Like everywhere else in the world -- with the exception of the United States, where most people still consider soccer to be a girls game -- World Cup fever has hit Iraq.   

But watching the games in Iraq is not so simple.  The TV in my hotel room is on satellite and has more than 300 channels, NOT ONE that is carrying the games. So an Iraqi pal jerry-rigged a rabbit ear antenna to my TV to receive the games over air.

The games are not "officially" carried by Iraqi networks.  That hasn't stopped the networks from carrying pirate feeds from Dubai or Europe. One Iraqi channel shows the game with arabic commentary. Another network is carrying an English feed, but they have muted the sound, so all you get is the video!

Meanwhile on US bases in Iraq, some soccer fans serving in Iraq are really ticked off because the game is not being shown on American Forces Network (AFN), better known by its old name, Armed Forces Network.  A handful of troops have written nasty letters in military publications berating AFN for its decision.

Incidentally, I'm rooting for three countries. In order of fanness: Team USA (capital Claudio Reyna, left), England and Mexico.   Ole ole ole!