1) Call it a trumpet, call it a horn or call it a ‘vuvuzela’: just call it off already! PLEASE!

2) I haven’t seen this much acting in a soccer match since Stallone tried to make out like he could play the game in ‘Victory’. Can’t the umps enforce this more? Writhing around in fake agony on the field trying to milk a call surely can’t be a great example for young kids learning the game.

3) Would hate to be a European or South American soccer player given the amount of media scrutiny and expectation they’re subjected to. At varying points in this tournament the English, French and Spanish players may well have never been invited back home given their on-the-field disappointments.

4) I think it would astonish most Americans to learn just how much these soccer stars earn abroad. The mere concept of (and money attached to) ‘transfer fees’ would make most NFL and MLB fan’s minds boggle.

5) ESPN I know you’re really trying promote the game on TV here given you spent so much on the broadcasting rights with ABC, but USA vs England was NOT ‘the most anticipated game of the World Cup’. It was a dazzling result for the USA though…

6) I can’t claim to be an expert on the rules of the sport, but it seems there isn’t a sufficient instant replay/upstairs booth referee/review system in place for suspect yellow/red cards and disallowed goals. No one wants to slow the game down but it has clearly been needed a few times now this tourney.

7) What the heck, slow the game down, you’ve got breaks to spare given there are no ad-breaks or TV time-outs! America has really let our sports cave in to the demands of commerce. It’s refreshing to watch a game without interruptions.

8) In another nod to the rest of the world, while Americans are definitely passionate about their sport, watching soccer fans at work –especially those from South America and Africa- shows that we aren’t quite there yet. Eating brats and chugging Buds in a pre-game tailgate doesn’t quite match the passion on show in South Africa. It’s also refreshing to find that soccer fans aren’t all just hooligans or smartass cap-on-backward douche-types that seem to often dominate the college soccer scene here in the States.

9) Upsets are really fun! Who knew a drawn game could be this satisfying? Take that Italy!!

10) Half the time I have absolutely no idea what the hell is going on. Oh wait, that’s cricket…

Ken Johnson will go ahead and admit it: he loves watching NASCAR and grew up loving it in his home-state of Kansas. He is REALLY trying to give the World Cup a try, though...