Saturday, October 09, 2010
Jigsaw Puzzle
when i think about the jigsaw puzzle that is my life, i keep thinking that i have not yet found a corner piece.
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Maybe We Can
In 2009, I visited Singapore as part of a whirlwind trip to several Asian cities. During that trip, I noted the leadership and arguably unusual directness of the Singaporean government in discussing the economic meltdown. I wondered what effects such an approach might have in terms of dealing with the crisis especially when compared to the approach of the US government.
In today's New York Times, Edmund Phelps wrote an op-ed piece that proposes a tax credit for companies employing low-wage workers. As the piece indicates, it might seem counterintuitive to emphasize low-wage jobs but Phelps correctly states "we need to create jobs at all levels." Apparently, the Singaporean government implemented such a tax credit and their unemployment rate is around 3%. It is a huge leap to assume that the tax credit is solely responsible for low unemployment rate. But I would assert that admitting they faced a major problem was the first step toward this type of bold, effective government action.
But we don't want to pay taxes. We want services without taxes and the good life without hard work. This ongoing economic crisis has different effects depending on what state you live in whether that's Hawaii, California, Colorado -- or denial.
In today's New York Times, Edmund Phelps wrote an op-ed piece that proposes a tax credit for companies employing low-wage workers. As the piece indicates, it might seem counterintuitive to emphasize low-wage jobs but Phelps correctly states "we need to create jobs at all levels." Apparently, the Singaporean government implemented such a tax credit and their unemployment rate is around 3%. It is a huge leap to assume that the tax credit is solely responsible for low unemployment rate. But I would assert that admitting they faced a major problem was the first step toward this type of bold, effective government action.
The economic crisis in the US is having major impacts on people and state, county and city governments. Hawaii has closed schools on Friday and Colorado Springs is turning off street lights. The town of Tracy, CA had considered charging its residents for 911 calls. They have changed their minds and now proposing a half cent increase on sales tax.
But we don't want to pay taxes. We want services without taxes and the good life without hard work. This ongoing economic crisis has different effects depending on what state you live in whether that's Hawaii, California, Colorado -- or denial.
Monday, July 12, 2010
The Joy of Soccer
The World Cup is over and the worldwide hangover has begun. My withdrawal symptoms will be nothing compared to what South Africa must be going through. I hope the positive energy they harnessed and amplified during the last month stays with them as they tackle more meaningful challenges. As both Spain and the Netherlands return home, there is worldwide commentary on the match. I've been harsh about the Dutch tactics, but my comments are nothing compared to the statements from Dutch legend Johan Cruyff. Some of his comments are as hard hitting as the Dutch tackling during the Finals.
I had the fortune of playing soccer as a kid but only for a couple of years. I spent my formative years of 4 to 7 living in London during which time I developed a love for soccer and chocolate. I only played two years at my school and even those years were on our "B" team. But even with my limited experience -- augmented by a return onto the pitch during grad school for pickup matches -- I can recall the feeling of running on that wide open pitch, trying to account for all the movement and trying to get that circular object to behave properly.
There were a few moments of inspiration.
Dribbling through two midfielders, hearing the crowd cheer and passing it through to one of our strikers. During the grad school days, scoring off a corner kick by striking the ball one time while it was still in midair. And running around the track in high school (I became a runner after my soccer ambitions ended), hearing the call of "help", turning without hesitation and making a perfect pass back to the coach of the girls team. He would speak with me the next day asking why I didn't play soccer. Surprised, shocked (and more than a little flattered), I asked him why he would ask. His response that my pass at full speed was perfect caught me by surprise. I told him that was the exception. He said something that I have never forgotten: "Sayeed, practice is what makes the exceptional the norm. If you don't have talent, no amount of practice will create it. But even with talent, you need to practice to perfect it."
I was crushed when I did not make my high school soccer team. In many ways, I am only now feeling the loss and realize that watching soccer is one of the ways I cope. But I do remember the joyous feeling of those fleeting moments of excellence. And I wish I had continued to practice instead of giving up. One of the most bonding aspects of soccer, football, futbol is that anyone at anytime can experience this joy. All it takes is a round object and an open space. If you want to add some intensity, invite a few friends and make up some goalposts. Pele and Maradona both grew up in poverty and learned to play soccer in the most modest surroundings. There is a wonderful article about Jessica Hilltout, a Belgian born photographer who made a journey across Africa capturing special moments or scenes. The photographs are poignant. Yet even amidst the apparent sadness, there are powerful images of poetic motion, camaraderie, ingenuity, hope, even joy. For a moment, anyone can be Andres Iniesta scoring the World Cup winning goal.
