When England and Germany, two relative football unknowns, meet one another on Sunday, one can expect a "white-glove" kind of affair, as these two teams have very little history together and it is very likely that both teams will go out of their way to be excessively courteous to one another. For a reasonable person any historical animosity will be forgotten, as both nations settled their differences amicably in 1945, and who could stay mad THAT long?

In Praise of Thee, Highbury:
The three constitutionally-guaranteed branches of Highbury, the Executive (Joe Katz), the Judicial (the staff), and the Legislative (core fans) have made this the viewing place in Wisconsin. Joe has ensured our (relative) safety, comfort, and the usual cornucopia of beverage availability, the staff (except Marsch, who has to keep asking his parents to come in and tip him) have been working their a**es off to keep up with the beverage volume of the clientèle, while we, the core fan base, has helped to provide the intensity and passion that has drawn multiple media outlets,* and new fans and the curious alike, to the Highbury not just for a passive viewing of matches but a carnival of high-octane adventure and peril.

* Peter, I think Jen Lada forgot to ask for my phone number...

Also check out onmilwaukee.com (sports) for Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft articles by Colin, Jim, Alessia, and occasional Highbury patron Mark Concannon.