As My Heart Rate Returns to Normal . . .

There's something about sports that get me--and many people--riled up. I know I'm not on the field or the court, but when one of my teams is playing, it definitely feels that I am. Whether they be my Georgetown Hoyas or anyone wearing a US National Team jersey, I instantly want them to do well and I get caught up in their successes (or failures, such as they may be). I've mentioned in the past my fascination with the Duel in the Pool, and last year as I watched it I chewed my nails, covered my eyes, and stood on my tip-toes while the whole event got close. Thank goodness the US did well.

Sorry, Ghana. The US took this game!

I guess I'm grateful that the US is so good at so many sports and, even in the sports we're not the best at (hello, soccer), we're at least competitive enough to keep it interesting. Like so many Americans and other people around the world, I watched the latest game of the World Cup, the United States vs. Ghana. I'm usually all for the African teams in tournaments like this, but sorry Black Stars, I'm all for the Yanks here. I was thrilled when the US scored 36 seconds into the game, devastated when Jozy Altidore went down with an injury, and heartbroken when Ghana equalized in the 82nd minute. My heart, which had been beating fast all game, went to a new level at that point.

That's why I was ridiculously relieved when the US went back up 2-1, but I didn't rest easy. It's not easy to feel good about the US's chances when they exude tiredness and Ghana is so good at finding random holes to score. The final whistle couldn't come soon enough for me. After two hours of heart-pumping excitedness, it was nice to see the US win and to let my heart rate return to a normal pace. I know this is temporary, with Portugal and Germany coming up. But now I have hope, and hope is good at carrying me through these moments. Hope gets me through every Georgetown basketball season. And hope will get me through World Cup 2014.

Let's go TEAM USA!!!