Soccer is called the beautiful game. I believe that soccer is a beautiful game only when it is played with joy. By teams that genuinely enjoy making great passes, that appreciate when their teammates make incisive runs to create space, that move the ball in flowing patterns. They dance. Sara Crompton, the arts editor and a dance writer for The Daily Telegraph, described Maradona's Argentina team in terms of the tango. Argentina played with joy. As did Spain. Brazil diminished its joy for efficiency and the Germans seemed to do the opposite. There was so much made of poor management when Argentina lost. It's probably true that Maradona made mistakes. But does anyone think Fabio Capello is a poor manager? Germany beat England as badly as they beat Argentina. And when people question why Argentina would want Maradona to return as a manager, they underestimate his standing within his homeland but they also don't recognize that many fans appreciated his joyful approach to the game. And maybe, just maybe, they don't value winning above all else.
There are teams without enough talent to compete against the world's best. And as that coach said to me years ago, no amount of practice will create talent. I understand why Greece and Switzerland adopt such defensive postures in their matches. But it's disappointing to watch a team like Brazil or Portugal or the Netherlands not play freely. They suppress their joy in the relentless pursuit of victory.
For me, the final match asked the fundamental question of soccer: Do you win by expression or do you win by suppression?
And even by the standards of teams who suppress, the Dutch violence on the pitch was reprehensible. Blaming the Spaniards for retaliation and blaming the referee only makes matters worse. The Dutch criticized the Germans for not challenging the Spaniards during their semi-final encounter. It's interesting to note that Spain defeated both the Netherlands and Germany by the same result. Anyone who wants to see the difference between expression and suppression need look no further than the juxtaposition of Spain's matches against these teutonic neighbors. There were *NO* fouls for the first 25 minutes of and few fouls throughout the Spain v. Germany match. If you want to make sure the referee doesn't dominate the proceedings, try not fouling each other. For another point of comparison between the Netherlands and Germany, consider the comments of another soccer legend from the 1970s. Franz Beckenbauer may have been wrong about Germany winning the finals, but he certainly appreciated the joyful approach of the Germans.
I'll keep reflecting on the loss of joy with my own soccer journey. Some day I'll embrace that joy I might experience now is fundamentally no different than the joy I experienced on the pitch or maybe even the joy that Iniesta felt when he scored the winning goal. I'm not there yet. Until I get there, I'll keep experiencing vicariously through Spain's victory.
I had the fortune of playing soccer as a kid but only for a couple of years. I spent my formative years of 4 to 7 living in London during which time I developed a love for soccer and chocolate. I only played two years at my school and even those years were on our "B" team. But even with my limited experience -- augmented by a return onto the pitch during grad school for pickup matches -- I can recall the feeling of running on that wide open pitch, trying to account for all the movement and trying to get that circular object to behave properly.
There were a few moments of inspiration.
Dribbling through two midfielders, hearing the crowd cheer and passing it through to one of our strikers. During the grad school days, scoring off a corner kick by striking the ball one time while it was still in midair. And running around the track in high school (I became a runner after my soccer ambitions ended), hearing the call of "help", turning without hesitation and making a perfect pass back to the coach of the girls team. He would speak with me the next day asking why I didn't play soccer. Surprised, shocked (and more than a little flattered), I asked him why he would ask. His response that my pass at full speed was perfect caught me by surprise. I told him that was the exception. He said something that I have never forgotten: "Sayeed, practice is what makes the exceptional the norm. If you don't have talent, no amount of practice will create it. But even with talent, you need to practice to perfect it."
