This Has Got To Be A Joke...

I was reading the St. Paul paper today, something I really hate to do because as a Minneapolis guy, St. Paul is just weird. Anyway, I stumbled upon this headline:

San Francisco Wins Homeless Soccer Tournament

The first thing I thought was a corny joke. They can't be suggesting that there are actually homeless people that have come together to play a national tournament, with sponsors and announcers, and hot dog stands? I mean, it's not that I am soccer-discriminating against homeless people, it's just that I would think they have a lot better things to do in a given day than play a game. I'm thinking finding food, some pocket change, and a warm place to sleep for the night may have greater significance. But that's just me. No, no, no. This article has to be about a charity for homeless people that started a soccer tournament to raise money. The headline has to be worded wrong. It has to be. Imagine my surprise...

WASHINGTON—Homeless people from across the country competed this weekend in the Street Soccer USA Cup with a team from San Francisco taking the title.
Street Soccer USA conducts soccer programs at social service agencies and homeless shelters across the country. The tournament, which began Friday, brought together 16 teams of homeless men and women.

San Francisco beat defending champion Minneapolis on Sunday in the final game of the tournament, which was held at Kastles Stadium in downtown D.C.

The top eight players in the tournament will represent the U.S. in the 48-nation Homeless World Cup, scheduled for September in Milan.

Turns out they really did pack up some of the Twin Cities finest, put em on a plane, and had them play soccer for the weekend. Not only that, but there's an international tournament! In Fucking Milan!

Now I'm just spitballing here, but let's say the cost of airfare to San Fransisco is about $400 plus accomodations (unless the organizers of the event were just like "We have to find them places to stay? They realize their homeless, right? Wouldn't they be more comfy outside, perhaps under a bridge?"), and let's say a plane ticket to Milan is $600. Couldn't that money have been better used, for say, a security deposit on an apartment? You did say they were homeless, didn't you?

I don't know, maybe soccer is a hugely popular sport among the homeless. Maybe when you're down and out you need any diversion to get you through a day, or maybe you just need to kill some time. There's just got to be a better way to spend scarce resources like money.

At least Minneapolis was the defending champion.