they serve. This is not rocket science, it's simple."

The USA will not win the next FIFA World Cup but don't tell any Americans that (for the record, there are many soccercentric, educated, and informed Americans out there) just yet.

Join them in celebrating the small victories. This particular international crisis should be encouraged.

US "Soccer" sites and blogs to check out.

This Is American Soccer: http://www.thisisamericansoccer.com/

Grant Wahl: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/writers/grant_wahl/archive/index.html

Culture of Soccer: http://cultureofsoccer.com/


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