Soccer Tournament season/ Countries of Confusion

 Good day readers.  I finally have full use of both hands to type and write as I recover from shoulder surgery.  It is summer here in the states and International soccer tournament season around the world.  More appropriately, Football in all other parts of the world.  Every time these tournaments roll around I have the discussion about the countries of confusion.  The out-loud questions I ask myself and my friends, true inquiries about history and naming conventions.  I had to get away from writing about the constant cycle of violence that is claiming our youth because it had become such a source of sadness and we all need to laugh.

Laughter is truly good medicine for the soul.  I will honestly say that is sure beats crying.  Although, when I watch some games I do have the soundtrack of the band Everclear lyrics from I will buy you a new life in my head.  Why Answerman you ask?  I will tell you, the line in the song is "You say you wake up crying and your don't know why,"  so let me just jump right in and tell you dear readers.  First, I admit to being petty, as accused by my great friend John.  I root against Germany because my ex-in-laws are from Germany.

Laugh about that if you want, it's okay.  Germany, also known as Deutchland, but if you were born there you are German not Dutch.  Follow me, this is where my head starts spinning.  There is another country, in northwestern Europe called The Netherlands where the inhabitants are Dutch.  You got that, eh?  Yeah there is a region connecting the north and south Netherlands that was the province of Holland.  

In some parts of the world The Netherlands are mistakenly still called Holland.  In either case if you're from there you are Dutch.  Got it?  You're not Hollandaise like the sauce, you're not a Nether-lander or Netherlandian....probably because that is just too much to say, so I get it.  You are Dutch., but not from Dutchland, Deutchland or Germany, where we have already determined you would be German.

This has long confused me.  Want more? Okay.  If you were born in The United States of America (USA)  you are American. Here in the USA our national flag is red, white and blue, so are our national team's uniforms....for all sports.  The flag of The Netherlands is also red, white and blue. similar to France.  Red stripe at the top, white in the middle, blue on the bottom.  Their uniforms are... orange and blue.  

The Netherlands fields some very good soccer teams, but they play football as it is called everywhere outside the USA.  Do the Dutch get confused by all of this ?  I don't know, I've never left the North American continent.  The only other country I've been to is Canada.  I like their bacon. Our Canadian neighbors keep it simple, it is called Canadian bacon.  No confusion there.

Answerman says "This is all confusing, and while it won't make me actually wake up crying it is befuddling.  A little stressful even. A good stress reliever for me is to cook.  Maybe I will make some Eggs Benedict.  What's in that American dish?  Two English muffin halves, topped with Canadian bacon, poached eggs and....Hollandaise sauce. 😁