Sunday, August 6

2 hours ago

Reporting from Melbourne Rectangular Stadium

I am a terrible interpreter of stadium chants and could not for the life of me understand what one entire end of the stadium was chanting. It was two syllables and loud. And then, duh, it dawned on me: It was "SWE-DEN! SWE-DEN!" Those fans are wearing blue and should be wearing yellow, darn it.

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Juliet Macur
2 hours ago

Reporting from Melbourne Rectangular Stadium

Sullivan nails it and pumps her left fist as the crowd chants, “USA! USA!” Finally, it has come alive here.

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For the American fans, she means.  It's sad -- and telling too -- that we don't recognize "life" when it comes from the Other side, whether that's a sports team or a political enemy in wartime.  It can catch you off guard when the team you were so sure had more money and all the support in the world loses to "lessers".  It's like you never saw the life in them in the first place, or saw your loss coming.  Inconsequential in sports games, but deadly when it carries over to a military mindset...  And isn't that what sporting games really are?  Preparation for military games of strength, valor and cunning? Sometimes, you just can't buy a win; you have to actually earrrrrrrn it... #NeverForget