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 Cup of JoeBy Joe McCurdy, CNN Monday, July 10(CNN) -- Throughout the World Cup, World Sport supervising producer Joe McCurdy has been providing a behind-the-scenes look at covering the tournament. If the motto of this World Cup was "a time to make friends", then the host country was smiling from the first kick. The month-long event was a vehicle to show the world a "new" Germany-- as Germans flew their national flag with pride - for the first time since anyone could remember. On the pitch, the German national team gave them every to cheer, breaking their own World Cup record with 5 consecutive wins. Togo or not to go? That was the question for Togo coach Otto Pfister, who walked out on his team before their first ever World Cup match, in support of his player's request for bonuses to be paid. Then he walked back "in" hours before kickoff. Referees caused a bit of a stir as well -- but it was the Portuguese and Dutch players who put the match to an all time World Cup low 16 yellow cards and 4 red in their second round encounter. We talked to the most powerful man in football, Sepp Blatter, who told us he used to "dive" when he was a player. And we talked to Pele, who told us Zidane singlehandedly killed Brazil. And we talked to Placido Domingo, who made you cry with his passionate words about football -- and NOT with his voice. And then we talked to Blatter again. He is the president after all. The organization he runs, FIFA, made sure fans were front and center at this World Cup more than ever before -- each city had designated Fan Fests, where those without tickets could share cultures, football matches, and beer. We were even able to help expand the experience of the fan on our network, making you feel like a World Cup winner by sharing your pictures, videos and thoughts via our FanZone website. A topless man from Britain claimed he watches Mark every day, while Becky Anderson was able to fly in a NATO plane all around Germany to make sure security for the Cup was to speed. Sure we feel lucky to have jobs like this, but who would have imagined our Patrick Snell's luck at the semifinal between France and Portugal? With a 66,000 to one chance in Munich, guess who caught a ball in the crowd? (pause) That's right. So the final featured two teams of blue, the Azurri versus Les Bleus. And it was nice to see that French guy with the chicken -- whom we've seen at every major tournament since France 98 -- is still following his team. But this World Cup will be remembered for another Frenchman, Zinedine Zidane, who has now scored in 2 of the last 3 World Cup finals.... and like Domingo, drives many to tears with his talent... But all of France cried when his head butt in extra time ended his legendary career just a few minutes prematurely, as Italy lifted their 4th World Cup on penalties. And now we must all cry, too, not only for Zizou, but because it's another four years until the next one. Good news, though, qualifying matches start next year. Signing off from the World Cup in Berlin, for the whole team -- and to all the "friends" we've made here, Joe. Friday, July 7World Cup Champions: The Fans  Fans join in on a live shot. I can't say enough about what the fans have brought to this year's tournament. From our television perspective, they have provided more color, more flavor, more "this is real life" than I have ever thought possible. Of course with the incredible and unprecedented amount of live coverage we've given to this World Cup, there is much need to be cautious. Who's to say a live fan wouldn't do or say something the world would rather not see or hear? So far, though, so good. With many live producers, fans that try and get into the shot are often annoying. But I don't feel that way. Most of the time, it's just people wanting to have fun, and have a perceived moment of fame. If they have had too much to drink, or are just intent on ruining the shot altogether, that's a different story. And you've got to keep them away, by whatever means possible. My favorite means are distracting them with banter about where they are from, how they've enjoyed the World Cup, and whether they enjoy our program. Hopefully, by that time, our live shot is done. And I've met some more people in my life. The other day when Germany went out, it was an absolute sea of shock, sorrow, and tears. We captured some incredible pictures of German fans young and old, their World Cup dream ripped to shreds by 2 late Italian goals. But I can't wait until the match for third place, which normally means nothing, but for the German fans, one last chance to cheer on the team that brought their country great honor. Actually, it's the next to last. In a final validation that this World Cup was all about the fans, the entire German national team will greet fans at the Fan Mile, win or lose, on the day of the final...Sunday, July 9th. Sunday, July 2Hope for the Hoff: The entire Cup of Joe family would like to send our get well wishes to David Hasselhoff, who has really been our driving force at this World Cup in Germany. It seems Germany's favorite hirsuite swimming-trunked soft rocker has required surgery after injuring himself in only a way the Hoff could: while shaving in a London gym