Dodgy At Best

Good Start Barry, But You Can Do Better.

2011-06-23T14:29:00.000-07:00

We want more of this:

SYTYCD last night. Sasha & Alexander. "Coming Home".
Powerful & amazing.

and less of this:

10 years of wasted human life. For nothing.

BRING THE TROOPS HOME.

Nooooooooooooo!!! (Shakes fist towards Athens, Georgia). Dawgs-Ducks: Dead On Arrival.

2010-09-28T05:46:00.001-07:00

The last UGA road trip hurrah in 2015 is no more. The Georgia-Oregon series has been canceled. I don't know who to be more pissed at, McGarity or Evans. When Evans was fired I knew Georgia @ Oregon in 2015 would be the final road trip out West, and that sucked, but we were still looking forward to it so much. I can't put into words how bummed I am. First for the end of the UGA road trips. Second that our day(or night) at Autzen just vanished into thin air(as well as for me personally a week of exploring Oregon). And third McGarity, who said last week that he preferred Florida's scheduling philosophy to ours. What does that mean? It means get ready for 3 cupcakes & Tech, with an occasional home & home with Clemson an hour up the road.

If you're going to Colorado this week, enjoy it. It will probably be the last one for a while. Georgia didn't play a road game outside the Geographic South between 1965 (@Michigan) and 2008(@ Arizona State). It may be another 43 years before we see it again...

Umm, Nevermind

2010-09-25T19:30:00.001-07:00

FoxSportsNet RockyMountain showed the Rockies-Giants game, so I didn't get to watch, but right now that looks like a blessing.

But following along on my phone was enough to do what the first two losses could not: end my bullish optimism for this team this year. 8-4 is now a fantasy, and from where we're at tonight a return to Shreveport might be an accomplishment.

Oh well, time to to re-calibrate. 2010 is officially a rebuilding year. Nothing to do but accept it, roll with it, support the team, and hope for improvement as the year goes by.

Time to enjoy the beauty of Colorado & hope for the best while fearing the worst: back-to-back loses to Mississippi State & Colorado for a 1-4 start.

And remember- it's only a game and sports is still the toy department of life.

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For The Record

2010-09-25T13:54:00.001-07:00

Just landed in Denver, and want to get a couple things on the record before our game today.

1. I still believe in this UGA team, and FireRicht/Sky Is Falling crowd are both crazy & overreacting.

2. We have way more talent, and are a better team on paper, than Mississippi State, Colorado, Tennessee, Vandy, & Kentucky. This team is entirely capable of winning the next 5 and rolling into the cocktail party 6-2, ranked, confident, and improving. Many of the problems are fixable, Green, Caleb King, Chapas return, both Murray and the 3-4 should improve with time, and there is no where for the O-line to go but up.

3. Beyond that, Tech is not good this year, and I have a strong suspicion that Auburn are Paper Tigers. We will be favored in every game from here on out except Florida & possibly Auburn. I wouldn't be surprised at all if this team goes 9-3, or even sorts it all out and runs the table. Yes, I said it. Not saying they will, but it is just as possible as losing 2 tough games to top 12 teams w/ equal talent to us without our best player & with a new 3-4 scheme and a freshman quarterback. All you naysayers who are guaranteeing 6-6 this year are overreacting big time.

4. The man did what what asked of him last year & fired his defensive coaches. The anti-Richt crowd said that bought him 2 years, but are so happy to judge the team at less than full strength after 3 and even 2 games. Pure madness. The time to make judgements on Georgia football 2010 is December 1st.

4. Support this team and this coaching staff until December; they have earned it & they deserve it.

That is all. Lots more positives than negatives, and massive potential & upside in this team. Wait to hate.

Go Dawgs.

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Georgia 24-31 Arkansas. Instant Reaction.

2010-09-18T13:17:00.000-07:00

- Congratulations to Arkansas. There is little doubt that over the full 60 minutes the better team won today.

- Irony alert: the thousands of fans who left as early as the third quarter are the same people who will complain about the team and question the team's effort. Weak sauce from these fans today- your quitting on the team so early when the game was not at all out of reach was lame and shameful. From the sounds of it this was the weakest performance by our fans since the infamous Auburn home game in 1999. Great for recruiting for potential Dawgs to see so many alleged fans quit on the team. Full credit to the team for erasing a 14 point deficit in the 4th quarter without them, and credit also to the remaining true fans who were as loud as less than a full house can be.

- Why do we even recruit tight ends, let alone great and talented tight ends, when we continually fail to utilize them? Why do we even have Orson Charles? This continues to remind me of how well Donnan utilized them; utilized them right into the NFL like an assembly line.

-For all the flack our receivers have received in recent years for dropping passes, today they made a bunch of tough catches on balls that were thrown to them in difficult spots. Durham, White, and T. King all played great today and whereas they used to drop balls today they made difficult catches in key situations that sparked the comeback. Well played to them.

- For all the other things that are wrong and/or disappointingly bad for people to be frustrated about, there are reasonable and rational explanations for almost all of them, with one glaring exception: the offensive line is so terrible that it is truly inexplicable. This unit wasn't supposed to be good, they were supposed to be great. How great? The smartest college football analyst in history, Phil Steele, ranked Georgia's O-line as the #1 O-line in the nation. They haven't just failed to be great, they have failed to be even good or average. They are somewhere between totally average and truly terrible both in pass blocking and run blocking. They have single-handedly turned Washaun Ealey into Richard Samuel, and against 2 average pass rushes they regularly have young Aaron Murray running & scrambling for his life. This is a unit with a collective 155 starts between them coming into the season. Not inexplicable that they aren't as great as expected, but inexplicable that they are so horribly bad.

- Also, someone please work hard with Ealey on blocking. He is not helping his cause by missing key blocks that result in sacks/losses and kill drives. This is something that Caleb King is better at, and at this point he cannot return soon enough.

- Most of the talk has been about AJ Green making the difference on the field by making plays, which is of course obvious, and additionally both a fool's errand and moot. More interesting to me is not the plays on the field but how his absence has affected the morale and psyche of the team, who are clearly playing with absolutely no confidence and even seem to be sleepwalking through large portions of games. Unfortunately this happens with 18-22 year old athletes, and it seems obvious that their confidence in themselves as a collective is clearly absent. Hopefully the return of AJ for the Colorado game will be a positive jolt to the team, both on the field (obviously) and also mentally there will be a massive shift in confidence & self-belief, which as anyone who has ever played team sports will tell you, is no insignificant thing.

- Not that the coaching staff does not have questions to answer or accountability, but remember this: it is not Richt's fault that AJ Green stupidly sold his jersey for $1000 and is missing 1/3 of the season. AJ ultimately failed his responsibility to the team, and although it is not the entire reason for the poor start and each of the two losses, it has played a pretty significant part (not just the catches but opening up running game & less pressure on young QB). The Georgia fan base has thusfar looked at AJ Green as the victim of an unfair & evil NCAA, but the cold truth his that he failed in his responsibility to the team and the team is suffering because of him. He should not be vilified for it, but as a massively frustrated & disgruntled fan base runs around assigning blame to various people, he should certainly be given his fair share rather than given a free pass as an innocent victim. As absurd as the ruling is, it was put into place by the NCAA in response to University of Georgia players selling their 2002 SEC Championship rings, so there can be no way that UGA players are not aware of this rule (and if they are not then that is an inexcusable fail by the coaching staff when the rule was created because of their own players/program).

- The Dawg Nation is divided, and the Richt Must Go side certainly gained traction and new followers today. It is harder now for us in the patience & perspective camp to maintain, but I still believe that this team can be very good, and I still believe that Richt did what was what asked of him in the offseason and should not be judged on the 2010 season until December 1st. But after today it admittedly got alot harder to talk members of the other side down from the ledge.

South Carolina 17-6 Georgia. Instant Reaction.

2010-09-11T13:32:00.001-07:00

-Each team had 3 trips inside their opponent's 15 yard line. South Carolina came away with 2 TDs & a FG for 17 pts, Georgia settled for 2 FGs and fumbled the ball away at the SC 2 yard line for 6 points. There's your game recap in 1 sentence. As much as they dominated the stats, and as much as the spin will be that they dominated us, the truth is it came down to equal opportunities in the red zone. They converted, we didn't. Simple as that.

-After his huge fumble in Carolina's stadium, Washaun Ealey needs to watch "The Program" 100 times this week. I mean really- can you think of any worse punishment?

-After the 1st series where Ealey ran well, I can't remember another run of more than 5 yards the whole game. I thought our O line was supposed to be good this year? They sure weren't good today.

-Schematically the D seemed much better, but many of the same players still cannot tackle. Yes Lattimore is a special back, but our poor tackling made him look even better.

-AJ may have made the difference today, may not have. It's a moot point and not worth discussing, so just move on.

-As disappointing as today was, do not forget that a bad 1st game performance does not equate to a bad year. Look no further than last year's Oregon team, and take a deep breath.

-There's lots to improve on, and Murray already looks better after 1 road game than Joe Cox ever did in 5 years. There is still reason to be optimistic that we can have a good year, and I actually feel better about our chances this season at 1-1 than I did before I saw Murray play.

-Have pride. Don't be an annoying whiner. Give this team your full support; they deserve it. Go Dawgs.

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The Real Season Starts Tomorrow: Inspiration From The Ghost Of A Legend

2010-09-10T12:26:00.000-07:00

This was emailed to me last week, and as Georgia's season really gets underway tomorrow I thought I'd share it to get the juices flowing (as if they weren't already). It is a letter from legendary coach Erk Russell to the 1980 University Of Georgia football team delivered before the season started. Things worked out pretty well for that team; let's hope Grantham sent out a similarly inspiring text message to this year's team...

Enjoy, and GATA.

click photo to enlarge

P.S. Run!

Feel Good Friday: Holler Back

2010-09-10T12:12:00.000-07:00

After an intense 3 week contract gig I am now properly unemployed, and as such able to write again. Pretty sweet timing with soccer starting back up this weekend and a proper slate of college football games rather than last week's appetizer plate of mismatches.

Today's Feel Good Friday is from a country band called The Lost Trailers. Why? Because I recently made the acquaintance of one of the members of this group and spent a week in his company, and 1) he is a great guy 2) he is a UGA alum and a Damn Good Dawg 3) he promised me after several beers that he would go with us to the Oregon-Georgia game in 2015. Seems good enough reasons to throw up a country song for the first time ever, no?

If this isn't your speed, there's always Fabolous. Have a great weekend- enjoy the football and the futbol.

Champions League 2010-2011 Group Stage Draw

2010-08-26T11:26:00.000-07:00

Here is the draw.

"The trophy with the big ears"

GROUP A

Inter Milan

Werder Bremen

Tottenham Hotspur

Twente Enschede

GROUP B

Olympique Lyon

Benfica

Schalke 04

Hapoel Tel-Aviv

GROUP C

Manchester United

Valencia

Rangers

Bursaspor

GROUP D

Barcelona

Panathinaikos

FC Copenhagen

Rubin Kazan

GROUP E

Bayern Munich

AS Roma

Basel

CFR Cluj

GROUP F

Chel$ea

Olympique Marseille

Spartak Moscow

Zilina

GROUP G

AC Milan

Real Madrid

Ajax Amsterdam

Auxerre

GROUP H

Arsenal

Shakhtar Donetsk

Braga

Partizan Belgrade

Quick thoughts:

---> Arsenal got a very good draw.

---> Barcelona got a super simple draw; their B team should be able to win this group.

---> AC Milan drew 2 seed that is really a 1 seed Real Madrid, as well as Ajax, and just like that group G is your OMG Group Of Death. Tough luck for AC Milan, tougher luck for Ajax, and toughest luck for Auxerre, the 4th team in the group.

---> Spurs got a tough draw on paper, but Inter without Mourinho and Twente without McLaren will both surely be down compared to last year, so it's not as bad as it looks. As an Arsenal fan who also digs Ajax, I'd be much happier if these two got each others draw.

Spurs Did It; The Squirrel Joke Will Soon Be Dead. Champions Leage Group Stage Draw Tomorrow

2010-08-25T22:26:00.000-07:00

Well, Spurs did it. After going down on Young Boys last week then coming back up a bit, today they slammed those very same Young Boys, hard. Their 3-nil down turned 6-3 aggregate win means that they have qualified for the Champions League proper for the first time ever.

Congratulations to them on this achievement. The downside, of course, is that in just a few weeks when the Group Stage gets underway, this great joke that made the rounds back in 2006 will be well & truly dead:

Q. What's the difference between the squirrel and Spurs?

A. The squirrel has Champions League experience.

Goodbye forever, clever instance of mocking your enemy

The group stage draw is tomorrow at 9.00am PST and can be seen live here.

Here is a list of the 32 teams that are qualified for the group stage, as well as the breakdown by pots (seeds). Note that Jose Mourhino's Real Madrid are in Pot 2 (it looks like Lyon knocked them out of Pot 1), which means that all of the non-Spainish Pot 1 teams will be rubbing their lucky rabbit's feet and hoping to avoid them in the draw. Here's hoping Arsenal dodge that bullet. Although the last time they had to play Real Madrid in the 2006 knockout stage they became the 1st ever English team to win in the Bernebeau thanks to this nifty little goal which was "no more, no less than they merit."

Nike Mails It In On Tebow Branding

2010-08-25T19:10:00.000-07:00

I popped into NikeTown SF this afternoon to check out the fall soccer gear on offer (Arsenal away shirts look better in person than on TV), and on the way out I came across this:

Irony alert: these were all stitched by Buddhists, Taoists & Hindus

These thoughts all entered my mind in the two minutes it took me to get out of the store and back on the street:

1. Bo Jackson will not be pleased.

2. Surely somewhere, TEBOW CRIES and/or TEBOW BLOWS modifications of this shirt are in production, and will be available for cash purchase from entrepreneurs in all of the other NFL stadium parking lots this fall.

3. Somewhere, Gary Danielson is wearing this shirt, and only this shirt, and touching himself alone in the dark while watching CBS Gator game reruns and blasting "Pictures Of You" by The Cure on his stereo.

4. Someone in the creative department at Nike mailed it in on this one. Re-hash a 20 year old campaign for a star athlete that was miles different from this one instead of coming up with a creative new branding. On the other hand, they were done in 5 minutes and able to take a long lunch in the park, instead of grinding all day in the office researching and brainstorming ideas, so respect. Either way, I'm surprised executives signed off on this; it's just so lazy and out of place- the two people being compared are so different a) football wise b) personality wise 3) public perception wise, that the theme falls on it's face from jump. It's like big tobacco casting Tim Gunn as the new Marlboro Man.

5. Nike really should have played up the Football Jesus angle with this. Perhaps the shirt should say TEBOW KNOWS (A PRIORI)

6. This is really an opportunity for the Mormons to counter. They should get Adidas on the phone, pronto, and get a MAX HALL KNOWS MORE shirt into production ASAP.

7. Florida, the UF diaspora, the Bible Belt, and Colorado Springs have their work cut out to buy enough of these to keep this as a viable national brand for Nike, because it's hard to see them moving alot of product anywhere else. Denver maybe, if he heals Knowshon's hamstring by waving his hand over it.

Warning To Bloggers: Philadelphia Hates You. Will Other Cities & States Follow?

2010-08-23T14:39:00.000-07:00

This caught my eye and may one day be the future for all of us...

Philadelphia is requiring bloggers who have received any revenue at all from their writing to obtain a business license from the city for $300, and then pay taxes on any profits made as well. One blogger earned $11 in two years; another $50.

Photo courtesy of OC Register,
unless they lifted it from someone else

While many bloggers are caught up in the net neutrality debate taking shape in front of our eyes, if this catches on it may be the next big thing in a few years. I don't know how many blogs are currently active in America, but wiki says there are at least 112 million (I assume worldwide).

I understand that cities, counties, and states are all swimming in debt, and will leave no stone unturned in an attempt to increase revenue. Hell, California is about to legalize marijuana, mainly for the tax revenue. Surely the logical thing is to place a minimum threshold, say $1000 a year in revenue, for the business license requirement. Although enforcement would be tricky, and even at $1000 a year that is a 30% tax, which is excessive.

If this grows, it will be interesting to watch, as it will become a political issue, with Republicans railing against any taxation of small business & saying services should be cut and Democrats saying revenue should be increased to pay for services rather than cutting them. Same old tired story, but it will be interesting to watch, as it would also dovetail with the whole net neutrality debate currently raging. Add to that the sheer absurdity of it, which is right up there with the Reagan administration attempting to label ketchup a vegetable, and we could be in for some fun. I could see it becoming a red state/blue state thing: if you live in Georgia, I cannot see you ever having to deal with this, but I could totally see California trying it.

I look forward to watching Orson Swindle's interview on Hardball With Chris Matthews sometime in 2012, where he is in split screen with Arianna Huffington. Maybe that will be the trigger for the Mayan apocalypse.

We've Got 5 Super Bowls Bitch

2010-08-22T22:42:00.000-07:00

I went to my first 49ers game today with and courtesy of my friend Dana Dane, who hooked us up with free tickets and a parking pass. The sun was out for a change and it was very nice:


The view from section 15

I won't bore you with my impressions of Candlestick, I'll just cut to the chase.

This is by far the greatest thing we saw all day, and possibly ever at a football game...

Don't attempt a retort; there isn't one.

...and that is before you consider that 8 year olds are wearing them.

Not only that- as Dana Dane pointed out, the shirts did not look new, which means they probably got them when they were 6.

Even better, they weren't just standing there for our amusement; they were *hustlin'* Rick Ross style. They had boxes of candy bars that kids have to sell for school or sports team or Boy Scouts or whatever, and they set up shop just outside the gate. As people streamed out of the gate, they shouted "Candy bars...one dollar! If you buy a candy bar we'll breakdance for you!!!"

The cherry on top of this sundae is that when I got home I googled both the T-shirt and the phrase, and it quickly became clear that you cannot buy these shirts anywhere- they are CUSTOM.

WIN.

It's Never As Bad As You Think, Dawgs. Tech Always Offers Perspective.

2010-08-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

As mind-bogglingly embarrassing as our now infamous orientation video is, we can always always always count on Georgia Tech to offer us a breath of fresh air perspective.

Or in this case, a hurricane of "it's not so bad".

Click here to see what went down at Georgia Tech's orientation this year.

See, don't you feel better now?

I Was Unemployed For 22 Hours. Suck On That, Brett Favre.

2010-08-22T12:59:00.000-07:00

I left my job for the last time last Thursday at 6pm, and by 4pm Friday I had signed a 3 week contract for a new gig. As such my transition to unemployed blogger will have to wait until September 3rd, so don't expect much if any content before then, as 60+ hour weeks are the norm at this gig and free time is non-existent.

There's always the twitter feed over on the right; otherwise you'll just have to make do with the 9,000 blogs out there that are clearly superior to this one.

See you just before college football season.

Why Dustin Johnson Is The Pick To Win The PGA

2010-08-15T02:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday night after the 3rd round of the US Open at Pebble Beach a few months ago, Dustin Johnson held a 3 shot lead, and literally all of the buzz and media coverage was focused on him as well as Tiger Woods, who himself had an amazing round to put himself back in contention.

I was talking with a friend that night and we mentioned that the player to watch out for on Sunday would be Graeme McDowell, because he was also playing great, he was in 2nd place, he had 5 wins on the European Tour and 5 top 20 finishes in majors, and he had the added benefit of being off the radar thanks to the frenzy surrounding Johnson's 3 round dominance and Woods' possible return to greatness. With much less pressure and distraction from the spotlight, it is often these players who are just off the lead, playing well, and just off the radar that are most dangerous in the final round, as it is often easier to focus and execute with less attention & the pressure that comes along with it.

Here we are on Saturday night before the final round of the year's final major, and lo and behold Nick Watney has come out of nowhere to lead the PGA Championship by 3 shots over, you guessed it, Dustin Johnson. All of the pressure tonight and tomorrow is on Nick Watney, it is his championship to lose, which is exactly where Johnson was at the US Open. But this time around it is Johnson in the McDowell role- playing very well and just under the radar.


Leaderboard courtesy of pga.com

Of course, this one factor alone does not make him a good pick to win tomorrow, as there are several players with a chance to win if Watney does not shoot a good round and run away with it himself. But a second dynamic often seen in major championship golf also points to Johnson tomorrow: players who win their first major are often ones who have come close before but failed, and having been in that pressure packed position and learned form it, they then break through in subsequent majors. This is a long-established pattern in golf, which bodes well for Johnson. However, it has its exceptions, like any well-established patterns. Louis Ooshtuizen (British 2010), Lucas Glover (2009 US Open), Ben Curtis (British 2003), Shaun Micheel (2003 PGA), and Rich Beem (2002 PGA) all came out of nowhere and grabbed the brass ring at first asking. On the other end of the spectrum, Phil Mickelson famously came close literally a dozen or so times before winning his first major.

