Outright lies and other generalizations

I took an early lunch to watch the second half of the U.S. soccer game. I'm not an enormous soccer fan, but I have an appreciation for the game and when the world gets a little excited, sometimes I get caught up in it. We watched the game in Spanish as sport is apparently the other universal language. I pulled up to a table after 6 minutes had elapsed. At that point there were probably 8 people watching the U.S. try to dig themselves out of a 2-1 hole. There were another 3 people conversing near the TV. At about the 30 minute mark, there was nearly a goal by the U.S. and the growing crowd groaned together. At that point the 3 people conversing turned toward the TV and I heard one say, "Oh. Is that soccer?"

Now, I realize that soccer is not the most popular American sport. But. But. This woman had been standing within 3 feet of the television for almost 20 minutes. Surely she felt the room shrinking as more and more men and the occasional woman crowded around the TV. There were people sitting on the floor in the lunch room. No one else in the room was saying more than three words at a time. All of our eyes were focused just to the right of her head. We watched as Ghana players seemed to zip around the field and their passes always seemed to find another man in red. We watched as the U.S. worked the ball across the field and back, before trying to play over the top of Ghana. Failing and then just as suddenly getting a move, a shot, a genuine opportunity to make something happen. Some balls went wide. Some balls high. The best chance for a late tie ended in a disappointing pass. Why couldn't they be more selfish like that guy we just saw from Italy that wouldn't pass to his open teammate and instead took his second shot off the goalkeeper's hands? It worked for him, but we passed. How had all of that escaped her notice?

Fifty minutes elapsed with a few more groans and moans from the crowd. There was some hand wringing, maybe a curse or two, but in the end Ghana advanced with a final score of 2-1.

Yes. That's soccer.