bathroom. Apparently his head hit a chandelier, and sent glass crashing down on his arm. It's only the Hoff who could shave so intensely. When someone finally does step to the plate and makes that movie about his life so far, this will probably be the most memorable scene. His people say he is fine, and will resume normal activity Sunday. Here's hoping he'll make it over to his beloved Berlin for next Sunday's World Cup final! It was always the constant football matches that would get me through  Doesn't have to be. But now we're down to four teams, with just three meaningful matches left, and none until Tuesday. So I start missing my family as we head down the stretch that is the final week. This year, however, technology has helped lessen the blow a great deal. As you may have seen on our network, we are often able to use the bandwidth of the Internet to broadcast near-satellite quality pictures back to CNN Center in Atlanta and on to your homes around the globe. Well that technology in a way has helped me keep in touch with the family, who are spending most of the time without me in San Diego, California. Each afternoon between 4 and 5 p.m. here in Germany, I dial up the videophone on the laptop to see my family just after they've risen in the early morning of southern California. We can have a daily visual and audio chat "live" to catch up with what we are doing, and what we've done. The quality is so good I can see their tans darken on a daily basis. What a joy to think neither myself nor my children will think each other strangers when I return to them after 43 days! 43 days. Incredible amount of time. And of course, even 8 years ago at France 98, sending daily still pictures in jpeg format was not quite as normal and easy as it is now. So I can also have a real image of what the day had in store for them. Even though we are some 3,000 miles apart, I don't have to feel that way. Saturday, July 1The fever is back  Black, red and yellow fever returns. After two days of relative quiet in the German capital, you could sense in the early hours that this Friday was going to be something different. Everywhere I looked I was greeted with the black, red, and yellow of the German flag, in a number of variations. Draping the flag over your shoulder like a cape is the preferred method, beating out by a hair the black, red and yellow wig. A close third is the black, red and yellow Mohawk. Somewhat distant fourth is the white replica jersey. I was cycling in through the Fan Mile as I enjoy doing, but even at the opening hour of 11am local, I would soon realize that my normal slow roll would not be possible today. So I hopped off, and walked the bike, as I see so many locals do when they have caught up with a bike-less friend in the city. I was truly in awe of the amount of fans that were there at 11:15 am local, ready and waiting for the match. Even though the match would not start for nearly six full hours, thousands of people were picking their spots where they would sit, just to watch Germany play Argentina on the big screens there. When I asked one fan if he planned to remain in that same spot until kickoff, he replied "I will go to the bathroom twice, I will go to the beer many times, but I will be right here when we kick off". I wished him good luck "Vielen Gluck" and I can only hope he made it all the way through that dramatic penalty final some nine hours later. What an indescribably tense ride a penalty shootout is for both teams, and we were able to show the world that through our pictures of the Fan Mile on CNN International. As Jens Lehmann made that final save, a sea of fans erupted in cheering that may not end until sometime Sunday. Overheard: When the emcee of the day's pre-match festivities at the fan mile came on to get the crowd going, he would yell the first name of one of the players and the crowd would immediately respond with a roaring last name. He would say: "Michael!" and everyone would say "Ballack!!!". "Jens!" .. "Lehmann!". But then some curious events: The fellow said "Oliver" and the crowd's perfect unison broke up. Wait a second, there's both Kahn and Neuville. Then, to top it off, the next person on the list was "Marcel!". And we all went, "What, there's a guy called Marcel?". Sure enough, a young defender called Marcell Jansen, who has yet to play. Tuesday, June 27Oh no, now what do we do? For the first time since June 9th, there is no football today.  Home away from home? After 48 matches, at least two a day and sometimes four, you'd think I would relish the break. But now, there will be no unpredictable goals, scorelines, emerging or falling heroes. And it's all quiet in the Pariser Platz at the Brandenburg gate. There's nothing to set my clock by. So I will take a bit of down time, hop on the bike, and see what's to be seen. What's this? Did I just see the word Atlanta just off the prestigious Kufurstendamm Strasse (just call it Koo-dahm), Berlin's answer to Rodeo Drive? I did. Having been one of the few Atlanta natives to ever work at CNN Center in Atlanta, I was instantly drawn to the street to see what was going on. And there it was. Hotel Atlanta. Small, but important. Like my town. Monday, June 26Bring back the joy! No sooner had I praised the World Cup for it's fan fever, then the actual