As such, there is no guarantee that Nick Watney (or unknown Chinese golfer Wenchong Liang) won't win the PGA tomorrow in their first visit to the Sunday at a major pressure cooker. After all, Watney finished 7th at the Masters this year and tied for 7th at the British Open, so he has been close but not yet dealt with the pressure of having the lead of a major, or even a great chance to win, when he steps onto the 1st teebox on Sunday. It is more likely that someone who has been there before and/or is lurking just off the radar will win: I'm picking Dustin Johnson because in this regard he is a dual qualifier.

Other likely candidates if Watney succumbs to the pressure like so many before him have in similar situations:

*Rory McIlroy would be my pick on pure talent, but the only reason I'm picking Johnson over him is that I have a hunch that Johnson will reverse the curse of having the lead and blowing it at the US Open. McIlroy hasn't had the lead, but he did finish tied for third at the 2009 PGA as well as this year's British Open. Make no mistake- he is talented enough to break through and win this tournament and be the next big thing in golf- he has been that good for a while and it seems inevitable that he will make this breakthrough, it's just a matter of when. If Johnson doesn't win tomorrow I think he will.

*Wenchong Liang has the ultimate under the radar mojo going on, as no one knows who he is, even after his course record 8-under 64 today to put him in a tie for 4th place. However, I think it'll be a stretch for him to stand up to the pressure tomorrow- he doesn't have the pedigree of last year's winner Y.E. Yang, who famously slayed Tiger but had been in contention and won big tournaments before but was still off the radar of the mainstream golf world.

*Jason Day- same as Liang

*Martin Kaymar- Although he did finish tied for 6th at the PGA last year, he was never really in contention and for me is still in the same group as Day & Liang above

*Jim Furyk, Steve Elkington, Zach Johnson are all major champions who have been here before and know how to win. They would all need Watney to stumble to have a chance, but if he does all three have the experience to pull this off.

Hard to see anyone at 7-under or lower winning unless Watney completely falls apart and something special happens for one of them to leapfrog all 10 golfers in front of them.

The final round is on CBS from 11am - 4pm, with the final group schedules to tee off at 11.35am PST. Enjoy.

NY Red Bulls 0-1 LA Galaxy Instant Analysis

2010-08-14T18:24:00.000-07:00

NY Red Bulls 0-1 LA Galaxy

Was this the most anticipated game in MLS history? Not sure if that is the right way to phrase it, but between LA being in 1st place in the West, NY in 2nd place in the East, Thierry Henry, Juan Pablo Angel, the NY debut of Rafa Marquez, Landon Donovan, MLS leading scorer Edson Buddle, Beckham looking on, Kobe Bryant in attendance, and being played at a great new soccer only stadium with a big crowd, this is the 1st MLS game that I have ever actually wanted to watch. No offense to prior MLS Cups or All-Star games, but this may have been the first 'event' or 'spectacle' in MLS history. Of course 3 years ago 66,000 people watched the epic Red Bulls 5-4 win over LA in Giants Stadium, and 47,000 people watched the 2008 2-2 draw, so this didn't grow out of nothing, but those matches had none of the above except Beckham & Donovan; the additional big names gave this game a greater sense of anticipated spectacle than any MLS game that I can remember.

The irony is that although the game wasn't poor, it did not live up to the 2 aforementioned prior incarnations of this bi-coastal rivalry. Both teams hit the crossbar, and each team carved out a few good scoring chances, but at the end of the day, from a technical perspective, this was a run of the mill MLS game. Still, the names and the spectacle of it are very good for the short & long term growth of soccer in the US.

A few other random observations:

*As good as Thierry Henry & Juan Pablo Angel are, and as good an addition as Rafa Marquez was to come in and play defensive midfielder in front of their pretty good defense, New York looks like a team missing 1 piece. Namely, a creative attacking midfielder that can link between Marquez and the best striking tandem on paper in the history of the league, and give great service to the two forwards. With the MLS transfer window (trading deadline) ending tonight at midnight, don't expect this last piece of the puzzle to be put in place this year. As such, I wouldn't go so far as saying that NY are a cinch to win the East and make it to the MLS final and have a great chance to win the title, but I think that if they address this one seemingly missing piece in the offseason, they would be the massive favorites next year. Even without this they still should make a great run and go far, but I'm not sure they can win it all without better linking play in central midfield. That said, adding the best soccer stadium in the United States, Thierry Henry, and Rafa Marquez- that's 3 pretty damn good puzzle pieces this year, and show that current management has the ambition to finally make the NY MLS franchise into the power that it should be.

* In Juninho, La Galaxy have the exact player that I just described as lacking for New York. I'd never seen him before, and when I saw Juninho on the starting lineup my first thought was that LA had signed Mr. 50/50 (comment #6), then I realized it is a new Juninho who is just a young kid. Great vision & passing, and looks to be a player that could really blossom into something special. I've only seen him once but he seems like a bit of a coup for LA to have signed him from Brasil; he seems talented enough that his logical move would have been to Europe. He's definitely one to watch.

* The new Red Bulls stadium is sweet, and the acoustics are very good, which surely was part of the design. From the camera shots it wasn't quite a sellout but a very good crowd, and it was the 1st MLS game I've watched where enough people were singing loudly that you could easily make out the chants and the words to the chants. Made for much better viewing experience that say a San Jose game, which are played in the Santa Clara University stadium and have a very MLS circa 1997 feel. This is also very good for the league and for US Soccer. A proper big league game atmosphere for a league still climbing the long mountain road to big league status.

*One such easily discernible chant in the first half was NY fans mocking LA's goalie to the tune of La Donna E Mobile: "Ricketts likes little boys, Ricketts likes little boys, Ricketts likes little boys, Ricketts likes little boys..." Not to condone this song, because it's as stupid as the Arsene Wenger pedophile song, but it made me realize that New York & Philly soccer fans will obviously be the first US fans to fully realize the potential of en masse juvenile vitriol soccer songs.Here's hoping that cleverness trumps stupidity going forward.

*From here on out MLS executives will surely be rooting for a NY-LA final, as this would be best for the league in terms of visibility, spectacle, television ratings, and advertising revenue. Reminds me of how the NBA & ABC/ESPN executives always root for a Celtics-Lakers final, or how baseball powers always root for a Yankees-Red Sox ALCS.

*I admittedly don't watch alot of MLS week in and week out; I see highlights on Fox Soccer Report and will watch 10-15 minutes of a game here and there if it catches my interest when I am channel surfing. So if you are hardcore US Soccer/MLS person and you read this and look down your nose at me as a surface level simpleton, then I plead guilty as charged.

3 Things To Watch For As EPL Starts This Weekend

2010-08-13T19:59:00.000-07:00

1. The World Cup Fatigue Factor
Watch for players on teams who played in the World Cup, especially on teams who made a deep run. In most cases these players were given extra time off before reporting to training camp with their clubs, and as such they are both not quite back to being ready for their team and trying to work through and shake off the physical & mental fatigue from the World Cup. For some players, they will not have had more than a month off since June 2009, and it typically manifests itself in two ways: First, such players are brought back into the club fold slowly and/or they start the season slowly. Second, such players often hit a wall towards the end of the season as the long haul fatigue sets in; kind of a long term bonk from playing virtually non-stop over a 22 month span, especially for players who play on teams that make deep runs in multiple competitions (league & cups).

Don't be surprised if, say, Arjen Robben has a less monsterous year than last: playing in and winning both German league and Cup, and losing in Champions League final and World Cup final, he is an example of a player who may yield to fatigue early and/or late in the season.

Two of Arsenal's best players seem to fit in the category, but Arsenal are lucky that upon further review they do and they don't: Robin Van Persie was out injured for several months last year, and Cesc Fabregas was injured for 2 months as well, and on top of that his World Cup playing time was extremely limited. These guys, once they get back into camp and get fully ramped up, should have a better chance of fighting off the long term fatigue than some others.

2. Players Who Missed World Cup And Are Both Fresh And Motivated
The opposite of fatigued, overused players are those who are well rested because they missed the World Cup, and are also pissed that they missed the World Cup and are super motivated and chomping at the bit to get back out on the field and do their thing. Russian captain Andrei Arshavin may be the best player in the world who did not make the World Cup; he is rested, motivated, more than a bit crazy, and definitely a player whose performances vary based on effort & desire- don't be surprised if he has a big season after a quiet one last year.

Hoping for more performances like this from the "little Russian genius" in 2010-11, starting with this Sunday at Anfield

Same thing for the likes of Michael Essien (returning from injury), Michael Ballack (ditto), Samir Nasri (who has been a beast in Arsenal pre-season games), Theo Walcott, Esteban Cambiasso, Alexandre Pato, and Karim Benzema just to name a few.

3. Don't Get Too Excited Early On
The beginning of the season is always stop/start with the interruption of the fall international matches- 3 games then a break, 4 games then a break, etc, etc. Also, many years teams start out the season in unexpected fashion, most often a promoted team or perennial bottom dweller getting off to a hot start and being in the top 5 of the table. But don't get too excited and start talking trash or believing that they can carry their early form through the full 38 game season. The underdog overachievers typically fall back to earth for 2 reasons: lack of squad depth/quality vis a vis the bigger better teams which over the long haul triggers a regression to the mean, and in the case of promoted teams, it taking a while for the other teams to learn their new opponent and then how to beat that opponent (think of a pitcher who gets called up to MLB and does great the first time he faces teams, but then struggles the 2nd, 3rd, 4th time he plays teams as scouting and adjustments kick in). Less frequent but still applicable is the opposite- when a big club struggles and find themselves firmly in the bottom half of the table after a handful of games. In both cases, usually by the second half of the season they have worked their way back to where most expected they would be, with the big boys back at the top and the heart warming minnows fighting to avoid relegation.

A good measure is not to get too excited or make too many conclusions about teams until 10 league games have been played. Then start talking trash or thinking 'uh, oh' this could really be an outlier/anomaly year (Liverpool 2009-2010). Until 10 games have been played don't believe the "What's Wrong With ManU?" or "Blackpool Will Challenge For A Place In Europe!!!" stories in mid-September.

Here is the TV schedule for this weekend's games. Enjoy.

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Feel Good Friday: Off I Go

2010-08-13T15:30:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the radio silence; this week was beyond busy. I quit my job, and yesterday was my last day. Nope, I don't have another job lined up; work had just deteriorated to the point that I would rather be unemployed than continue to work there. After a couple weeks of detoxing I'll explore my options and begin the next hustle.

What does this mean for this place? It may mean more content and more often, since starting today my primary occupation is now: BLOGGER, but no guarantees. I'm hoping that starting next week I can actually put up content every day and get more than 10% of my ideas published.

In the spirit of setting off on new journeys, today's Feel Good Friday is "Off I Go" by Greg Laswell. Pretty much sums up where I'm at right now. Enjoy, and have a great weekend.

Loose ends, they tangle down
And then take flight
But never tie me down
Never tie me down.

Off I go.
Where I fall
Is where I land.

3-0 Down, 6-5 Up: Why Arsenal Need Another CB & A Proper Keeper

2010-08-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

Here's the Arsenal 6-5 Legia Warsaw goal-fest yesterday (while it lasts) in the battle of bad defenses & worse goalkeepers.

Legia Warsaw-Arsenal: our goals go to 11.

--> Why Fabianski was playing (and why he won't be any longer).

--> Intentional or not, Wenger's reaction to Fabianski's latest schoolboy howler (2nd goal) is pretty hilarious.

--> It'll be fun & new & weird to see headed Arsenal goals this year (Chamakh).

--> Without a quality keeper and another quality centreback, Arsenal will score tons of goals this year, concede tons of goal this year, and finish 3rd or 4th.

--> With a proper keeper and another quality centreback, this team *could* win the league. Not that they will, but they could. Without them, they simply cannot.

--> Either way, they'll be super fun to watch for neutrals.

Denver Post Sensationally Claim Georgia Fans Hacked Colorado's Ticketing System

2010-08-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure that "hacked" and "fraudulent" don't quite mean what the Denver Post thinks they mean. If the side door to your place of business is wide open and ~~someone~~ a paying customer walks in, that does not make it breaking & entering simply because you did not want them to use that door(and failed to either post notice or secure the door).

Colorado is starting to learn what Arizona State learned 2 years ago: we're coming, in big numbers, and we are getting tickets to your game by any means possible. Embrace it or resist it, but that's what's happening.

Feel Good Friday: Planet Earth For Stoners

2010-08-06T12:47:00.000-07:00

I was recently hipped to dub artist Liquid Stranger, who I must say is a pretty damn great if you're into dub/chill/downtempo music. One of my early favorites is Deep Down Below, both for the tune and the incredibly trippy and mesmerizing underwater video.

Planet Earth for stoners

I'm not a stoner, but damn watching this sober makes even me feel like buying and smoking an entire quarter sack, putting this video on repeat on the 50" plasma, sitting on the couch, and watching it for 6 hours straight.

Anyhow, enjoy, and have a great weekend.

What Is The Opposite Of Breaking News?

2010-08-06T12:33:00.000-07:00

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas is officially staying at Arsenal.

Of course he was never leaving, as was made abundantly clear back on June 2nd. But that doesn't sell papers, generate web hits, or help you try to win a club presidential election all summer during the offseason now, does it?

I've always liked Barcelona. A lot. I watch most of their games, I've been to Camp Nou to see them play, and it might not be false to say they are my 2nd favorite team. That said, I lost alot of respect for their management and some of their players this spring & summer with their overt tapping up and failure to get through their heads that Arsenal were not selling or negotiating Cesc. They arrogantly thought they could get him without paying anything near market value, when 1) they didn't have the money and 2) he wasn't even for sale. The alleged ivory purity of "Mes que un club" took a bit of a hit, that's for sure.

Champions League Playoff Round Set

2010-08-06T12:18:00.000-07:00

The draw took place this morning and the teams are set for the Champions League playoff round, or rather the play-in round.

These teams will play a home & home two-legged playoff, with the winner advancing to the Champions League proper, aka the Group Stage, where 32 teams will be split into 8 groups of 4 and play round robin home & away with the top 2 advancing to the Knockout Stage in the spring, culminating in the final at Wembley in London in May 28, 2011.

Here's the draw:

Salzburg (Austria) v Hapoel Tel Aviv (Israel)

Rosenborg Trondheim (Norway) v FC Copenhagen (Denmark)

Basel (Switzerland) v Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova)

Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) v Zilina (Slovakia)

Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) v Anderlecht (Belgium)

Young Boys (Switzerland) v Tottenham Hotspur (England)*

Braga (Portugal) v Sevilla (Spain)

Werder Bremen (Germany) v Sampdoria (Italy)

Zenit St Petersburg (Russia) v Auxerre (France)

Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) v Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Matches will be played August 17/18 and August 24/25, and the Champions League Group Stage draw will be made on Friday, August 26.

*Too many jokes about Spurs and Young Boys. Too easy. Refraining. Insert your own as needed.

University Of Georgia AV Chickens Come Home to Roost

2010-08-03T14:23:00.000-07:00

In 1998 Virginia Tech was 5-0 and thinking National Championship when they inexplicably lost at home to Temple as 35 point favorites after leading 17-0 at the half. Afterwards Va Tech defensive end Corey Moore famously said, "we're the laughingstock of college football right now, and deservedly so."

Well today it is us Georgia Bulldogs who are the deserved laughingstock. Damn. Just, damn.

1. This is what happens when your allegedly great school turns out Junior High School AV Club quality 30 second commercials that are played during NCAA football games year after year after year. Clearly a case of chickens coming home to roost.

2. Holy shit, perhaps I was a bit off in my analysis of The Princeton Review on-site reviewers. What if they named UGA the #1 party school based on this video?

3. It just got a hell of a lot harder to ever make fun of Georgia Tech. Granted, they massively outweigh us in the quantity department, but in the quality department this is up there with anything they have done, if not worse.

4. These orientation leaders make my orientation leaders from summer of 1992 look like the Hells Angels. I'm just glad these were not my orientation leaders back then, or I may well have immediately withdrawn and gone to another school.

This makes the cast of "Glee" look like Genghis Khan & his army

Let's be clear: this is NOT International Bad Line stuff. This is a boat that sinks just west of the 180 degree latitude marker and will rest there for all eternity- as bad as bad can get without becoming IBL bad--->good.

Anyone embarrassed by the recent #1 party school in America designation needs to seriously check themselves- this is the most embarrassing thing to happen to UGA since the Jan Kemp affair.

(h/t to Orson Swindle for bringing this to my attention)

EXCLUSIVE: Bobby Johnson's Last Day At Vanderbilt

2010-08-02T20:53:00.000-07:00

I know this is a little old, but I've been fully immersed in the World Cup, totally off the grid, or extremely sick for the last six weeks. As such I missed out on the unexpected retirement of beloved Vanderbilt Commodore head coach ~~Navin R.~~ Bobby Johnson a couple of weeks ago.

image courtesy of wikimedia.org

Per his Wikipedia page:

Retirement

On July 14, 2010, Johnson announced his retirement from coaching.^[5] Citing it as a "personal decision", the decision was a surprise to the program and the media as it occurred less than two months away from the 2010-11 season. In explaining his decision, he stated: "Football is not life, but it's a way of life and it consumes your life. You only have so many years to live, and you want to see a different way."

I'm so sad to see him go, but at the same time I totally respect his perspective and attitude: very refreshing in a field where most men never leave a life where they are chewed up & spit out over and over again, and where the stress of the job often matches or even exceeds the great pay.

Well I can exclusively share with you video footage that was sent to me showing Coach Johnson's final day in the office, where he explains that he simply doesn't need all the stuff that became part of his coaching life anymore; all he needs is to simplify his life to be more spiritually whole and happy. Enjoy.

The only good thing about his departure, for Vandy players & staff anyways, is they can once again curse to their hearts content without having to put a dollar bill in a jar for each potty-mouthed offense. Best of luck coach Johnson; you are loved and will be missed.

Princeton Review Crowns UGA Party Champions. Don't Be Fooled; They Likely Have More Street Cred Than Playboy

2010-08-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

So UGA finally broke through to become the #1 party school in America, a ranking almost as subjective as the BCS. Surely the difference between the #1 party school in America and the #30 party school in America is pretty damn small; hell any of the top 50 or 100 could likely be re-arranged in any manner by a random number generator and no-one could really argue with it. These rankings seem kind of like the special olympics ribbon or the "My child is student of the month at Kennedy Elementary" bumper stickers- everybody gets one eventually if you are a regular participator who does fairly well.

Party school rankings: kind of like this

But forget all that, because the whole thing is rather boring and meaningless. What did interest me is that this is the Princeton Review Party School ranking, which got me thinking:

1. "Wait, someone else ranks this besides Playboy magazine?"

2. "WTF is THE PRINCETON REVIEW doing ranking epic partying? Isn't that like PETA ranking the best dog tracks in America?"

3. "I bet Princeton Review and Playboy use different methodologies to determine their top party schools..."

#3 initially made me think that UGA had just won the equivalent of the NIT basketball championship or the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, but then I had a realization:

I bet the Princeton Review on-site reviewers are much more hardcore than the Playboy ones. Follow me...

The entire ethos of Playboy is party all the time & inhibition, so for the Playboy on-site reviewers this is all day, every day. Fun but more of the same: drunkenness, nakedness, hijinks, etc. Yawn. Pass the butter.

However, if you work at the Princeton Review, then there is only one chance in the entire span of your employment there to escape the stuffy boredom of academia, and that is if you are selected to be an annual party school ranking on-site reviewer. Give these people an expense account and a 'what happens after dark stays a secret' mentality, then send them into the bellies of the largest collegiate bacchanalia beasts in the country, and something tells me that they binge on sex, drugs, and rock & roll like it's their last week on Earth, and in such a manner that would put even the Playboy reviewers to shame. Think of the "one time, at band camp..." girl but on a much larger scale.

So if you are disappointed that UGA has only achieved the party school championship as determined by boring nerds, turn that frown upside down: this ranking may well hold more weight & insane party cred than the one by vanilla Playboy. Boast to your friends or cringe as necessary.

Also, if someone wanted to make a poll that was actually interesting, they should make one that is 50% party (party school ranking) and 50% academic quality (average SAT score, Rhodes, etc) and do a combination. Neither the academic rankings nor the party rankings are very interesting, but the hybrid one showing which schools party the most yet are still academically legitimate would be a very interesting one, and a poll that would generate much more respect from people. It would be much better to boast about partying down while also taking care of business in the classroom than just partying down or being academically superior.

This could actually be done by anyone with enough free time (read: not me), and I suspect that UGA would fare pretty well, top 20 or maybe even top 10, but the winner might be a school like Michigan.

Feel Good Friday: Crowded House Reggae Remix

2010-07-30T18:06:00.000-07:00

For reasons I cannot clearly or concisely explain, this reggae remix of Crowded House's 80s hit "Don't Dream It's Over" was randomly happened across today by my coworker and became a massive and long-lasting hit in the office.

"Hey mon, heeeeey mon, don't dream it's over..."

Reminds me of driving around in Hawaii, as damn near every channel plays reggae or lite rock hits from yesteryear remixed as reggae. There are certainly worse things to me reminded of by a song that cruising down the road in Hawaii with the top down, your sweetie by your side, and a coconut water in your hand.

