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| Spotted morning after the loss to Italy |
When Germany lost to Italy in the Euro Cup
Halbfinale a few weeks ago, one of my American friends who hates soccer sneered, "Well good, let someone else in Europe win at something for once." I'll admit a teensy (teensy!) part of me wanted Greece to beat Germany in an earlier game, but I love Germany during soccer tournaments, and honestly, I think they deserve any and all soccer success and more importantly, all the excitement that goes along with it.
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| Pringooooooals |
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| Not all German snacks are American |
Here's why. Germany has a dark, horrid, and painful history, and as a result, is very averse to signs of patriotism. Insert requisite comment about them deserving it entirely. Soccer is the one safe outlet Germans have to put up flags, eat patriotic snacks, and cheer for their fellow countrymen- what Americans do every freaking day. So yeah, it warms my heart to see cars with those red, black, and gold covered rear-view mirrors and baby flags and people wearing jerseys and screaming "Schland!" and "Schweinsteiger!" Oh wait, that last part
was just Daniel.
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| This is about as intense as it gets |
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| Watching the game from a Thai restaurant |
Another thing I like is that game viewing is such a public affair here. In the US, sports viewing seems somewhat private. Especially big games like the Superbowl, which people tend to exclusively watch at home with friends and family. (I'm sure public drinking laws play a large role here.) The Euro Cup in Germany was like an extended outdoor party. Berlin's immense amount of bars and restaurants with outdoor seating were packed with people for every game. Not to mention the
"Fan Mile" by the Brandenburg Gate.
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| Euro Cup eggs |
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| "Fan Mile" for public viewing |
But man, even after a goal (and lots of beer) the cheering is pretty subdued compared to American standards. So I ask you to
let the Germans have their soccer. They need it.
