Boston, World (Cup) Class City

I had the pleasure of watching Sunday's FIFA World Cup final with 15,000 of my closest friends at Hizzonah Mayorthomasmenino's block party on City Hall Plaza. It seemed like a rather simple event to organize. Set up a Jumbotron and speakers, add an annoying pre-game MC, and invite the private sector. The New England Revolution seized on a great opportunity for marketing, setting up their soccer carnival that they feature at home games and organzing an autograph sessions. Various beverage companies also used the event for promotions.

But really, the central event was the game. You didn't need any contrived bells and whistles -- the rowdy Italian fans and the somewhat smaller but equally intense French contingent supplied enough on their own. It was such a wonderful experience to bond with so many other people over a common passion. And it was a common passion we were sharing with a billion other people across the world. Standing on City Hall Plaza (and frying), I really felt like I was part of an amazing global experience. It's the kind of thing that brings people together across ideologies and political boundaries. While it may still be a quadrennial curiosity in many people's minds, it does seem like Americans have recognized that soccer is a legitimate sport, beloved by folks across the globe, and maybe it's okay for us to enjoy it from time to time ourselves.

Kudos to the mayor for throwing such a wonderful community event. During the game, the national telecast cut away to cheering fans in the Circus Maximus in Rome and Parc au Princes in Paris, but they also showed us fans on City Hall Plaza in Boston. Not New York, Boston. The only difference was that we weren't lighting fires.

And for the record, every team whose bandwagon I hopped on went on to be eliminated after their next game. After the U.S. was bumped, I rooted for the Netherlands, then England, then Germany, then Portugal, and finally France. Probably wasn't the best month for me to go gambling either, so I'm thankful that I didn't.