Anyhow, there it is. I think this song actually crosses the International Bad Line: it is so bad, that it actually rules. Have a great weekend.

El Diego Goes Gentle Into That Good Night

2010-07-30T17:47:00.000-07:00

Diego Maradona was not retained as manager of Argentina's national football team this week, so when he called a presser (at the Ezeiza Holiday Inn of all places), I was looking forward to a truly epic parting shot. After all, this is the man who, among other things, told all of his doubters in Argentina to "Suck it. And keep on sucking" when Argentina qualified for World Cup 2010, and who then ran over a cameraman's leg and then told said cameraman he was an asshole for putting his leg under El Diego's car.

So when he calmly read a prepared statement where he said that the men who run Argentine football lied to him and betrayed him, then calmly left without taking questions, you can imagine my disappointment. Admittedly the bar has been set ridiculously high, but this was going out with a whimper for the one and only El Diego.

His legacy and tenure will be debated for years to come, but for me his legacy will be that at age 49 he still seemed like one of the first people in the world to learn how to bend the infamous Jabulani ball, and perhaps even gave the cheat code to the players at the World Cup who were clearly baffled by it in the first week of the competition.

49 year old shows the young bucks how Jabulani is tamed

One thing is for sure: the international soccer scene just got a hell of a lot less interesting and fun. Long live El Diego the insane genius manager.

Colorado Ticket Update, Current Options, Analysis

2010-07-30T11:10:00.001-07:00

One way or another, I'll be up in here on Oct 2.
(photo courtesy of folsomfield.com)

UPDATE
I called the Colorado ticket office today and confirmed a few things that will be of interest to any Dawgs going to Boulder in 9 weeks time:

1. Single game tickets do indeed go on sale August 2

2. CU has reversed course and now single game tickets will *not* be made available to the Georgia game (annoying considering how reasonably priced they were going to be)

3. Group ticket sales will *not* be available for the Georgia game

4. The only way to purchase a CU-UGA ticket from the CU athletic department is by ordering a full season ticket or a "3PACK"

What is a 3PACK?

While not advertised in any way on their website, the CU ticket office is offering a 'promotion' called the 3PACK, which will allow anyone to purchase a ticket to 3 games: Hawaii, Georgia, and Kansas State. Endzone 3PACK tickets start at $130 and go up (considerably) from there. To view and/or purchase these tickets, go to this page and enter 3PACK in the promotional code field, and then click on "National Championship Pack"

OPTIONS
Here are the currently known ways to get CU-UGA tickets:

1. UGA Athletic Department. The cutoff score was 38,500, which means two things: 1) Colorado didn't give UGA that many tickets and b) only those whose lifetime UGA contributor status is "baller" will be getting tickets from UGA. If you are not one of them, or don't know one of them, I am guessing that more than a few people bought them who are not going, and that there will be a small secondary market for these on the UGA message boards.

2. Colorado Athletic Department 3PACK(Hawaii, Georgia, Kansas State). End zone tickets are $130, while "best available" are currently sideline tickets that run $291 each

3. StubHub.com Their page for Colorado-Georgia currently shows tickets ranging from $106 to $495

4. Bring Cash to Boulder. Below is a seating chart for Colorado home games at Folsom Field. The red sections (2, 3, 101, 102) are labeled "visitors", so this is what CU has given to UGA and where the bulk of UGA fans as well as the band will be sitting. Use this knowledge accordingly in your ticket acquisition hustle.

Additionally, CU has a sweet interactive seating chart which shows you what your view of the game will be (just click on any section of the map to see your view). This is very helpful; spend a few minutes looking at different places around the stadium, which should then inform your seat desirability/willingness to pay matrix as you work on getting your tickets.

ANALYSIS
The 3PACK is pretty overpriced, and should be used only by people with a conservative bent towards the 'secondary' ticket market or those in groups greater than 4 who place sitting together with their friends as a higher priority than cost. In my humble opinion the Hawaii and Kansas State games are very weak and don't have much if any resale value

StubHub is similarly overpriced, although this is almost always the case this far out from a game. Worth bookmarking the page and checking back between now and the game. At current prices for endzone seats ($125 plus stubhub fees), it would be smarter to just get the 3 pack for $130 and then hope to get a little of your money back on the others by selling them at a massive discount on Craigslist or team message/ticket boards.

I think in this case option 4 may well be the best bet, and waiting and playing chicken is probably the way to go at the moment. Worst case scenario is that it is indeed a hot ticket and you end up paying $100-150 per ticket in Boulder the day of the game or day before, but even if you do that is equal to the current options for crappy seats, and I think the odds of this scenario coming to pass are less than 20%.

Frankly, Colorado have been a poor team the past few years and there is no reason to believe that they won't be poor again this year. They have 3 games before we arrive in Boulder: v. Colorado State, @ Cal, v. Hawaii. On paper they beat Hawaii and lose at Cal, and 2 of the last 4 years they have lost to in-state rival Colorado State, so they may well be 2-1 or even 1-2 come October 2. Either of these scenarios should ease the ticket market, especially if they are 1-2: after the crap seasons they've had recently, there's a decent chance their fans will already start to give up on the season and the ticket prices will drop considerably. If you went to Arizona State in 2008 then you know how a hot ticket can lose literally all of its value- an unexpected ASU home loss to UNLV made our extras *literally* worthless. I understand that CU fans are far less fairweather than ASU fans, but you get my point.

Additionally, there is no reason to assume that Georgia will roll into Boulder undefeated at 4-0 and/or even ranked, especially with a freshman quarterback and the fact that we were pretty crap ourselves last year. It is well within the realm of possibility that we lose to South Carolina or Arkansas or at Mississippi State, or more than one of those, taking further shine off the game and thus ticket demand and prices.

This makes me feel that waiting it out at least until the first 2 weeks of the season have been played is the wise move here. Anyhow, agree or not, this is the current situation and these are your options.

See you in Boulder in 9 weeks.

Our last conquest: Arizona State 2008.

Antibiotics To The Rescue

2010-07-29T19:57:00.000-07:00

I'm just about back to the land of the living, and I can only say that sinus infections ain't no joke.

Normal service *should* resume tomorrow, although lots of life events may conspire in an attempt to prevent that from happening. However, I am confident that I can overcome these and deliver some more mediocre content to the few dozen people who come here to be entertained or waste time while at the office.

Again, apologies.

Feel Good Friday: No More Trouble

2010-07-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the lack of posting this week; I've been recovering from crazy travel adventures and also sick pretty much all week. Hopefully a weekend of rest and normal service can resume on Monday.

I leave you with Bob Marley & The Wailers live from Oakland Auditorium in 1979, performing War/No More Trouble, the latter of which sums up how my body is feeling today.

Take care, have a great weekend.

Thierry Henry Makes MLS Debut Tonight. Against Spurs. Think He'll Be Up For It?

2010-07-22T11:12:00.000-07:00

So the New York Red Bulls did sign Thierry Henry after all, as I reported here three weeks ago, back when it was the worst kept secret in soccer. Tonight he makes his MLS debut in an exhibition match against a little outfit called Tottenham Hotspur (5pm PST, Fox Soccer Channel). You think TH14 will be up for it?

Henry scored 226 goals for Arsenal, but always lists this one as his favorite.

Here is what he said last week about his first match in the US:

"I won't even mention the name of the team that we are going to play
on the 22nd. That's how big a rivalry is it for me."

This is a treat for US viewers, because the opponent pretty much guarantees that we'll see all out effort from TH14 rather than the usual exhibition match going through the motions routine. After all, we are talking about a man who has this picture on his wall at home...

"Whenever I look at the picture I always see new faces." -TH14

...and says he looks at it often and that it is one of his favorite pictures.

He may be 32 and a bit over the hill for a full season in the EPL or La Liga at the top, top level, but make no mistake- Thierry Henry will do very well in MLS and score lots & lots of goals; as it is he is probably the best player in the league right now. And he will play tonight like it is a cup final; this is a mercurial, Gallic player who is heavily influenced by emotions and mood- he can range from giving 100% for 90 minutes to sulking his way right out of a game if things are not to his liking. So don't be surprised if he scores a goal or two against Spurs tonight (which would suit me just fine).

Coming In From The Cold

2010-07-18T18:33:00.001-07:00

Forget premier, medallion, and all of that- my travel status is BALLER.

At Dulles. Back on the grid for the 1st time in 8 days; for Sprint the state of New Hampshire apparently ends at Concord. Will be home tonight/tomorrow, and regular service should resume shortly thereafter. Thanks & sorry.

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Netherlands-Spain World Cup Final. What To Watch For. Like All Spain Matches, It's All About Who Scores First

2010-07-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

Unless this is your first time to this site, then you already know what the key to this game is. Like any game involving this Spain team, the key to the game is which team scores first. Given their superior possession game, if Spain score first I don't think they will lose to Netherlands or Brasil or anyone else. On the other hand, if Holland score first, then Spain will be in significant trouble. Remember that their only 2 losses in the last 3 years were to USA and Switzerland, and in both matches the opponent scores first and went on to win. Given that Holland are significantly more dangerous and talented than Switzerland or the USA, if they score first they have an excellent chance to lift the World Cup. If Spain score first, I think they will win the World Cup.

We've also been over this many times, but given that I picked Spain to win World Cup 2006, picked Spain to win Euro 2008, and picked Spain to win this World Cup, I was on the bandwagon before it was built. In fact, much like Mike Mulligan & His Steam Shovel, the bandwagon was built around me like the new town hall was built around them. As such, there is no backing down now, and the pick is Spain.

I ran the numbers on the world cup pool I'm currently leading- if Spain win I net $465, while if Holland win I'm guaranteed 2nd place which will net me $93. Pretty good either way for the $20 buy in, but obviously Spain is also the pick of my wallet.

Enjoy the match, for tomorrow there is no more world class soccer until the Premier League starts up on Saturday August 15 (Liverpool-Arsenal 1st day fixture!).

Vamos Espana!

Carlo's Corner: Netherlands-Holland World Cup Final Preview

2010-07-11T09:03:00.000-07:00

Friend of the show Carlo returns to preview the World Cup final. Enjoy. -Kanu

As many others have stated, this final features the two nations with the proudest footballing histories to have never won the World Cup. These teams also share the distinction of being arguably the two most dominant teams of the past 18 months, with neither having dropped a single point during World Cup qualifying.

Holland has continued its winning ways in the World Cup and is looking to achieve a perfect record in the tournament. Spain suffered an early setback, losing its first match 1-0 to Switzerland, but has since gone on to win all of its fixtures.

Throughout the tournament, Bert van Marwijk's side has looked to maintain possession while slowly working the ball towards its attacking players. In this match, the Dutch will likely find themselves in the strange position of not having the lion's share of possession. If the Spanish begin to dominate possession, as they have against every team they have played for the past couple years, van Marwijk will be faced with an interesting tactical dilemma. With the exception of Chile, every team the Spanish have faced has elected to put 8,9, or 10 men behind the ball and defend deeply, while hoping to strike on the counter. While this strategy worked for Switzerland, it has failed for the rest of Spain's opponents, with all three of its knockout round foes failing to score a single goal. If Spain dominates possession, will van Marwijk instruct his players to sit back and defend and play on the counter, or will he have them defend higher up the field in an effort to gain control of the midfield? The Dutch haven't shown themselves to be a counter-attacking side thus far, but if they lose the central midfield battle, they may feel as though there only option is to play in this manner.

With question marks still surrounding the Dutch central defense, the pressure will be on defensive midfielders Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong to provide as much cover as possible for the Dutch defense. In addition, at least two of HOlland's four attack-minded players will be asked to do a lot of defending, with the tournament's co-leading scorer Wesley Sneijder dropping deeper to help van Bommel and de Jong in midfield, and winger Dirk Kuyt tracking Sergio Ramos whenever he makes forward runs from his right back position.

When the Dutch do have the ball, expect them to look to find Arjen Robben. His matchup against Spanish left back Joan Capdevila may be the only area where Holland has a distinct advantage. Capdevila doesn't have the pace to keep up with Robben, so Spain may have one of its midfielders double team Robben whenever he is in possession.

Overall, it's hard to see Spain losing this match. Although the Dutch attacking players have the quality to trouble the Spanish defense, because of Spain's ability to control the game with their passing and movement, opportunities to get at Spain's defense may be few and far between. While Holland's defense has performed much better than expected, it may be asking too much to expect them to keep Spain at bay for the entire match.

Uruguay-Germany Preview: Motivation May Trump Talent

2010-07-10T10:04:00.000-07:00

The key to this game, like most 3rd place games, is motivation, as by nature the consolation game is anticlimactic for any team that just a few days ago knew that they were 90 minutes from the final and 180 minutes from being world champions. Germany have been to the semifinals 12 times in the last 15 world cups, so this may be a bit of old hat for them and I'm not sure how much they will be up for it. Uruguay on the other hand seem to be really motivated to finish 3rd. After the loss to Netherlands, when asked whether this World Cup has been a success for Uruguay, their coach said something to the effect of* "it depends on the 3rd place game. For us, there is a big difference between 3rd or 4th." As such, don't be surprised if Uruguay seem to want it a little more and play with a bith more intensity, while perhaps Germany will struggle a bit to mentally get themselves out of going through the motions to playing with pride and intensity. After all, 3rd place in the World Cup for Germany, 3 time winners, 4 times runners-up, and 12 time semifinalists, isn't as big a deal to them as it would be for Uruguay (winners in 1930 and 1950, and semifinalists in 1970, but since then they have not done much of anything).

Motivation aside, this is a great match to watch, as each team returns to full strength after really struggling with the absence of a key offensive weapon in their respective semifinal losses. Luis Suarez returns for Uruguay, which fully restores them to a two-headed monster up front, while Thomas Muller returns for Germany. While not as noticed as Suarez for his importance to the team, Muller had a hand in more than half of Germany's record high goals in this World Cup, scoring or assisting on 7 of their 13 goals.

Tactically this is also a great matchup, as Uruguay are a solid defensive team who are well organized and difficult to break down, and their primary objective is to keep a clean sheet by using their defense & midfield to stifle their opponents, then relying on superscorers Forlan & Suarez to get them goals- these two have scored all but two of Uruguay's goals at this World Cup. Germany on the other hand like to play offensive attacking soccer, either outright or on the counterattack, so this has the potential to be a wonderful spectacle for the neutrals, especially if an early goal or two opens up the game.

On paper, I think Germany's offense with Muller back would be too much for even Uruguay's defense, and they would be the pick to win. If you're more into intangibles, I think this game means much more to Uruguay and they will play with more intensity than Germany, who may have a hard time getting out of going through the motions mode.

For that reason, there is no pick, as it is too close to call. Rather, I'll just try to enjoy what could be a great game to watch**.

*as I am off the grid and don't have the ability to google the quote I saw last week an get it exact, I am paraphrasing here.

**I will be enjoying this match in a week when I return home and catch a replay, so there will not be any instant analysis match report today.

If Spain Win Sunday, Where Would They Rank?

2010-07-09T04:18:00.000-07:00

By no means am I putting the cart before the horse, but 4 years ago before the final we had an interesting discussion here along the same lines. Namely, we pondered that *if* Zidane led France to victory in the 2006 World Cup, where would he rank among the all time greatest players? Obviously that did not come to pass, but it was quite an interesting discussion.

So *if* Spain win Sunday, they would be reigning European & World Champions, and would have only lost 2 of their last 60 or so competitive matches, while becoming the first team ever to lose their opening World Cup match and go on to win the tournament. Where would you put them among the all time great teams?

Off the top of my head, the all time great teams include(not necessarily in order but as a group):

Hungary 1950-1954 (sorry Netherlands, this is the best team to never win World Cup)
Uruguay 1924-1930
Brasil 1958-1962
West Germany 1972-1974
Brasil 1970
Netherlands 1970-1978
France 1998-2001

Brasil 70 has taken on a life force of it's own with regard to best team ever discussions, but these other teams all had sustained success over multiple tournaments/extended time periods, not just one (of course Brasil 70 can be viewed as the culmination of Brasil 1958-70, so no problem there). I am probably forgetting a couple, as I'm sitting in Cleveland airport at 7am after a no sleep redeye, but these are the main ones that come to mind.

Where would you put Spain? In this group? For me they would join this group. Beyond that, how would you rank these teams, or how would you group them into different echelons?

NASA Tests Jabulani, And Confirm What We Already Know

2010-07-09T04:11:00.000-07:00

The Jabulani has received so much attention that now scientists at NASA have performed 'scientific' tests on the infamous World Cup 2010 match ball. They found it to be "unpredictable at speeds above 44 mph".

So they basically have just confirmed what we already knew.

(hat tip to Jo Jo The Wine Sherpa)

Apologies

2010-07-08T19:50:00.001-07:00

Flying out of town tonight, had to get about 30 hours of work done in 8 hours, and a bunch of personal stuff as well.

Anyhow, apologies for the radio silence today. I've got some interesting stuff coming tomorrow so have a great night & check back then.

Thanks.

Spain 1-0 Germany. Instant Analysis: Santo Iker- Dos, Espana- Uno, Y Alemania- Cero.

2010-07-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

For me this was the World Cup final. What I mean by that is that as the match started, I thought that Germany and Spain were the two best teams of the three still alive in the tournament, and that whoever won this match would go on to defeat Netherlands in the final.

Spain played their best match of the tournament thusfar and dominated from the beginning, always seeming to be in control and more likely to score. They played solid defense and after 70 minutes their control, calm, possession, and patience were rewarded when Puyol headed in a great cross from the left to make it 1-0 to Spain. And once Spain were up 1-0, you knew that they were in the catbird seat and would most likely win. Which they did.

The key once again was Saint Iker, whose 2 outstanding saves kept the match 0-0. With all the attention being paid to the amazing talent in the outfield, Iker Casillas has quietly been this team's most valuable player by far, and without the best goalkeeper in the world they may very well not have escaped the first round, let alone marched all the way to the final. Here's hoping he gets more credit than the world media has given him thusfar, for he is the #1 reason that Spain will be playing for the championship of the world on Sunday.

For Germany, there is no shame in losing to Spain again, as they did in the Euro 2008 final. In both instances they lost by 1 goal to the best team on the planet, and if Spain go on to win the World Cup on Sunday, to one of the top teams ever(more on where Spain would rank if they do win this world cup either tomorrow or Friday, so save your comments on that for later). Germany are very young, insanely talented, and suddenly play swashbuckling beautiful attacking soccer- their future is very bright and any smart football punter would get down to the betting shop in the next week or month and put a fiver or a hundy on them to win Euro 2012(of course they may likely have to unseat Spain to do so, but those two will most likely be the favorites, while Germany will offer a better value, especially right now). Also, don't forget that they made this great run without their veteran captain Michael Ballack, who I suspect has no intention of quitting international soccer anytime soon. Germany are on the rise.

So Spain v Holland on Sunday at 11.30am PST on ABC*. We are now guaranteed to have a new World Cup champion, as well as the first European team to win the World Cup on foreign soil. After a dreadful first round of group stage matches, it has been a wonderful tournament full of drama, excitement, great soccer, and many many firsts.

Oh, and Paul The Octopus is now 6 for 6 predicting the German matches in this World Cup, and 10-1 overall since he started picking in Euro 2008. Somebody get that squid to Vegas.

As happy as I am that I predicted the final, and that I stand to win over $500 if Spain win on Sunday, make no mistake- the best part is that my wife is happy :)

Ahora, mi bonita es muy feliz.

*3rd place game will be Uruguay v Germany on Saturday at 11.30am PST on ESPN.

Germany-Spain. What To Watch For

2010-07-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

Muller is suspended, Cesc picked up an injury and may not be able to play, but for me this match all comes down to one thing: The team that scores first will win. As I explained in great detail before the quarterfinals, Spain are the hardest team in the world to come from behind against, and if they score first I think they win. On the other hand, if they concede then they are in big trouble, and the odds of them conceding first against Germany are higher than anyone else in the tournament, including Holland. Germany are the tournament highest scoring team with 13 goals, and they have beaten Australia 4-0, England 4-1, and Argentina 4-0, becoming the 1st team ever to score 4 goals in both the round of 16 and the quarterfinals as well as the first team to win both round of 16 and quarterfinal by at least 3 goals.

I can't pick against Spain now. After all:

I picked them to win World Cup 2006
I picked them to win Euro 2008 and beat Germany in the final
I picked them to win this World Cup over Netherlands in the final
I am in 1st place in my World Cup pool and stand to win over $500 if the win the tournament

So I can't pick against them now, as 1) I was on the bandwagon before the bandwagon had wheels and 2) I stand to profit handsomely if they go on to win.

However, if all of the above were not true and I was handicapping this match in a vacuum, I would pick Germany for their performances to date and the fact that they have as good a chance as anyone ever will to score 1st against Spain and take away their greatest strength.

So I'll middle it and simply say: If Spain score first, they will win. If Germany score first, they will win.

Oh, and if it goes to penalties, of course Germany will win.

