The podcast with Prof. Cathy Waters (taught at the institute Charlie Davies comes from, professional soccer coach) got me thinking about my love for the USA soccer team. She also wrote recently  the article - a soccer ball is round, like the world. We talked about 2 themes in the podcast

-impressions of the USA team (after following them closely for four years), the impact of a coach.

- South African economy and branding a city by hosting a sport’s event

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE 3-Impressions of USA team by a coach, the dichotomy in South Africa

I highly recommend  two posts by the BBC - one called ” WORLD CUP LITERATURE” which examines the cultural significance of soccer in Africa and the second is “IN THE SHADOWS OF A STADIUM‘ which examines two groups in Africa. One which lives with poverty and cannot see the point in spending billions of dollars on stadiums and the other cannot wait to welcome the world to South Africa

I grew up watching English football so most of my soccer heroes are English. Being a Liverpool soccer fan is just about the only way I have been able to connect with people, as I have travelled so far away from home.  I remember during the England and Portugal penalty shoot out in the last World Cup, me and my childhood friends held hands and cried. Later, I was told by my brother my parents did exactly the same thing.

About two years back I moved to the great sports city of Boston. I realized that my professor Cathy Waters shared my love for the game and is a huge supporter of the USA soccer team.That is  when I started following their journey half way through the qualification. It is easy to love them simply because it is easy to love an underdog. But it is even easier to love underdogs who try so hard for respect. On Saturday, I don’t know how to choose. One is a country I grew up watching and the other is a country I have come to love. So with a heavy heart we discuss the match and the fight for respect of American soccer team.

Listen to the podcast Episode 4- HALF OF MY HEART, AMERICAN PRIDE- THEIR SOCCER TEAM

Side Notes-  the blood sweat and tears of the american team, Joe Gaetjens, a Haitian immigrant, scored the greatest goal in American soccer history in 1950 to defeat England. He should have been a hero. Instead, Gaetjens was abducted and died in a Haitian prison. “Outside the Lines” sheds light on his story