Or is it?

I compare college football in the United States with soccer in the rest of the world. It simply takes over. I have seen soccer’s importance in other country’s and how everything stops when the players step out on the pitch. College Football here is no different. There’s a feeling of importance that’s hard to grasp unless you experience it first hand. It’s a time to go away to another world outside of your daily life. It’s an opportunity to sit back with a cold one and not worry about the work you left undone last week or difficulties you may have in life. For a few hours, a bunch of young men help to cure a problem that many people can’t fix on their own. There’s no therapist needed. No sit-down with a boss or talk with the family. Just a TV and the care of those around us to enjoy a moment inherently important to us.

There’s a word that comes to mind as I wait for the opening kickoff this saturday morning. That word is: Perspective. I’m as guilty as the next person in feeling that ping in my chest when I wonder if I’m living life to the fullest. Am I doing what I want? Am I getting what I want out of every day. Do I live my life to the fullest?

Recently, those around me have been living with a varied degree of daily struggles. This chapter in life has been difficult for many in my inner circle. After a certain tough stretch, one friend even said, “when will it ever end.” That’s when I come back my word for the day. Having perspective helps us come full circle and enables us to realize we can enjoy something as simple as a silly game. It gives us hope. Football or soccer or any other sport really isn’t as important as some of the daily dealings in life. It’s not on the same level as the difficulties of taking care of a child or balancing the work/love relationship. It’s not as important as being there for a sick relative. It doesn’t compare to bringing a smile to someone’s face by ensuring they know you care for them.

But college football is a medium to allow it all to happen. We can be expressive in our care for it. We can feel emotion while watching it. We can sit in our house with our loved ones and see them laugh, if even for a short while. It brings a smile to the face of those who have trouble doing it on their own. For that, I appreciate it more than I ever thought possible. People often as ask me why I love sports writing. I always say that it’s not the sport. It’s not even the writing. It’s more the realization that sports really allow a few minutes of reprieve when it’s needed most. And even though it is really just a game, it provides something so elementary, yet so important in life that can be very difficult to feel in today’s time.

It provides happiness.

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One of my favorite jerseys in the tournament. Spain’s use of bright red and yellow comes from the national flag. In addition, the country’s coat of arms is on the chest, not the Spanish Football Federation’s emblem. That’s a bit unusual, but it’s a good show of respect for the country. Spain’s national team has several of the best players by position in the world. Turning that talent into creative flair is what the national team tends to thrive on, and this jersey embodies that idea perfectly.

In La Furia Roja’s first game against Switzerland, they showed the usual attacking prowess but with minimal results. Always dangerous in front of goal, the team couldn’t break down a solid defense. They should get back on track in the next game against Honduras, who is a bit weaker as a whole. But if they don’t, we actually may not see these bright, red jerseys in the 2^nd round. I think most soccer people thought Spain would roll and easily move toward at least the semifinals. I honestly believe they will win the World Cup, although it won’t happen if they don’t pick up the pace and figure out how to adjust against organized teams.

I still look forward to seeing La Furia Roja raising the trophy in triumph.

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Deemed the first battle of the World War II, the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) was fought after the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic, which gave autonomy to Galicia, Catalonia, and the Basque Country. Military General Francisco Franco opposed the new rights and didn’t help Spain’s cause with his anti-democratic policies. Franco oppressed the three autonomous regions, demanding they not speak their own languages or fly their own flags. His tactics were malicious, as he would kill those who opposed him. Due to Franco’s presence, Spain was axed from the United Nations and politically isolated after World War II. It wasn’t until his death in 1975 that life began to improve in the country.

Like many nations, Spain’s internal struggle prohibited the national team from competing in FIFA tournaments until 1950. Coincidentally, the World Cup that year was the team’s best performance to date, as they finished fourth. Since that maiden voyage, the Spaniards have been a consistent qualifier, but La Furia Roja have not been able to live up to enormous expectations. The quarterfinals have been their stumbling block in three of the last six World Cups. After winning their first European Championship in 1964, it wasn’t until 2008 that the national team tasted success again, when they took home the European Championship trophy once again.

For this year’s World Cup, La Furia Roja has arguably the best midfield and striker combinations in the world. Before the tournament started, many pundits said the national team should easily top their group and were named one of few favorites to win the World Cup. Then the tournament started and something extremely unexpected happened. Switzerland played with a compact and organized defense, and Spain couldn’t break it down, losing to the Swiss 1-0. Spain controlled possession as was expected with Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, and Xabi Alonso running the show, but their offense couldn’t find a way to score against the organized Swiss defense.

