July 2, 2014 at 4:01 p.m.
Crowds pack local establishments to cheer on U. S. soccer team
Crowds pack local establishments to cheer on U. S. soccer team
Every eye in the house was glued to one of the many television screens posted on the walls. Patrons were decked out in the colors of their favorite team. As the game wore on, audible cheers or groans erupted from the crowd.
It wasn't a Green Bay Packers game, a Wisconsin Badgers game or even a Milwaukee Brewers game that had Northwoods sports fans enthralled though.
Then enthusiasts were watching the U.S. men's soccer game against Belgium, their first since advancing past the daunting Group of Death in the first round of the World Cup.
Bucketheads and Pat's Tavern in downtown Rhinelander, both popular local destinations for sports fans, played host to strong crowds Tuesday.
Lyndon Lampe was bartending at Bucketheads during the game. He said the crowd compared well with what he sees on NFL Sundays.
"The momentum has been building as the U.S. has advanced," he said. "This is our best crowd yet. It's 3 p.m. on a weekday, and we had two people in the bar a half hour before the game started, so everyone in here is literally here for the game. It's a larger crowd than the average Badgers game, and about the same size as a Packers game. People are really into it. I think more and more people are getting into it. The average person is just a lot more into it."
The United States lost in extra time to Belgium 2-1, but in the long run, their tournament performance turned out better than many expected.
Few experts expected the U.S. to escape pool play. They did need a little help from Cristiano Ronaldo and the rest of the Portugal squad, but they qualified for the round of 16.
It was an impressive accomplishment, but even more impressive was the way the team captured the imagination of an entire nation.
Dennis Hooker, owner of Pat's Tavern in downtown Rhinelander, said the World Cup games have brought all kinds of new customers, all hoping to catch some soccer action.
"I've noticed a lot of out of town people coming in who have wanted to watch the games," he said. "People from all over the country have been stopping down and I've really enjoyed talking with them about the games. A lot of people have a hard time understanding the rules. The excitement is definitely there. They're into it, but I think some of my patrons are still a little unsure about the rules."
Sara Kellen watched the game with her family at Bucketheads. She's no stranger to the game. In fact, she was a standout for the Hodags during her high school years. She said the U.S. team has captured her heart.
"I think Jurgen Klinnsman has really changed the mindset of the Americans," she said. "The Americans really had faith in themselves. They've gone with a younger team, especially choosing to go on without Landon Donovan. Their players are very young. (Julian) Green scored the goal today, and he's only 19. It's changed the look of U.S. soccer and I think Americans are responding to that."
It's an indisputable fact that soccer is a distant fifth in the minds of most Americans, and that could be a generous evaluation. Yet fans packed sports bars around Rhinelander and across the country Tuesday to cheer on their home team.
Throughout the game, television coverage flashed to shots of massive crowds gathered in fields or town squares. Countrymen bound together in support of their national soccer team. Names like Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey and even the injured Jozy Altidore were suddenly household names. Kellen said the same rang true at Bucketheads.
"It was an awesome atmosphere," Kellen said. "I haven't watched any of the other games at a bar, but having people there and cheering was awesome. It was an unfortunate outcome, but it would have been even crazier if they had pulled it off."
John Brooks said he dreamed of scoring the go-ahead goal against Ghana the night before the game. When he did, late in the team's very first game of the tournament, it sparked something. A fire started and it spread. #Ibelieve started. It grew when against Portugal when the effort and guts of the American squad were on full display. It persisted through a hard-fought loss to Germany, and exploded in the days leading up to the Belgium game.
The U.S. had its back against the wall, down 2-0 to Belgium, when its youngest player, a 19-year-old substitute named Julian Green, finally got his team on the board. Despite being down one goal with time dwindling, there was hope. Fans around the nation exploded in cheers, clinging to those few final straws that remained.
"It was crazy," Kellen said. "Everyone erupted. We were all cheering. It was a lot of fun. It was just too bad it happened at that time. If we had been able to put that goal away at the end of regulation, it would have been absolutely nuts."
The thing is though, the whole thing has been absolutely nuts. A nation wholly apathetic about soccer was suddenly captivated. That's a bigger victory than any win over Belgium would have been.
Andy Hildebrand may be reached at [email protected].
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