Here's How USA Soccer Fans Reacted to Abby Wambach's Game-Tying Goal Against Brazil

This is a collection of reactions to the Abby Wambach goal that sent yesterday’s USA-Brazil game into overtime. It is the sequel to the Landon Donovan goal reaction shot video.

Most of the reaction videos are awesome. Socially lubricated sports fans are bound to let out a cry of relief when their team scores. I love those videos. They’re pure emotion.

That’s why it disappoints me when the obviously-staged home reaction shots are included. I don’t believe these grown men and teenagers really feel like running the house screaming “Wooo!”

Now, one of my favorite bars, Wolff’s Biergarten in Albany, is featured in both videos. I’ve been to Wolff’s during big soccer games and the crowd gets noisy, just like at any other bar in American while the U.S.A. is playing in any international competition. People get drunk and cheer and boo and chant U-S-A. At our best, most of us are still just a bunch of dummies. It’s fun. It’s natural. It’s the kind of thing happens when you combine alcohol and large crowds and sports. It’s on the other end of the spectrum from RIOT.

I watched both goals alone. For the Donovan goal, I was in a college commuter lounge waiting to play basketball. For the Wambach goal, I was sitting in my bedroom at my computer, tweeting horribly clever things. (Follow me @CRM_Stephen!) I was into both games and rooting for the Red, White and Blue like Ronald Reagan would want me to. When Donovan scored, I did a little fist pump. I might have even said, “Yes!” Same for the Wambach goal. They were two awesome sports moments.

I did not turn my iPhone’s video camera on and run around screaming like an asshole. Because that’s not how people react naturally. I really don’t get the point of trying to become a YouTube star by looking like an idiot. That should be something you do accidentally when you don’t know you’re being recorded.