LARNED — Just when you were beginning to tire of hoping your Royals would go on a long winning streak your summer was saved with FUTBOL!
Well, that is what the rest of the world calls it. We Yanks call it soccer.
The World Cup (no, that is not a very large athletic supporter) begins June 12, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and doesn’t conclude until July 19, about the time we Americans start turning our attention to what WE call football.
FIFA, (Fe’de’ration Internationale de Football Association, now you know why we call it FIFA)  who runs this show, just might be the largest sports organization in the world.
Sports organization?
More like the United Nations.
If you like politics, then FIFA is your ultimate destination.  
FIFA is the training ground for international political terrorism!
Really you Jayhawks, Wildcats and Sooners fans, The World Cup is a big thing in the REST of the world.
The total prize money for the tournament is $576 million.
Before the tournament, each of the 32 entrants will receive $1.5 million for preparation costs. Once at the tournament, the prize money will be distributed as follows:
• $8 million — To each team eliminated at the group stage (16 teams)
• $9 million — To each team eliminated in the round of 16 (8 teams)
• $14 million — To each team eliminated in the quarter-finals (4 teams)
• $20 million — Fourth place team
• $22 million — Third place team
• $25 million — Runner up
• $35 million — Winner
Now you know why they scream and hug when they kick a goal!
With that kind of serious money, there will be charges of corruption, gambling and throwing matches.
It makes players and coaches very superstitious.
My favorite tale of superstition was about the South African team that, before leaving for the competition, drove out of town, walked backwards and barefoot off the team bus into the bush until they found a termite mound, urinated on it, then walked backwards to the bus again.
It didn’t help.
They still lost!
Come to think of it, doesn’t that remind you of a lot of Oklahoma football fans?
I knew I wasn’t going to be a soccer fan, especially of this 2014 World Cup in Sao Paulo, when I found out that the Brazilians had made the World Cup mascot an Armadillo!
FULECO the ARMADILLO will be the official mascot for this 2014 World Cup.
The beast is a representation of the Brazilian three-banded armadillo which is endangered.
I wish I could say as much about his close relatives, the Armadillos of Kansas, that routinely dig deep holes in my yard and garden!
I would like to make them endangered!
Just another reason to like my football played with the funny ball that is pointed on both ends instead of a round ball.
Soccer and football.
Don’t get confused.
They’re not the same thing. Just ask that Armadillo!
 
Charles Tabler is a contributing writer from Larned.