Paul The Octopus. Most Famous Animal In Germany

2010-07-07T10:01:00.000-07:00

***Update*** Spain 1-0 Germany. Paul is now 6 for 6 in WC2010 and 10-1 overall. Somebody get this squid to Vegas.

If you're American and have had a child in the last 10 years, then you know who Henry The Octopus is. But do you know about Paul The Octopus? Paul is a captive octopus in Germany who has been picking winners of Germany matches since Euro 2008. His overall record since starting in Euro 2008 is 9-1, and he is a perfect 5 for 5 in this World Cup, even correctly predicting their loss to Serbia.

His only "loss"? He predicted Germany to beat Spain in the final of Euro 2008, which as we all know Spain won.

In the last 24 hours the world has noticed that Germany is buzzing with word that Paul has picked Spain to beat Germany today, and due to his track record some are despondent.

However, those rooting for Germany should not despair- Paul could simply be employing what my friend Drew calls the "reverse jinx", and maybe his pick against Germany is strategic considering his only "loss" involved the Euro 2008 final between these two teams, and means that there is some voodoo going on which we cannot understand which in the end will see Germany through to the final.

Netherlands 3-2 Uruguay. Instant Analysis: Healthy Doses of Luck & Precision Send Dutch To World Cup Final

2010-07-06T13:59:00.001-07:00

Netherlands 3-2 Uruguay.

For the first 70 minutes the game was the tight, cagey affair that many expected, myself included. To that point it was essentially a 0-0 draw with 2 outlier thunderbolt goals from distance, one each from respective team captains Giovanni Van Bronkhorst (18th min) and Diego Forlan (41st min).

Most of the world media right now are talking about the 2nd Dutch goal where Robin Van Persie appeared to be slightly offsides and was involved in the goal as he swiped at it and tried to redirect it in. ~~I haven't seen enough replays to convince me that he wasn't even with the defender and therefore onside, and I also think he got the slightest of touches and should be credited with the goal~~. Van Persie was even, not clearly offside, and the goal was lucky(deflection) but legitimate, and no it looks like RVP did not get a touch on it. Either way the goal stood, and a few minutes later Arjen Robben headed in a 3rd to apparently seal the game at 3-1, although that notion was dismissed when Uruguay scored a sweet curling goal in the 92nd minute to make it 3-2 and then had a furious onslaught in the final 100 seconds to try to force extra time, but in the end time ran out on their fairy tale run and Netherlands march on to the final.

But what most of the world missed, including the referee and his linesman, was the actual key to the game that should be controversial talking point #1, for it proved much larger than the non-offsides call on the 2nd Dutch goal. In the buildup to the opening goal by GVB, Mark Van Bommel, as he is wont to do, slyly got away with an incredibly dangerous and dirty 'tackle' that went unnoticed- he raked his cleats over a Uruguay player's knee, studs up, after the ball was long gone.

At an absolute bare minimum this should have been a yellow card, which would have negated the goal and left the game a cagey 0-0 affair. But if noticed, I'd say 6 of 10 referees in the world, including Graham Poll, would have given Van Bommel a straight red card, which would have turned the entire game in a major, major way, as:

1. GVB's wondergoal would never have happened, and it would still be 0-0.
2. Van Bommel would have been sent off, Holland reduced to 10 men for remaining 72 minutes
3. Holland would have prob had to tactically sub to replace their defensive midfielder, likely removing one of their 4 attacking players in the process, further reducing their chances and taking away 1 of 3 subs for 2nd half
4. Even if Holland went on to win, their key defensive midfielder and shield for their Achilles heel defense Van Bommel would have been suspended for the final.

Instead of that, it was 1-0 to Netherlands in the 18th minute and 11v11, and MVB went completely unpunished. The game then played out as it did and Holland went on to win.

You cannot say on the balance of play that they did not deserve to win. And their precision in all 3 goals was remarkable- all three went in off the post. However, that said, luck must also be acknowledged for the significant part it played for them today- the Van Bommel knee raking going unnoticed, the no call on the crucial 2nd goal, as well as the 2nd goal being a ~~double (Sneijder's shot hit not 1 but 2 Uruguay defenders) and possibly even triple deflection (I think RVP also got the slightest of touches on it too)~~ deflection off the defender that went in off the post. So for me equal parts precision and luck have vaulted Holland to the final. I'm not saying they shouldn't have won, and I'm not hating on them- hell they're making me look smarter than I am. I'm just being real, and also pointing out that perhaps the most significant moment of the match went unnoticed by the referee and his crew, and is now going largely unnoticed by the world media.

Other random thoughts:

1. GVB's opening thunderbolt goal from 35 yards out is the goal that Adidas executives were all fantasizing about when they gave birth to this franken-ball. Unfortunately for them it has turned out that 90% of strikes from distance, if not more, have been wildly off target and only a rare few knuckle in the right way to produce jaw-dropping goals.

2. Caceres' goal-saving tackle in the 31st minute in his own box to take an easy goal away from Arjen Robben, 2 minutes after he was given a yellow card for kicking De Zeeuw in the face, was ballsy, perfect, and amazing given the circumstances.

3. Diego Forlan is The Jabulani Tamer. He was the first one to noticeably figure it out, and even though today's dipping power shot from distance looks like it got the slightest of touches from the Dutch defender's head (see replay of goal from angle behind goalkeeper) and the free kick against Ghana was intended to bend into the upper left corner and then instead changed direction and bent the other way into the top right, he is still, given all other evidence from this collection of most talented footballers on the planet, THE JABULANI TAMER.

4. RVP does not lack for confidence, and that 2nd goal today was the least celebrated of his entire career- this can only be because he himself thought that he may very well have been offsides. It was just funny to see him so muted, usually he is jubilant and even boastful after his goals. Of course, maybe he knows he swung & missed, and was trying to convince the referee that he was not "actively involved" in the goal, but I think he may have gotten a tiny little touch that redirected it in off the post. Either way, he has never before and never again will celebrate a goal in such a muted way.

5. Arjen Robben must be given credit for dialing down the playacting, diving, simulation antics that were so over the top against Brasil. Yes he had a few, but I got the feeling that even he must have been embarrassed of his antics when he went back and watched video of the win over Brasil. Whatever the reason, credit to him for dialing it down by about 80%; we can only hope this continues in the final.

6. Europe is now guaranteed to win their 1st ever World Cup on foreign soil. Going into this 2010 World Cup, they were famously 9 for 10 in World Cups held on home soil (with Sweden as runners up to Brasil in 1958), while also going 0 for 8 in World Cups held outside of Europe. No matter what happens from here on out, Europe is now 1 for 9 away from home. And any and all talk as recently as a week & a half ago about how poorly Europe were doing is now laughable. Additionally, for the first time a team from the northern hemisphere will win a world cup held in the southern hemisphere; previously they had been 0 for 4, 0 for 6 if you include the two world cups held in Mexico.

7. At halftime ESPN had sweet crowd reaction shots to the goals from Amsterdam & Montevideo. It would have been even better if they could have shown similar reaction shots in the 2nd half. The reason they didn't is because like every other broadcaster on earth, they are paying for & getting the FIFA feed. They don't control the official game feed, so they couldn't just have their production team in the truck cut to those videos as desired. The only way you'll see such shots tomorrow or in the final is if the official feed sent out to the world by FIFA incorporate it themselves. Not likely.

World Cup Semifinal. Uruguay-Netherlands: What To Watch For

2010-07-06T10:33:00.001-07:00

No matter who wins it will be a good story: Holland getting back to a final, where they were the darlings of both tournaments but in the end lost to the hosts in both 1974(West Germany) & 1978(Argentina), or Uruguay raising the Ghosts of Futbol Past in a return to glory not seen in 60 years (won 1924, 1928 Olympic Gold Medals, won 1930, 1950 World Cups).

First things first, expect a tight game rather than a open, high scoring affair. Uruguay's strength is its collective defending, while Holland's team is really two teams in one: the "back 7"'s main job is to defend, nullify the opponent, and try to keep a clean sheet, while the "front 4" of Van Persie, Robben, Sniejder, and Kuyt constitute the attacking threat and are relied upon to break down the defense with their immense skill. The result should be a tight game where each team creates a handful of chances, and the winner will be determined by who takes their chances better. Don't expect to see a wide open back and forth with overlapping fullbacks bombing up and down the flanks.

If Suarez was available, I would think that the two headed monster of Forlan & Suarez would have a great shot to defeat Holland. With Suarez suspended for the red card given for the 2nd most famous handball of all time (1. Maradona 1986, 3. Henry 2010), the first reaction is that Forlan alone up top, or with an inferior strike partner, means Uruguay are up against it.

On the other hand, Holland's big weakness is their defense, and now they will be without 2 first choice defenders. This instantly gives Uruguay back the chance that Suarez's absence took away. I mean after all, with their first choice defense they conceded this goal to Robinho, which was such poor defending that it resembled something from my Monday night co-ed recreational 8v8 league than the greatest stage in professional soccer.

So if we call these two suspension losses even, then for me the game still tilts in favor of Holland. Why? Three reasons. First, because in Robben, Van Persie, and Sneijder, they have 3 players who can create a goal out of nothing on their own, and who are even more dangerous when they choose to link up and work together (which sometimes they do and sometimes they don't, preferring the stubborn hard-headed Dutch way or trying to do it all themselves).

Second, because while Suarez is getting all the attention, starting left back Fucile is also suspended for Uruguay for yellow card accumulation. He would have been their best chance for trying to stop Robben from terrorizing Uruguay's left flank. Now that responsibility will fall to a bench player. Whether or not he can stop Robben is not certain; what is certain is that there is no way he will be able to stop Robben pathetic antics, acting, and exaggeration, which against Brasil was every bit as bad as a Cristiano Ronaldo greatest hits album.

Third, Holland have a greater ability to bring players off the bench in the last 20 minutes to change the game and make a difference as the starters tire. Primary among among them are talented young winger Elia whose pace on the wing could be crucial in the late stages, as well as Affelay, another young talent who could come on late and provide additional creative passing options from midfield.

Having said that, Uruguay's defense if stout, well-organized, and very difficult to break down. The key will be trying to contain Robben on one wing, while having to deal with Kuyt on the other wing, whose relentless hustle, effort and work rate both creates difficulty for the defense whether Holland or Uruguay are in possession and also helps negate any right fullback getting forward to help out in attack. And even if they shut down the wings, then there is Sniejder & Van Persie to deal with. For me the Dutch should win because of their 3 game-breakers, whereas with Suarez suspended Uruguay only have 1.

Of course, anything can happen, as we have seen throughout the tournament and especially the round of 16.

The pick: Netherlands, although not as confident or certain of the pick as say USA over Algeria, France to lose their last game, Spain against Chile, Portugal, and Paraguay, or even Holland over Brasil. Meaning that if Uruguay scores first and goes on to win, I wouldn't be all that surprised.

Semifinal Schedule Is Set. Going Off The Grid. Happy 4th Of July.

2010-07-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

Here is the remaining World Cup Schedule

SEMIFINALS
Tuesday July 6
11.30am Netherlands v Uruguay. ESPN, Univision.

Wednesday July 7
11.30am Germany v Spain. ESPN, Univision.

2010 WORLD CUP FINAL
Sunday July 11
11.30am
ABC, Univision.

I'm off- Bonita & I are going down to camp near Pinnacles National Monument with family this weekend. As such, I will be off the grid until Monday night. I wish you all a happy and safe holiday weekend.

Happy 4th Of July, y'all. Be safe.

This really should be our next national anthem

USMNT Fuck Yeah!

World Cup 2010: A First Hand Report From The Ground In South Africa

2010-07-03T14:48:00.000-07:00

Enjoying the World Cup but wish you could be there to experience it firsthand? Well I am pleased to present a first hand account of friend of the show Chilltown who just returned from South Africa, lived the dream, and was kind enough to type up some thoughts for us envious soccer fans. Enjoy, and follow Chilltown on twitter @chilltown1491 -Kanu

World Cup 2010: Feel it, It is Here

By Chilltown

The first sights I saw as I descended into Johannesburg are the slag hills. The massive monuments to a not too distant time when this city found its reason for existence in the rich seams beneath its surface. This fitting introduction represents the first act of South Africa, the resources that were its blessing and its curse. But my trip here is evidence that the curtain has fallen on that act: despite unbelievable setbacks, the country is well into its second act on the world stage. The World Cup is both a graduation present and a final exam for the standard-bearer of a continent. How would the country fare?

The first sight I saw as I walked bleary-eyed through passport control in the Johannesburg airport is a massive soccer ball, suspended from the ceiling of the terminal. It was my first hint that the country has caught World Cup fever. The enthusiasm is palpable, from the airport staff wearing Bafana Bafana jerseys to the murals painted on every wall. This theme repeated itself throughout my trip from Johannesburg to Durban to Cape Town: country flags on cars and trees and lampposts, flight attendants with World Cup pins, talk of soccer on everyone’s lips. The single-minded focus of the country was inspiring and reassuring. No one understands the importance of a successful World Cup more than South Africans.

* * * * *

The World Cup experience is not simply formed by 22 players on a field. What we see, hear, and feel around sporting events is often just as important as the game itself in shaping how we think of the game. The best example of this principle in action at World Cup 2010 was, of course, the vuvuzela. The vuvuzela, that much-maligned plastic representation of capitalism at work, may become the lasting symbol of the 2010 World Cup. Those horns acted as an emotional amplifier, whether blown in anticipation of the match, hooted in anger at a bad decision, or joyously sounded after a goal. Those subtleties are lost on television, where viewers simply hear a background buzzing, annoying as it is constant. But in person, the vuvuzela, whatever its origins, is the stamp of South African feeling upon the world game of soccer.

The atmosphere around the games was unlike anything I had ever seen. In Durban, we ate lunch on a terrace overlooking a boardwalk next to the Indian Ocean as all around us, Brazilian and Portuguese fans caroused and sang and blew their vuvuzelas. A group of Zulu drummers appeared and were quickly joined by joyous Brazilians, improvising on their vuvuzelas. The whole scene was infused with an indescribable air of feeling, somehow different from the anticipation before a playoff game or even the rowdiness of a college football tailgate.

The stadiums, too, were modern and fantastic. The one in Durban could stand up to any in the United States. Transportation was efficient and the aspect of everyone involved in the games was cheerful and helpful. The matches themselves were a smashing success for South Africa, well-run and suffused with joy.

That is not to say that the country is without its serious problems. As we drove back from the USA-Algeria game through the Mid Rand between Pretoria and Johannesburg, we could not help but see the masses of men wandering the roads in the cold dark. We saw them huddled around their trashcan-fires for warmth; the joy of the stadium seemed a lifetime away. As our car sped along the upraised motorway, I looked out and saw across the plain hundreds of these fires, the watchfires of some destitute army owed decades of back pay, the losers of a battle they never fought, let alone had a chance to win. The problems of crushing unemployment and poverty and lack of opportunities for so many of its citizens can never be touched by a month-long sporting event, no matter how grand and global.

Despite these problems, everyone I spoke to in South Africa had an amazingly positive outlook. They spoke of how the tournament had united the country in ways previously deemed impossible. Of course, they wondered how long this harmony would last after July 11^th, but that question looks much more promising than it did even five years ago.

* * * * *

SABC, the national broadcaster of South Africa, punctuated their coverage of the 2010 World Cup with the slogan “feel it. It is here.” For most of the trip, I puzzled over this choice. Feel it? How could you not? It is here? Of course it is!

By the end, however, I had come to realize that these five words, as well as five words possibly can, encapsulated South Africa’s World Cup. The amazing emotion, the feeling injected into this World Cup by the people of South Africa defined the experience and helped to make it unforgettable. For a country only a generation removed from the horrors of apartheid, the 2010 World Cup finally coming off is an incredible achievement.

Feel it. It is here.

Against all odds, with the eyes of the world and the hopes of a continent upon it, South Africa has in almost all respects been an incredible host. The deeper problems that must be tackled in the longer term still persist, but right now the future of South Africa looks as bright as the gold and stones that first brought the country onto the world stage.

Spain 1-0 Paraguay. Instant Reactions.

2010-07-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

Quickly, as I'm off for the weekend...

1. Yesterday afternoon I didn't think there was any way that the remaining 6 matches could match Uruguay-Ghana for excitement. I was wrong. My goodness.

2. Win, lose, or draw from here on out, the nation of Spain seriously need to declare Iker Casillas a national treasure like Brasil did with Pele, and economic crisis and oceans of debt be damned, they need to set him up with a ridiculously massive pension for the rest of his life. And whatever they pay him for this, it will not be enough. Make no mistake- Saint Iker is most definitely Spain's player of the tournament thusfar, they would not have made it out of the group stage without him. He also should be in the player of the tournament discussion along with Sneijder, Klose, and Villa. I am dead serious about all of this.

3. As I detailed before the game, it became pretty clear that whoever scored 1st would win this match. Iker's save of Cardozo's penalty was more massive than it will ever be given credit for. Cardozo is 6 days removed from scoring the deciding penalty to knock out Japan, and after the game today he was crying and inconsolable. I feel for him in the same way I feel for Gyan, but not as bad, because his penalty was saved by Iker whereas Gyan's hit the bar and was literally the last kick of the match and carried the hopes and dreams of 1 billion people.

4. Some Spain players, led by Pique and Cesc Fabregas, went over to console and hug Cardozo. CLASS.

5. The ever increasing soccer interest in the USA was not hurt today by this epic match being broadcast on ABC. More casual American sports fans were relieved of the inane notions that a) soccer is boring b) soccer is a sissy sport played by fairy boys, whereas American football is a tough game played by manly men (see- Sergio Ramos getting kicked in the face).

6. Your final four is Uruguay, Holland, Germany, Spain. All of the people talking about what a crappy World Cup Europe was having last week were very much mistaken, as I told you at the time.

7. Still a 50% chance we get an 8th member of the World Cup winners club, and if Spain beat Germany and Holland beat Uruguay, this will be guaranteed.

8. If you've been around here for more than 5 minutes, then you know that my focus is on the future and trying to make educated guesses as to what will happen and why. Well of all the predictions I have ever made, I am more confident in this than anything else, ever: There will be video replay at the 2014 World Cup in Brasil. Forget "the love of the game". It has been so bad, so controversial, and so visible, that FIFA will be forced to act not for the good of the game, but for the only thing they care about: cash. Not correcting this problem after this World Cup will put them in a position of weakness when negotiating the next TV and advertising contracts, and that is simply not acceptable. If they introduce video review, whatever form it may take, they will be in a position of strength when they negotiate the future multi-billion contracts, and that is why it will come to pass.

1-0, 2-1 Wins Do Not Show Spain Is Underachieving. Rather, They Show Spain's Strength

2010-07-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

Do not be fooled by a common misconception floating around about Spain: that 1-0, 2-1 wins prove that they have been underwhelming and they are not at their best. As the best team in the world and the European 2008 Champions, who have only lost 2 of their last 50+ games over the last 2.5 years, the expectation now seems to be that they dominate opponents who are perceived as weaker than them. As a result, when they beat Chile 2-1 and then beat Portugal 1-0, the lazy analysis is they Spain are underwhelming.

But this view completely misses the point. 1-0, 2-1 games show Spain's biggest strength: if they score first, they do not need to score again. It helps of course, but follow me for a minute. Spain are the best team in the world at keeping possession and controlling the ball. Even their defenders are incredibly skilled and comfortable on the ball, more so than any other team in the world. Whereas many defenders are eager to get rid of the ball, and panic under pressure and just lump it upfield or away from danger, Spain's defenders are incredibly comfortable on the ball and never panic. Together with their amazing midfield led by ball maestros Xavi & Iniesta (and Cesc on the bench), this makes Spain the best team in the world at keeping possession.

The result of this is that they are perfectly comfortable passing the ball around, keeping possession, and making the other team run their socks off chasing the ball just to try to win it back. If you watch closely, they alternate during games between 1) doing this to slow the game down, compose themselves, save their energy, and make the other team expend their energy and 2) attacking the defense and trying outright to score a goal

And their strategy becomes incredibly effective if and when they score first. Once they have a 1 goal lead, they are so calm, cool, collected, and controlled on the ball, they are happy to spend 50% of the time wearing down their opponents by making them chase, and the other 50% attacking their tiring opponents to try to extend their lead. This was evident against Portugal, and also in the last 5 minutes against Chile, where they weren't even trying to score but rather passing it around, and Chile couldn't even get a touch on the ball- they were chasing shadows, and Spain ran out the clock with ease even though they were only 1 goal ahead.

Of course, this strategy is not fool proof, and does not guarantee that an opponent will not come back to tie a game or even come from behind to win. But it does mean that coming back on Spain is harder to do than coming back against any other team in the world. This dynamic, combined with their absolutely ridiculous depth (Fabregas, Pedro, Navas, Valdez, etc, etc on bench!) and the fact that they have the best goalkeeper in the world to boot, is why I picked them to win this tournament.