football matches being played let the air out of the ball. Walking home along the fan mile after Monday nights' horrible display of sport, the Fan Fest mile was as empty as we had ever seen it. Granted, Germany was not playing, which usually keeps the areas packed until the 2 am local shut down time. But I think the fans were so bored, so disgusted with what they'd seen play out on the big screens that the normal feeling of celebrations were replaced by a dull sensation of expectations not met. And who can blame them. Not one single goal from open play. Italy did not deserve to win, so why jump for joy, even if you're Italian?Neither Switzerland nor Ukraine deserved to go through, either. I imagine there's just too much at stake to lose, so no one is concentrating on winning. Especially for coaches, whose eyes are on results, not how the results are produced. Everyone is down on the referees, but the problem starts first with the coaches, then the players, and only then the poor guy in the middle. If real football were being played to start with, none of the things that happened in the final 20 minutes of Netherlands/Portugal would have come to pass. But then comes Brazil, and hopefully, all is right in the fan world again. Sunday, June 25 Berlin's Holocaust Memorial: Something you should never forget. Overheard: Mark McKay, our cameraman Rod, and I went out into the fan mile today to shoot some links to a special World Cup Fever show that will air on CNN International July 1 and 2. "Links" are showing the presenter on camera, linking them to feature story pieces within a show. This particular show focuses on the incredible fan spirit we've seen grow over the last three weeks. Although the show could also be based on the amount of people over here that recognize Mark and fellow presenter Patrick Snell. They come from all corners of the globe. On this day, working with Mark, people acted as if they had been long lost friends, Canadians, Germans, a 65-year-old shirtless, shoeless England fan, a Turk who couldn't express his words in English but could only point at the CNN logo and say "Fan Zone, Fan Zone!" But the best was a family from India, of which the husband proclaimed: "We watch you all the time. I tell my wife, look at his face, there's a man who clearly enjoys what he's doing." Can therr be a higher compliment? I wish it wasn't overheard: Only in a country that worships the music of David Hasselhoff can a band come out with a music video taking the instantly recognizable Bob Marley classic "Jammin'" (We're Jammin, we're Jammin, I wanna jam it with you.... We're jammin, we're jammin, I hope you like jammin too).... ... into this: "We're German, we're German, football we play better than you... We're German, We're German, I hope you like Germans, too." Overseen: Tennis star Boris Becker, solo (no fame posse), pacing incessantly with cell phone to ear at the Hotel Adlon bar about 1.30 a.m. He has always been a fan of football, and was hired as the guy who interviews the players, World Cup chief Franz Beckenbauer etc., before and after some of the weekend matches. Also, staying in our hotel is German bad boy footballer Stefan Effenberg, and Brazilian Giovane Elber, who starred for Bayern Munich but now plays for Borussia Moenchengladbach (good luck with that one). Both are on-air people for the World Cup matches. Overawed: This World Cup has been a huge success for the host nation so far. Not just because of Germany's remarkable progress to the quarterfinals but because of the spirit in which the competition has been organized. Hundreds of thousands of fans from all over the world have been made to feel incredibly welcome, turning the tournament into a huge global celebration. Germany has got another thing right -- Berlin's wonderful holocaust memorial. At first glance, you would look at the hundreds of gray rectangular-cubed blocks and say, "What is that?" But on a tour last December while attending the World Cup draw, our guide invited us to think metaphorically, and she was right. The artist has put together a brilliantly thought-out piece of work, on many levels. First, you should feel confused about the holocaust, a natural feeling. Second, it was very real, symbolized by the hundreds of rocks you can feel as you walk through. Third, the mazy set-up can give you the feeling of loss and hopelessness, as you get deeper and deeper into the middle of the memorial, but fortunately, another quick step and you can see the light, the way out. Finally, it's something you should never forget. And I won't. Friday, June 23 Horacio Elizondo, refereeing hero. The Heroes of the Game Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Ballack. These are players that are superstars, easily recognizable for football fans around the globe. They are lauded when they play well, and for that they make a ridiculous amount of money. To be fair, they are also under the microscope, and publicly criticized when they fail to match their talent and potential each and every match. The life of any superstar, I suppose. How about Horacio Elizondo? Ever heard of him? He is a superstar as well, only he is one in the unfortunate field of refereeing. He is a superstar for one call he made Friday night, to overrule the linesman (and the rest