Bring In The Noise

As I noted the other day, Brazil is not entirely enamored with the World Cup. Protests, as warned, have come right on schedule, clashing with authorities, constructing roadblocks and overturning police cars, and authorities have as well, bearing tear gas, flash grenades and rubber bullets. Some have opted to turn off the television, with one citizen profiled by USA Today opting to read her children stories about revolution and show them videos of favelas like she used to live in instead. Some are in fact rooting for Brazil to lose, to rival Uruguay in the quarterfinals if possible, just so that the people who are closely following will be enraged enough to join them in the streets, as there's a worry that the nation may be too protested out to do much PR damage right as it's needed the most.

However, for now at least, enough of the country is enamored that Sao Paulo resident Claus Wahlers took the following video showing what his neighborhood sounded like during the opening match in that city, in which the hosts dispatched Croatia 3-1. What you're going to be seeing is the neighborhood immediately before and following each of Brazil's goals.

Another thing I want you to look at are the roads. Sao Paulo's traffic problems are so bad that not only did Belgium have to cancel a closed-door practice match with the United States due to it, some of the richer residents resort to taking a helicopter to work just because it's less of a hassle. In this video? Empty.



One wonders what will happen should the lose-to-Uruguay scenario come to pass. When it happened in 1950 in the Maracana, you could hear a pin drop.

Though maybe they don't even make it that far. Defending champion Spain's 5-1 loss to the Netherlands today makes it quite possible that they might end up second place in Group B, and thus, in position to play presumed-Group-A-winner Brazil in the round of 16. Chile is also in Group B, and is another possibility to be Brazil's opponent, after having kicked off their campaign with a 3-1 victory over Australia. How would a loss in that round go over?

And how many of us want to find out?