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World Cup: World Cup blues infecting fan zones during second round

Ten days after the start of the World Cup and the normally packed fan zones around the country are near empty. What's happening? It's the dreaded World Cup blues.

Even many Brazil fans succumbed to the torpor and though there were isolated groups of drummers and dancers trying to raise the spirits in Berlin's fan mile, most fans just seemed to be strolling about calmly, as though they were enjoying a little fresh air in the local park.

By the time the France-South Korea game rolled around it was as though everyone had taken a dose or five of valium. Most people sat around on benches, or sprawled out on the ground and watched the game with barely a glimmer of interest.

Pretty boring

Part of the reason was that the games themselves were pretty boring -- viewers of the France-South Korea game now know why the team is nicknamed `Les Blues.'

But the main reason is due to a structural fault in the World Cup that always condemns the second round of matches to a high rating on the boredom meter.

It works like this: The round of opening matches sends people into soccer frenzy as they finally see the teams play after months of pre-tournament anticipation. The temporary insanity lasts about a week -- in which all other activities take second place to the overriding priority of watching three games a day.

Satiated

But then the second round of games are a huge anti-climax. Many viewers find their soccer appetites satiated -- others realize that in most cases nothing is actually decided in these games.

But fear not. Those of you who are suffering from soccer ennui will soon be healed. This is just a temporary lull ordered by the all-knowing soccer gods to enable us to refresh ourselves, and relate to our families, jobs and other trivia for one final time before we lose ourselves utterly in all-encompassing soccer fever.

The final group matches are just around the corner and will see the return of drama, conflict and sudden death. Then we're off to the knockout stages where we will bid adieu to the real world until the final whistle blows on the final game of the tournament.
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