They haven't won it yet, and still have a tough, tough road to go, and may in the end crash out, but I am very confident that if they score first, they will not be beat by Paraguay, Germany, Holland, or anyone else. On the other hand, this massive advantage is nullified if the opposition scores first. Just look at their opening match loss to Switzerland, where the masters of possession- not of outright attack- tried but could not find their way back against talented but far from world beating Switzerland. In their only other competitive loss in the last 3 years, they also fell behind at last year's Confederations Cup and failed to come back against talented but by no means world beaters USA. Spain outshot the USA 29-9 that day but crucially the USA scored first and went on to win 2-0.

So when you watch Spain the key to their games is simply who scores first. And if they score first, watch how cool, calm, and controlled they are on the ball and watch them alternate between wearing out their competition by making them chase the ball and attacking to try to extend their lead.

Also, this may well explain the absence of Cesc so far. With them playing as I have described in the last few games nursing a 1 goal lead, they need the possession, control, and wizardry of Xavi & Iniesta more than they need the attacking prowess and additional offensive creative spark of Fabregas. And this may be why Cesc stays on the bench in these situations. But if a match is tied or Spain are behind with 30 minutes to go, I bet you'll see Cesc come on.

Germany 4-0 Argentina. Instant Reactions.

2010-07-03T08:55:00.000-07:00

Germany 4-0 Argentina.

Löw!!!

Well I sure got that one wrong. Germany dominated 1st 15 minutes, got a goal in the 3rd minute, and looked like they might run away with it. Then Argentina settled down and from about the 15th minute to the 60th minute they looked more likely to score. The game was very open and it was obvious another goal was coming, it was just a matter of which team would get it. Germany got it, and then Argentina had to go forward in desperation which just left them more exposed at the back, and by the end, a game that was a very close affair for 60 minutes ended up being the 4-0 route that it looked like it might be after the first 10 minutes.

What We Learned
1. Maradona's tactical inexperience and seemingly whimsical selections and substitutions finally caught up with him. The whole world was aching for Diego Milito to come on for Higuain as the 2nd half progressed, or Kun Aguero for Tevez, or Veron or Pastore. Only Pastore came on before it was too late, and bizarrely neither Milito or Veron ever came on. Milito could have changed the game as a guy who can a) create a goal from nothing and b) likely get more attention from Germany's defense because he can create a goal from nothing, thereby perhaps freeing up Lionel Messi, who was relentlessly double teamed & triple teamed by Germany and marked out of the game perhaps better than I have ever seen before (Mourinho's Inter v Barca included). And not to bring on Veron, his *own* controversial selection, who played so amazingly well earlier in the world cup when used and seemed to validate his selection by El Diego, was just flat out bizarre. When push came to shove, 1 of the 2 greatest players to ever kick a ball came up wanting as a tactical manager.

2. At this hour, Maradona is no longer on Diego Milito's christmas card list.

3. Sheer talent once again does not win out against outstanding teamwork and tactics. This is why Zonal Marking should be the first soccer site you read every day, for it contains the best soccer writing in the world as far as understanding how games are won or lost.

4. Europe is by no means dead. If Spain win today, 3 of the 4 semifinalists will be... from Europe. When everyone was talking about how poorly Europe was doing last week, a voice of reason reminded you that Europe was by no means dead and not to believe the knee-jerk, overreacting press. And now only Paraguay & Uruguay can prevent Europe from winning it's first World Cup on foreign soil.

5. *IF* Spain can hold on against Paraguay, pay close attention to who picks up yellow cards today for Spain, and if they will miss the semifinal. As the deepest team in the tournament, they should be affected least by such suspensions, but while right now everyone is talking about how Spain are at an advantage against Germany because Muller will miss the semifinal for yellow card accumulation, they need to wait until Spain-Paraguay is over to see 1) if Spain actually win the game and 2) if any crucial players for Spain end up suspended for the semifinal themselves.

6. In 2006 Miroslav Klose became the 1st player to score 5 goals in 2 different World Cups- he scored 5 in 2002 and 5 in 2006, and now he has 4 more raising his total to 14, which is 1 short of the all time record of 15 held by Ronaldo of Brasil. to put this acomplishment in perspective, consider that Pele has 12. Also, a)Klose has a great chance to tie and break the record in this world cup b) in addition to his 4 goals in 5 matches in this world cup, he has managed to miss 2 or 3 absolute sitters, which if converted would mean he would already hold the all time record c) He is the ultimate example of a player who thirives for country but not for club (whereas Messi is the opposite) 4 goals in 5 games for Germany at this World Cup, 3 goals all season in last year's Bundesliga for BayernMunich. With 23 goals in 78 games for Bayern since 2007, it's harsh to label him a disappointment as many do, but you understand where they are coming from when you consider his 52 goals in 100 appearances for Germany, and his 14 goals and counting in his 17 world cup games from 2002-2010. That's damn near Gerd Muller-ish.

Argentina-Germany. Rematch of 1986, 1990 Finals, 2006 Quarterfinal. It Doesn't Get Any Bigger Than This.

2010-07-02T22:13:00.000-07:00

Germany v Argentina. 5 World Cups between them (Germany 1954 ,1974, 1990 & Argentina 1978, 1986), and they have met 11 times before in World Cup history, with each team winning 4 each and 3 draws. The 3 most famous encounters of course are Argentina beating Germany in the 1986 final, Germany turning the tables and beating Argentina 4 years later in the brutal 1990 final, and their 2006 quarterfinal where Germany came from behind and then won in a penalty shootout.

Oh, there is also considerable bad blood. The 1990 final was brutal and cynical, and after Germany won the penalty shootout in the 2006 quarterfinal, chaos ensued on the field and a figt broke out between members of the Argentine & German staff. So this will be another match that if nothing else is incredibly intense.

What is there to say, really? If you've read Carlo's preview and/or Zonal Marking's tactical preview, there's not anything I can really add as far as insight.

I will just give you a thorough recap of their quarterfinal clash in the 2006 World Cup, and I'll tell you that I think the difference in this game may simply be the ridiculous depth of Argentina, and the talent they can bring off the bench to change the game in the final 20-30 minutes.

Germany are great and young and exciting, but I think Argentina's talent is too much and they advance to the semifinal to take on the winner of Paraguay-Spain(which will be Spain). The winner of that match will then play Netherlands in the final for the whole ball of wax. I also have a feeling that best player on Earth Lionel Messi, who has been amazing per usual all world cup but who hasn't scored goals yet, will have a breakout game and score a goal or two in a virtuoso performance.

Carlo's Corner: Argentina V Germany Preview

2010-07-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

Guest columnist Carlo gets you primed and ready for tomorrow's titanic quarterfinal clash between Argentina and Germany. Enjoy. -Kanu

Argentina vs. Germany
Saturday, June 3 – 10:00 a.m ET/7:00 a.m. PT
ESPN and Univision

Just as they did in the 2006 World Cup, Argentina and Germany will square off on Saturday with a birth in the semi-finals at stake. Germany won that encounter on penalties, after the teams were tied 1-1 after extra time.

Throughout this World Cup, these historic rivals have had more in common that one might think. Both teams won their round of 16 matches fairly easily, albeit with the help of two atrocious referring decisions. Both Argentina and Germany have lots of firepower on offense, topping the World Cup scoring charts with 10 and 9 goals, respectively. Finally, despite fairly impressive defensive records thus far, both squads have shown some weaknesses in defense that both sets of attacking players will look to expose.

There had been some speculation in the Argentine media that Maradona might make a couple of changes to the side that defeated Mexico 3-1. The thought was that he might replace either Angel di Maria or Maxi Rodriguez, both outside midfielders, with a more central player to help strengthen the team's central midfield. Nevertheless, it now looks as though Maradona will field the same starting XI that he did against Mexico. With this lineup, the Albiceleste have pace and skill on the wings, but may find themselves outnumbered in the center of the park. They will certainly be heavily reliant on Javier Mascherano, who could find it difficult to deal with the German midfield trio of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira, and Mesut Ozil. If Argentina are losing the central midfield battle, we may see either Carlos Tevez or Lionel Messi drop deeper into midfield to help maintain possession.

It will be interesting to see if Maradona instructs his side to press Germany’s defenders when they are in possession, as they did against Mexico, or if he prefers them to sit back and defend from a deeper position. The strategy worked well against Mexico, producing the giveaway that led to Gonzalo Higuan’s goal. The risk with defending high up the pitch against Germany is that it may allow their speedy attacking midfielders and forwards to get behind the Argentine back line. Having said that, Argentina looked uneasy when they tried to sit back and kill the game off against Mexico. Maradona may therefore feel that his team’s best chance for victory lies in pressing Germany all over the field so that Argentina can recover possession as soon as it is lost.

As you might expect, the key for Germany’s defense will be to contain Lionel Messi. Messi will again be given freedom to roam the pitch and take up positions that best allow him to attack Germany’s defense. Midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira will probably be most responsible for marking the diminutive Argentine, but this task could be shared by other players, depending on where Messi positions himself. Both Schweinsteiger and Khedira have made incisive forward runs throughout the tournament, so it will be interesting to see if they are still encouraged to make such runs or if one or both of them is directed to hang back and keep an eye on Messi.

How well Messi performs may very well determine the outcome of this match. I have the feeling that Argentina could have advanced this far in the tournament without his services, such is the attacking talent they have at their disposal. From this point on, however, they will need him to be at or close to his peak in order to advance. He should have ample opportunity to do so against a German defense that looked shaky at times against both England and Ghana. In addition, this has the potential to be the type of open, end-to-end affair that should suit Messi's style perfectly.

As mentioned earlier, Argentina faces similar questions about its defence, especially with regard to its ability to defend speed, a quality that Germany's attackers possess in abundance. One player in particular that Argentina must be able to account for is Ozil. While all of Germany’s attackers are allowed a significant amount of freedom in their movement, Ozil is the player who is given the most freedom to roam in between the opposition’s midfield and defense. Maradona may entrust Mascherano with the task of accounting for Ozil. While the Liverpool midfielder is no doubt a fine candidate to do so, the concern is that in tracking Ozil, he will leave Argentina vulnerable to attacking runs made by either Schweinsteiger or Khedira.

Finally, I don't usually like to talk much about intangibles, but I feel they deserve at least some mention in this match. Argentina and Germany appear to be two of the most spirited sides in the tournament. They each faced skepticism before the tournament, and are now playing with a bit of a chip on their shoulders. I don't expect either side to go as quietly into the night as Brasil did. Rather, they will both fight until the final whistle (and maybe beyond).

Up Ghana! Up Black Stars! Africa Will Not Be Denied

2010-07-02T10:41:00.001-07:00

If you're not completely convinced how much the entire continent of Africa is behind Ghana today, and how the Black Stars know that they are playing for the entire continent as they try to become the 1st African team to ever make it to a world cup semifinal, check this out.

PUMA presents: Of The Same Earth

I've already told you the tactical reasons why I think Ghana will sneak it today and kick off massive celebrations from South Africa to Accra all the way up to Morocco & Tunisia, and everywhere in between.

Ghana are again playing for an entire continent. And they know it

4 years ago I predicted an African team would make the continent's 1st semifinal on home soil. Granted I got the team wrong(I predicted in 2006 it would be Cameroon led by Eto'o), but I think today Ghana will do it and 1 billion people across an entire continent will celebrate all through the night.

Here's hoping they do it; something tells me they will.

Up Black Stars!

Netherlands 2-1 Brasil = Massive Opportunity For 3 Teams. Instant Reaction.

2010-07-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

Carlo told you that the Dutch could win, and I told you they would. Twice. And today they made us both look smarter than we are in a crazy, crazy game that had a little bit of everything.

A tale of two halves for sure. Brasil dominated the first half, and tonight will be kicking themsleves for not getting that 2nd goal that would likely have put the game out of reach. On the other hand, Netherlands goalkeeper Stekelenburg should be hailed as the 1st half hero who singlehandedly kept Holland in the game, especially his amazing save from Kaka's corner bound shot that may well have ended the game. Brasil's goal was well taken by Robinho, but also showed Holland's weakness at centreback. Absolutely terrible defending & not 1 but 2 out of position centrebacks left right winger Robben trying, and failing, to track Robinho's diagonal run into the Dutch box.

How Do You Say "Meltdown" In Portuguese?
When Holland snuck a weird goal (bad judgment & missed punch by Cesar, unlucky own goal by Melo, and a flukey shot/cross reminiscent of Ronaldinho's goal against England in 2002) to make it 1-1, Brasil flat out melted down. It is understandable that they were frustrated, as they repeatedly were getting run ragged by Arjen Robben while also having to deal with his despicable diving & faking- today Robben was Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and the entire nation of Italy all rolled into one. On the other hand, he ran Bastos ragged and as always created a mismatch for the opposition defense. Either way, Brasil were clearly rocked by the tying goal, and started to get more & more frustrated. And when Robben was fouled but fell to ground dramatically and faked injury for the 473rd time, Melo short circuited and stamped on him while he lay prone on the ground, earning a deserved red card. As risible as Robben was today, this was just inexcusable for Melo, as he and everyone else has not forgotten Rooney getting sent off for the same thing against Portugal in 2006 and Zidane getting the most famous red card of all time for losing his temper in the waning moments of the 2006 World Cup final. As pissed as he was, you just cannot lose your cool there and reduce your team to 10 men. He will not be welcomed back with smiles and cheers in Brasil- today he became the 1st player in World Cup history to score an own goal *and* get a red card. Ouch. (or maybe he's the 3rd such player- see comments section).

Oh, the game winning Dutch goal- almost forgot. It was the least expected headed goal- corner kick headed on by not especially tall Kuyt and headed in by flat out short Sneijder- since 5'7" Lionel Messi's leaped into the stratosphere and headed Barcelona 2-0 up on Manchester United to seal victory in the 2009 Champions league final. Ping-pong-ping, and in the flash of an eye it was 2-1 to Netherlands, and a few moments later Melo's meltdown reduced Brasil to 10 men and all of the Brasilian momentum from the first half was a distant memory.

With Brasil out, Massive Opportunities for Holland, Ghana, Uruguay
Netherlands are the big winners today, and will be favored to beat the Uruguay-Ghana winner and get to the final, but the other big big winners today are Ghana and Uruguay themselves. Whoever wins the match today will *mentally* have a less difficult route to the world cup final, and given that Holland's defense is their weak point and due to card accumulation De Jong and Van Der Weil will both miss the semifinal, either team will fancy their chances against Holland more than the mighty, mythical Brasil, who before today had not lost a World Cup match held outside of Europe since 1950 (42 in a row). Simply stated, Brasil are so legendary that against some lesser teams they have already won, or are already 1-0 up, before the game starts because of intimidation & awe of the myth of Brasil, and now that is gone, and as good as Holland are, their weakness will be even weaker in the semifinal, and the Ghana-Uruguay winner will go into the semifinal with confidence & belief that they can win their way through to the final rather than caution and inner timidity at the prospect of having to beat mighty Brasil.

Man Of The Match
Finally, from here on out someone is going to have to seriously step it up to challenge Wesley Sneijder for player of the tournament. He now has 4 goals in 5 games, and is clearly the front runner for the ballon d'or.

Carlo's Corner: Netherlands-Brasil Preview

2010-07-01T22:41:00.000-07:00

Guest columnist Carlo provides you with a great preview of tomorrow's titanic clash between the Oranje and the Selecao. Enjoy -Kanu

Netherlands v Brasil
Friday July 2nd 7am PST

This is a mouth-watering matchup between two familiar World Cup foes. Brasil has won the last two World Cup encounters – winning 3-2 on a long-range free kick from Branco in the 1994 quarterfinals and on penalties in the 1998 semi-finals. The stakes are incredibly high in the match, with the winner likely to be favored to defeat either Uruguay or Ghana and secure a place in the final.

Although both of these squads have a great deal of offensive talent, don’t be surprised if this is a low-scoring affair. As Chile can attest, Dunga’s side are very well organized in defense and are difficult to break down. They are happy to defend patiently and wait for opportunities to score through set pieces and counter-attacks. Despite pre-tournament questions about its back line, Holland’s defense has held up so far, allowing only two goals in four matches. While it has yet to dazzle offensively the way it did in some of its pre-tournament friendlies, Holland look solid in all phases of the game and should be a worthy opponent for Brasil.

Bert van Marwijk’s team will have studied Brasil carefully and will be well aware of just how devastating Brasil can be on the counter attack. The Dutch will also be especially fearful of conceding the first goal. Doing so will force them to push additional players into attack, a strategy that plays right into Brasil’s hands. Consequently, rather than throwing several players forward at once, as did Chile, Holland will try to stay much more compact. Defensive midfielders Nigel de Jong and Mark van Bommel will serve as a shield for the back four as they attempt to thwart any attacks. With most of its players being carrying such defensive responsibilities, the Dutch will have to hope that the attacking quartet of Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben, Dirk Kuyt, and Robin van Persie is able to create scoring chances.

Based on his performance in Holland’s previous match, as well as on his form all season, it would seem that the most likely candidate to do so would be Robben. As he has done all year for both club and country, Robben will play as an inverted right winger and will look to cut inside and shoot with his favored left foot, like he did here against Slovakia.

Robben never suffers from a shortage of confidence and should be especially eager to take on Michel Bastos, who is being used as a left back, but who generally plays as a left winger for his club team, Lyon.

Although they will have noted Holland’s strong defensive record in this World Cup, Brasil will feel that they can trouble the Dutch defense. While the central-defensive pairing of John Heitinga and Joris Mathijsen have performed well so far, they have yet to face attacking players of the caliber of Kaka, Robinho, and Luis Fabiano. As evidenced by Brasil’s second goal against Chile, the trio has an excellent understanding that comes from having played together on the national team for the last couple of years.

Brasil may also look to attack the left side of the Dutch defense, where the ageing Giovanni van Bronckhorst may find it difficult to cope with Maicon’s speed and power. Holland may try to mitigate this threat by having the hard-working Kuyt track Maicon whenever he makes one of his forward runs.

While most people would love to see a wide-open goal-fest, I expect to see a cagey, low-scoring match. The Oranje will do all it can to avoid conceding the first goal, as they know that Brazil are excellent frontrunners. Brazil have to be considered favorites to win both this match and the entire tournament, but don’t sleep on the Dutch. If they can keep Brazil from scoring, they have several attacking players (including super-sub Eljero Elia) that can be match winners.

The Damon Evans Situation As Seen From The West Coast

2010-07-01T22:28:00.000-07:00

So University Of Georgia young superstar athletic director Damon Evans got busted last night for DUI with a "friend"in his car who was not his wife, and his future is uncertain at best.

For me, aside from the obvious, like how the school can let this slide while preaching responsibility and low or no tolerance for drugs & alcohol from its student athletes, is the most important bit for us left coast Dawgs: the continuation of Georgia coming out here to play.

Personally, it's not my business if Evans Tiger Woods-ed his wife. But it is my business if he is relieved of his duties as AD, and his successor goes the Buford T Pusser route and reverses Evans' visionary policy of playing true road games all over the country to try to grow Georgia football from a strong regional brand to a national brand, and if I am deprived of the fun we had at Arizona State in 2008, we will have this October against Colorado in Boulder, and the amazing time we are already planning on having at Autzen stadium in September of 2015when we will play at Oregon, then I for one will be PISSED. And if this happens, and there are no more trips out West, or if the Oregon series gets canceled with a phone call and a buyout clause check, then I will never forgive Damon for his transgressions. Not his transgressions against his wife, his family, or the University of Georgia as an institution, but rather against the diaspora of Dawgs spread out West of the continental divide whose lives have been massively improved since he took control of Georgia athletics and reversed Vince Dooley's inward looking scheduling policy which saw Georgia football not play a regular season road game outside the geographic South between 1965 (@Michigan) and 2008 (@Arizona State).

If we are deprived of this in September 2015, you will never
be forgiven for this Damon Evans (photo courtesy of ksl.com)

T Kyle King, on the other hand, would be rather pleased.

Friday Quarterfinals: What To Watch For

2010-07-01T21:44:00.001-07:00

Netherlands-Brasil
7am PST. ESPN

Why did I choose Netherlands to beat Brasil? Because I think that they are the only team on this half of the draw that is as talented as Brasil and can beat them even if Brasil play well. They will not be starved of possession, and can match Brasil in that regard, and their supremely talented wingers have as good a chance as anyone in the tournament at exploiting Brasil's 'weakness', which is that they have a makeshift left back who does not naturally play that position, and that as their fullbacks bomb forward to take part in the attack, they leave Brasil's defense susceptible to the counterattack, especially with talented wingers having space to exploit that has been left by advancing fullbacks. If anyone can capitalize on this, I would think Arjen Robben can, while Kuyt on the other wing is the perfect workhorse to try to run up and down and match Maicon's (or Alves') forward runs. Add to this Van Persie and Sneijder, who like Robben are capable of creating a goal from nothing, and I like Holland's chances to pull the shocker. And also watch for Elia as a late game sub on the wing- he has pace and skill and could turn the game in the manner I just described in the last 20 minutes, or at least his width and pace should keep Maicon/Alves forward runs at bay.

