As early as 3000 B.C, Mayans named it pok-a-tok. In China, it was called tsu chu, while the Japanese knew it as kemari. Romans adopted it from the Greeks, naming it harpastum. Native Americans played what they called pasuckuakohowog, meaning, "they gather to play ball with the foot."

These are the many names given by different societies through the ages to that insanely popular sport known to Americans as soccer, which, by the way, recently concluded its most important tournament in Germany last Sunday, the FIFA World Cup.

I have always had trouble grasping why many of the generally stoic males around me are perfectly capable of showing a healthy variety of emotions when soccer matches are on.

Even though a good part of my life was spent growing up amidst soccer-crazed communities, it's something I will never understand. Why the big fuss over 22 grown men desperately chasing after a black-and-white leather ball? How can anyone sit through a series of two-and-a-half hour matches during soccer league tournaments practically every day for a few weeks, neglecting everything else? Is it really worth the emotional roller-coaster of being in nail-biting suspense, not knowing if your favorite team's leading score could be unexpectedly reversed in the last moments of the match?

One could argue that other sports often have the same effect on its fans. Indeed, this is evident based on the massive support that professional football teams like the Steelers and Eagles, or even Penn State's own Nittany Lions have. Soccer's appeal, however, transcends regional borders and seeps into every level of society. No other sport has been known to cause cities around the world to come to a near standstill when soccer meets like the World Cup occur. Nothing else invokes such strong national pride among fans.

Soccer fandom itself is a phenomenon to marvel. Soccer history has been littered with unfortunate incidents of hooligan behavior in the form of vandalism, fighting, and at times, even killings. In "How Soccer Explains the World," author Franklin Foer traces the activities of soccer fan groups who not only gather to see their teams play, but also engage in politically-charged activities ranging from highly-organized racist army units in Serbia to anti-Semitic chants and fight songs in North London.

Ironically, some of the most notorious acts of hooliganism are known to come from developed western European nations, some of whom declared themselves to be propagators of civilized behavior to the 'barbarians' of the world during the centuries of imperialism.

I have nothing against the sport or their fans, but the frenzy they are able to whip themselves into confuses me. Soccer crowds create arguably the most festive atmosphere in a sports stadium. Fans are waving scarves, flags and banners; they are dancing at their seats and singing fight songs throughout the whole game with such a resounding echo that it can be clearly heard on live telecasts. They even stay until the end although their team might be losing. It brings people of different national origins together in one place, creating many opportunities for friendly interaction.

One aspect of soccer I have always been fond of is the heart-warming tradition of players exchanging jerseys with their opponents out of mutual respect even after a tense match. And thanks to the years of being forcibly dragged to matches, I also have some appreciation for the impressive footwork of skilled players like Beckham and Ronaldinho.

But despite all that, I have yet to hear a solid reason on why a relatively simple act of gathering teams of men or women to kick a ball around a field can ignite such powerful emotions in people.