of the people watching on the planet), who had seen the Swiss player Alexander Frei offside before he scored a vital clinching goal in a 2-0 victory over South Korea. The call was amazing on many fronts -- for one, the match had so much on the line -- either team could have put the other out of the tournament with a win. But most important was what he saw live what only a few cameras ( in about 30 different replay) managed to show. Not to bog you down in the details -- but the ball was passed laterally from the Swiss player, and yes, Frei was beyond the last defender. But the pass was not intended for Frei. It was only the accidental kick of the South Korean defender that played the ball to Frei. Referee Elizondo spotted that kick, and made the right call. To the horror of many, myself included, at first, second, and third glance. And if you happened to see the incident on TV, or even better, live at the stadium, you would have likely uttered some sort of phrase with more than a few choice words. All too often we focus on the heroics of Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Ballack -- and all too often we are too quick to blast and blame the referee for a mistake. And it's not like the referees are on the same pay scale. Granted, each referee makes $40,000 from FIFA for six weeks of work at the World Cup, but they all must have other jobs as policemen, physical education teachers, dentists, in order to make a living. Here's to Argentine Horacio Elizondo, refereeing hero. Is it possible one day we will hear "Man, that guy reffed a great match, did you see that call he made in the 39th minute?" to match every "Oh, Ronaldinho's goal from the tight angle.." in the post pub talk? Thursday, June 22The Global Game  Football in the forbidden zone. So, the USA is out. We were in a tough group, but really didn't deserve to go through above Ghana or Italy anyway. Which got me to thinking about if and when the USA will become a world power. What has to happen? We've heard for years that "all" the kids are playing the sport from a young age. As a coach of two of my children, I see this to be true. But do they "want" to play? Do they really enjoy the sport, enough to say "Hey, I've got a good idea, let's go play soccer out in the yard or down at the park!". If the answer is yes, then I think we're making progress as a soccer/football nation. Everyday during my walks or bike rides through Berlin, I never fail to see some sort of pickup football game going on. Granted, it is the World Cup, but I am constantly amazed at the diverse groups I'll find playing. Little children, grown men from all parts of the planet, girls kicking the ball in the park with a boyfriend. Make-shift goals could be 2 overturned empty beer cups, or two soiled national team jerseys. One of the most unique places to find football in fine form is right here in the street, in the shadow of the Eastern side of the Brandenburg Gate. Historically, of course, you would have never gotten this close to the gate to enjoy a kick-around. But even in free, modern society this will likely never happen again -- as the streets just near the Gate are cordoned off for pedestrian use only. So every fan here has a chance to be a part of history. Like the U.S. team. History. Wednesday, June 21The Fan's Cup  FIFA has not turned its back on the fans. From my perspective, each of the last four World Cups have made an increasing effort to engage the fans of the sport. In the USA, the stadiums were so much larger than ever before (and since), and despite worldwide thoughts that they would be left empty due to American apathy towards soccer, they actually broke all attendance records that will likely stand for many years to come. At France 98, the first attempt at public viewing on big screens popped up around the country, and FIFA learned not only an alternative to appease fans who can't get their hands on tickets, but also how to secure such an undertaking. Korea/Japan brought the fan spectacle to new heights, mainly because the passion of patriotism of both country's spirit to host such an event. In Korea, it appeared everyone made a pact to wear a red t-shirt on match days, and town squares were simply shut down to make way for thousands of fans to watch the matches on the big screens. In Japan, stadiums where matches weren't being played at the time doubled as a fan experience as they were able to watch matches on big screens there and feel the atmosphere of being at a real football match. And now, Germany 2006, the biggest fan celebration of all. Every venue host city has an area known as Fan Fest, a blocked off street lined with German beer, food, and fun. The largest is right here in Berlin, where an estimated 700,000 packed in to watch Germany beat Ecuador. The official shoe sponsor of the World Cup has even built a replica stadium of the Berlin Olympic Stadium just a few steps from the Fan Fest, where fans buy tickets to be among the 8,500 or so that can drink in the match in a more intimate and unique setting. What's more, it will double as an musical arena when artists such as the Black Eyed Peas and James Blunt perform during the tournament. And the coming weeks will only bring a heightened sense of passion from the fans. I can only imagine what Germany