Thank you to The Verve for the song title for me to paraphrase
What is the definition of Bittersweet? Oxford defines it as: arousing pleasure tinged with sadness or pain. Well I have another definition…..
Yes, the US beat Germany in the semi-final of the World Cup. And yes, I am happy about that fact as I was rooting primarily for Team USA. The problem is that at the same time I am truly sad for the German team. If it was a team that I hated, or at least was indifferent too, then it would be a whole different story. But when your favorite team plays your second favorite team, there is no way to be truly happy afterward. We knew it was coming though, and we knew it wouldn’t feel good. The most bittersweet moment of the game though, was screaming “GOOOOAAAAL!” at the TV when Kelley O’Hara scored the second goal (and her first international goal) to slam the door shut only to turn and see the disappointment in my wife’s face. She has her own bittersweet feeling by the way, it just happens to be the opposite of mine.
Who I really feel bad for is Célia Šašić (above), the player that had the unfortunate luck to miss a penalty kick that would have given Germany the lead. Regardless of the outcome, nobody wants to be the one who missed. Especially missing the goal completely. I mean, it’s one thing for the goal keeper to block your shot. It’s a whole other deal to miss the goal when the keeper guessed wrong. It just sucks to go out like that, which probably explains why I was rooting so hard in the last five minutes for Germany to score a goal. I would have much preferred they go down with guns ablazin’.
In the end, we are pleased that both teams got as far in the tournament as they did There’s nothing for them to be embarrassed about, and their place atop women’s Fußball is further cemented. We would have preferred they meet in the final, but maybe it was better this way. Now when Germany plays for Third on Saturday and the US for First on Sunday, there will be no internal conflict at our house. Just two (and 1/2) dedicated fans, screaming at the TV in support of their original and adopted homelands. And it will either be the sweet smell of success, or the bitter taste of defeat. But around here, it will look a little like this……
Germerican Denglish 