Be In This Moment

I’m writing this in the countdown to perhaps the most important soccer match in the modern history of  the United States Men’s National Team. They meet Germany, the homeland of the U. S. National coach Jurgen Klinsmann, at (appropriately enough) high noon. This is the Moment of Truth, alles oder nichts.

Meanwhile, at the same time across town in another part of the same galaxy, Portugal and Ghana will play one another. Only two of those teams will advance to the Round of 16 and at this writing, no one from Group G (I’m thinking ‘grauenhaft’ is as close to ‘death’ as I can get and it’s not that close) have yet advanced. Germany clobbered Portugal in the first game, with the USA beating Ghana. For their respective second acts, the Germans tied Ghana and Team USA and Portugal ended in 2-2.  

No later than 1500, three o'clock this afternoon, we’ll know who is moving on. Yes, the American team wouldn’t be sweating any of this if they’d held on for another thirty seconds against Portugal Sunday afternoon but….If my Mom had married a Kennedy, I’d be living in the White House; but she didn’t and I’m not. End of story.

There are incredibly complex mathy calculations for what could happen in the USA-Germany game, and some of that is reduced to words right here. I forgot my pocket protector, never learned how to use a slide rule (I’m ashamed to admit this), and I am terrified of scientific calculators. Today, I think the only gear we can use today to make the Round of 16 is forward, foot to the floor/pedal to the metal.

Until, during and for a not inconsiderable amount of time after this game is played, attempting to contact me, even telepathically, will avail you not at all. This is MLB’s Opening Day all over again-don’t call or text, or think about doing either as I am engaged and will yell myself hoarse at little tiny people inside the box of flickering shadows we keep in the living room. I don’t care if they can’t hear me. I can and that’s enough.

Team USA exits Arena Pernambuca today either with its shield or on it. 

I. Believe. That. We. Will. Win. Game on!  

- bill kenny