A Nation Built on Its Own Games
The writer opens by declaring that soccer is not America's game, framing the sport as a relic of European culture that the United States has wisely rejected. He ties the game's slow pace and low scoring to a broader narrative of boredom and ideological import.
He criticizes the timing of a World Cup hosted on the Fourth of July, suggesting that celebrating independence while inviting a foreign pastime is contradictory. The author also links soccer to notions of socialism and poverty, arguing that the sport's popularity reflects a cultural shift away from homegrown competition.
In contrast, he celebrates American staples like American football and baseball, noting that the latter's frequent scoring opportunities keep the action lively and the stadium atmosphere electric. He points to baseball's rhythm as a perfect embodiment of excitement and tradition.
Recalling a personal encounter with hurling in Ireland, he suggests that the United States could adopt similar field sports to reclaim a more dynamic athletic tradition, one that rewards speed and scoring over methodical play.
He then turns to history, invoking figures such as George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump as exemplars of leaders who knew how to command attention and deliver a show, implying that the nation's spirit thrives on spectacle rather than monotony.