I was crushed when I did not make my high school soccer team. In many ways, I am only now feeling the loss and realize that watching soccer is one of the ways I cope. But I do remember the joyous feeling of those fleeting moments of excellence. And I wish I had continued to practice instead of giving up. One of the most bonding aspects of soccer, football, futbol is that anyone at anytime can experience this joy. All it takes is a round object and an open space. If you want to add some intensity, invite a few friends and make up some goalposts. Pele and Maradona both grew up in poverty and learned to play soccer in the most modest surroundings. There is a wonderful article about Jessica Hilltout, a Belgian born photographer who made a journey across Africa capturing special moments or scenes. The photographs are poignant. Yet even amidst the apparent sadness, there are powerful images of poetic motion, camaraderie, ingenuity, hope, even joy. For a moment, anyone can be Andres Iniesta scoring the World Cup winning goal.
Soccer is called the beautiful game. I believe that soccer is a beautiful game only when it is played with joy. By teams that genuinely enjoy making great passes, that appreciate when their teammates make incisive runs to create space, that move the ball in flowing patterns. They dance. Sara Crompton, the arts editor and a dance writer for The Daily Telegraph, described Maradona's Argentina team in terms of the tango. Argentina played with joy. As did Spain. Brazil diminished its joy for efficiency and the Germans seemed to do the opposite. There was so much made of poor management when Argentina lost. It's probably true that Maradona made mistakes. But does anyone think Fabio Capello is a poor manager? Germany beat England as badly as they beat Argentina. And when people question why Argentina would want Maradona to return as a manager, they underestimate his standing within his homeland but they also don't recognize that many fans appreciated his joyful approach to the game. And maybe, just maybe, they don't value winning above all else.
There are teams without enough talent to compete against the world's best. And as that coach said to me years ago, no amount of practice will create talent. I understand why Greece and Switzerland adopt such defensive postures in their matches. But it's disappointing to watch a team like Brazil or Portugal or the Netherlands not play freely. They suppress their joy in the relentless pursuit of victory.
For me, the final match asked the fundamental question of soccer: Do you win by expression or do you win by suppression?
And even by the standards of teams who suppress, the Dutch violence on the pitch was reprehensible. Blaming the Spaniards for retaliation and blaming the referee only makes matters worse. The Dutch criticized the Germans for not challenging the Spaniards during their semi-final encounter. It's interesting to note that Spain defeated both the Netherlands and Germany by the same result. Anyone who wants to see the difference between expression and suppression need look no further than the juxtaposition of Spain's matches against these teutonic neighbors. There were *NO* fouls for the first 25 minutes of and few fouls throughout the Spain v. Germany match. If you want to make sure the referee doesn't dominate the proceedings, try not fouling each other. For another point of comparison between the Netherlands and Germany, consider the comments of another soccer legend from the 1970s. Franz Beckenbauer may have been wrong about Germany winning the finals, but he certainly appreciated the joyful approach of the Germans.
I'll keep reflecting on the loss of joy with my own soccer journey. Some day I'll embrace that joy I might experience now is fundamentally no different than the joy I experienced on the pitch or maybe even the joy that Iniesta felt when he scored the winning goal. I'm not there yet. Until I get there, I'll keep experiencing vicariously through Spain's victory.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
2010 World Cup Final Thoughts
The 2010 World Cup is over. My final random set of observations and thoughts:
- We have a new champion -- only the eight nation to join an exclusive club. I am really glad Spain won the World Cup. It's rare that the winner, best team and most elegant team converge in this manner. The Netherlands played a negative game which is unfortunate. They possess a great deal of talent. After criticizing the Germans for letting Spain play too freely, it seems that the Netherlands ended up with the same outcome. Referee Howard Webb should have given De Jong a red card for his foul -- or should I say assault -- on Xavi Alonso. But Webb called the match fairly and after some disruptive fouls and yellow cards, it seemed that Spain dominated again. Robben caused havoc especially against Puyol but Robben either ran out of gas or Spain adjusted well seemingly playing a man behind and another in front of him. They also forced him to play with his right foot which he's clearly not comfortable doing. Casillas' save against Robben was huge but Ramos missed an open header as well. In the end, the better team won and positive soccer won.
- At times Arjen Robben looks like Patrick Stewart. Perhaps Robben could take acting lessons from Stewart so that he doesn't look so silly and irritating when he fakes an injury. Why do some of the world's most talented soccer players insist on such ridiculous theatrics?