in the 2nd round, quarterfinals, etc will bring. And I can only imagine what South Africa, the host of the next big world party, must be thinking. How can they pull it off, or god forbid, look to improve? Tuesday, June 20We are what we eat  German food: Brats, sauerkraut, potato salad and, of course, beer. I must say up front, I'm not a picky eater. I'll try things I've never heard of based solely on the fact that it's on the menu, so someone must like it. Fortunately, it's only rarely my stomach has punished me for such an adventurous attitude. And I came to Germany ready to fully embrace the cuisine of the locals. Working as we do for the World Cup-- it's necessary we can find a place (or places) that are pretty quick with the orders. As luck would have it, our engineers stumbled upon a restaurant that is not only fast, but is a wonderful example of what the world thinks of when they think German food: Brats, sauerkraut and potato salad. It also provides my best opportunity to work on my German -- as chef Achim is patient enough to endure whatever simple discussion I can come up with. The routine is simple: the sauerkraut and warmer kartoffelsalat (warm potato salad) are standards -- but you can always mix up your meat, and your beer. Hamburger (named after Hamburg, Germany after all), pork, Nuremberger sausages (come grilled in sets of 4), and something with the German word for Cheese in it (Käse) which is actually Spam-like in appearance. Berlin is a very cosmopolitan and modern city, and you can certainly find food from every nation here. The normal fast food chains are present, as are the coffee ones. But I wonder if I will be going through some sort of Schnitzel withdrawal come September. Monday, June 19Which Mia, again? You just never know who's going to stop by at the CNN studios in Berlin. Mia Farrow was just here not in support of the World Cup, but in support of World Refugee Day with a particular interest in ending the strife in the Darfur region of the Sudan.  Mia F. checks e-mail at World Sport Berlin studios. She is an absolute delight of a person. No hint of a diva that might come with such legendary fame, no hint of bitterness of the life endured. She was as passionate and knowledgeable about the situation in Darfur as I am with the world of football. And as clueless in the World Cup as I am in the Darfur situation. It's easy to see who's the more selfish between us, but I will say I did learn a lot about the world in the half hour or so she spent with us. Fortunately, for the simple-minded like myself, she was able to relate the following priceless story in football terms. Her devotion to her cause led her on a whirlwind tour of the Darfur region this past weekend with UNICEF, in which she stopped in many villages to personally assess the issues on the ground. In the northern town of Al Fashir, she was meant to meet a young representative of the town who had been told that Mia was coming. Upon greeting the 61-year-old actress, he looked confused, and asked "You play soccer?". At that moment, Ms. Farrow understood exactly what had transpired. "Oh, you must have thought Mia HAMM was coming! ". She told us the boy's disappointment was palpable, and telling the young man "I'm just the old granny named Mia Farrow", she admitted he seemed to lose interest. Here's to both Mias, who's impact on this world has now reached even the places that are far too often conveniently far from our thoughts. Sunday, June 18So far, it's the Swedish fans  A Swede ride. Brazil is by far the most popular team on the streets of Berlin. They transcend their own country, becoming the favorites of people who are not from Brazil, have never been there or in rare cases, have trouble naming more than a few players. That's okay - we see the same attachment around the world with people who don Manchester United tops in Thailand and New York Yankees hats in Botswana. But for those who show passion for their own country, it's the similarly-yellow colored Swedes who have impressed the most. Sweden played here only once, last Thursday in a dramatic last-minute win over Paraguay, and the Swedes simply haven't left Berlin since. There's a small chance they could play a quarterfinal match again here in the capital, and perhaps they will just keep up the party until then. And they are a party people. Traveling in pleasant packs of yellow with the likes of Zlatan, Larsson, and Ljungberg across their backs, they will be the last to turn down that final late-night beer. In fact, on the Fan Fest mile here, officials make a concerted effort to shut down all the loud music by 1.30 am in order to let the fans know the party will be ending at 2 am. But upon passing a swiss-alpine themed hut -- a big hit thus far -- at about quarter til 2, the thumping club music had in fact stopped. But the place was still loud and rocking -- a hundred or so Swedes had jumped up on all the tables inside and begun singing their own songs, making the party and the World Cup an experience they would never forget. The next morning I captured this photo -- a young fan who may very well have been one of those table toppers. I could hardly imagine the spirit that would allow him or anyone to decide to paint their entire vehicle just for the World Cup. Saturday, June 