10 days of fun

SPORTING GOODS

I watched Saturday's USA-Italy draw with my lovely wife and our gracious host, Chill. Just how thrilling a game it turned out to be, and how great an event the World Cup is overall, was best exemplified by Chill (if you don't mind me saying so Chill). Although he doesn't profess to be a big soccer fan, doesn't really follow the US team, and if anything may have considered himself a supporter of the Italian team against any other foe, Chill yelled himself hoarse, cursed out every member of the Italian team and the ref, and had yet to sit down by the end of the match. That is what the World Cup is all about, and the US team with their tremendous performance earned every bit of praise it is receiving from the press right now. I hate when sports players are called "courageous" but I can't think of a better word, so I'll just stop.

It is likely I will not be showing up to work til noon on Thursday. And as much as I hated them on Saturday, go Azzuri! If the US and Italy win, they will both go on to the next round.

As for the second biggest story line of the US-Italy match (after the US's balls performance), I will quote a soccer song:

I want a rope, a tree
to hang the referee
I said I'm blind, I'm deaf
I want to be a ref

My other thoughts on the World Cup so far, updating my previous comments:

I had pegged as overrated, and was right: Poland. They really didn't impress, and I believe were the first team officially eliminated from the second round. Same goes for Serbia and Montenegro, which I think I compared to a minor league team; a lot of people thought their strength made Group C the "group of death" but after a 6-0 thrashing by Argentina, I think that has been put to bed.

I pegged as underrated, and was totally wrong: Costa Rica could have benefited from Poland's poor play, but instead will be going home in a couple of days. I was picking with my heart on that one I'm afraid.

We DID get the group of death. I think it's now clear that the US is in the
toughest group. All four teams are alive after two games.

South Korea has the best fans. I know the Brazilian fans get a lot of credit, but I've never heard as much noise on a neutral field as the South Koreans were making against France today. How do they drown out the French fans, who barely had to travel? On a related note, how is it that every South Korea win seems to involve the ref either disallowing a goal that should have counted, or not seeing a goal?

I have to agree with the enjoyable ESPN blogger Simon Davies, who has called England's performance "absolute pants." When I first started talking World Cup, I pointed out that England probably had the highest number of "world class players" after Brazil. Well 4 players I put in that category - Lampard, Gerrard, Ashley Cole, Michael Owen - pants, pants, pants, pants.

France, I wish I didn't pick you for the finals in my office World Cup pool. I'm proud to say that I'm currently in 3rd out of 149 (mostly Brits), but the way France is playing I may be in trouble.

Go USA! Watch this space for my lineup selection, I actually was nearly spot on for Saturday (well apart for leaving out both players who got red cards), so I'll give it another shot.