- South America did so well in the opening round and second round yet ended with a whimper. The finals featured two European times and this Cup marked the first time Europe won outside their continent. The 2006 Cup also featured two European finalists. The last (and only other) time this happened was during the 1934 and 1938 World Cups. Surely this won't happen again with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Right?
- Did Diego Forlan just peak late? He seems like a new man since he left Manchester United. Apparently Alex Ferguson believed in him but Forlan struggled at United nonetheless. Not so anymore. And based on his personal life, it seems that Forlan possesses both talent and character.
- How 'bout them kiwis? Spain becomes the first team to win the World Cup after losing its first match. The Netherlands were hoping to match the amazing run of the 1970 Brazilian team by winning all their qualifiers and World Cup matches. With the Netherlands losing to Spain, the only team to leave South Africa without tasting defeat was....New Zealand.
- Why is this happening to me? I think Italy's backup keeper Federico Marchetti may have made one save. Otherwise, he spent his time reaching into the back of the net to retrieve the ball and wonder why Buffon had to get injured.
- The youth movement. Too much may have been made of youth vs. experience but it's not a coincidence that some of the younger teams fared so well. The World Cup is an endurance event and younger legs recover more quickly. Italy was cited as the team that didn't balance youth and experience. But no scene exemplified the contrast of pace more than Gareth Barry lumbering toward Mesut Oezil only to see Oezil blow by and set up Mueller for Germany's fourth goal. Ghana featured the youngest team in the tournament and Germany possessed the second youngest team. I can't wait to see them in four years. It's also worth noting that many of Argentina's players are under 25 but if Maradona resigns as manager who knows how the next manager will choose his squad.
- Best goal of the tournament: Wes Sneijder's swerving shot against Japan? Carlos Tevez's rocket against Mexico? Both were surpassed by Giovanni Van Bronckhorst's absolute stunner from long-range against Uruguay. What about Forlan's response in the Netherlands match? I'm going with Siphiwe Shabalala's opening goal against Mexico. Maybe not the best goal technically but a historic goal that marked the happiest moment for the host nation. Works for me.
- Best save of the tournament: Stekelenburg against Kaka. Not only was it a great save with textbook technique, it prevented Brazil from tying the match. That save probably altered the overall course of the World Cup more than any other single save.
- Most surprising player: Thomas Mueller is being hailed as the big surprise. No doubt he announced himself on the world stage in impressive manner as Golden Boot winner and best young player award. But a young German who plays at Bayern Munich excelling at the World Cup isn't surprising. My vote goes to Robert Vittek. If he had kept his composure against the Netherlands, he might have equalized for Slovakia and made that match interesting indeed. Vittek plays in Turkey. And he doesn't play for Galatasaray or Fenerbahce but rather Ankaragucu. No disrespect intended but I suspect Vittek will be playing somewhere else soon enough.
- Unsung Hero: Too much is made of goals. Some players certainly carry their teams on offense (think David Villa) but other goal scorers are beneficiaries of others' heroic efforts. If you add up the total distance of Klose's and Higuain's goals, it's probably about 100 feet. The unsung heroes who set up others do not get enough recognition. Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger was critical to their overall play and indirectly responsible for multiple goals. But he did get recognized to the extent of making Germans forget about Michael Ballack (until he argued with Lahm about the captaincy). My unsung hero is Dirk Kuyt. He also set up goals for the Netherlands, but perhaps more importantly he worked tirelessly and creatively to create space and opportunity for others -- without resorting to rough play. Only one goal but much greater impact in other ways.
- Most disappointing player: It certainly wasn't Lionel Messi's World Cup. He hit the woodwork more than once and created some havoc that freed up his teammates but his overall performance made me yearn for more. How about Cristiano Ronaldo whose only goal was a comical effort against a completely overwhelmed North Korea. Otherwise, he seemed most eager to stare at himself on the giant TV screen as he lined up for free kicks from as far away as 50 yards. Del Bosque brought back Torres too soon after surgery hoping for a moment of inspiration that never came. Given his injury, it's probably not fair to pick on Torres. I'll have to go with Wayne Rooney. I think he hit the post once in the match against Slovenia. But did he have any impact? Granted his entire team was stunned by Germany but by the end of that match, he was even't making runs at defenders and was making rather tame passes.
