This World Cup thing… I’m not sporty, but I like the idea. It helps that pretty much all the teams that are winning so far have vocal representatives in my neighborhood. Sitting in my living room with the windows open, I can tell when a match has ended, and guess who won, just by the whooping, and whether it’s coming from the left (Mexicans at the bodega) or the right (Croatians next door). Alas, Ecuador was beat–I didn’t hear a peep out of them.

But still, I’m sitting in my living room. I haven’t gotten out to the Argentine bar, or to one of the many, many Brazilian joints here on 36th Ave. Last go-round, I really kind of intended to go to the playoffs and celebrate with local Brazilians, but then before I knew it, it was all over–I didn’t realize the World Cup doesn’t go into endless finals the way the NBA playoffs do.

Why can’t I catch the World Cup fever? I’m looking for a bit more of a hook, I guess.

Enter Rod Ben Zeev, boat captain and comedian of Amsterdam, who’s doing a blog for the International Herald-Tribune about the cup. Today’s entry puts soccer in terms I can understand: culinary terms. (Plus, it gives a little more context for the krokets mentioned a few entries back.)

The other thing that might hook me comes via another Amsterdam comedian friend, Brendan Hunt, who’s doing a daily video report for MSN called The Unlikely Fan. Brendan’s more of a burgers-and-fries guy, but his total mania and extreme goofiness are pretty compelling. Goofy sports I don’t mind–I only tune out when people start getting very serious.

OK, I’m almost ready to go to a bar somewhere and drink beer and sing silly songs. Please tell me I haven’t missed it all again.