I'm not what one would describe as a sports fan. But I do have a heartbeat.
Every step of the way, I have been moved and awed by the U.S. women's soccer team and their fantastic run to the FIFA World Cup championship finals.
It hasn't been easy. Inspiring a whole legion of Americans who don't watch soccer and probably don't even understand the rules, Americans ranging from teenage girl to soldiers in Afghanistan, just never is. But it's slow season for sports, and these women have taken the chance to show America how awesome they are.
Did I mention I have a heart? It swells just thinking about Abby Wambach's impossible goal against Brazil, a superhuman display of inner strength that occurred literally at the last second, sending the match into penalty kicks and eventual victory.
So what makes this different from any other under-dog story? Easy. It's the women we're watching and cheering on and yelling at our televisions for. And it is pretty cool to see muscled Army men punching the air for a bunch of women.
On Sunday, the U.S. team faces a tough match against Japan, another team with an extraordinary journey to the finals. I'll be rooting for the U.S., but I am telling the absolute truth when I say that it doesn't matter who wins. It doesn't matter if you don't know a sweeper from a striker, offsides from out of bounds. All that matters is that you grab a few brews, round up a few friends, and get ready to get rowdy.
