Futbol en Vancouver

Futbol isn't big in North America. I've always attributed it to a Brave New World kind of thing (remember how the population was brainwashed to only like sports and games that involved expensive and multiple instruments while sports that didn't require much - in this instance a ball or even a tin can - were frowned upon). Instead hockey is the game of choice (a game where men are cheered on when they beat each other).

Anyway, this isn't a rant. It's a rave. Kind of.

I was determined to watch the Argentine vs. Serbia & Montenegro in a public place because it's impossible for me to yell GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL if I don't have an audience and just like singing along makes clubbing that much funner, yelling and chanting makes watching soccer that much more enjoyable (though I can sing alone no prob). Plus, watching soccer by myself, regardless of the team, makes me cry. Every goal makes my eyes well up and I like to steer clear from any sobbing.

According to some random person on a forum Photo courtesy of Steamworks is a great place to watch games. I got there at 06.10 (already having missed a goal in the fourth minute) and it was the girl manning the bar, the baker and little ol' me. I got to experience two goals and many excited text messages from my sis but it just wasn't doing it for me so I hightailed it to Malone's during half-time. But it was closed (supposedly some Brazilian ESL students went to town on it one futbol morning to the point that management decided to forget all other morning matches). So I looked at a Georgia Straight. The only place that advertised Mundial coverage was the Shark Club but that was blocks and blocks away and it didn't say anything about morning games.

I ended up at Photo courtesy of Take 5, conveniently located half a block away from work and half a block away from Pharmasave so I could stock up on Wake-Ups afterwards (but I didn't need surprisingly enough since I had been up since 04.30 and was so shure I was going to crash hard after two massive lattes). Plus, their screen didn't have nearly as much glare as the multiple screens at Steamworks.

I experienced three more goals with a bunch of businessmen enjoying their pre-workday coffee. This was much better though far from the best. But the best of the best was Argentina annihalating the Serbs, 6 - 0.

If anyone has any suggestions to where I can experience Argentina ripping The Netherlands to shreds on Wednesday please post. The Lion's Pub seems like an option and so does Take 5 but since it will be around lunch time I think a venue more geared towards hooliganism is in order. And Commercial is out of the question (because of work).

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!

Photo courtesy of TSN