- Referees: Like the South Americans, the refs had a good opening round but then dropped off in performance. There are so many choices for absolutely horrible calls. Goals disallowed for no good reason. Goals allowed that should not have been. And Frank Lampard's "phantom" second goal against Germany. How could the refs miss something that the fans in the stadium and the TV viewing audience see so easily? FIFA's response included asking the stadium authorities to refrain from showing replays. Now that's an inspiring reaction.
- Fair Play Award: Spain wins the traditional award measured by number of cards. If FIFA awarded a Positive Play Award, I think it should go to the South Koreans who not only entertained but also refrained from diving, acting, cheating and complaining. If they hadn't taken their foot off the gas after scoring Uruguay, who knows how that match might have turned out. I'm eager to see more of them in the 2014 World Cup.
- Unfair Play Award: While there's been a lot of attention on Suarez, it's worth remembering the Ivory Coast's Kader Kaita's ridiculous ploy against Kaka. Not only did it seem that Kaka was basically defending himself, Kaita's face grab after there was clearly contact on his chest was pathetic. Sadly, it was also effective in sending Kaka off. But for sheer consistency of obnoxious play the dubious distinction must go to Mark Van Bommel. I can not understand how he wasn't ejected in every game he played. He didn't even get yellow cards for his obvious fouls. I understand the value of an enforcer. As an Arsenal fan, I can sense the difference given Patrick Vieira's departure. But while Vieira was an enforcer, he also played soccer. Van Bommel seemed to focus on fouling other players, diving and yelling at refs. For a single act, I think De Jong's assault on Xavi Alonso was even worse than Suarez's handball.
But the ultimate unfair play award has to go to FIFA itself which seems to revel in the controversy. FIFA seems to celebrate the extra attention. The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. Even in the US, interest in the World Cup peaked with each disallowed US goal. It took ESPN's obsessive coverage of Lebron James self-indulgent "The Decision" to knock World Cup coverage out of the picture. Thank goodness LeBron didn't make his decision during the World Cup finals. FIFA protect its refs, refuses to use technology and misses real opportunities to remove the game of negative elements. It's almost enough to make this soccer fan wonder why I spend so much time watching the World Cup.
Hey, I just noticed that FIFA has unveiled the official emblem for the 2014 World Cup ;-)
- We have a new champion -- only the eight nation to join an exclusive club. I am really glad Spain won the World Cup. It's rare that the winner, best team and most elegant team converge in this manner. The Netherlands played a negative game which is unfortunate. They possess a great deal of talent. After criticizing the Germans for letting Spain play too freely, it seems that the Netherlands ended up with the same outcome. Referee Howard Webb should have given De Jong a red card for his foul -- or should I say assault -- on Xavi Alonso. But Webb called the match fairly and after some disruptive fouls and yellow cards, it seemed that Spain dominated again. Robben caused havoc especially against Puyol but Robben either ran out of gas or Spain adjusted well seemingly playing a man behind and another in front of him. They also forced him to play with his right foot which he's clearly not comfortable doing. Casillas' save against Robben was huge but Ramos missed an open header as well. In the end, the better team won and positive soccer won.
- At times Arjen Robben looks like Patrick Stewart. Perhaps Robben could take acting lessons from Stewart so that he doesn't look so silly and irritating when he fakes an injury. Why do some of the world's most talented soccer players insist on such ridiculous theatrics?
- South America did so well in the opening round and second round yet ended with a whimper. The finals featured two European times and this Cup marked the first time Europe won outside their continent. The 2006 Cup also featured two European finalists. The last (and only other) time this happened was during the 1934 and 1938 World Cups. Surely this won't happen again with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Right?
- Did Diego Forlan just peak late? He seems like a new man since he left Manchester United. Apparently Alex Ferguson believed in him but Forlan struggled at United nonetheless. Not so anymore. And based on his personal life, it seems that Forlan possesses both talent and character.
- How 'bout them kiwis? Spain becomes the first team to win the World Cup after losing its first match. The Netherlands were hoping to match the amazing run of the 1970 Brazilian team by winning all their qualifiers and World Cup matches. With the Netherlands losing to Spain, the only team to leave South Africa without tasting defeat was....New Zealand.
