If you’re bored on a Saturday afternoon, do yourself a favor and throw on the Euro Cup game today between the Netherlands and Russia.
After seeing the Dutch passion for their soccer team and all things “orange,” you’ll know why we love “football” on the international stage.
At a local supermarket in Amsterdam they’ve given out orange “welpies” or “wups.” They’re silly little orange fuzzy lion creatures and they have become ubiquitous in the Dutch culture.
We attended the World Cup two years ago this week and stayed in Amsterdam and commuted into Germany, and seeing the national passion and support the team dwarfed even Baltimore’s purple passion the last week of Jan. 2001.
The entire country goes nuts.
Even Bruce Springsteen got in on the act Wednesday night (read review here), when he donned an orange lei in support of the Ruud von Niestelroy and the boys in the orange. (Hey, I’ve been pulling for an orange baseball team since 1972, so it’s not hard to wear orange!).
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There’s also a phenomenal video here on youtube showing you exactly what a “welpie” looks like.
It’s in Dutch, but you don’t need to interpret the language to appreciate the sense of humor.
We’ll be watching and rooting for Holland, The Netherlands, The Dutch, The Wolpie and anything orange today at 2:45.
Check it out, and enjoy!
