You are obviously a fan.  Europeans are avid about their "football".  I remember cars zooming past with long red and white or blue and white, or black and gold scarves streaming out the windows, loud singing and laughing and cheering.  Hope Germany does well...but aren't the Italians favored?

The US doesn't really go all crazy for their national teams in international sporting events like the worldcup (olympic games being a special case), even though "soccer" and the fifa world cup are steadily becoming more popular - or so I've read. You have your leagues and their internal championships like the world series (kind of preposterous to call it world series when it's only american baseball teams that take part..), Stanley cup etc. instead that are hugely popular - and high school/college sports and their competition for state/national championships.

When the german national football team plays, it represents the whole nation in a weird way - or so it feels. It becomes "us against them", and there are archenemies like Holland in football that one has to beat at all costs. It is a matter of national pride, even a form of patriotism, to do well. The hate relationship with Holland does not merge with other areas though, it's just true for football games where the national teams play. It is really alot of fun to go into a packed bar and watch the games there with others. I don't think baseball could ever generate the same atmosphere (I think watching paint dry is more interesting than watching a baseball game).

What you're referring to are auto corsos. They're slighly ridiculous and can jam up the whole city if you're unlucky. It is a very peculiar way of celebrating and I think mostly football fans do it. The scarves you saw had the colours of popular football clubs in Germany, blue and wite was probably Bayern München for example.

Italy is always a favourite, but so are Germany and many other teams. I am curious how or if the football fever will grasp the US, it would be a shame to miss out on all the fun.

The "New Germany" is roughly the size of New England (actually a little smaller).  We do have things that we get fired up about but they are usually more localized, as you pointed out.  I would guess that there may be as many soccer fans in the US as there are in Germany, but spread out...not concentrated in a small area...so less noticeable.  But for national attention, we do have our football's big event, the Super Bowl, which does generate a national frenzy.  The sport of baseball can be boring, but if you understand the game and know the teams, it can be very interesting and at times exciting.  Even people who don't watch baseball during the season will make special arrangement to see the World Series...named by fellas who thought that baseball was the world.  But granted, we are not as fervent as some of the other kind of football fans...the only people who have been trampled at a US stadium were trying to get into a "Who" concert.  But for old times sake, hurray for Germany and good luck.  I'll be busy hoping the Raiders can win one more.

You'll have to excuse me for being slightly cynical, but I'm still mourning Ireland's dismissal at the "HANDS" of Thierry Henry and France.

Maybe when the tournament gets closer to starting I'll get my interest up, but for now, I'm going to stick to the NFL and the English Premier League.

The whole world is excited about the worldcup - except maybe the white spot on the football map that is north america. That is roughly a few hundred million fans all together. I seem to recall that about one billion people watched the worldcup on TV in 2006. Even if that does not mean one billion fans, it is still a pretty big number.

The superbowl is even reported here in the news, and I was really happy back a few years ago when the Packers had won it (in Iowa, most everybody loved Greenbay, even though there was healthy rivalry with Viking fans which are also popular).

My brother tried to get me excited for the strategic plotting that is baseball - "like playing chess" were his words I think, but since I never watch it I don't get the finer points in the few instances that I do. Football is easy to get by comparison. The round thing has to go into the square thing..(or beyond the line and then through the square thing)

I am sorry for Ireland (my friends irish and she's pissed off).

What?  That game where a bunch of old ladies skip up and down a field for a little bit tapping a ball back and forth?  The answer to the manly game of REAL FootBall? American style?  They got a tournament?

Just kidding.  While the USA usually does not do well, I at least follow it (considering it is a crime in Mexico NOT to).  So I will root for the good ole USA, but bet on Germany (my second home).

Rubgy Football ("Ruggers") and Association Football ("Soccer") have both always been called football.

He was thinking on his feet.

Rugby School, who originally defined the rules competing with the Football Association, is one of England's famous public schools. From there Rugby Football travelled the world.

Here in Ireland Rugby and Soccer are both popular, Rugby (and Gaelic Football, another variation of Rugby Football) for local sports events and sports events between few countries, and Soccer for the world cup and the English league.

In my flat we only watch Cricket though and in my office I have a flag of Guyana on the cubicle wall.

(Go, West-Indies!)

Interesting. Cricket.. I thought it was an annoying bug I've never watched it but I know it is insanely popular in some countries. I heard about gaelic football and Hurling and its popularity in ireland, and that it is a pretty rough sport too. I have never seen a game though.

"Insanely popular" is an understatement. In the Carribean, India and Pakistan Cricket is almost life.

People living on the soccer side of things usually have no idea how vibrant the other worlds are.

Cricket World Cup is happening  and it will more interesting in next round. 

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