Sports, Euro-style

Greetings sports fans from the seat of soccer addiction, rugby fanatics and Gaelic sports groupies (more on Gaelic sports later).

One of the first things I noticed about my move last summer was that cricket was on all the time. No really, I mean all the time. It resembles baseball, except there isn't as much running and the players wear pith helmet-like hats and cable-knit sweater vests and white pants. I can already see you thinking the same thing I was - no way is this a sport if its players are wearing white sweaters!! But much like baseball, its supporters are devout and the games last forever and clog the airwaves all summer long.

So I was thrilled in late August for cricket to wind down...until the soccer strong-hold took over. Soccer is like religion to the men of Ireland, Europe and of course its reach extends further still. Tristan is a fervent Liverpool supporter and has been since he was a little kid. He would pretend to tell you that he isn't obsessed with soccer, but truly, he is. He'll watch any game that's on at any time and justify its importance. He can rattle off some long-retired player's stats and recount their goals and the exact time they occurred, dating back to the 80's.

In order to see my husband, I have been known to watch a soccer match now and then, too. Being a basketball fan first and foremost, I found it excruciating that several games can go scoreless. I mean, we're talking 90 minutes of kicking a ball back and forth to no avail. What's exciting about that?? I have to say that I admire the athleticism of soccer players. They are smart, quick and in excellent shape. But even with an entire season of soccer watching now under my belt, I still wish more happened (and by more, I mean scoring). The final regular season soccer matches are winding down this week and making way for a month long bonanza of soccer during the World Cup in June. Disappointingly, Ireland did not qualify, so that's a little less soccer watching I'll have to do. I think I'll throw myself whole-heartedly behind the American team. Heck, when you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?

Rugby is one game I've learned to enjoy and wish there was more of it. Rugby is fast paced - so much so that it makes American football looke like a chess match. It's similar, but instead of a play stopping once someone is tackled, it keeps going, with the players hovering around to extract the ball from the grounded player and continue this blood battle until they score. There's also the whole thing about how they dont' wear any padding, either. Right now, the Munster team (the Irish province where we live) is headed to the European final next week to face Biarritz (France) in Cardiff. I'm actually rather disappointed that I have to work that evening, so I'll only be able to watch part of it before I go in. It'll be a very exciting game, guaranteed.

Finally, Gaelic games, which is made up of Gaelic Football and Hurling, the two Irish sports. Hurling resembles a combination of field hockey and rugby (they have sticks called hurleys that they use to pass a baseball like ball and of course beat the tar out of each other with, too). It's very fast-paced and very physical. It's exciting to watch as the teams that play are those representing their home counties and are not paid. Its traditions are rooted in county-level play all the way down to individual village teams. It's not hard to get into hurling very quickly. Gaelic football is similar, but they play without the hurley and use a ball that's closer to a soccer ball.

So wish me luck as we begin to embark on the World Cup madness. I am going to take advantage of the next few weeks to try and commandeer the remote control whenever possible since I know I won't ever see it during the month of June. Thank goodness it's only every 4 years!!