I'm not certain that Holland will win, but I think they have the best chance to beat Brasil as any team in this half of the draw, so I'm playing an educated hunch here.

Less than confident prediction: Netherlands 2-1 (aet) Brasil.

Uruguay-Ghana
11.30am PST. ESPN

Uruguay were the best team on the planet between 1924-1950 (Olympic gold medalists in 1924, 1928, World Cup champions in 1930, and again in 1950 after there were no world cups in 1942 or 1946 because of World War II). Since then they frankly haven't done much, so they are in an interesting position, as they are both upstarts and aristocracy. Technically they will be difficult for any team to beat in this tournament, because they are so organized, disciplined, and difficult to break down defensively, but at the same time they have not 1 but 2 strikers in Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez that not only score an obscene amount of goals but also can both create a goal from nothing in a 1 on 1 (or even 1 on 2) situation.

That being said, I think the only way to stifle Uruguay is to prevent the Uruguay midfield from linking their strong defense with the two strikers. If you can control the midfield and keep them from linking up with the strikers when moving the ball from the back to the front, then in a way you cut off the two headed monster up top, leaving them stranded if you can stifle their service.

And for that reason this is a pretty good matchup for Ghana, because Ghana's strongest asset is it's midfield strength. If any team can control the midfield and disconnect the two heads of Forlan and Suarez from the Uruguay body, Ghana might be the team to do it. Ghana's defense is also totally legit, and is led my the immense John Mensah, who had a massive, massive match against the USA in the round of 16.

One last thing to watch for is if a Ghana substitution can change the game in the last 20 minutes. While Uruguay's 2 best players will be on the field from the beginning, and Ghana's best player is out of the entire world cup with a knee injury, 3 of their next 5 best players, Asamoah, Appiah, and Muntari, are themselves recovering from injuries and may not be fit enough to play the entire match. But they are fit enough to come on in the last 20 minutes as everyone else is tiring and make a difference with their talent.

So watch to see if Ghana's midfield can separate Uruguay's danger men from getting service from the back, and also if Mensah and company can contain the explosive Forlan and Suarez. I can't call this one, but I do expect it to be low scoring; do not be surprised if there is only 1 goal in this one. I'll be happy for either team if they win, but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be more happy for Ghana of they could become the first African team to ever make it to a World Cup semifinal.

Less than confident prediction: Ghana 1-0 Uruguay if Ghana score first. If Uruguay score first then Ghana 0-2 Uruguay.

A Few Thoughts Before The Quarterfinals

2010-07-01T20:46:00.000-07:00

A few things to look for as the quarterfinals get underway tomorrow:

Success Thusfar Does Not Guarantee Success Going Forward
Three of the remaining 8 teams are being written off in varying degrees because they have not been viewed as impressive to this point as some other teams: Paraguay, Uruguay, and Ghana. This does not mean that they are incapable of getting hot and marching all the way to the final. As I mentioned earlier, in the 1982 World Cup Italy started out playing poorly. They drew all 3 group stage matches and just snuck into the next round on the 2nd tiebreaker of goals scored, where Paolo Rossi caught fire and they dispatched Brasil, Argentina, Poland, and West Germany to become improbable champions. In 2002 a not-all-that-impressive Germany team rode a hot goalkeeper, some timely goals and a few other breaks all the way to the final, and Italy in 2006 barely escaped Australia in the round of 16 and (per usual) didn't really hit their stride until the quarterfinals. So to me it seems foolish to write off any team's chances at this point. We are definitely at the anything can happen stage.

Fitness and Depth
Each of these teams will be playing their 5th match in the last 16-21 days, and some are playing their quarterfinal on 3 days rest while others are on 5 days rest. This is definitely more grueling than the regular club season, where usually they play 1 match every weekend with a midweek match thrown in on many weeks. So fitness at this point is paramount. In addition to this, having a deep squad is also a massive advantage at this point(Spain, Argentina, Brasil). Lastly, all of the teams are so tired at this point that having a player sent off and having to play a long time with only 10 men will be even more of a disadvantage that it was in the first stage.

Oh, and all of this is on top of the fact that the club soccer season runs from early August to mid-May every year. In a non WC year these guys play a 10 month season and have just under 2 months off. Compare this to the 6 month offseason in futbol Americano or 4-5 month offseason in the NBA and NHL. This year they had 3-4 weeks "off" between the end of the club season and the start of the World Cup. However, the fact that most of that was spent training & preparing with their national teams means that many players have done all this in the last month on about 1 week off. Since last July.

Cards
As important as they have been to this point, from here on out they are massive. Each team has a few players that are "on a yellow", meaning that one more will means they miss the following match. Missing a key player is never good; missing one for a World Cup semifinal or final can be devastating (Ballack, Germany, World Cup 2002 final; Nedved, Czech Republic, Euro 2004 semifinal, etc). Pay attention to which players are on a yellow already and watch to see if they play any differently overall or if they avoid hard tackles specifically.

Rarefied Air: Could We Be On The Verge Of An 8th Member Of The World Cup Club?

2010-07-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

As I explained in what seems like a lot longer than 4 years ago, the fraternity of World Cup winners is quite an exclusive club. Of the 205 accredited soccer playing nations on Earth, only 74 have ever qualified for the World Cup Finals, only 11 have ever made it to the final match, and a mere 7 have ever lifted the most cherished trophy in world sport.

Forget passwords or secret handshakes;
you need a World Cup trophy to get in here.

The Seven:
Brasil (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
Italy (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006)
Germany (1954, 1974, 1990)
Argentina (1978, 1986)
Uruguay (1930, 1950)
France (1998)
England (1966)

A quick look at the draw from here on out reveals that of the 8 remaining teams, only 4 are in the exclusive club of World Cup winners: Uruguay, Brasil, Argentina, and Germany. And Argentina play Germany on Saturday so one will be gone. The teams striving to get their Members Only jacket are Ghana, Netherlands, Paraguay, and Spain.

What these four will have to overcome is not playing at home: 5 of the 7 champions won their first World Cup when they hosted the tournament (Uruguay 1930, Italy 1934, England 1966, Argentina 1978, France 1998), and West Germany won their first World Cup in 1954 at their next-door neighbor's house (Switzerland). Only Brasil (1958, Sweden) won their first world Cup far away from the comforts of home. Of course, given that Ghana are playing for the entire continent of Africa, it could be argued that they qualify on home grounds, although one could also argue that it's a bit of a stretch.

So there it is. If you like pulling for the underdog, and you are bummed that underdogs USA, Chile, Slovakia, Mexico, and Japan have all been knocked out, then hitch your wagon to Ghana, Netherlands, Paraguay, or Spain- they would all be great stories.

Ghana- playing for an entire continent, and trying to become the first African team to ever advance to a World Cup semifinal.

Netherlands- Everyone's 2nd favorite team, and widely and mistakenly regarded as the best team to not have won the World Cup (correct answer is 1954 Hungary) when their "total football" teams of 1974 and 1978 were the darlings of the world but ended up losing in the final to the home nation each time, each under fairly extraordinary circumstances.

Paraguay- the ultimate underdogs, just beating Spain would be a massive achievement nevermind getting to the final or winning it. This is their first ever appearance in a World Cup quarterfinal.

Spain- after a full 40 years of always a bridesmaid but never a bride, the reigning Euro 2008 champions boast perhaps the best team on the planet, are certainly the best team at possession and controlling the ball, and have the best goalkeeper to boot. This is the best chance they will ever have to win the World Cup, which if they did would cement them as one of the great teams of all time.

Hands On With Jabulani: A Not Quite Field Test With The World Cup Match Ball

2010-06-30T18:44:00.000-07:00

I was at my favorite sports store the other day, and lo and behold they had the now infamous Jabulani match ball.

Remember if you see a Jabulani- there are a few different iterations, but at the end of the day there's basically 2 versions: the official match ball- the one causing all the ruckus- and a traditional stitched ball that is simply painted with the Jabulani design. As the official match balls retail for $125 each, the purpose of the painted traditional balls is simple- sell as many 'Jabulani' balls across the world to as many people as possible. After all, that is what this or any new Adidas ball is about: cash, and making lots of it by selling millions of new balls when the previous ball was working just fine.

Here is a photo I took of the two balls. The official match Jabulani is on the right, and a 'regular' ball painted to look like Jabulani is on the left.

It's pretty striking at first glance that the one on the left looks like a soccer ball but the one on the right looks like a golf ball, or something you would expect to see in aisle 7 at Toys R Us. No seams, very shiny plastic, and several different grains & textures, as well as the yellow band which up close and personal looks like it is made out of the same material used in the LIVESTRONG bracelets.

Here's a video I shot of the ball, and towards the end I showed the 'regular' ball for a frame of reference.

It's obvious when you see Jabulani up close and hold it in your hand that this is a radically difference definition of what a soccer ball is. I'd love to test it out with my friends or my soccer team, but my desire to try it out myself, when converted to a monetary value, falls well short of the $125 sticker price.

Anyhow, just wanted to share with y'all how radically different it is and what it looks like up close & personal.

It will be interesting to see, after the World Cup, what leagues do or do not adopt the ball, and also to see the actions of the leagues and team currently using it. I wouldn't be surprised if leagues abandon the ball as soon as they are able do contractually.

What The Apple Cult Looks Like To An HTC Evo User

2010-06-30T18:07:00.000-07:00

As an HTC Evo owner of 2 weeks who 1) has heard no less than 4 people in the last week tell me that they have to get the new iPhone4, well, just because it's an iPhone and 2) has told a few people about my new phone only to hear "is it the iPhone?" followed by general disappointment & disinterest, I was so amused by this that I had to post it even though is has absolutely nothing to do with anything that I generally write about.

Don't be fooled by the cartoon- this is not safe to listen to in front of your kids.

I happened to be walking by the Apple store in downtown SF last week and as I looked at the line stretching out the door and up the street, I thought to myself "man, I feel bad for them, because for the 1st time the cult of Apple is lining up to purchase an inferior product, and they either don't know it or are too stubborn to accept it, or at least wait for the next update to come out to fix all that is wrong with the iPhone4 1.0."

Also, if you live in San Francisco (and apparently New York from what I am told), there is no need to get too in depth in the HTC Evo v iPhone 4 debate. The HTC Evo can MAKE A PHONE CALL WITHOUT DROPPING, so just on that alone it is a superior device. As my man Swindle used to say, QEDMF.

56 Games. 19 Days Straight. Somehow Still Married, Employed, And Alive. Calgon Take Me Away...

2010-06-30T17:30:00.001-07:00

Some of you are bummed that there is no soccer today. Not me- I couldn't be happier. After 19 days in a row of 2, 3, or 4 games a day, including 10 straight days of getting up at 4.30am, I am am relieved and excited for this 2 day break before the quarterfinals.

I feel today exactly the way I felt 4 years ago today, except now I'm also relieved that my wife still loves me.

56 games in 19 days will leave you needing one of these

I hope y'all enjoy these two days off as much as I will, and from here on out the schedule is easy as pie and the soccer should be incredible.

Penalties Provide Ecstasy For Paraguay, Agony For Japan, And Bring Out The Inner Homer In Chilavert

2010-06-30T16:49:00.000-07:00

Paraguay 0- 0 (aet. 5-3) Japan.

Yesterday was exhibit A on the absolute cruelty of the penalty shootout. 9 penalties were taken, 8 goals were scored, and 1 hit the crossbar, and just like that, Paraguay are in the World Cup quarterfinals and Japan are on a flight home. If that's not cruelty defined, I'm not sure what is.

My Spanish isn't good enough to understand more than about 30% of the Univision broadcasts, but all tournament I have been wondering how much of a homer legendary Paraguayan goalkeeper/goalscorer and Univision color commentator Chilavert has been. It *seems* to me that he has remained somewhat objective when performing his duties calling the Paraguay games, but I would need one of you who is fluent in Espanol to vouch for this. Anyhow, as it went to extra time yesterday and then penalties, I was thinking "man it must be getting harder & harder for Chilavert not to say screw it and openly root for his countrymen."

And as Cordozo stepped up to take the potentially game winning penalty, dude finally said to hell with objectivity, I don't care if some Univision executive gets mad at me, it's time for me to get real...

After Honda converts: "vamos Paraguay....."
Just before Cardozo shoots: "VAMOS, CARDOZO, VAMOS!!!"
Then screams "GOLLL!!!" on top of the announcer's "Gooooool!"

Awesome.

Spain 1-0 Portugal. Xavi's Run Off Ball Key To Villa's Goal

2010-06-29T17:16:00.001-07:00

First things first- David Villa was not offside.

Too close to definitively call, in which case no call was the right call.

At least half of his body is even with the defender on the far side, so it is a classic 50/50 that could be argued wither way. Given the nature of the movement of the players, it was a pretty impossible call for the linesman to make and have confidence that he was right. Tough luck to Portugal, but for me the goal is legit.

And while the whole world is talking about Villa and what a beautiful team goal it was, and rightfully so, the key to this goal is the off the ball run by Xavi which ends up leaving Villa alone unmarked. Watch this video and pay attention to the 1st 7 seconds and then from 0:45 to 0:52 to see how Xavi's penetrating run unlocked the Portugal defense.

Xavi runs into the Portugal box, and because 2 Portuguese men are covering both Iniesta and Llorente, the Portugal right back has to move over to cover Xavi or else he will be through on goal unmarked. As a result Villa is left alone, and you can clearly see that Portugal right winger Simao is caught flat footed and realizes a moment too late what has happened; by the time he runs back to cover Villa, Villa is through on goal and it's 1-0 to Spain.

A beautiful and simple illustration of how moving away from the ball the the key to effective team passing play, and one of the most beautiful team goals to be scored at this World Cup.

So Villa is getting all the credit, but make no mistake- Xavi made the goal, first with his off the ball run into space and 2nd with his sublime pass to the onrushing Villa. You will notice that Xavi, and not Villa (who was himself immense over the 90 minutes) was named Man Of The Match. No different than at Barca the past couple years, where Messi, Eto'o, Henry, et al get all the plaudits but it is Xavi & Iniesta who are the 2 keys to the team, the 2 straws that stir the Barca drink, and the Spain one as well.

At 1-0 up Spain were in the catbird seat. As they are the best team in the world at keeping possession, they now could spend 50% of their time playing keep away and making Portugal chase the ball and thus get tired doing so, and the other 50% trying to open up the defense and score the 2nd goal. This exact scenario is the key to Spain's World Cup- I will write more on it shortly, but I am confident that if they score first from here on out they will not come from ahead to lose.

The Nike Curse: Marketing Own Goals Come Back To Haunt. Adidas Strike Gold. The Future Of Soccer Marketing

2010-06-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

***Updated Tue Jun 29 2pm PST***

Nike's feature length 2010 World Cup ad, starring in order of appearance:

Write Your Future: marketing own goals

Didier Drogba
Sustains flukey broken arm in warmup match, barely able to compete. 1 garbage time goal when it was too little too late against Brasil.

Fabio Cannavaro
Led defending champions Italy to epic crash out of first round featuring a draw with new Zealand and a loss to powerhouse Slovakia. Booed at airport on return to Italy.

Wayne Rooney
England draw 1-1 with USA thanks to goalkeeper blunder of the year, draw 0-0 with Algeria, barely scrape through to knockout stage where they are annihilated by Germany. 0 goals.

Franck Ribery
Fresh off a sex scandal involving an underage call girl, helps France to epic failure on the field and surreal & embarrassing reality-show level drama queen nonsense off field. 0 goals.

Ronaldinho
Cut from Brasil's 23 man squad. Watching World Cup and home, and eating. 0 goals.

CRonaldo
Lots of stepovers, lots of stop, drop, and roll. Lots of pleading his case to the referee. 1 meaningless goal in garbage time against North Korea in 7-0 romp when his team was already up 5-0.

Nike executives are crying. Pretty embarrassing for them that for the next 2.5 weeks this is all they have to show in all of those commercial breaks they have already bought. Ouch. The interesting part is that as poorly as the 6 featured players did, those players who got a whopping 2 seconds of screen time combined- Landon Donovan, Tim Howard, Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, and Cesc Fabreags, did or are doing just fine, thank you very much. Weird, isn't it?

Meanwhile over at Adidas, they are jubilant and realizing they may have found the new formula: use celebrities and sprinkle in soccer stars to hedge against such a fail risk. After all, Snoop Dogg, Noel Gallagher, Beckham, and Obi-Wan weren't really outplayed by the 6 featured Nike players, were they? Look for future ads to use the Adidas formula to mitigate risk.

The future of soccer marketing: minimize failure risk.

2010 World Cup Quarterfinals Are Set.

2010-06-29T14:11:00.000-07:00

Scoring and excitement are way up, players clearly are learning to control the infamous Jabulani ball, and this tournament has made a complete turnaround from boredom and ball juju to potentially epic, with the world's very best teams all coming through and some absolutely titanic matchups to come. So break out your calendars and your sharpies, and save these dates.

ROUND OF 16
Uruguay 2-1 South Korea
United States 1-2(aet) Ghana

Germany 4-1 England
Argentina 3-1 Mexico

Netherlands 2-0 Slovakia
Brasil 3-0 Chile

Tuesday June 29
Paraguay 0-0 Japan. Paraguay win 5-3 on penalties
Spain 1-0 Portugal

QUARTERFINALS
Friday July 2
7am Netherlands v Brasil. ESPN, Univision.
11.30am Uruguay v Ghana. ESPN, Univision.

Saturday July 3
7am Argentina v Germany. ABC, Univision.
11.30am Paraguay v Spain. ESPN, Univision.

SEMIFINALS
Tuesday July 6
11.30am Netherlands-Brasil winner v Uruguay-Ghana winner. ESPN, Univision.

Wednesday July 7
11.30am Argentina-Germany winner v. Paraguay-Spain winner. ESPN, Univision.

2010 WORLD CUP FINAL
Sunday July 11
11.30am
ABC, Univision.

Tennis God & Georgia Bulldog John Isner On Letterman

2010-06-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

Winning tennis stamina jujitsu warrior and Georgia Bulldog John Isner appeared on David Letterman last night. Here it is:

The embedded video is acting dodgy. If you can't see it, here's a direct link to the video.

Quick thoughts:

1. Damn, dude still looks exhausted.
2. Damn, the quality of Letterman's writing staff has really fallen off. There were 5 billion tweets funnier than most of those jokes. Good to know I'm not missing anything funny.

From Smoke To Fire: Thierry Henry to MLS New York Red Bulls Looks Like A Done Deal

2010-06-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

Preface: Who Is Thierry Henry?
In pictures:

TH14: best player on the planet in 5 year span covering 2002-2006

In words:
An Arsenal legend, Arsenal's all time leading goalscorer, former captain of Arsenal and France, winner of every trophy in football between France (World Cup 1998, Euro 2000) Arsenal (EPL 2002, 2004 FA Cup 2002, 2003, 2005) and Barcelona (2009 Champions League, La Liga, Copa Del Ray + 3 other titles, La Liga 2010), and catalyst of a dubiously illegal extra time goal that sent France through to the 2010 World Cup at Ireland's expense. In other words, an absolute giant of the modern game.

Photo courtesy of the one and only Arseblog

TH14 Is Coming To MLS, New York
After announcing it informally a couple of weeks ago, today Thierry Henry & Barcelona officially announced that they are parting ways. It now appears that the rumors of him coming to America to finish his career may happen as soon as this week. New York Red Bulls are already running a commercial on MSG saying that they are signing him without saying they have signed him (notice the Arsenal shorts 0.02-0.05 nudge nudge, wink wink) and by some accounts this is "the worst kept secret sports" right about now.

NY translation: "I'm not saying... you know. Da thing, with da guy.
I'm just saying. Fuggudeboudit."

Henry has said for years that he eventually wanted to come to America and finish his career in MLS, and this is the perfect opportunity for him:

1. He loves America, and he can go out and about without being mobbed by press & paparrazzi here.

2. New York is perfect for him- fashion, personality, primadonna, superstar, etc.

3. He's best mates with fellow Frenchman Tony Parker of the NBA's San Antonio Spurs

4. He's a villain in Europe and much of the world for getting France into the World Cup at Ireland's expense with his hand

5. He's now a shamed villain even at home in France after their World Cup reality tv show "The Prissy Whiny Talented Ballerinas Coached By A Batshit Crazy Lunatic" flopped.

photo courtesy of redbulls.theoffside.com

What He Gets
MLS can offer him a breath of fresh air and a more laid back sporting culture with less scrutiny. He can be a superstar, and live in New York, which is good for his ego & personality, but he'll still be the 10th or 12th biggest star in New York, if that, so the spotlight will not be all that bright compared to anywhere in Europe.

What We Get
But more interesting is what he can do for MLS and US Soccer. Given the massive opportunity generated by the USMNT's run at the World Cup, USSoccer needs to do a few things to capitalize and grow the game in America. And MLS signing name brand aging stars is the first such step. The Beckham Experiment proved 1 thing- that US casual sports fans want a name brand who is good, not a much more unknown to them player who happens to currently be playing at a higher level than said aging star. The path forward for MLS is to sign as many aging superstars as possible. And don't worry about such a strategy stunting the development of homegrown US talent- a rising tide lifts all boats. It will make the league better, and soccer is like any other sport- playing & practicing with better players makes you better.

