Jim Rome may hate every screaming fan, raucous riot and undeserved yellow card in the game, but he can no longer deny this simple fact: People in the United States like soccer.
I know the age-old argument about the boredom inspired by watching a 90-minute match that usually produces more yawns than points, and we've all seen "The Simpsons" episode that pokes fun at the way soccer players control the ball.
But this summer, when the FIFA Confederations Cup was underway and the U.S. defeated No. 1 ranked Spain 2-0 in the semi-finals, who saw anything other than soccer fill up Facebook statuses?
The summer after my sophomore year in high school I watched in amazement as Italian defender Marco Materazzi was leveled by French midfielder and three-time FIFA World Player of the Year winner Zinedine Zidane (Zizou) in the finals of the 2006 World Cup.
The day after Zizou head-butted his talkative opponent, the news world stopped in its tracks.
Trained lip readers were hired by national organizations to decode the insult that inspired such violence, and speculation still spirals over the truth to what Materazzi yelled at one of the greatest football players of all time.
When the 2010 World Cup in South Africa rolls around, who's to say what could happen? Regardless of who hits whom in the competition, one thing is for sure, the world (including the U.S.) will be watching.
International play is not the only proof of popularity for the "global" sport. The very campus we walk is infected with fútbol fever.
Printed out pictures of club teams, cleats and dominating players cover the doors in the dormitories around campus.
Every day and night, a swarm of students wage battle at the Student Recreation Center on the indoor soccer court, much to the dismay of frequent basketball pick-up players.
Students donning jerseys of Arsenal's Dirk Kuyt or Manchester United's Wayne Rooney can be spotted walking around the construction of Military Walk just like everyone else.
These things aside, the true culprit of "Aggie Soccer Sickness" is the No. 6-ranked Texas A&M soccer team.
When the Aggies lost 3-2 to undefeated Purdue on Fish Camp Night in front of 6,589 fans, it was the talk of the student body for days.
Having a national powerhouse with dynamic players and game traditions that rival those at Olsen Field makes for a captivated audience and extreme involvement.
After defeating UTSA 3-0 in a solid response to a disappointing loss, the soccer team now boasts a 2-1 record going into its first road game of the year against the Cal-Berkley Golden Bears.
So when the Aggies' only three seniors lead the 19 underclassmen onto the field against the top-ranked North Carolina soccer squad, I won't be thinking of Jim Rome's nasty rants on violent game attendees, I'll be excited to watch a sport that has now taken a greater precedence in our country than ever before.
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