17Name Game  German Midfielder, Bastian "pig climber." For those of you who have logged onto cnn.com/worldcup, I thank you, and hope exploring the many pages there has enhanced your own World Cup experience. Especially those thousands who we've asked to pick their all-time World Cup Dream XI. We've had some very interesting picks from every corner of the globe. And there's still plenty of time for your voice to be heard. We've even been able to talk to a fair number of you on the World Sport program itself. Keep up the good work! In honor of all the Dream XIs, I've filled out my own eleven, the World Cup "All-Name" team. My criteria was simply that the pool of players had to be this year's World Cup, and that selection had nothing to do with skill, and everything to do with fun. With that said, I went with the little used, but often effective 2-5-3 formation. Starting Goalkeeper: Midfield: Forwards: My bench: Not on my bench: South Korea has 8 players named Lee, and 5 named Kim, so by the time I could get the right guy on the pitch, some Jerko would have scored. Friday, June 16Joe Goes German  Man-Crocs: The next big thing! Those of you that know me, know I've been pushing the envelope of fashion (or lack there-of) for most of my natural life. Amongst other looks, I've been trying to pull off the colored socks and shorts look for years, but nobody in the U.S. is buying it. That doesn't stop me, of course, and never will. But finally, a country where I can look absolutely ridiculous and fit right in -- strolling side by side with European men whose feet are covered in a myriad of colors. Of course the look is much more effective when the shorts are what you might call "Euro-short". The other day at the lunch table my attempt at humor was well-received. "Guys, I bought some Euro shorts today, but they're not short enough, so I'm gonna cut 'em when I get back to the hotel". But in reality, I'm not prepared to join my comrades here and add that effect to my overall appearance. However, I didn't settle for just the colored socks and "normal" shorts look. In the spirit of oneupmanship (let's call it übermannschaftshippen), I went ahead and threw on the green "man-Crocs" as well. Now this particular footwear has not caught on over here yet -- but I believe I've started something that could one day grow as big as -- you know where I'm going -- the Hoff. As badly as I miss home sometimes, it's good to feel at home in any way I can. Thursday, June 15Am I a fan, or a journalist? For those of you that have been able to watch our program on CNNI International, our live shot for World Sport is perfectly situated here in Berlin overlooking the famous Brandenberg Gate, and the now famous giant football. Even better, the recently made famous Hotel Adlon is just across from us. I say so because probably every one on the planet has seen it, perhaps without knowing.  Alan Shearer, Martin O'Neill and Ian Dowie: A fan's goldmine. It was from one of the Adlon's balconies that Michael Jackson dangled his baby recklessly at life endangering heights. There's been no sign of MJ, but the hotel is home to FIFA, the folks who run the World Cup, and is the first choice of the most famous (wealthiest) of the footballing community. So for my lunch walk each day, I always make a point to stroll past the outside deck cafe at the Adlon. I justify it by telling myself that it's just in case I can spot someone we would like to interview for World Sport, but really because doing that is sort of my "People" magazine. I just want to see if I can peek into the life of someone famous, going about their day-to-day business rather than just seeing them run around the football pitch during a match. The other day was a football fan's goldmine. Walking back from lunch with our engineer Alex (from England), cameraman Rod (USA) and presenter Mark (USA), I spotted one legendary football star for England, Alan Shearer. But wait -- upon second look, he's talking with Martin O'Neill (former coach of Scottish club Celtic) and Ian Dowie (new coach of English Premier League side Charlton). All at the same table! The arrogant soccer fan in me just wants to go up to their table and say "How many Americans can do this? You're Alan Shearer, you're Martin O'Neill, and you're Ian Dowie!" But I am also extremely conscious of the "ugly American on tour" syndrome, whereby we are seen as a loud, obnoxious people who are completely ignorant of the way things are done in places other than the USA. But how many times am I going to come across three people like that, sitting at an outdoor table? I've got to at least say "Hi - I love your work. And yours. And yours!" Where's the harm in that? In the end, it was the sage advice from our English engineer who helped me make a decision not to bother them. He said people in England (other than the tabloid folks who are a completely different breed of human) just let it go. They would rather go out of their way not to make a big deal. And so did I. Of course I did snap a harmless picture. And of course, that the big three were there on the bill of a semi-rival network from England didn't help either. Wednesday, June 14Where is World Sport?  