If your big name star played for a major European club then even better, because consider this- there are thousands and thousands of American Arsenal fans, myself included, who would most definitely go to an MLS game when he is in town & plunk down $25 to watch an Arsenal legend in the flesh. I was lucky enough to fly to London to see Arsenal play at Highbury 2 different times, but most American fans didn't, and now they will have a chance to see TH14 live and in person. And they will. Just look at the massive attendance figures in the last few years for exhibition matches played by the major clubs in the US- those same fans will definitely go to an MLS game when a favorite player from their favorite club is in town.

Yes he is a bit past his prime, and yes he has lost a step, but make no mistake, at 32 he is still damn good and damn capable, ESPECIALLY at the MLS level. The minute he signs the contract he is probably the best player in MLS, period. And he will be very successful here against the slightly lower caliber of players that he will face, and many fans who have never seen what he can do will be dazzled. Win win win.

Chile Are Fun To Watch & A Great Story Post-Earthquake, But The Road Ends Today. Why Brasil Will Win.

2010-06-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

Simply stated, this is a bad matchup for Chile. They needed to draw a team less familiar with their unusual 3-3-1-3 formation, but instead they got a neighbor. Make no mistake, Chile are very good, and very fun to watch with their funky attacking formation (cfb analogy would be Leach at Texas Tech or a version of the spread), they just got a bad draw. Chile have only beaten Brasil 7 times in their 65 meetings, and Brasil have won 7 in a row.

Chile did well in CONMEBOL (South Ameican) qualifying, finishing 2nd with 33 points from 18 matches, 2nd only to Brasil who had 34 pts from 18 matches. The problem for Chile is that in their 2 head to head matchups, Chile got bossed, losing 0-3 at home and then 4-2 in Brasil.

Going back a little further, Chile got annihilated by Brasil 6-1 in the quarterfinals of Copa America 2007. In 2006 World Cup qualifying Chile lost 5-0 away to Brasil but did manage a 1-1 draw at home en route to finishing 6th and not qualifying. To be fair those results were under a different coach and system then they currently employ.

Based on that and what I have seen so far, I expect a fairly comfortable Brasil win. And better yet for neutrals, if Chile go for it with their funky attacking 3-3-1-3, we could see a marvelous back & forth exciting goal fest, something in the neighborhood of 4-2.

Argentina-Mexico Will Be Every Bit As Intense As USA-Ghana, If Not More

2010-06-26T22:31:00.000-07:00

2006 World Cup Round of 16: Argentina 2-1 (aet) Mexico. Argentina advance at Mexico's expense thanks to the goal of the tournament, in extra time, from Maxi Rodriguez.

You think Mexico will be up for it tomorrow?

Argentina-Mexico 2006 Round Of 16

Will they be able to channel their emotion and raise their play to a higher level? Yes. Will it be enough to defeat Argentina? No. But it should be another cracking game to watch.

Oh, and Germany & England have a bit of history as well.

Congratulations Ghana. Africa's Dream Lives On.

2010-06-26T17:40:00.001-07:00

As predicted, Ghana came out and played for all of Africa, they scored two great goals from their 3 or 4 legitimate chances, and hung on to win. Plus their away jerseys are pretty damn tight.

So congrats to them. This is their first appearance in the World Cup quarterfinals, and they are now 90 minutes away from becoming the 1st African team to ever make it to the World Cup semifinals. And they did all that without their best player, captain, and leader Michael Essien, and with 2 of their next 4 best players, Asamoah & Muntari, coming back from injury and not near 100%. An amazing accomplishment. Make no mistake, if all were healthy including Essien, this is a team capable of reaching the final. If they were to do any more without them all at 100%, it would be amazing. A great story that anyone with a heart could & should get behind.

So here's to you, Ghana. I like Uruguay but I will be rooting hard for you. Up Black Stars!

USA 1-2 Ghana. AET. Disappointing Loss Today.Phyrric Victory In Grand Scheme Of Things.

2010-06-26T17:33:00.000-07:00

If you check out the twitter feed on the right you'll get an idea where I'm at right now.

Keywords: proud, big picture, change is coming, massive opportunity to build on this, root for spain- if they win then we own 1 of 2 wins over reigning World & European champs in their last 60 games which will be great for confidence going forward (12 years ago we lost all 3 matches including Iran).

More later tonight or tomorrow am. Hosted a big party, really need to take a nap & start making some payments on my massive massive WC2010 sleep debt.

That said, I'll give you the closing line of whatever I write: US Soccer is now like a 13 year old kid at Thanksgiving: we just moved from the kids table to the adults table where the big boys sit, and we're never going back.

Do. NOT. Sleep. On. Ghana. Here's Why.

2010-06-26T08:33:00.000-07:00

Yes I know that Ghana have been poor, have only scored 2 goals in 3 games thusfar, both of those being penalties. Yes I know that they are missing their best player Michael Essien, and even their 2 next best players, Appiah & Muntari, have not been at 100%. I know that team USA is riding a tsumani wave of soccer support that may very well be the tipping point of soccer relevance in the most powerful nation on Earth, and confidence for team USA will be stratospheric. Hell even Ghana's biggest strength might even be it's biggest weakness.

So why should you fear Ghana today? Well you know there were 6 African teams, and 5 of them are now out- Ghana are the only one left, and they didn't march into the knockout round but rather snuck in the side door. You also know that this World Cup is a massive massive point of pride not just for South Africa, but for all 53 nations of Africa. It may well be the biggest event in the short history of man that they have hosted, and they are all rooting for each other in a way that simply is not fathomable to someone from any other continent.

So today they are not just playing for the national pride of Ghana, which would surely be motivation enough for them. They are playing for an entire continent, for every African man, woman, and child- about a billion people. And just like the USMNT walked out on the field against Algeria knowing what was at stake and what they are playing for, and what they are still playing for today, for Ghana that feeling is about 5x more than for the USA.

Ghana playing for an entire continent. And they know it

So don't think they are going to come out and sleepwalk through and be poor. Given the stakes for both teams and their respective societies, the key to this game will be which one comes out and plays with a controlled passion and does not get overhyped and try too hard. I thought the US did exactly this Against Algeria, and perhaps that is why they missed all those chances. I think if they weren't so jacked up, they would have converted half of those sitters and been ahead 5-0 by the hour mark.

Technically, on paper, this game looks like a 3-1 win for USA. But they game isn't being played on paper. It is being played on a patch of grass in Africa, and the stakes for each set of players, teams, nations, and for Ghana an entire continent mean that the intangible of emotions, and who better controls their emotion by harnessing it rather than being overwhelmed by it, may well win. All of which would give Kirk Herbstreit a massive erection if he and Corso were making picks on ESPN today.

Mr. "intangibles", "emotion" & "who wants it more" himself

Predection? I can't call it, but a) I wouldn't be surprised if Ghana won and 2) I think that whoever wins this match will be on such a wave that they will defeat Uruguay and make it all the way to the semifinals 3) If Ghana beat us today, I will root for them to go on and win the whole damn thing, or at least to beat Uruguay to become the 1st African team to ever make it to a World Cup semifinal.

Enjoy the match- I don't know if it will be epic, but I guarantee it will be emotionally *intense*.

World Cup Bracketology: Knockout Round Picks

2010-06-26T02:07:00.001-07:00

In 2006 I got 15 of 16 correct in the group stage but then it all went pear shaped in the playoffs. This year I got 13 of 16 correct (Denmark/Japan, Itlay/Slovakia, Ivory Coast/Portugal), so here's hoping I can do better in the knockout stage. Especially as I am currently sitting in 2nd place in a field of 35 punters in a mucho dinero world cup pool.

QUARTERFINALISTS
Uruguay v USA
Netherlands v Brasil
Germany v Argentina
Japan v Spain

SEMIFINALISTS
USA v Netherlands
Argentina v Spain

FINALISTS
Netherlands v Spain

EL CAMPEON DEL MUNDO
Espana

O.G. Swindle Breaks It Down For All You Young Bucks

2010-06-26T01:46:00.000-07:00

To skip all my rambling, sleep deprived nonsense and go directly to superior writing, go here. If you're a glutton for punishment then by all means continue.

I have always followed the USMNT with some interest, but I was not hardcore. Like many, it was hard for me to *really* get into them when frankly they were never that good. So immediately after the momentous win the other day I thought man, all of us soccer fans who were kind of into it but not fully invested emotionally need to seriously bow down to the O.G.s who dared to love the team when it had Jeff Agoos as a starter.

Then I realized that there are many new passengers to the USS Soccer who just boarded at the last port and don't yet know that they are about to blow all the money they saved on the sweet cabin berth on a bar tab that will turn their monthly household balance sheet upside down. You are the young bucks, the newbees, and yes, as recently as last week you may have been flat out haters. Well that's all over now, everything's cool, so let's get you up to speed ASAP- we've got a new OMG biggest game ever tomorrow.

Support the team all out? Yes, of course. But don't try to walk around acting like you're O.G. when you're not, because people can tell the difference between the jacket you just copped at Niketown last night and the raggedy old schwag of yesteryear. So get as excited as you want, but don't pose. The O.G.s deserve respect, so show them some by shaking their hand like you would an old war veteran, for if they've been around since before 2002 then it's odds on they have multiple scars, a touch of PTSD, a tatoo they don't know the shop or even port of origin of, and a war story or 3 to tell.

How can I show my respect? By making sure that you read the best piece of writing on the USMNT that I have come across during this World Cup: Orson Swindle's amazing journey as a die hard member of Sam's Army from 1998 to today. It is titled Found In Translation: 12 Years Of Chasing The US Mens National Team. If you read one article on USMNT, make sure it's this one.

¡Viva Espana! Western Europe Not Dead Yet

2010-06-26T01:20:00.000-07:00

Have to give props to Spain, who became only the 5th of I believe the last 50 teams to lose their opening match and manage to bounce back and qualify for the knockout stage. Also a nice pick me up for a country fresh off this tragedy.

Senoras, bienvenudos al segundo grupo de partidos del copa mundial 2010!

The World Cup obviously better for having the best team in the playoffs. I still think they will win, but then I'm pigeon-holed aren't I: I picked them to win World Cup 2006(fail), picked them to win Euro2008(win), so why change now that they are the best team in the world when I was on the bandwagon before it even had wheels?

Finally, don't believe the hype that Europe's World Cup is a disappointment. If you watch alot, then it was no surprise that France & Italy were the 2 shakiest Eurpoean name teams, and it's not too big a surprise they are out.

It is a well known fact that European teams have won 9 of the 10 World Cups held on European soil (and non-powerhouse Sweden made it to the 1958 final on home soil before losing to Brasil), yet have never won a World Cup held outside of Europe. However, in Spain, Holland, and Germany they have 3 teams still entirely capable of winning the tournament outright, and in Portugal and England they have 2 more teams that could make a deep run (but I don't think they will)

Western Europe has not fallen yet.

Feel Good Friday, USMNT Edition: Shutterbugg

2010-06-25T23:06:00.001-07:00

Last week we dedicated Shine Blockas to the USMNT, and as expected they overcame adversity to become a national sensation. 5 minutes after their epic last minute win their sippin' on buds with Billy Clint & Reggie Bush in the locker room. Translation: instant rock stars.

So now they are grinding and shining, and now find themselves the targets of every camera lens in the world: Shutterbugs.

"Boi, it's after 12, club like a hive bee,
a bee hive cause now ~~everybody~~ vuvuzelas buzzin' around me..."

Shutterbug, as in another new but as yet unreleased track from the forthcoming(July 6) Big Boi CD Sir Luscious Leftfoot: Son Of Chico Dusty. Hopefully with all the attention from all those cameras they can keep it going; anything near Big Boi's performance on this record and Ghana will have work to do to keep the African flame alive at the World Cup.

Don't remember Billy Clint pounding brews with Kobe & Artest last week...

Feel Good Friday: In Retrospect, I Wish Vuvuzelas Were The Favors At Our Wedding

2010-06-25T10:29:00.000-07:00

Noticed that little soccer ball that now appears on each and every one of the eleventy billion videos on YouTube? Well thanks can be directed to Mountain View, California because now you can take any video in the world and add the beautiful buzzing background of an army of vuzuvelas. Go ahead give it a try. It makes everything better, or at least funnier. Plus you can endlessly irritate the whiny little girls who won't stop complaining about a neighbors strange custom when they are in said neighbors house, which is pretty disrespectful- when in rome y'all, get over it.

It didn't take me 2 minutes to realize that we should have given everyone at our wedding one as the favor. But instead of traveling back in time as great expense and effort, we can just click on a little soccer ball and it's as if we did just that. Thanks, Google.

Double click to launch full YouTube version,
then press that little soccer ball in the bottom right of the video

Track Listing
Slightly Stoopid, 'Dancing Mood" intro
Gotan Project, 'Santa Maria' tango
Outkast, 'So Fresh, So Clean'
Outkast, 'Hey Ya!'
Unknown artist, Salsa
Stephen Colbert, Copyright Techo Remix
Vanilla Ice, 'Ice Ice Baby' outro

Why You Should Watch Spain-Chile Today

2010-06-25T10:16:00.001-07:00

They are in a much much bigger do or die situation today than we were against Algeria, and by 1.20pm PST will either be all time national heroes or will return hom in shame just like France & Italy.

Since the current World Cup 32 team format began in 1998, 24 teams have lost their 1st match, but only4 of those teams have gone on to make it to the knockout round. If you include World Cup 2010, there have now been 32 teams to lose their 1st round game. Spain is trying to become only the 5th of those teams to escape.

When you add the fact that they are widely regarded as the best team in the world, are currently ranked #1 or #2 in the world by every subjective ranking out there, and have only lost 2 of their last 50 matches (USA 2009 Confederations Cup, Switzerland last week), you can see what is at stake.

Oh, they're also the most enjoyable team to watch when they are "in the mood", so definitely try to carve out some time to check them out today. For very similar reasons to those I laid out for the US before their epic encounter with Algeria, I am very confident that Spain are going to do it and become national heroes. Making history, plus their exhilirating run to become Euro 2008 champions, *should* lay to rest the tired cliche that they historically always choke on the world stage.

Prediction: Spain 3-1 Chile

¡Vamanos La Furia Roja!

Andres Cantor's "GOOOOL!" Goes To 11. Then Again, It Should: He Owns It

2010-06-25T08:51:00.001-07:00

Andres Cantor is the guy who gave birth to "¡Gooooool!" when he started using it during the 1990 World Cup. It quickly launched him to the stratosphere and by 1994 he was the most popular and well known sports announcer, and you know the rest of the story.

He no longer works at Univision, but he still does radio.

And aren't we still thankful for that. Because as amazing as the Univision announcer's call of the famous USA goal was, Cantor's call on the radio will bend your mind, and makes the Univision call sounds like Thom Brenneman calling the Sugar Bowl by comparison.

h/t to Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated.

Jabulani Update. Now Featuring Facts! 2010 World Cup Goals Per Game

2010-06-25T02:16:00.000-07:00

Whether I am right about Jabulani or not doesn't really matter, for that is a subjective matter. What matters subjectively is the enjoyment factor of games, which appears to coincide with my theories.

But lets look at some cold, hard facts and take subjectivity out of the equation. Bookmark this and come back from time to time to check in- I plan on updating it every day for the rest of the tournament.

2010 WORLD CUP GOALS PER GAME. Final Tally.
Overall: 2.25 goals per game*. 144 goals, 64 games.

Round 1: 1.50 goals per game. 24 goals, 16 games.

Round 2: 2.63 goals per game. 42 goals, 16 games.

Round 3: 2.13 goals per game. 34 goals, 16 games.

Knockout stage: 2.75 goals per game. 44 goals, 16 matches.

Jabulani effect- 1st group stage game: 1.50 goals per game. Since 1st round of group play: 2.50 goals per game. 120 goals, 48 games

*~~almost up to~~ ~~passed!~~ ~~back below~~ once again back above the all time low of 2.21 from World Cup 1990 since which 2 major rule changes were passed to increase open play and scoring**

**the offsides rule was technically changed just before World Cup 1990, but one could easily argue that teams did not have enough time to get used to, practice, or strategize to make their play at the world cup that summer significantly different

I stand confidently behind my argument, although like many debates the truth is somewhere in the middle. In the middle of what though? For me, the truth is somewhere in the middle of a) my Jabulani theory and b) conventional and long-held soccer wisdom that the first round of matches are cagey, conservative affairs where teams don't at all mind drawing but at all costs do not want to lose (in the current world cup format only 4 of the 34 teams that lost their opening match made it through to the knockout stages- which is why Spain will look so impressive when they become the 5th tomorrow)

Whether I'm right or wrong doesn't matter. What matters is that there are more goals and that makes life better for everybody- from the fans watching them to the players scoring them to the winning nations celebrating them to the corporate sponsors paying to brand them to the TV networks broadcasting them to the advertisers paying to be associated with them and to FIFA themselves collecting absurd sums of money from them to continue running the biggest, most powerful and most corrupt sports organization on the planet.

If you're scoring at home that's win win win win win win win (kind of like gol gol gol gol gol gol gol!).

I'm stoked that this World Cup has gone from boring and frustrating to unpredictable and supremely exciting- I no longer really give a shit if I'm right or wrong, because right about now I'm happy as hell.

World Cup 2010 Moves To Bracketville: Buckle Up, Buttercup

2010-06-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

Break out the calendar and the sharpie, and adjust your own personal plans accordingly.

No more ties. Win or go home, and draws get the added fun of 30 minutes of extra times and then the "lottery of the shootout".

In other words, it's about to pick up a notch.

If you're a twitter nerd, here's the entire round of 16 schedule in 1 tweet for you to share with your friends.

ROUND OF 16
Saturday June 26
7am Uruguay v South Korea
11.30am United States v Ghana

Sunday June 27
7am Germany v England
11.30am Argentina v Mexico

Monday June 28
7am Netherlands v Slovakia
11.30am Brasil v Chile

Tuesday June 29
7a Paraguay v Japan
11.30am Spain v Portugal

QUARTERFINALS
Friday July 2
7am Netherlands-Slovakia winner v Brasil-Chile
11.30am Uruguay-SouthKorea winner v UnitedStates-Ghana winner

Saturday July 3
7am Argentina-Mexico winner v Germany-England winner
11.30am Paraguay-Japan winner v Spain-Portugal

SEMIFINALS
Tuesday July 6
11.30am Semifinal 1- winners of Friday July 2 quarterfinals

Wednesday July 7
11.30am Semifinal 2- winners of Saturday July 3 quarterfinals

2010 WORLD CUP FINAL
Sunday July 11
11.30 am
ABC

USA Finally Conquers The World. By Converting To Socialism.

2010-06-24T14:02:00.001-07:00

Reactions from around the globe of USMNT's storybook last minute win.

I happened to be home alone in my apartment when this happened; I was something between "Some Dude In Arkansas..." and "I Don't Know...", although to fair, there are no stairs in my pad.

Where were you when this happened?

(h/t to Adam Jacobi of BHGP fame, and some dude named Jimmy Triana)

USMNT Top Story On Daily Show & Colbert

2010-06-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

When Colbert started off with this at the beginning of the World Cup, you knew that over the course of the tournament these guys were going to bring some great stuff.

Steven T. Colbert: great American? Or the greatest American?

Well ancillary bonus #47 of the USMNT* performance thus far is more hilarious coverage from 2 of the best shows on television. Yesterday afternoon I was thinking "man, Daily Show & Colbert could be amazing tonight".

And they were.

Must see TV:

The Daily Show

Colbert Report

I expect more to come from these two, especially Colbert. I mean hell he did this for the Winter Olympics...

...so you can imagine what he and his writing staff are cooking up as this thing has gone from mildly interesting to a real life Disney movie that has drawn in both casual sports fans and even non sports fans.

More of the same, please.

*USMNT = US Mens National Team, the commonly used acronym for the US team

Isner Wins, Becomes Possibly Most Famous Tennis Player In World Today

2010-06-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Georgia Bulldog John Isner just won the most epic tennis match ever played in the history of man.

If you're scoring at home: Isner wins 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68.

#dawgs #legend #DamnGoodDawg

6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 59-59. Win Lose or Tie, Isner Wins. Go Dawgs!

2010-06-23T16:52:00.000-07:00

Remember 3 years ago when Isner was Athens' very own
6'9" John Mayer with a 130 mph serve? Fun Times.

There have already been literally millions of clever comments written about his situation over the last 24 hours. On twitter alone. Nevermind the rest of the internet.

So here's the best writeup that I could find in 2 minutes flat. It'll tell you everything you need to know.

Except this:

I don't know Isner, I've never personally met him, but I have watched him do his thing front the front row, and in a not dissimilar situation where he performed like the #2 collegiate tennis player should yet still was denied victory by cruel fate (and a Pepperdine hooker). And I'm here to tell you the dude is a straight up badass. Add to that he's an almost 7 foot tall ringer for John Mayer and we're getting into legend territory even before today's theater of the absurd.

