WC2006: Czech Your Head (Part 2)

ON A TRAIN TO BERLIN (continued) -- Rather than find our way back to the Fan Fest to watch Australia vs. Japan, and then have to fight our way onto a crowded train to get to the car and retrieve the drum, we watch the first half at the bar and then head out. That part about not having to fight our way onto a train? Didn't happen, as the exodus from town center to stadium was already in full swing.

One packed train and some potentially rib-crushing pushing and shoving later, we're on our waz. The tram is totally packed and not very well-ventilated, especially when we're not moving, and that happens often as traffic is getting backed up. We stop. And sweat. At one point, I notice a bus going the wrong way along the street next to us, but that's because I'm on the wrong side to see that the other side seems to have been blocked off so that the buses containing the Czech and U.S. teams can speed by with police escort.

I don't notice at this point whether or not the Czech bus is a step or two faster than the U.S. bus. Given the match about to follow, I can only assume it was.

It's touch and go for a moment as security decides whether my drum makes me a ninja - there's a sign posted that clearly indicates ninjas are forbidden from the grounds - but they decide I'm okay. I catch up with Brent again and accompany his party for some chants questioning Jaromir Jagr's manliness, among other things. Unfortunately, we're in different sections, so I head up to my Category 4 seats to see what I have to contend with.

My seat is fifteen or twenty rows from the top in the corner, which sounds worse than it really is. There's a mix of elation and trepidation as people see the drum. I hope these folks weren't expecting this experience to be quiet. Off to my right, I see a guy that I've met both in Korea and at Fire matches. Off to my left, hey, its Fire play-by-play man Kenn Tomasch!

The first players out of the tunnel for warmups are the American goalkeepers. A roar goes up for Kasey Keller. Then the Czech keepers, I think, followed bz the U.S. team and then the rest of the Czechs. Smatterings of songs and chants start and stop as everyone gets settled. There's a guy up front dressed as Uncle Sam with a cowbell. I'll follow him.