The Simpsons go to a soccer game, inspired by a Hank Williams Jr. lookalike on TV belting out a bastardized version of Monday Night Football's "Are You Ready for Some Football?" The bellower spears a flaming ball, thrusts it toward viewers and sing-yells, Open wide for somesoccer! The announcer adds: "This match will determine once and for all which nation is the greatest on earth: Mexico or Portugal!" During June, Kansas Citians opened wide for some soccer (and were ready for some football) at the Pavilion at Arrowhead, thanks to the Kansas City Wizards, who hosted a series of free World Cup-watching parties to cheer on the U.S. team's advance to the quarterfinals. Given the fact that the games were in some other country and started at 1:30 and 6:30 a.m. Kansas City time, the spirited crowds that showed up for each game -- loopy on caffeine and from lack of sleep, clad in patriotic colors and often carrying drums and other accoutrements of spirit -- were impressive. The electric atmosphere of the parties stayed festive, despite the fact that everyone's circadian rhythms were off for the entire month.
