Three Of A Perfect Pair

Peter has already posted about this, but I wanted to mention it as well.

I made it over to The Globe Pub on Sunday morning to meet some friends (Peter reports on attendance) and watch some soccer, particularly the West Ham - Fulham EPL match and the Ghana - Nigeria quarterfinal in the African Cup of Nations. The Fulham match started at 10am, the African Cup match at 11am. I think whatever had been on prior to that had ended at 9:30am, so they had one lone TV switched to the Schalke 04 - VfB Stuttgart match from the Bundesliga.

Then, it got weird. I think the goal came in the Fulham match first. Then, a call for a penalty against Ghana. While we were waiting for that spot kick, on the little TV behind the bar, Schalke scores.

Seriously, what are the odds of goals coming in any three soccer matches within one minute of each other, let alone the three we happened to be watching? We looked around the table and savored the experience.

Then, it got really weird. Fulham scores on a free kick to go ahead. We joke about how now there will be a goal in the Ghana - Nigeria match, at which point Ghana scores the equilizer. We joke further about how now there will be a goal in the German match, and, as if on cue, another goal comes for Schalke.

If this was just one person telling this story, I would understand some skepticism, but the six of us (Marcia McDermott had left by this point) all saw it. It was amazing. And it was this tiny little corner of additional atmosphere on top of the large crowd there for the Ghana - Nigeria match, eventually won for Ghana by Chicago Fire alumnus Junior Agogo.