- Why is this happening to me? I think Italy's backup keeper Federico Marchetti may have made one save. Otherwise, he spent his time reaching into the back of the net to retrieve the ball and wonder why Buffon had to get injured.
- The youth movement. Too much may have been made of youth vs. experience but it's not a coincidence that some of the younger teams fared so well. The World Cup is an endurance event and younger legs recover more quickly. Italy was cited as the team that didn't balance youth and experience. But no scene exemplified the contrast of pace more than Gareth Barry lumbering toward Mesut Oezil only to see Oezil blow by and set up Mueller for Germany's fourth goal. Ghana featured the youngest team in the tournament and Germany possessed the second youngest team. I can't wait to see them in four years. It's also worth noting that many of Argentina's players are under 25 but if Maradona resigns as manager who knows how the next manager will choose his squad.
- Best goal of the tournament: Wes Sneijder's swerving shot against Japan? Carlos Tevez's rocket against Mexico? Both were surpassed by Giovanni Van Bronckhorst's absolute stunner from long-range against Uruguay. What about Forlan's response in the Netherlands match? I'm going with Siphiwe Shabalala's opening goal against Mexico. Maybe not the best goal technically but a historic goal that marked the happiest moment for the host nation. Works for me.
- Best save of the tournament: Stekelenburg against Kaka. Not only was it a great save with textbook technique, it prevented Brazil from tying the match. That save probably altered the overall course of the World Cup more than any other single save.
- Most surprising player: Thomas Mueller is being hailed as the big surprise. No doubt he announced himself on the world stage in impressive manner as Golden Boot winner and best young player award. But a young German who plays at Bayern Munich excelling at the World Cup isn't surprising. My vote goes to Robert Vittek. If he had kept his composure against the Netherlands, he might have equalized for Slovakia and made that match interesting indeed. Vittek plays in Turkey. And he doesn't play for Galatasaray or Fenerbahce but rather Ankaragucu. No disrespect intended but I suspect Vittek will be playing somewhere else soon enough.
- Unsung Hero: Too much is made of goals. Some players certainly carry their teams on offense (think David Villa) but other goal scorers are beneficiaries of others' heroic efforts. If you add up the total distance of Klose's and Higuain's goals, it's probably about 100 feet. The unsung heroes who set up others do not get enough recognition. Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger was critical to their overall play and indirectly responsible for multiple goals. But he did get recognized to the extent of making Germans forget about Michael Ballack (until he argued with Lahm about the captaincy). My unsung hero is Dirk Kuyt. He also set up goals for the Netherlands, but perhaps more importantly he worked tirelessly and creatively to create space and opportunity for others -- without resorting to rough play. Only one goal but much greater impact in other ways.
- Most disappointing player: It certainly wasn't Lionel Messi's World Cup. He hit the woodwork more than once and created some havoc that freed up his teammates but his overall performance made me yearn for more. How about Cristiano Ronaldo whose only goal was a comical effort against a completely overwhelmed North Korea. Otherwise, he seemed most eager to stare at himself on the giant TV screen as he lined up for free kicks from as far away as 50 yards. Del Bosque brought back Torres too soon after surgery hoping for a moment of inspiration that never came. Given his injury, it's probably not fair to pick on Torres. I'll have to go with Wayne Rooney. I think he hit the post once in the match against Slovenia. But did he have any impact? Granted his entire team was stunned by Germany but by the end of that match, he was even't making runs at defenders and was making rather tame passes.
- Referees: Like the South Americans, the refs had a good opening round but then dropped off in performance. There are so many choices for absolutely horrible calls. Goals disallowed for no good reason. Goals allowed that should not have been. And Frank Lampard's "phantom" second goal against Germany. How could the refs miss something that the fans in the stadium and the TV viewing audience see so easily? FIFA's response included asking the stadium authorities to refrain from showing replays. Now that's an inspiring reaction.
- Fair Play Award: Spain wins the traditional award measured by number of cards. If FIFA awarded a Positive Play Award, I think it should go to the South Koreans who not only entertained but also refrained from diving, acting, cheating and complaining. If they hadn't taken their foot off the gas after scoring Uruguay, who knows how that match might have turned out. I'm eager to see more of them in the 2014 World Cup.
