World Cup Fever in the City, Red Bulls Arena, Harrison, NJ

World Cup Fever in the City
Red Bulls Arena
Harrison, NJ

RED SOX NATION SPOILER ALERT:  My kids might be growing up to be Red Bulls fans.

I'm so sorry Sox Nation.  I tried so hard.  We go to Fenway every year.  They wear Dustin jerseys to school in Brooklyn and to the Bronx for games.  They know that the Manning brothers are no match for Brady, Bledsoe, Eason or Grogan.  They danced in the streets when the B's won the Cup.  We even live five blocks from the Barclay Center where we rooted for KG and Pierce BEFORE they were Nets.  They even hate the Lakers and they don't know why.  But, I think I lost them on soccer.  I'm sorry.  Truly, I am.

It was the World Cup summer that did it.  Like Newton, in Park Slope soccer is king.  Kids stroll the streets in Messi and Neymar jerseys.  The boys play in the fall with AYSO and in the winter and summers with Super Soccer Stars.  This Cup we chose Argentina.  Messi was easy to love, who doesn't like a South American team over those European moneybags (Yanks anyone?).  We were heartbroken when Neymar went out before the finals.  We were even sadder that Messi didn't realize his dream of winning a Cup, and had to lose out to those damn Germans.

But we couldn't go to Brazil, so what's a Sox fan to do?  Head to NJ.  It didn't help that we rooted for France when they won the Cup and the captain of the Red Bulls is Thiery Henry.  We were doomed when Red Bull midfielder Tim Cahill tore it up for Australia. Now Bradley Wright-Philips is tearing up MLS by leading the Golden Boot race with his 17th goal (that we saw live!).    But the final straw were the chants from the fans, let's go Red Bulls as the boys sung along "let's go Red Sox" and we distinctly heard others joining in.  It ain't Foxboro, the Garden and it sure ain't Fenway, but at least it's in Jersey, not the Bronx!