Just like home (Herrera and World Cup)
Author: Mike Wobschall, vikings.com
Even though the NFL's version of "football" is in the middle of an off-season, the rest of the world's version of football, or soccer as it is referred to here, is in full stride. The 2006 World Cup is underway and no Viking is rooting harder for a team than offensive lineman, and Trinidad native, Anthony Herrera.
After watching their team's first game in the 2006 World Cup this week, many soccer fans in the United States are a little more apprehensive than they were at this time last week. The same can be said for Herrera, who is "disappointed" about Trinidad & Tobago battling to a 0-0 draw against the highly touted Swedish team.
"I was actually a little disappointed," Herrera said. "The experts and announcers made it seem like Trinidad was just happy to be there. But that's not how it is. They are there to win and they got there just like everybody else."
Herrera's passion for soccer stems from his roots. For the first 13 years of his life, Herrera lived and played in Trinidad. He and his family migrated to the U.S. on his 14th birthday. The Herrera's moved to Naples, Florida to live with their grandmother, who had arrived 15 years earlier.
Herrera would have little trouble adjusting, eventually becoming a two-year starter, team captain and MVP on his St. Xavier High School football team. He then attended the University of Tennessee on an athletic scholarship. After going undrafted in the 2004 NFL Draft, he joined the Vikings as an undrafted free agent on April 27, 2004.
Though his ability and interest in American football is obvious, there's another game that has a special place in his heart - and it's called football too.
"The atmosphere of the sport is one great thing about soccer," Herrera said. "A bunch of fans, cheering and chanting, rooting for their own team or their own country, it's great."
In America, soccer is the "other football", but much of the globe sees it in a different light. The game of soccer is gaining popularity in the U.S., but it has been immensely popular across the rest of the world for many years.
"Soccer is so popular across the world because it's a team sport, there are no individuals," Herrera says. "It's not as popular here because we already have a lot of sports. This is a football and baseball country. But soccer is huge overseas."
Football wasn't a major part of Herrera's life until he came to the U.S. Until that point, Herrera was an avid soccer player in Trinidad.
"Here you have the Pop Warner football leagues and camps," Herrera said. "In Trinidad, soccer is like that. It's all about soccer, and if not soccer, then cricket."
Herrera's first exposure to football came when he and his family arrived in the U.S.
"My first memory of football is a Dallas Cowboys versus San Francisco 49ers game," Herrera said. "I remember watching Deion Sanders intercept a pass and take it in for a touchdown.
"Then when I was at school in the junior high, I was a little bigger than some of the other kids. My physical education teacher and health teacher said with my size I should be playing football. So I did."
And the Vikings are glad.
Because of the loss of perennial All-Pro Matt Birk to injury and inconsistent play from the rest of the line, 2005 was a tumultuous season for the Vikings offensive front five. Herrera stepped in during the season and played in ten games, starting six. He added some depth at guard and center that was essential to the team's late-season run that saw them come just shy of catching the Chicago Bears.
The 2006 World Cup marks a pivotal time for the prospects of soccer in the U.S. The country's interest is rising and the game is gaining momentum, and another run by the American team could propel the "other" football into Western pop-culture. To some, that may be a bit uncomfortable.
For Herrera, it feels just like home.
Vikings.com
Re: Just like home (Herrera and World Cup)
Was it him that made you ****** about T&T Cajun? :smile:
Re: Just like home (Herrera and World Cup)
Eh.. We'll see how he feels this time tomorrow.
By then England will have played against Trinidad and Tobago.
Re: Just like home (Herrera and World Cup)
im not a big fan of soccer... but thats me
Re: Just like home (Herrera and World Cup)
"Vikes_King" wrote:
Quote:
im not a big fan of soccer... but thats me
It's not just about soccer. Americans take it for granted because the USA always qualifies for the World Cup, but a lot of the other countries are not as fortunate. It is always a pleasure to cheer your country on when the world is watching, whether you are a big soccer fan or not. Several of these countries are ignored by American eyes until the whole world tunes in to watch their soccer team. That worldly attention alone is enough to bring happiness and inspire hope for your team winning. America doesn't need the attention because we are all over the news with our politics, economics, and eulture. For other countries, soccer is all they have.
Re: Just like home (Herrera and World Cup)
oh yea ik about that, what i was getting at is i dont follow the world cup or any of that, i think its awesome he gets to see his home countries team suceeding
Re: Just like home (Herrera and World Cup)
"V-Unit" wrote:
Quote:
It's not just about soccer. Americans take it for granted because the USA always qualifies for the World Cup, but a lot of the other countries are not as fortunate. It is always a pleasure to cheer your country on when the world is watching, whether you are a big soccer fan or not. Several of these countries are ignored by American eyes until the whole world tunes in to watch their soccer team. That worldly attention alone is enough to bring happiness and inspire hope for your team winning. America doesn't need the attention because we are all over the news with our politics, economics, and culture. For other countries, soccer is all they have.