- Unfair Play Award: While there's been a lot of attention on Suarez, it's worth remembering the Ivory Coast's Kader Kaita's ridiculous ploy against Kaka. Not only did it seem that Kaka was basically defending himself, Kaita's face grab after there was clearly contact on his chest was pathetic. Sadly, it was also effective in sending Kaka off. But for sheer consistency of obnoxious play the dubious distinction must go to Mark Van Bommel. I can not understand how he wasn't ejected in every game he played. He didn't even get yellow cards for his obvious fouls. I understand the value of an enforcer. As an Arsenal fan, I can sense the difference given Patrick Vieira's departure. But while Vieira was an enforcer, he also played soccer. Van Bommel seemed to focus on fouling other players, diving and yelling at refs. For a single act, I think De Jong's assault on Xavi Alonso was even worse than Suarez's handball.
But the ultimate unfair play award has to go to FIFA itself which seems to revel in the controversy. FIFA seems to celebrate the extra attention. The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. Even in the US, interest in the World Cup peaked with each disallowed US goal. It took ESPN's obsessive coverage of Lebron James self-indulgent "The Decision" to knock World Cup coverage out of the picture. Thank goodness LeBron didn't make his decision during the World Cup finals. FIFA protect its refs, refuses to use technology and misses real opportunities to remove the game of negative elements. It's almost enough to make this soccer fan wonder why I spend so much time watching the World Cup.
Hey, I just noticed that FIFA has unveiled the official emblem for the 2014 World Cup ;-)
2010 World Cup Best Eleven Team
Here's my best eleven 2010 World Cup team based on performance during the Cup. I'm lining up a 4-4-2:
Goalkeeper: Mark Paston (New Zealand). OK I'm having some fun here. If he had played in more matches, he probably would have been exposed and he had a laughable attempt at a clearance. But he did play well and he did not make mistakes that led to goals. Besides it's intriguing to even think of someone from NZ. There were relatively unknown goalkeepers who played very well (Stekelenburg, Enyeama, Kawashima) but each of them on one occasion seemed to lean the wrong direction as the Jabulani ball swerved. There were well known keepers who did well (Casillas, Cesar) but they made mistakes that led to goals and cost their teams (in Brazil's case catastrophically). I would choose Neuer of Germany though Stekelenburg was impressive. The overall goalkeeping was disappointing.
Defenders: How about choosing the entire back line of Spain? You could do a lot worse than Puyol, Pique, Ramos and Capdevila. They play well individually and play well as a unit. Spain conceded only 2 goals, one of which was the fiasco against Switzerland. Casillas seemed about 10 degrees off so it was especially important that the defensive line performed admirably. I suppose I wouldn't be too upset if Philip Lahm or Diego Lugano came off the bench to join the defense.
Midfielders: Not surprisingly, Spain enters the mix again with Andres Iniesta and and Xavi. Bastian Schweinsteiger has to be included though one could easily make the case for his teammate Thomas Mueller. But I'm going with unconventional choice (seriously) with Keisuke Honda (Japan). I know Wes Sneijder scored more goals than Honda but Sneijder was also surrounded by more talent. I also think midfielders need to possess and distribute the ball which Sneijder didn't do much. Honda had two goals but could have easily had three if had shot instead of passed during Japan's third goal against Denmark. Honda scored a beautiful goal from a free kick and orchestrated creatively from Japan's midfield. He looks like a worthy successor to Shunsuke Nakamura
Forwards: David Villa faded in the final games but he carried Spain's offense in the earlier matches. He tied for the lead in the golden boot contest but lost out on the tiebreaker of assists. I'm rounding out the best eleven with Diego Forlan who had an amazing tournament. His creativity, deft control, well placed corners, free kicks and candidate for shot of the tournament (against the Netherlands) were matched by his leadership and will to move his team forward. Also a scorer of five goals, he played with grace throughout the Cup. I wonder if Manchester United wants him back.
Goalkeeper: Mark Paston (New Zealand). OK I'm having some fun here. If he had played in more matches, he probably would have been exposed and he had a laughable attempt at a clearance. But he did play well and he did not make mistakes that led to goals. Besides it's intriguing to even think of someone from NZ. There were relatively unknown goalkeepers who played very well (Stekelenburg, Enyeama, Kawashima) but each of them on one occasion seemed to lean the wrong direction as the Jabulani ball swerved. There were well known keepers who did well (Casillas, Cesar) but they made mistakes that led to goals and cost their teams (in Brazil's case catastrophically). I would choose Neuer of Germany though Stekelenburg was impressive. The overall goalkeeping was disappointing.
