Walden is a great, internationally diverse community so I know there must many of you excited about the 2010 World Cup.  For those that just aren’t into sports, its one of the most popular events in the world, generating a tremendous outpour of nationalistic pride.  Team USA is right in the thick of things as we head into the second weekend of Group Stage play.  If you’re unfamiliar with what that means, let me try to break it down for you.

Every four years, 32 teams qualify for the World Cup tournament that is hosted in a different international city.  This year is South Africa’s first time hosting.  How exciting for them!  For the first stage of the tourney – the Group Stage – teams are divided into groups of 8.  Team USA is a part of “Group C”, which also includes England, Algeria and Slovenia.

Each team plays the other teams in the group one time for a total of three games, earning 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss.  At the end of the stage, which happens to be next Wednesday (June 23) for Group C, the top two teams from each of the 8 groups advance to a single elminiation Knockout Stage until only one team remains and is crowned the World Cup Champion.  The reigning World Cup Champion from 2006 is Italy.  After the first of three games, Slovenia has 3 points, USA and England each have 1 point and Algeria has 0.

Team USA plays Slovenia next on Friday (June 18) in the morning at 10 a.m.  You can catch the games on ABC, or if you really want to get in the spirit, head over to Churchill’s Pub & Restaurant (13 W Bay Street, Savannah, GA, 31401) in the Historic District.  They are Savannah’s World Cup headquarters and will be showing every game…even the ones that are very early in the morning.