With all that is going on in the sports world -- College Football expansion and re-alignment ... the Braves' climb to first place ... NBA Finals and impending free agency, the "story" I'm thinking about the most is the 2010 WORLD CUP.

I mean it. I have NO idea how it will go. Don't know more than 10 guys playing in it. Can't ignore the world BILLION though. As in how many people will be watching -- maybe.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/why-fifas-claim-of-one-billion-tv-viewers-was-a-quarter-right-438302.html

I think the thing that interests me most is the fact that the hero or goat of this whole thing will be known by most of the world -- fame or infamy on the line brings a heightened pressure to this whole thing. Winning for God and country raises the stakes to the ultimate.

Here's how I envision soccer; give me this and I am in.

Greatest Save Ever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opVb89Cmrtk&feature=related

Need To Be Seen To Believe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze2KdnInrT4&feature=related

Great Goals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_cVfz9_wIw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PfvVF67M08&feature=related

It's a great-looking, understated trophy. Got me thinking about it. Found this:

The French sculptor Abel Lafleur was commissioned by FIFA to create the first trophy for the World Cup. This was a gold statuette weighing about 1.5 kilograms, representing an allegorical winged victory on an octagonal base. This famous "Jules Rimet Cup" was first stolen in London in 1966, then recovered. It finally went to Brazil the first country to have won three World Cups, before being stolen again, and this time it was never found. The present trophy is the work of the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga.

http://thesportboys.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/world-cup-trophy.jpg

This is a point that should not be overlooked.

Unique in the history of football and the most famous of all champions in any other sport, the Brazilian Edson Arantes do Nascimento, affectionately known all over the world as Pelé, is the only player to have won three World Cups, in 1958, 1962 and 1970 with the Brazilian team.

This guy just looks like money:
http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/filmi_sangeet/media/1977_pele4.jpg

They will name streets AND children after these guys.

Some will be Knighted (or whatever it is they do in some of those countries).

I might not "get it," but I can appreciate it.

Hope you do the same.