The Greatness of the Game

The Algerian team was eliminated in the round of 16 by Germany.  They waged a brave campaign and definitely did not lay down to their difficult opposition.  Reading a portuguese football newspaper I came across this story which provides photos and videos of the reception they received back in Algeria.  A heroes parade, streets lined with adoring fans, horns, police escorts, fireworks, the whole nine yards.

This is the greatness of the game.  This is the global penetration and significance of the World Cup.  A team exits in the final 16 and its a national historic event,  The national warriors are lauded as heroes and the mood festive.  Such is the grandeur, scale and scope of the event.  By comparison, a little known sport called ice hockey is played at another little know event called the winter olympics.  Team Canada (may be the only country on earth who claims the sport of ice hockey as its favourite sport despite its abysmal television ratings even in that country) won the gold medal and the extent of the celebration was 500 fans in a downtown square waving a few flags for a couple of hours.

Anyways here is the link:
http://www.abola.pt/nnh/ver.aspx?id=487055