That is one of the best posts I've ever seen on these boards. It perfectly encapsulates what makes the World Cup so great for countries like Trini, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Croatia, Ivory Coast, and the like. In fact, the best example of what you're talking about is Brazil. Football is EVERYTHING there, and every 4 years they get to show the world what Brazilian culture is about.
Re: Just like home (Herrera and World Cup)
"Benet" wrote:
Quote:
"V-Unit" wrote:
Quote:
It's not just about soccer. Americans take it for granted because the USA always qualifies for the World Cup, but a lot of the other countries are not as fortunate. It is always a pleasure to cheer your country on when the world is watching, whether you are a big soccer fan or not. Several of these countries are ignored by American eyes until the whole world tunes in to watch their soccer team. That worldly attention alone is enough to bring happiness and inspire hope for your team winning. America doesn't need the attention because we are all over the news with our politics, economics, and culture. For other countries, soccer is all they have.
That is one of the best posts I've ever seen on these boards. It perfectly encapsulates what makes the World Cup so great for countries like Trini, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Croatia, Ivory Coast, and the like. In fact, the best example of what you're talking about is Brazil. Football is EVERYTHING there, and every 4 years they get to show the world what Brazilian culture is about.
I hardly think it's fair to say "soccer is all they have" about Brazil. That might be the typically myopic America-centric view people in the USA seem to have, but that's just silly silly silly in reality.
What else does Brazil have?
Hot women. Lots and lots of hot women with a more progressive moral code, if you follow my drift.
And Carnivale! Now that's a party!
And beach volleyball! Which is basically hot Brazilian women in tiny swimsuits playing volleyball in the sand while Carnivale is playing out in the stands.
Soccer is all they have??
I think NOT!
=Z=
Re: Just like home (Herrera and World Cup)
"AWZeus" wrote:
Quote:
"Benet" wrote:
Quote:
"V-Unit" wrote:
Quote:
It's not just about soccer. Americans take it for granted because the USA always qualifies for the World Cup, but a lot of the other countries are not as fortunate. It is always a pleasure to cheer your country on when the world is watching, whether you are a big soccer fan or not. Several of these countries are ignored by American eyes until the whole world tunes in to watch their soccer team. That worldly attention alone is enough to bring happiness and inspire hope for your team winning. America doesn't need the attention because we are all over the news with our politics, economics, and culture. For other countries, soccer is all they have.
That is one of the best posts I've ever seen on these boards. It perfectly encapsulates what makes the World Cup so great for countries like Trini, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Croatia, Ivory Coast, and the like. In fact, the best example of what you're talking about is Brazil. Football is EVERYTHING there, and every 4 years they get to show the world what Brazilian culture is about.
I hardly think it's fair to say "soccer is all they have" about Brazil. That might be the typically myopic America-centric view people in the USA seem to have, but that's just silly silly silly in reality.
What else does Brazil have?
Hot women. Lots and lots of hot women with a more progressive moral code, if you follow my drift.
And Carnivale! Now that's a party!
And beach volleyball! Which is basically hot Brazilian women in tiny swimsuits playing volleyball in the sand while Carnivale is playing out in the stands.
Soccer is all they have??
I think NOT!
=Z=
Not to mention the best food in the world...Brazil nuts!!!! Sooo good!
I agree with V-Unit and Benet though. It's really refreshing to see people that are so happy to just be PLAYING the game.
Re: Just like home (Herrera and World Cup)
"AWZeus" wrote:
Quote:
I hardly think it's fair to say "soccer is all they have" about Brazil. That might be the typically myopic America-centric view people in the USA seem to have, but that's just silly silly silly in reality.
What else does Brazil have?
Hot women. Lots and lots of hot women with a more progressive moral code, if you follow my drift.
And Carnivale! Now that's a party!
And beach volleyball! Which is basically hot Brazilian women in tiny swimsuits playing volleyball in the sand while Carnivale is playing out in the stands.
Soccer is all they have??
I think NOT!
=Z=
With all respect mate, I'd hardly say Brazil is a 24 hour Carnivale with hot women roaming the streets looking for easy sex and beach dates, which is the image you paint. It's a country with huge problems with gangs, violent crime, crippling poverty and woeful literacy rates. The point in V-Unit's post, and what I tried to expand upon, is the fact that the World Cup is a unifying force the countries involved. Nations come together to watch their representatives in one of the biggest sporting spectacles in the world, and the spotlight shines on all the nations involved regardless of size, population, culture, colour, creed, religion etc etc.
