I was living in Holland for the last world cup and most of the women I was friends with there were just as excited as anybody. I went to one of my favorite bars in Utrecht for the first Dutch game and the crowd seemed to be pretty much the same as always, about 50/50. The ony difference was that everybody was wearing orange from head to toe. For most of the world the World Cup is about feelings of national pride, gender has nothing to do with it

This is feminist chauvinism -- objectify men, regard them as toys.

Also, this is very arrogant americansism -- if it's not a problem for me, I'm sure the rest of the world will be fine. They are just like us, right?

that is a bit self-centered, isn't it?

I've been watching almost religiously. I'm up at 6am to catch all 32 teams play at least once. However, this isn't about nationalism (I'm not rooting for the U.S. because well, they suck), this is about a sport I find exhilarating to watch, and the talents of players I highly admire. And yeah, there is eye-candy. You can't say I'm a chauvnist for drooling every time the camera zooms in on Zidane, can you?

I also don't believe this is a problem for the rest of the world. The fans in the stadiums are equally male and female. When I was in France watching the Europe cup, there were girls at the bar with their steak and frites dangling precariously from their forks everytime Theirry Henry got close to making a goal. We'd all scream "Aller! Aller! Aller!" or make collective sighs. Football is a fun sport to watch. And I intend of having fun, so don't call me between the hours of 6am and 2pm.

The angle of the blog should have been the fact that there aren't many female equivelents to these games. I know, I know, men are generally larger and faster and whatnot but still, when my 4 year old daughter watched one of the matches on TV with her dad she made a comment about how "men play soccer" because I think she was trying to figure out why there were no women on there playing. She's at an age when they try to figure out gender differences, you know? It doesn't make me feel good to send her to her soccer practice with her knowing that no matter how hard she tries, when she grows up she can't be like the men on the TV. I wish we went all crazy about women playing world soccer matches too.

Yes, we women who enjoy the World Cup do so because we like either hosting gatherings or watching men in shorts.

This is so offensive, insulting, stereotypical and sexist, it could have been written by a man. Newsflash... some of us actually enjoy and know the game more than our male counterparts. Why didn't you list THAT as a possibility?

David Beckham is a beautiful specimen of manliness. I don't know why American society has been wasting its time on Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt - Becks is head and nicely sculpted shoulders above them.

This is feminist chauvinism -- objectify men, regard them as toys.

Boo fucking hoo. You're on record as believing that physically unattractive women are "worthless". If you're gonna play, it's a good idea to at least pretend you don't have flagrant double standards.

As a woman who loves playing the game, watching play at this level is a thing of profound beauty and inspiration.

And some of the men are wonderfully handsome, though to tell you the honest truth that didn't dawn on me until you mentioned it.

And it's such a global pagent. It is so cool to see people from all over the world together in this, almost like a shared language.

I am even grooving on the irish brogue of some of the announcers. And the nike commercial with the kids getting all these soccer stars together for a pick up game.

Sorry to gush, but it's all good for me.

I love football (meaning soccer, though I love American football too). I've actually been bonding with my partner, hanging out and watching matches. I'm winning all the bets because he likes to root for the underdog and I like a proven winner. (Hell, I'm a Yankees fan.)

However, I was really disappointed to see some pre-game footage of "dancers" or "cheerleaders" or "glorified strippers" or whatever you choose to call them. I'd really hoped they were merely a tacky American phenomenon! What I'm getting at is, the reason it isn't sexist to call the footballers "eye-candy" or the like, is because the guys are the SUBJECT! They're the ones playing the game, desplaying talent and prowess; they're the reason for the whole thing! Their looks are secondary. It's the women on the sidelines: plastic playthings in cheesy, skimpy outfits, flipping their hair and shaking booty, all the while grinning like morons. They're the OBJECTS.

I should add, I have a lot of respect for the actual CHEERLEADERS at the high school and collegiate levels (often co-ed teams) who are basically gymnasts and great athletes. I'm talking about the Hooters wannabes you'll find in push-up bras and chaps at the start of NBA and NFL games, who have the nerve to call themselves "role-models" because they perform a required two-hours-per-season of "charity work" (as they call it--anyone not totally full of themself would say "volunteering") which usually consists of signing autographs.

I apologize for the vitriol, but I'm calling it like I see it, and you know it's true. "Professional cheerleaders" are a sad, sad, sad, example of gender roles in our culture.

You could ask too how women think the earth will survive the mass diversion of attention.

Or what internationally broadcast game would get the girls glued to the tube flag in hand.

And what is the difference between deserved attention and diverted attention and who serves what, or whom.

There are people in tents who could kick a ball from sea to sea if only they had one. Or could run where there were no land mines. Or no one sniping behind a tree ( politicians included ). Lots of kids are inspired by the concept of making a goal. Running like the wind. Outmanouevering would-be tackles. The judge who calls the fouls fair. The coach who believes in sportsmanship and the triumph of the spirit. If there were a playground at the factory so many third world kids could develop a love for sport. If there were sports clubs in the refugee camps, in the slums, in the ghettos. A dose of Oprah is as close as you get to reality. Discuss it with your trainer.

I do wonder about this fixation with watching pretty boys run.

My All Star World Cup line-up would include Woody Allen, Jon Stewart, Al Pacino, Oprah Winfrey and Mel Brooks for starters. Mel Gibson on the other side. Then I'd get involved. Especially if some of the revenues went to effective child protection and development programs, overseen by the good guys. And gals. Float the idea.

While the ladies grumble about taking out the trash as their significant others cash in on the male right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness, have a peek at who's eating from the bin.