World Sport's Patrick Snell catches a "CNN" taxi. Being based in Atlanta, yet providing a television program for everywhere else on the planet, it's often difficult to explain what I do for a living. CNN in the USA is a completely different channel -- yet what we do is the CNN the rest of the world sees. For internal clarification, we refer to the two as CNN, and CNN International. And CNN International is largely unavailable in the U.S. Which in turn means a small number of friends have ever seen my contribution to the world. Which in turns makes me feel irrelevant and small. You know how U.S. on-air personalities such as Matt Lauer or Bob Costas or maybe even Anderson Cooper could walk down a German street and no one have any clue who they are -- the exact reverse is true with our presenters who work in Atlanta. They are known around the world, but not in their hometown! But oh my how things change when we step out into the world. I'll never forget my first remote trip for World Sport - the 1998 World Cup in France. That was just about 3 years after we started the program -- but you could still sense the whisperings "Ahh - CNN - World Sport - Oui!" or "That's (original presenter) Phil Jones!". It was the first real confirmation that real people were watching our work. Now of course, after another World Cup and a European Championship -- I no longer need the reaffirmation. But it's not to say I don't enjoy it. Billboards, Taxis -- TVs in all hotels are constant reminders that CNN International is the major force in world news and sport. But of course -- it's even more amusing when something like this happens. Ten years ago my wife and I were biking around Northern Ireland and came to find a wonderful bed and breakfast in a coastal town called Bangor. The charming lady asked what we do and we of course said "We work for CNN, you know the TV station -- that always shows OJ Simpson". She had never heard of that station, so we turned on her television and showed her. "Oh -- the CW -- of course, I watch that all the time!". At first we were very confused -- but just one look at our logo, imagining the W, and you'll never think CNN again. Tuesday, June 13Bicycle, Bicycle...  Biking in boots? There's nothing routine about a World Cup - we've had a wonderful array of goalscorers and scorelines, although on Wednesday we were awaiting our first real "upset". But what has become routine is our work flow schedule - which is fine by us. My walk to and from work each day provides the only exercise I'm willing to do, it's a 2-mile stroll through the Fan Fest area, and then another half mile to the hotel. Of course, each and every day there are new groups of fans, from just about every country in the world, yet alone tournament, so each hike is a new adventure. Today I found myself mixing it up by counting the number of bicycles as I made by way up the Strasse des 17 Juni -- and if you're American particularly, you won't believe the number I'd reached upon arriving at the Brandenburg Gate, where our studio is. 100? 200? No, 317. In 2 miles. When I'm able to ride my bike the 6 miles or so from my house to CNN in Atlanta for a normal workday, I would count between 2 and 3, including my own. Peachtree Street is hardly wide enough to support the 6 lanes of cars it attempts to, much less an annoying cyclist. So for safety purposes, I take it slow on the sidewalk, which ironically, is meant to be illegal in the city. As karma would have it, as I type this, our quite capable intern for the CNN Berlin bureau, Marcus, has brought me a bike to use for the entire World Cup! So now I will join the legions of people who get a bit of exercise, move at a speed dictated not by traffic but by themselves, absorb the sights and sounds of the event at a more memorable pace, respect the environment, and incur no gasoline costs. So I'm off on mein Fahrrad -- catch ya tomorrow. PS - I'm sure I'll have to touch on a few cons around here -- namely, signing papers in triplicate just to buy water, or perhaps more importantly, struggling to find a place to lock up said Fahrrad, amongst all the other locked up Fahrrads -- but I'm trying to keep a positive vibe here. Monday, June 12You didn't hear it from me... I could not be more pleased with our live shot location in Berlin for our World Sport program on CNN. We are looking out giant windows to both the Brandenburg Gate (the most well-known image of Berlin) and a giant football (know here as Fussball Globus). Both the gate and the football light up at night, and the effect is stunning.  Joe McCurdy ... and the Hoff. We are also inside -- meaning in theory our climate is controlled should we choose to close the side windows. Also will be helpful if either the weather turns sour, or the fans outside turn sour and start yelling inappropriate phrases in our direction. And the end result shot from our camera is perfect -- but it took a bit of tinkering. Video wise -- the wood framing of the window shot limits us -- so our camera folk have to be on their game to get the most out of the picture without showing the wood. And because the way the structure of the room is set up -- our sound was coming out a bit hollow and with echo. So our cameraman Rod Griola began construction of sound-deafening walls we've come to deem "Griola International Studios". And it worked. But as you can see from the picture, it's