I went to the George and Dragon earlier to watch the USA-Mexico match, the first of 10 matches in final-round World Cup regional qualifying. Far from the prettiest match, the USA held serve and won at home 2-0... in many ways, a 2-0 win in Football is the perfect result... people need to enjoy the beauty of a 2-0 win. Michael Bradley, who I have a man-crush on now, scored both goals, in the 42 minute off a rebound after a well-executed corner kick play, and then in 2nd half stoppage time, on a long-range cracker that skipped under the Mexican keeper, the ram-the-point home and prove it goal that exclaimed the victory.

Being at the G&D reminded me that passion and emotion are the essence of sport, and sport, in turn, captures the essence of living. When Bradley scored the 2nd goal, it was a nearly orgiastic experience. Watching the match, and suffering the indignity of my own recent experiences with my two recreational teams, helped reinforce the excellence of a well drilled football team, 11 individuals coming together with discipline and effort and creativity to get a result. What a wonderful game this football is.

The World Cup is a truly global experience. 204 nations set forth with qualification efforts, and many have already been eliminated. We are getting down to the nitty-gritty of regional qualifying, in North/Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, as the field will be pared down to 32 by next fall. To fully appreciate the World Cup, one must understand the journey to get there, and appreciate every step along the way, just like life itself.