Day 10: Getting out of Kaiserslautern

En route to MUNICH, Germany

Ageism: 23 Mundial years added (12 days, 7 matches, 3 souvenirs, 1 departure from Saigon Kaiserslautern)
Pallor: Canary yellow
Forecast: Sunny and samba

Getting out of Kaiserslautern last night was a hideous mess from the time the whistle blew on Italy-USA to the moment I stepped off the train in Frankfurt, feeling ready to kiss the polished floor. But it was 3:30 a.m., and I’m sure my early-morning breath would’ve melted marble, so I demurred.
Kaiserslautern is a fabled place in German soccer, the stadium named for Fritz Walter, hero of the 1954 World Cup-winning West Germany side dubbed the Miracle of Bern (check out the 2003 film, it's great) and credited with delivering the first jolt of postwar positive news here. At the game, there was a moment’s silence in the memory of Walter, who died four years ago to the day. The stadium has quite a vantage point, up on a mountain, as it’s called, although it’s more like a very large hill looking down on the city.
After the 1-1 draw, it was gridlock outside the stadium. In a town of 107,000, smallest host city at the World Cup, imagine 46,000 people attending a sports event out at the town’s jewel, and there’s only one single-lane road leading down to the town. So we got out of the media bus after 10 minutes and about 30 feet covered, and walked. Twenty minutes later we were in town, which looked like the world’s biggest frat party had just ended. There was garbage everywhere, people passed out or looking glassy-eyed – there had been tens of thousands more without tickets, watching on the big screen in the centre of the city.

JORGE SANEZ/AP

The scene at the train station in Kaiserslautern before Italy-U.S. much more quiet than after the game.

At the two bars outside the train station they’d run out of beer and water. And outside the station we got caught in a huge crush waiting to go inside – the police, in an attempt to avoid overcrowding on the platforms, were letting people in only a clump at a time through two very narrow doorways. When our time came, the funnel effect made for the scariest moment of this entire time here – far scarier than Dortmund last week, where the police did a fine job of containing the hoolies and getting everyone safely from stadium to station.
“This is dangerous!” I yelled at one of the officers standing back watching as we were swept inside the doors.
“Yes, I know!” he replied with a grin. Perfectly accented English, too.
The rest of it was pretty mundane, in a hectic, sardine-can kind of way: a jammed train platform, a mad sprint down to the other end to get to my car, a jammed train where I had to kick someone out of my reserved seat, and finally, setting up and writing a column on the laptop while the babble around never ceased, but at least everyone seemed relatively sober.
Nice place to visit, Kaiserslautern. But I wouldn’t want to get out of there again.
Now for the usual, as I roll down toward Brazil-Australia for today's dose of craziness:

Sunday’s games (will be updated)

Japan 0, Croatia 0. Their first points, but not a good outcome for either side, leaving them with needing a W in their final game to have a hope of advancing. Given the scoreline, you'd think otherwise, but there were some good chances.
Brazil 2, Australia 0. It's a sultry 30C under hot sun here, but the Brazilians wait until late to heat it up. Off that last half hour, out-of-sorts Ronaldo gone to the bench for most of it, I'd say yes, the Selecao have arrived and may well get better.
France v South Korea.

Monday’s menu

Togo v Switzerland. Another matchup of traditional rivals -- and what a matchup. Togo is considered Africa’s capital of magic and the Swiss make great clocks. I like the Togolese pair of Adebayor and Kader, but not so much coach Otto Pfister, first guy to ever coach a World Cup game wearing jeans, an open-neck shirt and a medallion around his neck. Frankly, I have no idea here but the Swiss didn’t particularly impress in their start, so let’s say a draw. Switzerland 1, Togo 1.
Saudi Arabia v Ukraine. You have to think Ukraine can show better here after getting bollocked by Spain and, later, their coach. Ukraine 2, Saudi Arabia 1.
Spain v Tunisia. Spanish flowed like sweetest Sangria in opener. This figures to be entertaining, but perhaps one-sided. Spain 3, Tunisia 1.

Quote of the Day

"I wasn't aiming at him, I was aiming at the bastard next to him." Brazil's Robinho, apologizing for kicking the ball at Brazil TV camera man.

Comments

[chad inglis]

listening to the Japanese commentators during the game last night it was like every successful pass ('chansu! chansu da!' - a chance! a chance!), every failed-attempt at the goal ('iyaaa!' - ohhh!), every time the ball was taken away from a Croatian forward ('ii kutto!' - nice cut!), it was like some great moment in the history of soccer had just taken place.

i'll give this to the Japanese media - they stand by their team, even if its full of mediocre talent. back in Canada we're a little rougher on the guys representing us. just ask anybody who played in Torino.

[Steve Rothfuchs]

Having seen over two dozen Bundesliga and European games in Kaiserlautern, I sympathize with the post-game crowding (I have cousins who tell the story about a fan who was crushed to death against a fence trying to get into the stadium during the '50's.) Nevertheless, it's still one of the best places to see a game in Germany.

France - South Korea: Much will be said about the game but not enough about the spirit of the Korean fans - fantastic!

[Zicka]

Hey Chris!
What do you mean by "the Swiss didn't particularly impress in their start"? I think we had a great start, 0:0 against France is not that bad at all! And now with the 2:0 against Togo all we need is a tie against South Korea and then anything is possible.
Hopp Schwiiz!
Many greetings and have fun in Germany
Zicka