USA - Algeria! Finally, I know!

Ok, I know the game was two weeks ago. But while this was happening and this was happening and oh yes this was happening, this was the reaction at the game.

In essence, it was sheer pandemonium. I've been to quite a few sporting events in my life, but never have I seen such a crowd go into mass chaos after a winning goal. So exuberant! I hugged and hi-fived so many people, it was crazy. Random strangers, but here we were sitting in our little section with throngs of Algerian fans around us and we went absolutely batshit insane.

I didn't take pictures of the second half - too tense! The pictures of the first half came out well, but it's more of the same below. So I will show you pictures from the pregame festivities.

But before we get to that, I have to say, I really am falling in love with soccer. Sure I can do without the fake injuries (see the Ghana player and that atrocious I'm so hurt I need a stretcher, oh wait I'm ready to play again injury), I can do without the vuvuzelas (they're ok, I just hope they're a fad), and I can definitely do without the crappy Budweiser at the games (seriously FIFA, you couldn't get Windhoek to be the official beer?), but it really is a beautiful sport. And yes, I'm going to play on what Bill Simmons said in his "20 Questions about the World Cup article", but how could you not like a sport that plays 2 45-minute halves, with a 10 minute halftime, that doesn't stop the clock. 2 hours and your out of there. How simple is that?! Part of the reason I don't get much into college football anymore is because the games are 4 hours! Even an American League game can run up 3+ hours easily. In today's society when we are so ADD all the time now, a simple 2 hour game seems wonderful.

That and the fanfare - the people, the crowds from all countries rooting on one team, it's amazing. I say in 2014, we head to Brazil. I know I want to!

Ok here's the pics. Oh yes, apparently Deadspin was at the same event I was.