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"An Indescribable Feeling"
“An Indescribable Feeling”
by Drew Duffy 11/22/22
It isn’t often where I cannot find words to express my feelings. If my past has shown me anything, it has worked better for me to overstate rather than understate how I feel. Well, I found myself at great difficulty to do either yesterday at around 2:00 PM. The television broadcast just wrapped from a commercial and showed an overhead view of the stadium. I arose from the couch as my heart began pounding. The beats were rapid, not from anxiety or nerves, but excitement and anticipation. The cameras within the stadium panned to the team awaiting in the tunnel then to the tens of thousands of fans who were there to support their country. As the players walked out in a single file, chants echoed from within, ringing of “U-S-A”, “U-S-A”. Goosebumps. The Star Spangled Banner chimed, with every American singing in unison. It was at this point where a tear began swelling in my eye. 7,000 miles separated my feet and those of the United States Men’s National Team in Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Qatar. Though the distance felt like a mere three feet through the television screen. I have watched numerous national team matches, both men and women. I have actively followed the Olympic Games, both winter and summer. The similarity between all is the same indescribable feeling that overwhelms my emotions at these events. Simply put: it is love of country. This is my best attempt to describe the way that I feel in these moments. Though, I have realized that it is not just about me. Millions of Americans sprinkled throughout the world come together for the support of these men. In this day in age, it is difficult for anyone in the country to be so together at a singular point in time. We leave partisan politics at the door during these events and recognize our nation’s ability to rally around a common purpose. Some of us want better for our country, which is vital to its improvement, but it is impossible to ignore the sentiment that lies within each of us. Even if some only feel this way for two hours every four years, the reminder is still crucial. For this time, we embrace our nation for the diverse people that it has created and accepted. We come together from every economic, racial, and geographic background as we embrace the feeling we find within ourselves. Despite any difference we see on the surface, the underlying truth is evident. Deep down, we love our country.
Go USA.
"The Game is Just the Game"
“The Game is Just the Game”
by Drew Duffy 11/29/22
One of, if not my favorite movie of all time is Miracle. Of course, this film centers around the 1980 United States Olympic Hockey Team as they pulled off one of the most improbable runs in sports history. Their quest to win a gold medal in Lake Placid, New York forced them to compete against the dynastic Soviet Union team along the way. Besides the fact that the Soviet team was more experienced and had been a dominant force in the international hockey world for nearly two decades, the social and political implications of the matchup were more important to most viewers. A select few people knew about the strategic advantage that the Soviets had over the young American team. Many more knew about the political actions that the Soviet Union had taken over the years, including the invasion of Afghanistan. Legendary announcer Al Michaels noted on the broadcast before the game that “for those people who do not know the difference between a blue line and a clothes line, it's irrelevant”. People viewed the game for more than the play on the ice. They gravitated to the team for the name that was written on the front of their jersey. It is a wonderful coming together of people from all walks of life, supporting the nation on a different battlefield. For those in the stands and those who watched later on television, the game was clearly more than a game. The Olympic team was no stranger to this reality, though once the puck dropped, the next sixty minutes would be about what happened on the ice.
If we fast forward to the 2022 World Cup, we see a similar situation, albeit on a smaller scale. The United States will battle today against Iran in a decisive game in Group B, needing a win against the political enemy to vault themselves into the Group of 16. But again, we see that the game is more than a game. In their pregame press conferences yesterday, most of the discussion in the media (particularly the Iranian media) was centered around ~ well, everything but soccer. Coach Gregg Berhalter and Captain Tyler Adams were asked about political and social issues within the United States. Both responded well to the questions given the circumstances. If there’s any group that couldn't care less about the external implications of the game, it is the United States Men's National Team. But, given the spotlight and their vulnerability, they are the ones who have to respond to the questions that are thrust upon them. While reporters have every right to ask questions that are wide ranging and even distracting, it shows the poise and clarity that lies within the national team. Once the groups were drawn for the World Cup, they knew this game would be more than just a 90 minute duel with advancement implications on the line. While I have no knowledge of the situation, I would think that the team assumes slightly more weight in the lead up to kickoff at 2PM EST. That is the beauty of sport, it can mean so much or so little to anyone in the world. News sources make headlines for everything that goes on before and after the games, hoping to attract some eyes to the “big picture” stories. But once that opening whistle blows, the game is just the game.
Go USA
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