I'm on the ball

Jun 9, 2006

When I was in high school, I noticed a very large satellite dish in one of the back courtyards of the school. Curious as to how it was used, I chatted up the librarians who coordinated the dish. Not much, they answered.

Later, summer 1986 rolls around, and with it, the World Cup football tournament. I lived across the street from the high school, and so I asked the librarians if they would tune the dish into coverage of the cup. For the next month, I sat alone in the cool library watching the action in Mexico City, including a wonderful run up the side by Maradona and his Hand of God goal.

In summer 1990, I was at John Carroll University working the new student orientations (I met Erin at one of these the next summer). When I wasn’t giving tours of the campus, I was in front of the large television watching Rattle and Hum over and over, and taking in most of the games of the World Cup.

In summer 1994, I spent my lunch breaks watching the World Cup on the small television in the corner of the shoe store at Ala Moana Mall, or down in Waikiki at the English pub.

In summer 1998, I watched replays of the World Cup along with the other men on Paama on a television set up near the government building in Liro.

In summer 2002, I woke early every morning to watch the World Cup, often with my brother-in-law Tom Michael.

And now, summer 2006, the World Cup is back, and I’ll be back on the couch for as many games as I can sneak in.

Anton Zuiker ☄