Futbol Mania

I promised a good story, and a good story I shall write. Last Sunday was the final of Copa América. Copa America is the oldest international continental football competition and is held every 4 years. So its kind of a big deal and everybody was watching it. It just so happens that the stadium this event was taking place in is just a 10 minute walk away from my place. So after watching the first half of the game at a bar my roomates and I headed toward the stadium to see any after game festivities. As we walked to the stadium the streets began to look more and more like a tornado had gone through. The streets were trashed and the game wasn't even finished yet. We knew this would be a good night. In front of the stadium a crowd was gathering in anticipation of an Uruguay win. There was a news van parked on the side with a 10 inch T.V. screen in the back, that was surrounded by 30 people looking through every nook and cranny trying to catch a glimpse of the game. Meanwhile the stadium, a mere 50 yards away felt like it had a life of its own. You could feel the anticipation of another Uruguay goal and the tension was so thick that I swear the stadium just might implode. Then it happend. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!! The stadium erupted with a roar that would make any ordinary man insta-poop his pants. It was awesome. Two minutes later the game ended with Uruguay beating Paraguay 3-0. People poured out the stadium and it soon became very crowded. At one point there was almost a fight but then it got broken up. Dang it. So we are walking along taking it all in when we are suddenly at the front steps of River Stadium. My roomates and I look at each other for a second and then took a step up. We just walked in, no police and no dodgy looks we just waltzed in. It was suprising because 3/4 of the stadium was still full of screaming Uruguayan fans. Beside ourselves, we walked up and down the aisles looking for a good place to take videos. There were chants, tons of fans, and confetti. So cool. And there were like 10 different chants that people just kept saying over and over. Kind of like an I pod shuffle, but louder. The coolest thing for me was that you could feel the passion. It was more than a game, it is a way of life. The people from Uruguay as in most South American Countries eat, drink, and bleed futbol. As a past player of the game I can identify somewhat with the passion for the game but not at the level that they have. So instead I just soaked in the moment and celebrated alongside Uruguay. I can't wait to actually see a game.