The Brown & White

Every day I get my SportsCenter fix, whether it's watching the highlights of the most recent LeBron James show on the court, the latest NFL predictions, or the Top 10 plays - but a new event is making its way onto the sports scene.

The countdown to arguably the world's most-watched sporting event continues, as we are just months away from FIFA World Cup 2010, and sports networks nationwide are beginning to make World Cup coverage a priority.

In June, 32 teams take the world's biggest stage, this time, in South Africa, and as a soccer player, I couldn't be more excited to watch some of the world's most talented athletes showcase their skills.

The World Cup offers great summer entertainment. It's perhaps the most respected and highly watched sport in both Europe and in South America, yet the U.S. hasn't quite jumped on the soccer bandwagon.

We bring international stars like David Beckham to Major League Soccer to help promote the sport and reach out to a wider fan base. While no one can "bend it like Beckham," in 2010, his U.S. appeal is diminishing while other players, like Argentina's young superstar Lionel Messi, stealing the spotlight.

This year, the U.S. men have a considerable chance to make it out of pool play and on to the round of 16, perhaps even further. Their group of competitors, Algeria, England and Slovenia, is relatively weak, but it remains to be seen if people tune in and support the American squad in its quest for the prestigious title.

Surely, being best in the world is a more impressive title than being World Series champion or winning the Super Bowl, but in most American circles, it wouldn't be nearly as celebrated.

That's because the number of Americans who tune into the World Cup is likely to be dwarfed by the number that watches the Super Bowl or the Fall Classic, even the NBA Championship.

In late October, students watched their beloved Yankees and Phillies play to Game 6 in the World Series, and because everyone is from New York, New Jersey or Pennsylvania, fans could be found everywhere on campus!

On Sunday, Lehigh students were glued to their TVs as the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts battled it out for top dog in the Super Bowl.

But in the midst of summer jobs, internships and vacations, will college students have the same patriotism and pride when soccer becomes the focus? Or will sports fade away temporarily until NFL training camp starts up again and baseball games become more meaningful?

Even more worrisome than the consistent lack of U.S. support for soccer is the violence that recently occurred just as the World Cup entered the media spotlight.

One such incident was the shooting of Paraguayan soccer player Salvador Cabanas, a rising star for his home country as well as Mexico City's Club America, on Jan. 24 in a bar in Mexico.

There was another incident in early January in Angola, involving the national soccer team from Togo. A gunman opened fire on the bus, killing two players and wounding several others.

Although Togo did not qualify for this year's World Cup, the violence brought the security situation into question. South Africa has never hosted the World Cup, or for that matter, any international event of this size and magnitude, and many are wondering if the nation is prepared for the many challenges to come.

I still can't help but wonder whether this violence is an act of terrorism or whether it stems from jealously - perhaps the jealousy of a gifted athlete with a passion for the game.

Would we ever experience this type of sports-related violence here in the U.S.? In the many years I have been a sports fan, violence has seldom accompanied crowds at basketball, football and baseball events, and I can't imagine, as rowdy as sports fans often get, that they would resort to that sort of behavior.

Clearly, many questions surround the World Cup. But I do know one thing for sure: Despite the turmoil, the month of June will be full of competition and excitement.

World Cup 2010 is one ESPN broadcast I know I won't miss.