Spain and the Netherlands took the field. From American sports bars to remote outposts in Africa, much of the world tuned in, excited to see a World Cup final featuring two traditional powers that had never won the Cup. The Netherlands had rallied past Brazil and advanced past Uruguay 3-2, while Spain's team was built on fluid passing and skill.
And so the final... stunk. Few scoring chances, many nasty fouls, much tedium.
No one should've been surprised. World Cup finals are rarely the most exciting games of the year, and big stages often induce tentative action.
Last weekend in Toronto, UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre faced challenger Jake Shields in front of more than 55,000 people in Toronto's Rogers Centre. St. Pierre, the classy Canadian icon, started slowly but was poking holes in Shields' defense until he was poked in the eye. The cerebral champion, coached by guru Greg Jackson, easily got past the lackluster Shields but was once again unable to finish the fight with a knockout or submission.
At least St. Pierre and Shields, fighting at the end of a wonderfully raucous fight card, had a good honest competition that may have been better without an accidental injury. Real Madrid and Barcelona have no such excuse. The Spanish titans, who have played each other recently in the Spanish league and Spanish cup competitions, are also matched up in Europe's Champions League semifinals. In the first leg last week, the two teams combined for an abomination against soccer.
Again, that's not a surprise. The higher the stakes, the more likely athletes will be overwhelmed by the occasion. And many athletes will play not to lose rather than playing to win.
Some sports aren't affected by cautious play. A sloppy basketball game can be more entertaining than a technically perfect game. Baseball thrives on tension, not action.
But some sports are easily stuck in stalemates when neither side is committed to attacking. Soccer, MMA, boxing and even chess are far less thrilling if both parties are overly cautious, defending against the prospect of making a critical error.
The tension is the result of intense media focus. That's why less-hyped events can be more exciting. Undercard fights often win "Fight of the Night" bonuses on UFC cards. The third-place game at the World Cup is often a goalfest.
Getting rid of the media glare is impossible. Barcelona and St. Pierre have their sterling reputations for a reason. How do you ask people to turn away?
But perhaps we can dial down the cynicism a bit. In the Deadspin era, we're more likely to laugh at blunders than we are to celebrate triumphs. Being "posterized" is a bigger fear among NBA players than losing.
A little positivity won't solve everything -- stepping out on the field for a World Cup final will still make anyone's blood pressure go haywire. But could it hurt?