Magazine, which game with Sunday's Salt Lake
Tribune in the late 60's or early 70's. The two articles I read during different weeks made two interesting predictions: first, it talked about how money in America would soon change in both size and color, and secondly, soccer would soon emerge as America's number one sport.
Now, there is still talk about changing the color and size of American paper money, because counterfeiting is too frequent a business, yet it never happens. I remember reading that article and thinking how absurd it would be to have money of different colors and shapes, and then in 1972, I began a two-year stay in Germany, where the smallest bill, which was only about three or four inches in length was green, the next was a bit larger and was blue, and then--as I remember so long ago--the next one, which was a 20 DM was green. Then the 50 was brown. The hundred was blue, and the thousand was quite large and blue. It was twice the size of one of our bills.
In spite of how well in worked in Europe, tradition still plays a dominant role in our culture, even if it is one that has no logical or even practical explanation.
Soccer also never became the number one sport in America like the article predicted; however, I saw it begin to be a factor in high school athletics in the early 90's. Today, it's popularity is even greater on the high school level, and Salt Lake has a professional team.
But in the last two years, I've seen something else. The play among children is at a level, which is higher than I watched in high school games in the 90's.
The way that little ones bring the ball down the field, the way that they pass, dribble, shoot is unbelievable.
But what I like most is that size is not a factor. It's all about agility and speed and ball handling and team work, and in most cases, officiators call a game with a better eye on the field--not allowing anything to happen that would hurt a player.
Tommy and Jack both play, and I love watching. It's frustrating not to see my Tommy play, but these pictures are incredible.
The funny thing is the fact that I talked to Tommy on the phone just a short time before this game began. He was so excited to play. And there will be a time when I will be able to watch.
Regardless of what I need to do, I will see a couple of these games, maybe not this year, but I will do it.
And I'll watch Anna too. She starts next week.
But for now, we'll be doing local stuff. Jack plays on Tuesdays, and he practices every Thursday.
It is fun to see little ones get so excited about it, but even more importantly, it's fun to see adults work to help young people excel.
I love seeing the excitement and hearing the joy of the game in the voice of my grandchildren as they talk about upcoming games.
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