¡¡¡VAMOS ARGENTINA!!!

Last night was AMAZING. As irrational and crazy as fútbol can be, it is equally one of the most beautiful feelings and triumphs to experience. I know that there are still many that do not care for the sport here (although I am impressed with how many more people are into this world cup than when we hosted it here in 1994) and that sadly our neighbors in Brazil are rooting for us to lose (spread the love yo- you have 5 cups!) but I do not care because right now.. my heart is full. The Empire State Building is even celebrating with me. The joy and madness that erupted in Harlem (by which I mean my living room) as Argentina made each penalty kick and Holland did not... was MAGIC. All four of my midgets looked at me like I had LOST my mind and then joined in the chanting and jumping on the couch. V is a big fan (I make him wear his shirt every game for good luck) as is J. The ladies are being converted too as they have had dozens of hours of the sport forced upon them in the last few weeks. When we won in 1978 I lived in Buenos Aires and have a vague recollection of the chanting and the horn honking. My mother says I participated and after screaming Argentina for a while asked her what it meant:) In 1986 I was in Vermont when we won but I remember that the whole camp watched and that I swelled with pride even though I was the only Argentine there. When my (north) american friends express joy and interest in a win for my little country- I love the whole experience even more and I feel (undeserved) pride in what we can accomplish in soccer. Argentina may be riddled with problems and poverty and injustices but we have PASSION and apparently a lot of talent (of the top three players who come to mind Brazil my friend, 2 are ours!). I love you MESSI even if they give you a hard time. There is no equivalent experience to an afternoon at Boca Juniors stadium - you cannot bottle that kind of emotion, cursing, and sheer glee. While I echo V's sentiment when he asked tía C "take me with you to Argentina" as we walked her to the subway to JFK last night during the game... I will be satisfied with a WIN while I sit in NY. If we can win our third cup, it will be 3 I can remember, 3 in my lifetime, and finally something WONDERFUL for a country that deserves it. ¡Vamos carajo!

¡Volveremos volvermos. Volveremos otra vez. Volveremos a ser campeones. Como en el 86!