The World Cup ain’t everyone’s scene. A recently published poll from the Pew Research Center suggests only 28% of Americans are at least “somewhat likely” to follow the on-field action.
But a certain soccer-adjacent subplot is already proving worth the price of admission.
WORLD CUP WONDER
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Matches don’t start here until Monday, but Atlanta’s first World Cup star has already arrived.
And just like we expected, it’s a random German dude wholesomely live-tweeting the early stages of his American adventure.
“Why is every second comment telling me to go to a strip club?” the viral sensation known as @FreddyLA7 posted over the weekend. “Is this a normal activity to do in America?”
OK, mostly wholesomely (and … kind of?).
To be clear: We know next to nothing about this person. Best I can tell he’s never posted his face or any significant biographical information. He’s ignored messages from me and at least one other AJC colleague.
He’s not even dishing out hot takes, for the most part. A mildly spicy MARTA thought aside, the account’s just straightforward, primarily positive reactions from his sightseeing adventures across Atlanta, Georgia and the South.
Yet he and others (there’s a Swedish woman who’s discovered ranch dressing and “screamed with excitement” after seeing a yellow school bus) have gained a few hundred thousand followers in a matter of days.
Why?
Well … I reckon we like being seen. Taking a little break from the messiness of life doesn’t hurt either — and, frankly, there’s something quite funny about a real live Deutschlander visiting the bizarre-o Alpine world that is Helen.
But with apologies for the earnestness, we’re also talking about more than a distraction and a laugh.
A German guy obsessed with over-the-hill Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo is reminding us of the small wonders that surround us while simultaneously encouraging us to get out of our collective comfort zones.
Atlanta is “so green it’s crazy.” Waffle House does have “great food, great prices and friendly staff” (usually). College football stadiums and Buc-ee’s are ridiculous (“DUDE LMAO THIS IS A GAS STATION”).
And why should elevated E. coli levels dampen one’s Hooch-shooting pleasure?
Maybe tread lightly with that last one, but you get the point.
We could all appreciate the little things more. Shake ‘em up more often, too.
Even the European mind can comprehend that.
New to the Win Column? Sign up here to get it straight to your inbox every week. It’s free.
OTHER WORLD CUP STUFF TO KNOW
The world’s largest sporting event is bringing eight matches and roughly 1,000 watch parties, concerts and other events to our fair city.
Do check out the full AJC guide to everything … but in lieu of that, a few basics:
- Spain and Morocco, the second- and seventh-ranked teams in the world, headline the nine teams playing group stage matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which will technically be called “Atlanta Stadium” for the next few weeks. FIFA sponsorship rules and all that.
- There’s a chance the U.S. team plays in Atlanta at some point, but it’s unlikely.
- The official FIFA Fan Fest opens Thursday at Centennial Olympic Park. It’s free, but you gotta register online. Expect one big party, with concerts from acts as wide-ranging as the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Ludacris.
- Decatur’s doing it up big every day, as well.
- Also, the Ebola risk is considered “extremely low.” Which is nice.
Although Atlanta Falcons Bijan Robinson and Matthew Bergeron both like France to win the whole thing, the official secondary rooting interest of the Win Column is Curaçao — the tiny island that gave us Braves greats Andruw Jones and Ozzie Albies. Go Blue Wave.
SPEAKING OF THE BRAVES …
Credit: AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser
Credit: AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser
I had a cute little “how the Braves got better in two easy steps” section all ready to go here. (A roughly 40-point improvement in hitting with runners in scoring position and MLB’s best bullpen, if you’re wondering.)
Now I’m inclined to play Ronald Acuña Jr. injury consoler instead.
Quick math finds that, since the start of the 2021 season, Acuña has played in only about 64% of regular season Braves games. And although the “hamstring tightness” that forced his exit from Tuesday’s game figures to drop the percentage a bit more, we’re hopefully talking about only a few days.
