World Cup with Raphael – England vs USA Recap

by Raphael Perahia

I have been a little bit too busy enjoying what can only be known as the good life to replace time sitting by the pool in Pinehurst NC drinking a beer, for time spent in front of a laptop updating my blog (drinking a beer). It’s a tough life but somebody has to live it.

 On Thursday, ironically, the same day that I put them on, both England flags slipped off my car while driving, almost as easily as the ball slipped from Green’s hands and into the back of the England net. I knew trouble was about.

 I decided to hit the Brewhouse Pub in Atlanta for England’s opening match, safe in the belief that there would be loads of England fans. In my mind we outnumbered the meager USA fans by ten-to-one.

 I arrived to the tent that had been erected in the parking lot, fitting hundreds of people, mostly wearing USA shirts. Damn. The heat was sweltering and I was sweating pints of beer. I made my way to the lone, large man carrying an England flag.  I looked him straight in the eyes. “Come on England.” He knew.

 I don’t know if he knew exactly what I was thinking but I hoped he did. I was thinking: “Chances are there might be a fight here. The shit I’m gonna sing, I’ll be lucky to be alive after this match. I need you to: Sing everything that I sing, and, more importantly, back me up if it comes to a ruck.”

 The yanks seem to have finally embraced what the whole world has known for years; like a fine cigar, or a beautiful woman / stripper, getting drunk and watching football is indeed one of life’s great pleasures. They roared, yelling loudly: “USA USA.” Not a very challenging or charming song, but it’s a start. This carried on until the inevitable happened. England scored.

 I hugged my compatriot as the whole courtyard of about five hundred Americans went silent. That was my cue. My moment to shine was upon me. “You’re not singing anymore! You’re not singing anymore”. I looked out to all the USA fans hopefully. I got many death stares.

“USA give us a song. USA give us a song.” They didn’t like that song either. Well I have another one for you. “You only sing when you’re winning, sing when you’re winning. You only sing when you’re winning.” To which my compatriot remarked. “They weren’t even winning.” Life could not get any better. It did not get any better. It got worse.

 Obviously with hindsight, I wouldn’t have been so arrogant. If I had known Green was about to make a calamity of such epic proportions, I might have been a little more quiet.  If I had known that the tent would erupt and beer was to be poured all over me by proud USA fans, I might have stood at the back of the tent cheering meagerly.

 The second half I stayed in the back. England as always, you were a disappointment. Although a pleasure to see Americans building their own football culture, something that I will hopefully experience in different cities in the coming days.