Downtown catches World Cup fever
HONOLULU—It is Team USA’s first game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup (of soccer), against England, and Murphy’s patrons have thronged the Downtown establishment’s capacity since well before 8:00 a.m. Television news cameras jostle with painted-face USA fans as servers duck and weave beneath the flailing arms of a mob of soccer fans (or football, if you please). Each and all were animated with hope and excitement.
“We expected a good crowd,” confides Don Murphy, owner of Murphy’s Bar and Grill. “But nothing like this.”
For the first time ever, FIFA World Cup fever has manifested in Honolulu. It’s happening in the appropriate place—the Irish Corner in Downtown. Dozens are queued for a generous hot breakfast buffet, eyes all fixed on the match. The rest crowd booths and the bar, heads cocked dutifully toward flatscreens.
England scores early, to the collective groan of USA fanatics. All applaud as a U.S. player is taken off with an injury. When England’s goalie lets a routine shot trickle feebly in to even the match, the crowd at Murphy’s erupts into an ear-saturating roar. A similar celebration at O’Toole’s across the street can be heard. “I thought the walls were going to come down,” says Don Murphy.
Sporting an England jersey, Phil Curtis of Brighton, England is happy to be in Honolulu for the USA-England matchup. “It’s much more easy to watch a game here,” he says. “With fans in Europe, it could kick up anytime.”
It was at the unified behest of his bar staff and numberless customers that Don Murphy opened his doors today for the match.
“We’ll do it again,” Murphy winks. “However the schedule lets us.”
As the final seconds of the match tick off, Team USA reaches a draw with England. It’s nearly as welcome as a win for USA fans, and strangers exchange high-fives and man-hugs as the final whistle blows. It’s not yet noon on Saturday, and many make for the doors and their weekend proclivities. But all do so with nods and other affirmations that they will be in Downtown for the next game.