This world wide epidemic comes around every four years. It is no respecter of persons. Young, old, men, women, boys, girls can be stricken. The symptoms are not deadly. But people are led to do strange things.
I first came down with World Cup fever in 2006. Admittedly, it was a mild case and I quickly recovered. I was stricken again in 2010. I became nearly delirious when the USA moved into the round of 16. But that didn't last long. The country of Ghana made sure of that.
And now I've got the fever again. For weeks I've had the printed TV schedule for the games. The time difference between Brazil and here is not very drastic. It will be very easy to watch the games. I've got the first three USA group games circled on my calendar. USA is in the so called "Group of Death" so there's a good chance that they'll play their three games and then be packing their suitcases.
Doesn't matter. There are other teams to follow, like England. The Brits are clearly frustrated by the lack of their team's success. Brazil is the host team and the favorites. But they were less than impressive in their opening game. Lots of pressure on them. Uruguay features one of the world's best and most unpredictable players in Luis Swarez. Spain are the defending champs and they are definitely loaded with great players to make another run. And Argentina has the best player in the world in Lionel Messi so they can't be counted out.
However, soccer, er, football, er, footbol is a team sport. You need 11 good players to make a run at the World Cup. That's why I don't like Portugal's chances. Yes, they Renaldo - the second best player in the world. But one superstar and an average supporting cast usually isn't enough to make it through to the championship game.
Now, if you don't have World Cup fever then you're completely bored reading this or probably checked out a while ago. Have mercy on me. I won't be blogging the World Cup for the next four weeks or so. But I might be a bit distracted. I might be muttering words and phrases like "4-4-2," "That's wasn't a penalty," or "He put the pass right on his foot." It's OK. It's what happens when you've got World Cup Fever!
