There's A Football World Cup? Real Football?

We're not sure how we missed this, but apparently, in July 2007, there's going to be a football World Cup. And not the weird foreign kind of football either; we mean, like, real football.

It will be held in Japan, and the U.S. team — which will feature recently graduated college players (presumably those not thought well enough by the NFL to consider avoiding injuries — will be coached by, of all people, John Mackovic, former coach for Texas, the Kansas City Chiefs and our Illini. Those who remember Mackovic's tenures must be curious how that's gonna pan out. They've done this before, obviously, and the fact that we (and probably you) haven't heard of it probably speaks volumes about its worldwide popularity.

The two-time defending champ is Japan. Which probably speaks volumes about its quality too.

Yes , Virginia, There Is An American Football World Cup [Dave's Football Blog]

(By the way, we encourage you to click the Dave's Football Blog link, if just to see an old, rather amusing picture of Jets coach Eric Mangini.)