somewhat less glamorous than the end product! In order for our presenters here in Berlin to communicate with those in studios in London, Hong Kong, or Atlanta, we use a system known as IFB. It's simply a phone connection that is routed into a tiny rubber earpiece that presenters from each location wear. It's normally hidden from sight if things go correctly, but on occasion you can see a bit of it around the ear or neck, or even a presenter clutching their ear when being told of breaking news or where the show is heading next. But of course, there still is real magic. Like how Patrick Snell and Mark McKay here in Berlin are able to talk over match highlights that are one minute in length without ever seeing the video they are talking about. This involves our editors in Atlanta writing out perfect "shotsheets" -- a running log with times for each different piece of match action. The presenter here can then listen to the sounds of the match highlights through IFB, and if all goes well, it's magic indeed. To be sure, there are those in the industry who believe I should never give any insight into how TV really works, like a magician telling you how he can submerge himself in water for a month. (Oh wait, that's not magic). So, you didn't hear it from me. Sunday, June 11The Hoff...  World Sport's Mark McKay standing by to go live to the world. It's a Sunday -- so even a supervisor of the world's most important sport show, World Sport on CNN, can dress casually for work, no? I've been waiting for at least a year to break out my favorite T-shirt of all time, an orange one featuring only a centered photo of David Hasselhoff. My multi-talented wife made it for me, and for legal reasons, I must say it's for personal use, and no, you can't have one. With the Dutch playing today, I thought there would be perfect opportunity to blend in colorwise. Of course, blending in is not what your going for when you don "the Hoff" in Germany. For reasons I do not even want to understand, he's what Maradona is to Argentina, Pele to Brazil, and Zidane to France all rolled into one uberhuman. So from the wry grins from the Polizei as I walk through the Fan Mile, to the "He is SO the man" from the American fans on the street, it's comforting to know that one man can unite all in peaceful cohabitation. Or maybe the World Cup is doing that. World Cup word of the day: Elfenbeinküste. It's how the German's say the Ivory Coast. Tomorrow I'll share some of our deepest television secrets. Saturday, June 10 00:46 local time: Many German fans still haven't slept after their victory over Costa Rica. Berlin Bonanza... In France, it was the Champs Elysees. In Korea, the main square in Seoul. And now, Germany was awash with color after a dramatic, high-scoring victory over Costa Rica in the opening match. While the match was in Munich, you could have thought it was at the Brandenburg Gate here in Berlin. Thousands of fans packed in front of the biggest of the many giant TV screens, at the beginning of what's known as the Fan Mile. The noise mirrored that of a full stadium -- the oohs and ahhs of near misses, the roar of a goal, the moan of the opposition equalizing. We sent our own Patrick Snell with camera out into the sea of fans -- he admitted even 45 minutes before halftime you simply could not not move anywhere near the big screen. After we had sent our last elements via satellite and closed up shop for the night (just after midnight local!), it's a fascinating walk back to the hotel down the 17 June Street, a 2-kilometer, all pedestrian stretch from the Brandenburg Gate to the giant Victory Column. The avenue is lined with the best of German beer and food, World Cup souvenir shops, and of course, plenty of marketing. As we arrived some six hours after the match had ended -- the party was well and truly on -- not only Germans, but people from Mexico, Poland, Croatia, Brazil -- all moving to the sounds of a DJ. Not all could keep it going well into the night -- walking arm in arm, singing, were German fans spelling out their word for Germany on white, self made T-shirts -- TSCHLAND (the D-E-U guys were nowhere to be found!) As I've seen in the past Cups, though, this is only the beginning. If Germany keeps winning, the frenzy will increase geometrically. Friday, June 9 World Sport's Patrick Snell and Mark McKay get to grips with a super-size foosball table. The long and beautiful event... There's no mistaking the moment World Cup time hits. In simple terms, there's more of everything. We'll "work" for 33 days. Every park and street corner is twice as colorful, three times as loud. Coffees cost eight dollars. The feeling if your team wins, unmatched joy. Loses, unrivaled pain. Even the foosball table at the hotel is twice as long. Nothing in the world matches this in any way. Olympics? Has its moments, but how can you be interested in every obscure sport? Super Bowl? It's just one game. Most watched program in U.S. sure, but World Cup final numbers dwarf it globally. That it happens once every four years only heightens the intensity. Here's to a great 33 days. It will all be over too soon. May your team fall to mine, Joe Watch World Sport daily on CNN International for all the latest World Cup news. 
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