Do squirrels understand stoppage time?

I'll admit it. Soccer isn't my favorite sport. I do watch it however, but I won't normally sit through 45+ straight minutes. It isn't enough action in my opinion for it to go on without a commercial break for that long. Soccer really is only exciting when someone scores a goal, makes a great pass or a goalie makes a spectacular save. There have been some amazing plays this year in soccer but you didn't have to watch the games to see them. Great soccer plays make highlights and great highlights make Sportscenter's Top Ten. That is really how I get my soccer fix. It allows you to see all of the best plays without watching 43+ minutes of the ball traveling down the field.

Despite all this I will watch the occasional Union game because no matter what the sport I support and try to watch all things Philly. Don't believe me? I even watched the Philadelphia Freedoms in World Team Tennis this year. I find when I'm watching a Philly team is the only way I can watch a game because I have a stake in it. I have a team I want to succeed because of allegiances. It is the same way in the Olympics, the World Cup, Golf, Rugby, Tennis you name it. If you are from America, consider me a fan.

With that being said I decided to tune into the Women's Professional Soccer Championship game because our own Philadelphia Independence were trying for the cup.Many people probably didn't even know that Philly had a women's soccer team let alone one that just like the Phillies in 08 and 09, has made it to the championship back to back years. Unfortunately unlike the Phillies, the Independence has nothing to show for their efforts but two second place finishes.

So I watched the game and like I said soccer can be boring, really boring. I was flipping between channels but when I put the game back on something caught my attention. A squirrel had ran onto the field in Rochester, New York and almost like someone streaking at a baseball game, refused to leave. It just kind of sat there and it was funny. Now that was entertaining. The only problem occurred in a little thing called stoppage time.

For those of you that don't follow soccer, stoppage time is accrued time that is added to the end of each 45 minute half, hence the 45+. Because in soccer the clock never stops, stoppage time builds up as a result of injuries on the field or other incidents that currently halt play such as a squirrel running onto the field. Now stoppage time is typically only a few minutes but it is not at all insignificant. Many games including this year's Women's World Cup which saw Abby Wambach of the USA score in the 90+ minute of last year's Men's World Cup which saw Landon Donovan also of the USA do almost the exact same thing, are decided by stoppage time.

So I doubt squirrels really understand stoppage time because a lot of not avid soccer viewers don't get it either, but one thing is certain. After the 45 minutes of the first half were up, stoppage time was added in the form of a few minutes to compensate for the time lost because of the squirrel on the field.