Non-soccer view

As a soccer reporter/junkie, I often tend to look at games through that view. I don't often consider the perspectives of people who know nothing about the sport or are new to the game. For instance, last night was a good night of soccer, but I expected it to be as much. I have been to many Mexico games both as a reporter and as a fan and have long been accustomed to what happens on the field and in the stands.

So it's interesting to read the perspective of someone too typically immersed in football/baseball/basketball/golf/etc. to pay attention to soccer. The San Diego Union-Tribune provided excellent coverage of the game and one of their columnists, Tim Sullivan, went to the game to soak in the atmosphere, the fans and whatever else he could find.

From what I gather, this is the first time a columnist has gone out to write on a game like he did last night. Never before has that happened which really is a shame. I found it interesting some of the things he focused on that I really don't pay any attention to. For instance, the horns. They're so much a part of the game I don't even realize that they're playing. It's like living near train tracks; pretty soon, you don't even realize that some locomotive carrying cargo cross-country is blaring at cars to stay away from the tracks lest they want to end up a crumpled heap of metal.

He did feel the energy of the crowd and compared Chargers crowds to "60 minutes of chamber music" and Padres games as "poetry readings." Great stuff. I imagine it must have been like 'Hey, how come this energy isn't present at other games I cover?'

Unfortunately, he pretty much made it clear that he wasn't into it and went on to give suggestions on how to make the sport more attractive to Americans, as if the world has to cater to Americans even on a sporting level.