So, what does that mean for Spain? Are they not as good as everyone thinks? Should the Iberian Peninsula be worried that the national team is falling short of expectations again? I don’t think so. The midfield constantly proves they can control a game, but David Villa and Fernando Torres didn’t do much in attack. All in all, the Swiss played the game of their lives and lived for the counter attack. Spain’s next opponent, Honduras, will probably be defensive minded too, which won’t make La Furia Roja’s lives any easier. The South American’s probably aren’t as strong as the Swiss and definitely not as organized, so Spain should have some more space to work their magic. The midfield has to feed Villa and Torres better. One key will be getting Xabi Alonso more involved in the attack as he is great at spraying the ball all over the park. Also, David Silva will need to work better with Xavi Hernandez and both need to feed the ball to the forwards to produce goals.

I never thought I would write this, but if Xavi, Iniesta, and Silva can’t create that magic, Spain may be out of the World Cup after the 1^st round.

Player to Watch: Xavi Hernandez

Game to Watch: 3^rd game against Chile

Predicted World Cup result: Champions

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Switzerland’s jerseys are a bit of a disappointment, not because I expect better for the Swiss, but because Puma has been so creative with the rest of its kits. I mean, the company designed jerseys with watermark symbols representing national flags, animal portraits imprinted on African tops, and some of the more colorful away kits I have ever seen. All they could give the Swiss was this?

I have great ideas for Switzerland’s jersey actually. How about holes all over the jersey representing Swiss cheese? Or what about pictures of pieces of chocolate, melting in someone’s mouth, not there hand? Ok, well maybe not, but Puma should have taken more than 10 minutes between important meetings a few months ago to design this top. The Swiss deserved better than a symbol of a guy kicking at a ball at the Puma symbol across the chest. It’s kind of silly. It’s probably all for not as I don’t see Switzerland progressing anyway.

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Switzerland is one of the most unique countries in the world for many reasons. Firstly, any country that can stay neutral, and still be one of the wealthiest countries per capita, is doing something right. It’s as if the Swiss have figured out a way to never depend on any other country but force others to need them. Secondly, they are the banking central for the world with its relaxed regulations on who can place money in the country and how they can do it. The Swiss have profited handsomely from this, but who knows really what’s going in the Swiss banking industry. Lastly, the freakishly good linguists seem to come out of the womb speaking all four of the country’s official languages. With Switzerland broken up into German, French, and Italian regions, its amazing how the country keeps its sense of nationalism in tact.

Although Switzerland played its first international match in 1905, the national team hasn’t had as much success as they desire. They reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup three times before 1954 but haven’t gotten out of the 2^nd round since. In he last decade, the Swiss have seen a small resurgence and have reached two World Cups and two European Championships. The man at the middle of it all is the all-time leading goalscorer for Switzerland, Alexander Frei. The striker has a slight injury, and wasn’t able go against Spain, but he’ll be essential if the Swiss are going to progress from the group.

As important as Frei is, the key to this team is their defense, as was evident in their 1^st round win against Spain. (I can’t believe I actually was able to write that last statement. I’m still in shock the Swiss put Spain to the sword.) The Swiss tend to defend very well, and it will be even more important at this World Cup. For me, the first game against Spain was the best test for the team, but I didn’t initially think it was the most important game. They could have lost that game and still progressed because they match up well with the next two opponents. Chile is an all-out attacking team, so the Swiss can hit them on counter attacks, and Honduras is not playing very consistently. But, now that Switzerland has knocked off the European Champions, they should progress quite easily. With that being said, they need Frei back as soon as he can in order to make a push in the 2^nd round. He’s the absolute life-blood of this team, and the hopes of the nation will fall squarely on his shoulders.

If his shoulders are on the sidelines, it could be tough for Switzerland to make a splash in round 2.

Player to Watch: Alexander Frei

Game to Watch: game 2 against Chile

Predicted World Cup result: 1^st round exit

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I’m not sure about Chile’s World Cup jersey this time. They play with a creative flair that’s very South American, so I think they should have a top that represents their style of play. The bright red does the trick, but the Chilean football shield and the company’s symbol across the chest show a lack of effort in the shirts’ design. I would have liked to see the top emblazoned with the star on the country’s flag, sort of like how Puma did for Uruguay with its sun.

Chile is a more creative side than La Celeste (Uruguay), but the top doesn’t show it. For me, La Roja should progress along with Spain. It’ll be a good match when they face off in the 1^st round, as Chile can counter attack if given space. Watch out for Humberto Suazo, as he would love nothing more than to shock the best team in the tournament. Actually, it would benefit them to take this group because they will probably be facing Brazil in round 2 if they don’t.

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Although being a founding member of CONMEBOL, along with Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, Chile hasn’t had the success of the other three, who have won at least two World Cups each. When Chile hosted the tournament in 1962, La Roja had possibly their best team to date. Entering the tournament with home field advantage helped, but Chile took the game to teams that were supposedly superior. Along the way, they defeated world powers Italy and the USSR before running into a high-powered Brazilian squad. Eventually, Chile would take 3^rd place, which is still their best performance in a World Cup.

The qualification for the 2010 World Cup was a big surprise for Chile. Initially, La Roja looked on the verge of not qualifying after a string of losses to Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. That all changed in October of 2008, when Chile went on to shock Argentina. Not only that, but they went on a tear and beat Peru, Paraguay, Bolivia, Columbia, and Ecuador to take 2^nd place in CONMEBOL behind Brazil.