- “It doesn’t seem as bad as the last one,” manager Walt Weiss told reporters in Chicago. “We’re not eyeing an (injured list stint) on him right now, but day-to-day.”
Frustrating, but a whole lot better than the alternative.
☁️ More silver linings: You can expect catcher Drake Baldwin to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett this weekend. That’ll help offensively, considering his current replacements have four hits and 15 strikeouts in 43 at-bats.
Starter JR Ritchie is headed back to the bigs too … and Hurston Waldrep keeps progressing.
BOTTOMS UP (REVENUE TOO)
Georgia baseball starts its College World Series journey Saturday night. The athletic department is suddenly at the center of college football’s beef with Texas Tech.
Let’s talk about booze instead.
Our friends at DawgNation recently pulled the stats on Sanford Stadium alcohol sales in 2025, the school’s second season of slinging suds and hard seltzer. As one might expect, revenue grew.
But let’s break it down even further, with help from official Win Column data friend Rahul Deshpande.
Credit: Rahul Deshpande
Credit: Rahul Deshpande
The later the start time, the more booze that landed in the hands of Bulldog fans. Last year’s trio of big time home games (Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss) didn’t hurt either.
- Revenue figures from Texas and Alabama both sat around $950,000, give or take.
- Those matchups and the Ole Miss game all handily eclipsed 2024’s highest sales game (Tennessee, $762K).
- More surprisingly: Hard seltzer was the most frequently purchased beverage, outstripping both kinds of beer (lite and craft).
We used to be a proper society.
FALCONS, DREAM, HAWKS AND HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPS
🤔 Expect some kind of news about James Pearce Jr.’s on-field status in the next several days. Mandatory minicamp starts Tuesday, and, if the NFL doesn’t hand down a suspension by then, the Falcons will have to make their own decision. More OTA observations here.
😮💨 The Dream’s Angel Reese recently posted her eighth double-double in 11 games in an Atlanta uniform — and now has 957 rebounds in her first 75 WNBA games. That’s 107(!) more than future Hall of Famer Tina Charles, who’s No. 2 on the list.
😬 I, too, have made the jokes about the Hawks being the second best team in the NBA, thanks to their playoff wins against the until recently unbeatable New York Knicks. Columnist Ken Sugiura says cut it out.
🏆 You know what’s cool? The fine folks over at AJC Varsity have unveiled their inaugural high school all-sports standings. Marist and Buford took the top overall spots (shocker), but there’s more to explore from each and every classification. Links within the above link.
ACHING FOR A BREAK (AND AUGUSTA)
With the Masters now accepting entries for its 2027 ticket lottery, I asked anyone with a particularly frustrating history of snubs to give me a shout.
Here’s a different twist on the theme, from Win Column reader and tough-luck golf lover John Helf:
“Ever since I was a kid, it was in my bucket list to go to the Masters and see Augusta National. I moved to Georgia in 1986 and I’ve entered the Masters ticket lottery every year since then. I was finally chosen to buy tickets for the 2020 Wednesday practice round. As luck would have it, because of (COVID-19), the Masters was moved to the fall with no patrons. The 2021 Masters was played in the spring as usual but with only limited patrons.
“To my surprise, I was notified in 2022 they would honor my 2020 Wednesday practice round drawing win, and I finally got to go. I was so very excited and actually got to walk the back nine with Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas and Fred Couples. Then literally a dark cloud came overhead, thunderstorms began, and the course was evacuated.
“Because of this, I never got to see the whole course, but I’ll always remember getting misty eyed standing next to the 13th fairway, and I will always cherish the memory. I’m now 70 years old and was never chosen again for tickets, but I just submitted my 2027 application, so there’s still hope that I’ll finally get to see that front nine!!!”
Godspeed, John.
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Credit: Ben Hendren
Credit: Ben Hendren
It’s giving “Georgia Dome colors.”
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of the Win Column. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.
Until next time.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
