With the first wave of nations now headed back home, who's your favorite World Cup Character so far? The Norse rowers who "paddled" their way up Boston escalators? The Scottish Tartan Army who drank planes and bars dry and even made Mets and Marlins games tolerable? The German tourist astounded by college football stadiums and Buc-ees? The **** anese visitors delighted by free chips and salsa? The awestruck visitors running afoul of TSA for trying to bring home bottles of ranch dressing?
Me, I'm going with a write-in vote: The Americans who are surprised, delighted and grateful to see their own country through the world's eyes. Yes, plenty of grifters are trying their best to stain the World Cup, but this game is too big to be contained by greed and corruption.
America is getting a look at just how much fun it can be when cultures mix. We'll see how long that feeling lasts.
This culture shock is, in a way, understandable. Americans are so inundated with criticism of their own nation and fellow countrypeople — with most of the calls coming from inside the house — that it's been a genuine shock to see so many visitors viewing our glories with wide-eyed wonder. Texas barbecue, white-sand beaches and quaint small towns, ranch dressing and salsa, gas stations the size of aircraft carriers, stadiums large enough to stage a Godzilla vs. Kong fight — the things we take for granted are amazing and delighting our World Cup visitors from all over the globe.
2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One: Make your predictions for the Round of 32
Me, I'm going with a write-in vote: The Americans who are surprised, delighted and grateful to see their own country through the world's eyes. Yes, plenty of grifters are trying their best to stain the World Cup, but this game is too big to be contained by greed and corruption.
America is getting a look at just how much fun it can be when cultures mix. We'll see how long that feeling lasts.
This culture shock is, in a way, understandable. Americans are so inundated with criticism of their own nation and fellow countrypeople — with most of the calls coming from inside the house — that it's been a genuine shock to see so many visitors viewing our glories with wide-eyed wonder. Texas barbecue, white-sand beaches and quaint small towns, ranch dressing and salsa, gas stations the size of aircraft carriers, stadiums large enough to stage a Godzilla vs. Kong fight — the things we take for granted are amazing and delighting our World Cup visitors from all over the globe.
2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One: Make your predictions for the Round of 32
2 months ago