A few players made a name for themselves during the qualification process including youngster Alexis Sanchez of Italy’s Udinese. He scored 3 goals to help La Roja qualify, and he has scored an incredible 11 goals in his 28 international matches. Although very young, Sanchez may be counted on heavily after his quick start to his international career. Another youngster, Arturo Vidal, could be a key contributor to Chile’s World Cup hopes as he has been a staple in the line-up under coach Marcelo Bielsa.

None of these players are as important to the South Americans as Humberto Suazo. With the self-given nickname of “The Goalscorer,” Suazo has backed up his sentiment as a true talent on many occasions. If you’re a believer that stats don’t lie, you’ll be a believer after readying his:

2003: 40 goals, 40 games

2004: 40 goals, 62 games

2006: 52 goals, 54 games

2007: 44 goals, 85 games

Suazo simply gets the job done wherever he plays his soccer, and he recently made his first splash on European soil with a loan deal to Real Zaragoza in Spain. Although he excels at club level, Suazo is one of those rare strikers that plays just as well for his country. He scored no less than 10 goals during World Cup qualification, leading La Roja to South Africa.

If he continues his great run of form, he and his teammates may stay a while.

Player to Watch: Humberto Suazo

Game to Watch: 3^rd game against Spain

Predicted World Cup result: 2^nd round exit (to Brazil)

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It’s been interesting to see some of the jerseys for teams that aren’t regulars at the World Cup. More often than not, it’s difficult to come up with a good design for the newbies because there’s not much history to go on. New Zealand’s simple jersey’s come to mind, with the all white and black tops. North Korea is another nation that only made it once before, and their jersey’s don’t have much character either. I think Joma did a good job with Honduras’s though, even with the team only making the World Cup once in its not so storied history.

The white kit is simple, a good representation of a national team that works hard and doesn’t play with a lot of flair. Honduras’s flag is striped across the front, although it seems to be turned 90 degrees. It’s a nice touch, especially with the national team’s emblem emblazoned under it. I’m not a big fan of the name “Joma” across the front, but the Spanish company doesn’t have a symbol like Nike’s check or Adidas’s three stripes, so they have to advertise somehow. I don’t expect Honduras to do much at this World Cup, since tthey are in the group with powerhouse Spain and a really good Chile squad. But, they will look good in their white kit, even if it’s for only three games.

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Like most Latin American countries, Honduras has a slow growing economy but a high percentage of impoverished civilians. Roughly 50% of its inhabitants still live below the poverty line, and that fact doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon. As recently as 2009, Honduras was thrown into political turmoil when President Manuel Zelaya attempted to pass a vote that would change the constitution. His idea was to modernize the constitution in order to help the people, but the Honduran courts claimed his attempt unconstitutional, saying it would create a socialist government. In addition, the government suspended civil rights from its citizen in an attempt to gain control, which obviously didn’t go over well with other countries. The real problem occurred as a result of the government’s action to remove Zelaya in a “coup d’etat” that turned the world against Honduras.

Although the country is entrenched in political strife, the national soccer team has been a beacon of hope for the people. I always say that soccer brings people together like nothing else on the planet, and Honduras is no exception. The national team first tasted success in 1981 when they won the CONCACAF Championship. A year later, “Los Catrachos” made their first appearance in a World Cup, but wouldn’t advance past the group stage. It would be another 28 years before Honduras would make another appearance on the world’s greatest stage.

Over the last two years, Honduras has been inconsistent at best with wins against the United States and Mexico but losing to minnows Peru and Venezuela. Which team will show up is anybody’s guess, but who won’t be playing in the opening match for Honduras will be Wilson Palacios and David Suazo. These two injured players are key ingredients to the team’s success, and will be sorely missed, especially because Honduras’s first opponent Chile is on a good run of form.

Without two very good players, Los Catrachos could be in for a short tournament.

Player to Watch: Wilson Palacios (if deemed fit)

Game to Watch: Opener against Chile

Predicted World Cup result: 1^st round exit

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Awesome! Portugal’s away kit is like something my friend’s new baby would design if he could hold a size 100 paintbrush. Fortunately for the national team, the Nike designer could stay within the lines. I actually really like this top because Portugal has used pretty mundane jerseys of late, which doesn’t represent their style of play. Known for creative flair on the ball and spectacular goals, can you see Cristiano Ronaldo wearing anything less?

It’s one of the more flamboyant tops in this World Cup, which is saying something since there are characteristics such as menacing animals and watermarked suns. As for the play of the Portugal team, that may be a different story. Creativity has always been the name of the game for the Selecao das Quinas, but after a string of bad displays, they have to feel lucky to even be in South Africa. Being stuck in the “Group of Death” doesn’t help their chances, but at least they’ll look cool playing.

But if they don’t play better, they may not be playing for long.

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