Why I Like Soccer

Unlike many sports that I need a rooting interest or some connection, I find I can just sit down in front of any decent quality soccer game and kill a few minutes. During the seasons, it's a great unwinder.

So today, I plop down on the couch and with nothing on early, I see what's on Fox Soccer Channel. Hmm, World Cup qualifier. Iran and Saudi Arabia, OK, I'll give this a few minutes. Turns into a half hour and a great reminder of what futbol means on the world stage.

The politics, the passion, the game -- it was all there. Two ancient rivals -- and by that I don't mean just the 20th century cartography inventions of Iran and Saudi Arabia. There were a sold out 100,000 men in the stadium for a must win home match for Iran. There were three great goals, 2-1 Saudis, and plenty of on-field scuffles.

The soccer was good -- and that keeps me watching.

The drama was high -- look, there's the President of Iran watching his team implode in the final 10 minutes.

The politics were great -- notice, 100,000 men; no women are allowed to attend. Parse that. The commentators noting that Iran can't get friendlies, which affects their game polish severely.

The sport was excellent -- the name on the back of every Iran jersey: I.R. Iran. A perfect touch for a team that's trying to come together and emphasis the team. No individual names, a we are one approach.

Don't tell me soccer isn't serious everywhere else -- the rumor was floated at the end of the telecast that a $5 million bonus was on the line for the Saudi players if they came away with the win.

And, the real obvious takeaway, how small is the world that in Fayetteville, Ark., I can watch a soccer match from Iran with voice-over announcers in Canada creating the English-language commentary.