The Link Much going on in the world of sports this week with the College World Series, U.S. Open, NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup Finals and the World Cup. Of course you must wander over to Univision for the antics there and of course the call of Gooooal, Goooooooooal, goal de Ustados Unidos! Well hopefully you hear that one.
Spoiler alert... Brazil off to a horrible start. Protesters tried to block highway to stadium. Neymar limping around during warmups. The game starts and Brazil scores...its first own goal in world cup history. Then part of the stadium lights go out. Then Neymar flagrantly elbows a Croat in the throat, and gets a yellow card, maybe should have been worse. Never mind, Neymar just launched a rocket that bounced off the right post for a goooooaaaaallllllll!!!!!!!. It's tied up.
Good match yesterday. Croatia hung tough. Best group play match of the tourney coming up today - Spain V. Dutch. Personally, I like that Klinsmann said we have no chance. The team is getting more support and encouragement from home than ever......not that I believe it will inspire us to a World Cup. I am hoping for a draw against Portugal and decisive win versus Ghana. Only chance we have of moving through.
Klinsmann is the perfect coach for the USA, brutally honest and cold hearted when it comes to his tactics and decisions. USA must beat Ghana and get something out of the Portugal match. DVR'ing all the games and watching them late at night after the little one goes to bed, fun month ahead.
SPOILER ALERT: Avert thine eyes if you plan to watch tonight on replay..... Netherlands is absolutely drilling Spain, 5-1 in second half. Van Persie and Robben each with 2 goals. The Dutch staking their claim to be a favorite as this tournament goes on and Spain now faces a likely round of 16 match with Brazil, that is if they get out of group play at all since they still have a very tough Chile team to deal with.
Concacaf is 2-0 early on with Mexico and the Ticos winning. Still hard to see any of the four teams advancing to round of 16 but its a good start. Got the USA scarf and classic 1994 jersey pulled out for the game watching tomorrow and some revenge against Ghana.
11 games in and 37 goals have been scored and no draws. This has been an outstanding attacking Cup through the first four days and hopefully that continues.
Good news early for USA today as Germany is up 3-0 on Portugal in second half and Portugese defender Pepe has been red carded which means he misses match with USA on Sunday. Only good if USA takes advantage and beats Ghana.
What a downer! Joey Altidore (sp?) pulls a hamstring, badly, early in the game and is likely out of the World Cup. This makes Jurgen Klinsman's decision to leave Landon Donovan off the team look like a huge blunder. Could be an epic fail lineup omission.
Jozy Altidore isn't that huge of a loss, in my opinion. The shot he took was just like most of his shots lately--easily stuffed by defense or the goalie. He makes it easy by shooting right at them! Don't believe he is "out of his slum by scoring 2 goals" in the last game b.s. One was a total garbage goal, a deflection that I could have tapped in, the other a decent shot but GK was out of position. I have never understood the Landon decision, I just thought it came down to a coach's instinct or something. But he is super one-dimensional, has been cold for a while, and Donavan gives more options. I would be much more worried if Dempsey were out. Jozy should have been left back home. Now we are stuck, although the player, something -ski is supposed to be quite good and though young, many thought he might get a CAP anyway.
Well, Dempsey got kicked in the nose earlier, and blood was gushing out like Spindletop. Another player is limping around holding his hamstring. We are barely holding on, and Ghana is attacking relentlessly. They have the ball all the time, and are shooting constantly. How long can we hold the 1-0 lead?
Not as exciting as a girl from Ghana named Rea. Make up your own jokes as you see fit. Pronounced Ree-uh for the humor impaired. For those more serious I have Germany winning it all over Argentina in my pickem bracket. First the U.S. Open and then this it's a big year for the Fatherland.
Amazing scoreless draw between Brazil and Mexico. The Mexican goalie made repeated great saves. I wouldn't have thought a scoreless game would be very interesting, but this one was.
It's kind of like what's going on in Omaha. Is this the World Cup soccer version of "pequeno pelota?" Get great goal keeping and hope to eke out a goal on maybe a set play after a close in foul. I think TCU's Cron should have gotten a yellow card for his tag on the Virginia runner at home plate. No runs being scored because base runners are always off sides. I expect Peterson to scream "Ruuuuuuuunnnnnnn" if anybody ever scores again. I wish Univision was doing this game, they would make foul balls exciting. "Faulta los Boomer White." Too much hitting the recall button between the CWS and the World Cup can get to you after so many hours.
Only previous champion ever to lose its first two games at the following World Cup. That's an epic fail, Spain.
Los Ticos take down Italy 1-0 and are first CONCACAF team through to round of 16. Great tournament so far for CONCACAF and if Mexico and USA can advance would be best World Cup ever for the confederation.
If anyone can enlighten me the reason for verb tense in soccer headlines, would appreciate it. For example, consider if these were headlines of general news? France lays down oceanic pipeline or France lay down oceanic pipeline Costa Rica stuns Mexico with pipeline shutdown or Costa Rica stun Mexico with pipeline shutdown Here are actual headlines today: France lay down World Cup marker Costa Rica stun Italy So with that in mind-- Consider if the following football programs are in the news: Texas hire new coach Oklahoma agree to new Cotton Bowl terms Alabama recruit more 100 for class of 2016 That's how we'd do it if the sport were soccer. What am I missing when I read soccer headlines and it feels like someone scratching fingernails on a blackboard. What am I supposed to hear that will magically make it okay to my ear?
They don't talk gud English over there. It's just their grammatical style. Regional, or in this case, continental differences. They are going to say, "Germany are the aggressor in this match." We would say, "Germany is the aggressor in this match." You can put up with it for one month every four years, if you drink enough Guiness draft, and eat enough fish and chips.
