Africans Cheer for former Colonial Master in Cup

Despite the South African soccer team getting bounced out of the World Cup as this years' host nation there are Black South Africans who feel they have a home team in today's finale.

As I write the Dutch are lacing up to face off with Spain in Johannesburg. If you know your African colonial history you will recall that the Netherlands ruled portions of South Africa. Now many Black South Africans are rooting for their former colonial master to take home the highest prize soccer has to offer on the global stage.

This shows that followers of the only worldwide sport, where fans' national pride is stronger than the calf muscles of No. 10 on you favorite soccer team, can look beyond racism, segregation and generational mistreatment. Black South Africans have united with Dutch fans be the 12th player on the field as Holland fights for the Cup.

Now, let's not oversimplify this contest and it's circumstances. Not all Black South Africans are draped in the of equal-part red, white and blue stripes of the Holland flag. And they shouldn't. Few things are more of a personal choice than your sport fanhood. Certainly some Black South Africans are rooting for Spain, or are indifferent.

But grabbing on to our cultural connections more than the stereotypes and ugly history has become a theme of the 2010 World Cup finale. The tourney that brings the world together every four years has added another chapter this year. As we read the book on this finale, whether the Dutch win or lose, Black South Africans will remember this match for how the felt (and their choice to forgive and/or forget...or not) about their sense of national pride that was born out of colonialism.