I missed most of yesterday’s World Cup final yesterday, being, of all places, at a New York Liberty game. (Mrs. Tuned In’s choir sang the national anthem, which no doubt spurred the Liberty’s come-from-behind 57-54 win over the Chicago Sky.) But I was simultaneously following the match on Twitter, where some of the most entertaining highlights were the translated quotes, from various people on my Twitter feed, of the Univision play-by-play. (Sample, from MariaElena Fernandez: “The ball went down late and left behind a trail of smoke and anguish.”)
I don’t understand Spanish well enough—to wit, “at all”—to follow Univision’s coverage but I’ve heard from more passionate soccer fans that they believe it blows away that of ESPN/ABC and their English-language American counterparts. For those of you who followed the final, or the Cup in general, on Univision: just what is it that sets it apart from the Disney team, besides “GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!”? Knowledge of the game? Personality of the anchors?
I may have to learn Spanish in four years, because I do enjoy me some smoke and anguish.