Win, lose, or draw, Isner will spend the rest of his life in the company of tennis immortals. Just like Russell Henley, who at age 20 just beat 120 professional golfers at the US Open at Pebble Beach last week while still smiling and interacting with fans then said "naw homey, keep your money, I'm an amateur & I'm not selling out for all that cash to give up on my remaining goals as an amateur golfer', John Isner is shining like a mofo for the Bulldog Nation right about now.

You don't always have to win the championship, save the day or get the girl to make your community proud. You just have to do your best, and whether that results in failure or epic front page, whole world is tripping on you success, know this: every single member of the University Of Georgia family is proud as hell of you.

So keep shining John Isner and know we're all behind you . That said, here's hoping you come out on top Friday afternoon 234-232.

and that's another... Bulldog. Point. Of. Pride.*

*Sponsored by Golden Flake- the official potato chip of the Southeastern Conference.

¡GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLL!!!

2010-06-23T12:13:00.000-07:00

Don't get me wrong, Ian Darke- your call on ESPN was damn near perfect. That said, man am I ever glad that I turned it back over to Univision at half time.

Landon Donovan Is The New Mike Eruzione

2010-06-23T11:57:00.000-07:00

And Ian Darke now has a seat at the table of owners of the most famous sports calls in American history.

h/t to Brian Cook over at mgoblog, which you should be reading on the regular

USA 1-0 Algeria. Comfortable Win; Never In Doubt.

2010-06-23T08:53:00.001-07:00

Landon Donovan is the new Mike Eruzione. And the United States of America is now a soccer nation.

Don't like to brag, but I fucking called it.

The USA Won't Just Qualify Today. They Will Win Outright.

2010-06-23T00:05:00.001-07:00

This is why the US will not just qualify today against Algeria, they will win the game outright, become the next great American heroes, and start negotiating the movie rights for their now well known and about-to-explode World Cup 2010 story.

Karma
After being victim of arguably the greatest screw job in the long & storied history of the World Cup, in which they would have become the first team in World Cup history to come from a 0-2 defect to win 3-2, this team has a massive, massive bulk of karma coming its way

Revenge
Not revenge against any team or group in particular, and although millions of people around the world would love to see them get revenge against the now most famous referee in the history of the world, they don't want a piece of him either. They want revenge on the universe for denying them what was herocially earned and rightfully theirs, and they are PISSED OFF and chomping at the bit to get back out on the field and execute their revenge and be the newly minted Captain Americas.

Does this look like someone who is not 100% ready to kick ass & take names?

Hope
More Americans, and people around the world for that matter, are aware of and interested in the USA's game today. The players know this, and they know that right at this moment, they have something not yet seen in American soccer: thanks to a single bad decision, their entire nation is yearning, nay, aching for them to set this wrong right. We Americans haven't hoped so hard for a particular result in any contest since 53% of us hoped Obama right into the White House in the fall of 2008. After 100 years of irrelevance in the landscape of American sport, this is the biggest chance the USMNT may ever get to foment the tipping point for soccer in America, and they know it.

Fortune
They pre-ordered the new & improved (hahaha) Jabulani World Cup ball from adidas at the beginning of the MLS season, and some of their players who ply their trade in MLS are farther ahead on the learning curve than other teams such as Algeria who are still learning to adjust. See: Landon Donovan.

Fate
The referee's decision has become the biggest story in world sport over the last few days, but it's legacy has yet to be determined. That comes today, and the stakes are ridiculously high: lose, or draw and get knocked out by the cruelty of circumstance, and their story immediately becomes one of the most famous sporting debacles in this country and will never be forgotten. Win, or draw and qualify, then they are the heroes who conquered this problem and rendered it irrelevant to the point that in 20 years it will just be a historical footnote rather then the first thing every American reads about in the year 2248 when they instantly Google "USA World Cup 2010" with their mind. The players are aware of this, and know they have a chance make the referee scandal a historical footnote rather than their legacy for the rest of time.

Conclusion
A 300 pound pit bull on steroids and meth is about to get released, and as solid and capable as Algeria are, and as difficult as they are to break down defensively & dangerous as they can be on the counter-attack, they are simply the poor team to find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Visual Representation of USA When The Whistle Blows at 7am PST Today
one, two, one, two, three, four...

Yeah!
International Underground,
Thunder pounds,
when I stomp the ground. (Wooh)
Like a million elephants,
or silver back orangutangs,
you can't stop the train.
Who wants some?
Don't come unprepared.
I'll be there,
but when I leave there.
Bet I be a household name...

Prediction
A cagey close game where the US hold a nervy 1 goal lead until they finally go 2 goals up. The Algerians will not give up like North Korea did, and in the spirit of their most famous son Zinedine Zidane will fight to the end in hopes of an injury time 2 goal miracle comeback of some sort. But it won't matter, for when the clock strikes 90 + whatever the referee chooses to add on, the USMNT will be on the cover of the Wheaties box.

Maradona to World: ¡Sigue Chupando! Part II

2010-06-22T18:11:00.000-07:00

Diego Maradona is in a class of two: along with Pele, he is either the greatest soccer player to ever touch a ball or the 2nd greatest. Opinions on who belongs where are very divided, but whatever camp people are in they readily acknowledge that the other guy, if not as good as their guy, is clearly #2, not to be lumped in with the next group of players below them(#3 to #10 approximately).

Diego Maradona as a national team manager? Too early to tell how effective, successful or popular he will become in this role, for he is still on the early part of this new journey. What is absolutely certain is that he is already one of the most colorful, entertaining, and possibly batshit crazy coaches of all time, although he might actually have us all fooled into thinking he is an insane fool when he's really a genius who is just on some next level shit that we cannot even begin to fathom.

His incredible resume of recent accomplishments, sane and insane, is well documented. However, one incident in particular is worth reviewing because it is quickly becoming a theme and a mantra that just might propel El Loco Diego and his band of supremely talented footballers all the way to the final and perhaps even the land of milk and honey that lays beyond: Argentina's 3rd World Cup title.

The Summer of ¡Sigue Chupando!
When Argentina finally qualified for this World Cup, on the very final day, El Diego used the post game press conference to defiantly put his critics in the Argentine press, and Argentina in general, in their place. And he did it in pure Diego fashion: he told them on live television beamed all around the world, to "suck it. and keep on sucking". In Espanol: "sigue chupando."

Sigue chupando: a movement is born

He was laughed at, mocked, and labeled a hothead crackpot for the billionth time.

World Cup 2010 Mid-Term Report Card
Name: Maradona, Diego Armando
Games played: 3
Wins: 3
Goals scored: 7
Goals conceded: 1
Groups easily won: 1 (Group A, 2010 World Cup)
Allegedly over the hill old timers who he controversially selected over higher profile younger players who appeared to be in better form: 2 (Martin Palermo, 37. Juan Sebastian Veron, 35)
Mid-Term grade: A+++++

Madman or Genius? The jury's still out, and there will certainly be opportunities to do something incredibly stupid in the win or go home knockout stage that costs your team an excellent shot at winning the world cup, but at this point people are flocking over from the madman camp to the genius camp faster than wall street hedge fund managers switching their position on Bear Sterns in September 2008.

Prediction
His personal motto for the last 6 months has now become the mantra of the Argentine team, and just might carry them all the way to the World Cup final and possibly even the promised land. After all, he's single handedly done it before with his feet, so do not doubt that he can do it with his allegedly crazy mind when at his disposal is arguably the greatest assembly of soccer talent in this World Cup, Spain & Brasil included.

In other words, welcome to The Summer Of ¡SIGUE CHUPANDO!

Jabulani Explained by 2031 Brasilian TV Analyst Of The Year Felipe Melo

2010-06-21T23:32:00.001-07:00

If last week's detailed explanation of the Jabulani situation(newly updated with supporting video evidence- go back for a 2nd read & be even more convinced) is too wordy for you by a factor of 200x, and you're the Gordon Gecko executive type with a massively inflated self worth who has an appointment with the crown prince of Dubai in 5 minutes, and you need to completely understand the biggest story in world sport this week in the next 300 seconds, then stop fiddling with the double windsor knot on your $400 power tie and pay attention because these two nice Canadian ladies are here to help:

Wow, next to a real ball Jabulani looks like it came from Toys R Us, eh?

If you didn't quite catch that amazing analysis by Brasil midfield star Felipe Melo because you were thinking "holy shit is this guy the Ron Artest of Brasil?" and missed some of the details, then that's ok. By the power of internet searching and trusty ol' cut & paste, I hereby present the mortal lock for color commentator of the year in Brasil circa 2031 and his eloquent summary of the Jabulani conundrum for fans of all ages:

“The ball is horrible, it’s hard to believe that such a ball will be used in a World Cup. The other ball is like a nagging woman: you kick her and she’s still there. This one is like a spoiled little rich kid, who doesn’t want to be kicked in any way.”

Aaaaaaand, done.

Feel Good Friday: USMNT Shine Blocka Edition

2010-06-18T15:13:00.000-07:00

In honor of Team USA's massive shafting by an abjectly miserable referee from Mali and his crew, I present to you Shine Blockas by one of the biggest pimps in these United States, Big Boi.

"Tryin' to block my shine just ain't gonna to happen so don't try..."

Keep grinding USMNT, we're all proud of you especially the amazing comeback today. Karma is on your side now too, and now there's a huge opportunity to go through to the knockout round, so reach out and grab it.

Big Boi's long-awaited(2 years!) new album Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty drops July 6. No less than 5 tracks from it are already floating around on the interwebs, so I'm only going to say this one: get it on July 6; it's incredible- you're welcome in advance.

Team USA: The Math + The Path To The Knockout Stage*

2010-06-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

***Update 2.15pm PST***

GROUP C
Slovenia 4 points
3 goals scored
2 goals against
+1 goal differential

United States 2 points
3 goals scored
3 goals against
0 goal differential

England 2 points
1 goal scored
1 goal against
0 goal differential

Algeria 1 point
0 goals scored
1 goals against
-1 goal differential

Wednesday June 23
USA v Algeria ESPN 7am PST
Slovenia v England ESPN2 7am PST

SCENARIOS

1. USA win over ALG and they're in no matter what

2. USA draw + they're in if:
a. SLV beat ENG
b. ENG-SLV draw, then it comes down to a big list of tiebreakers** between ENG & USA ending with the "drawing of lots" (coin flip to you & me) where the key will likely be total number of goals scored. ~~The good~~ great news is that we are current ahead of England by 2 goals in this department

3. US draw + ENG win over SLV = we're out

So there it is.

**FIFA World Cup 2010 List of Group Stage Tiebreakers (h/t fredericiana)
1. Goal difference in all group matches
2. Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches
3. Greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned
4. Goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned
5. Greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned
6. Drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee.

---------------------------

SLV 4 pts 2 games played
USA 2 pts 2 games played
ENG 1 pt 1 game played
ALG 0 pts 1 game played

If ENG beats ALG then:
1. US win + any result other than a draw in ENG-SLV = we're in
2. US win + ENG-SLV draw = USA, ENG, SLV all on 5 pts, 1st tiebreaker is goal difference, top 2 in GD are in

If ALG gets a draw today v. ENG then:
1. US win and they're in no matter what
2. US draw + they're in if:
a. SLV beat ENG
b. ENG-SLV draw, then it comes down to a big list of tiebreakers between ENG & USA w/ goals scored being the key
3. US draw + ENG win over SLV = we're out

If ALG beats ENG then:
1. US win = we're in no matter what
2. US draw or loss = we're out no matter what

CONCLUSION: the most American thing you can do right now is run out & buy an Algerian flag and root for them to get some sort of a result against the Evil Empire of George III. Bonus irony points if you're a conservative right winger.

*Someone please fact check this, as I'm on about 20 hours sleep the last 5 days.

Adaptation, Finesse, and Jabulani. Also: Did Maradona Just Save World Cup 2010? Controversy Explained.

2010-06-17T08:10:00.000-07:00

This is long, and wonky. If you want the Reader's Digest/ADD/Cliff Notes version, Felipe Melo's got you covered.

Preface- The Great Jabulani Controversy
I'm not here to convince you that the ball sucks and is the main reason for the low scoring, shots, and chances. I was barking that from the beginning and was just frustrated that so many people weren't seeing the obvious and calling a spade a spade- vuvuzelas do not affect the flight of the ball, and neither does altitude when the flight change is from spinning to knuckleballs. If you've watched any significant amount of professional soccer during, I don't know, say the last 10 years, then you know this: players have ridiculous control of the ball, and a huge chunk of beautiful goals are the result of players bending the ball by hitting it with power with the inside of the foot to make it curve and/or dip, sometimes as much as 10 feet and from as far out as 40 yards from goal. In other words, this is what we are used to seeing week in and week out from the world best players at club level:

You remember when TH14 was admired by neutrals don't you? It wasn't that long ago, really.

The best example of this I could find is Robert Pires' powerful bending goal away to Liverpool during Arsenal's famous "Invincibles" undefeated season in 2003-2004. Watch each replay of this goal, especially the last one, but more importantly listen to the commentary clearly explain that the key to this goal is hitting it with the inside of the foot and bending it with power. While you are watching it think about how many times you see this goal each week in say the EPL, La Liga, or any other professional league, and how through 18 games to date with the best players on the planet, we have yet to see it once.

"he bends it with power; that's the thing that beats the goalkeeper"

And it's not just Bend It Like Beckham; it's Bend It Like Any Moderately Talented Pro Footballer. In other words, it's commonplace and seen multiple times in any given match. So when the best players in the world play 16 games in a row without a single powerful shot from range spinning in this manner, let alone being on target or going into the goal, it's pretty simple to see that this ball simply DOES NOT SPIN. Any shot with power is flat and/or knuckles out of control, and takes off like an F-14 off the deck of an aircraft carrier.

Moving On
But now I'm less interested in convincing others of my world view and more interested in trying to figure out what will happen next: will players adapt, or is the angry juju of this ball untameable? And if they do adapt, how will they do it? Can this ball be mastered or will the players only get marginally better, leaving us with the lowest scoring and most disappointing World Cup in history?

I think the answer is becoming apparent, and it is good news for the billion or so of us humans caught up in this so far disappointing affair.

Finesse Will Set You Free
The players in this tournament have been striking the ball the same way to spin it with power to score amazing goals and put in pinpoint crosses for years if not decades, so their brains & bodies are hard wired for this. Change is not intuitive; rather, it is quite difficult to achieve with a simple wave of the note to self magic wand. But it has become readily apparent in the last 24 hours that just such a change is happening right before our eyes.

{damnit, now I remember why I hated your blog back in the day you longwinded bastard- get to the point... /half of audience leaves room}

OK, here's the dope: the way to get Jabulani to spin is to hit it not with power but with finesse, and we've seen a massive shift since yesterday morning. I first noticed it yesterday during Uruguay-SouthAfrica, especially from Diego Forlan. His dipping rocket shot goal thanks to a head deflection aside, I noticed that "holy shit he's spinning the ball on crosses better than anyone else I've seen", but didn't immediately see that he was doing this by taking a little power off of his kicks. But it really got me thinking about this question of adaptation to the ball.

Did El Diego Save The World Cup?
Then yesterday afternoon I saw this from Moin and immediately thought: holy shit this ball can be bent from distance. Eureka!

Mira:

Made even better by the soundtrack: "Queremos Paz" by Gotan Project

Later yesterday afternoon I thought "man, I wonder if, given the instant viral nature of youtube, and the worldwide takeover of social networking by the World Cup, if this will make it's way to any player/coach/team advisor, because one look at it and you can see the secret to unlock the mystery", but didn't really take my thought seriously.

Then I woke up today and watched Argentina 4-1 South Korea and man it seemed as if the secret was out. The game was certainly joint most enjoyable to watch with Germany 4-0 Australia {more on that in a minute} and it seemed like the players control on shots, crosses, and touches was significantly better. I started connecting the dots but immediately checked myself for being on some phony Dan Brown novel nonsense. But the thought lingered...

Then I watched Greece 2-1 Nigeria, and lo and behold the Nigerian goal was a free kick from 30 yards that spun like a 'regular' ball, and it was clearly hit softer than the default setting power bend shots that had universally failed in the 1st 16 games. Suddenly I'm Keanu Reeves: Whoa.

The rest of the match was more of the same, and if freaking Greece and 10 man Nigeria playing a cracking game with lots of chances and much better technical play can't convince me, then nothing will.

And I don't mean that I am convinced that it because of El Diego. It very well may be that in the days between their 1st & 2nd matches, teams figured this out by application of observation and adaptation by practice. After all, we're talking about the most talented people on this planet at the discipline of controlling a soccer ball. I'm just convinced that the finesse secret to unlock Jabulani is being applied in front of our very eyes; the reason behind it is secondary.

Conclusion
But as I sit here exhausted after watching two games from 4.30am this morning, this much seems indisputably clear:
1. Scoring in the first 16 games was 1.5 goals per game.

2. Scoring thusfar in 3 2nd round matches is 3.7 goals per game.

3. The level of play and thus enjoyment factor for fans/viewers has significantly increased from the 16 1st round games to the 3 (and counting) 2nd round matches.

And of the 4 "best" or "most enjoyable for neutrals to watch" games of the 19 played thusfar, 3 of those four are the last 3, all in the 2nd round and all in the last 24 hours. And this is the key: it's ultimately not about getting into a mathematical argument about comparing the goals scored per game, as that is the science of the game. The key is the art of the game: watch how players start to adapt their shooting, crossing, and lobbed passes by taking a little power off their kicks and using a little more finesse to get this ball to bend and submit to their will. Certainly not as much as any 'normal' ball that came before, but definitely more than what we saw in the first set of games.

Something is clearly happening. Whether or not it's practice, a viral video of Maradona giving every gamer the cheat code, or something else is not the important bit.

The important bit is that things are changing right before our eyes, in real time, and it's win win win win- the players, the fans, the haters, the world, are all the better for it. Have they mastered it? Of course not, there's still the rocket shot field goals into row Z, and there will be more. But I feel a corner has been turned, and I cannot wait to see Mexico-France and the games tomorrow to apply my theory with an increased sample size.

Watch Germany
Universally hailed as the only truly great technical performance of the 32 teams in the 1st set of games was Germany's 4-0 romp over hapless Australia. During the match I was thinking, "damn, Germany are playing like Adidas secretly gave them this Jabulani ball to practice with 2 years ago". We later found out that this is true, except the secret part- the German Bundesliga teams all used the Adidas Jabulani ball last season, and most players on the German national team play on German clubs, so the German players have been using it day in and day our since at least last September. This article has an outstanding and thorough breakdown of who had access to Jabulani & when they had it- a must read for anyone with any passing interest in the Jabulani issue.

Having had this Jabulani eureka moment, I am looking forward to seeing their next match, but what I'd like even more is to go back and watch their first match and see if their play jives with my finesse theory. Given my schedule that might not happen for a few days, but if you're home with mono or otherwise bored off your ass today, go check it out.

Now it could be that I am way off and in desperate need of a full night's sleep (which is true regardless). But I really think we're witnessing the key going into the Jabulani lock, and I'm here to tell you first so you can be the rock star who points it out first to your mates, cause that's the guy who gets the girl's number at the sportsbar from the casually interested in soccer but ridiculously hot expat from an exotic country who's there to support her homeland, not the douche who waits for something to take hold and then acts like they knew it all along.

That said, either you're welcome or I'm sorry.

Small sample size I know, but what do you think? Am I observant or baked?

UPDATE
Jabulani Update with objective goals per match facts here.

*Please don't come at me in the comments about opening matches being cautious, cagey affairs. They are, but I am talking about physical evidence regarding the flight & spin of the ball, not emotional states & conservative tactics.

**Updated with video evidence to support my theory 21 June 2010

{opens creaky door, turns on light, clears off dust, coughs}:

2010-06-16T21:01:00.000-07:00

"Anybody still here?"

Some World Cup thoughts in my head that cannot be contained by 140 characters, especially re: Jabulani ball & what will happen from here on out/how players will adjust

Just need some time in next couple days to get it all down.

Watch this space...

Why I Love Horse Racing, Reason #734

2009-05-12T14:08:00.000-07:00

From Steve Haskin's wonderful Kentucky Derby wrapup story, here's trainer Dick Mandella {who trained MINE THAT BIRD for 10 days last fall} talking about what makes the horse game special:

“But seriously, that horse looked fabulous. The trainer has done a great job with him. Just because a trainer doesn’t have a big stable doesn’t mean he’s not a good horseman. This goes to show what someone who has a lot of time to spend with one horse can do when that horse has talent. That’s the beauty of this game. Everybody’s got a chance. We don’t promote enough how equal and how fair this game can be. It has very little prejudice. This is the only business where a sheikh or member of a royal family will lean down to some minimum wage hotwalker or groom and say, ‘What do you think?’"

Well said, reminds me of why going to the Kentucky Derby is so much damn fun.