FIFA World Cup 2010: Go Team USA...And the World Cup Rules Are What?

What I understand about World Cup Soccer has less to do with the game and more to do with sitting around screaming at the TV with customers and friends.  It also brings back memories of my husband coaching my son's little league soccer with the kids swarmed the ball like bees and the coach yelling!

The last Cup hubby, Jeff, spent the finals in the UK, so I have a UK soccer shirt. I accidentally wore it when Chilé was playing and my Chiléan customers arrived at 7:00 am.  I jumped and screamed appropriately (though in the wrong garb) throughout what seemed like a very slow moving, morning long, ice hockey game.

My son-in-law (Dan) attempted to teach me the rules of soccer but I got lost  somewhere between yellows and reds and two men between the player and goalie. He tried in vain to get me to understand something about official rules. I am grateful for the attempt and the similarities with ice hockey which I understand.

The USA was robbed in the last goal against Slovenia that was recalled. That was an exciting game even though I remained somewhat clueless. Are we so disliked as a nation that even referees have to make bad calls against us? There were lots of penalties against us and it would be nice to know enough to scream at these dudes intelligently.

On to the uniforms ( I am behaving like a fashionista)...really!!!! Who hired the designers from La Cage Aux Folles ? 

Clashing bright colors, weird looking socks and soccer shoes are holding my attention but in a bad way. It is like bad fashion on Project Runway.

There are scenarios for teams to advance that look like a Chinese Restaurant menu.  Two from column A win then only one from column B advances, if there are ties both columns get to play another day. Right now South Africa is about to get the axe (early on) but the game just started.

I will continue to watch every day and hope something gets absorbed in my brain.  One thing for sure, when the USA plays ( Thursday it is United States vs Algeria) I will be screaming and declaring the penalties against us all stupid. That is what a fan does!

I might not know the rules, but I sure know how to root for Team USA.