Soccer, Anyone? (I mean, "Le Foot")

Well, it's that time again -- the World Cup has transformed Paris from the city of light (the feminine city, as me and some of my friends call it) into one giant, oozing, shouting, testosterone monster. Kind of like Boston is year-round. At first I liked it, just the fact that there seemed to be something unifying people here for a change. But after Wednesday's match, and the unbridled insanity it unleashed (not to mention several careless deaths), I really can't wait for it all to be over. It's like this massive sports energy has given everyone permission to be louder, uglier, and, frankly, stupider than they usually are. Not to mention the whole "boys' club" aspect which I had to endure growing up with a sports-crazed stepfather and two brothers (in Boston, no less). Even if you show interest in the game, and are athletic (which I was), the fact of being female keeps you forever out of the loop. As I was so rudely reminded while watching the match with some friends, when I leaned over to pass some food to someone who ASKED me to (it was, after all, a dinner), thus momentarily blocking the view for all of 1 nanosecond and causing one of the men to mutter, "That's why you should never watch football with a woman."

Arggh!!!!! Makes me want to kick a ball through someone's head!