Defenders: How about choosing the entire back line of Spain? You could do a lot worse than Puyol, Pique, Ramos and Capdevila. They play well individually and play well as a unit. Spain conceded only 2 goals, one of which was the fiasco against Switzerland. Casillas seemed about 10 degrees off so it was especially important that the defensive line performed admirably. I suppose I wouldn't be too upset if Philip Lahm or Diego Lugano came off the bench to join the defense.
Midfielders: Not surprisingly, Spain enters the mix again with Andres Iniesta and and Xavi. Bastian Schweinsteiger has to be included though one could easily make the case for his teammate Thomas Mueller. But I'm going with unconventional choice (seriously) with Keisuke Honda (Japan). I know Wes Sneijder scored more goals than Honda but Sneijder was also surrounded by more talent. I also think midfielders need to possess and distribute the ball which Sneijder didn't do much. Honda had two goals but could have easily had three if had shot instead of passed during Japan's third goal against Denmark. Honda scored a beautiful goal from a free kick and orchestrated creatively from Japan's midfield. He looks like a worthy successor to Shunsuke Nakamura
Forwards: David Villa faded in the final games but he carried Spain's offense in the earlier matches. He tied for the lead in the golden boot contest but lost out on the tiebreaker of assists. I'm rounding out the best eleven with Diego Forlan who had an amazing tournament. His creativity, deft control, well placed corners, free kicks and candidate for shot of the tournament (against the Netherlands) were matched by his leadership and will to move his team forward. Also a scorer of five goals, he played with grace throughout the Cup. I wonder if Manchester United wants him back.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Dissing Suarez?
Sepp Blatter and a couple of other FIFA executives shook hands with all of the starters from Germany and Uruguay prior to the 3rd place match. I might be imagining it but I could swear that Blatter basically dissed Suarez. He shook his hand and immediately looked toward Lugano. I think Blatter even stopped smiling. After the exchange, Suarez definitely looked toward Blatter with a less than pleased expression.
The crowd definitely dissed Suarez, booing him every time he touched the ball. ESPN's commentator Ian Darke seemed particularly upset by this treatment. He stated that "any professional" in the same situation would do exactly the same thing. I'd like to believe that isn't true. There are "professional fouls" that are deliberate attempts to take down a player prior to scoring. Michael Ballack missed the 2002 World Cup final match because of a professional foul. And it's true that defenders are instructed to make such fouls if the goal seems imminent. But pushing the boundaries of fouls -- a natural part of the game-- is different from deliberating handling the ball.
There are many instances where defenders do not actually follow through with professional fouls. There are many instances where players in the same situation as Suarez actually try to head the ball instead of becoming a volleyball player. And then there's Suarez's reaction. I have not read or heart a single account of him actually apologizing. Instead here's a quote from a Guardian article:
"The Hand of God now belongs to me. Mine is the real Hand Of God," said Suárez. "I made the best save of the tournament. Sometimes in training I play as a goalkeeper so it was worth it. There was no alternative but for me to do that and when they missed the penalty I thought 'It is a miracle and we are alive in the tournament'."
Does this sound like a guy who even feels a bit of remorse or guilt for what he did?
Darke seems to believe that egregious acts are excused when the circumstances are intense and the stakes are high. I wonder what he thinks of the original Hand of God goal? Maradona would almost certainly use the same line of "reasoning" that Suarez used with his act. Perhaps Darke (and others) believe that players are justified using their hands only when preventing goals?
The crowd definitely dissed Suarez, booing him every time he touched the ball. ESPN's commentator Ian Darke seemed particularly upset by this treatment. He stated that "any professional" in the same situation would do exactly the same thing. I'd like to believe that isn't true. There are "professional fouls" that are deliberate attempts to take down a player prior to scoring. Michael Ballack missed the 2002 World Cup final match because of a professional foul. And it's true that defenders are instructed to make such fouls if the goal seems imminent. But pushing the boundaries of fouls -- a natural part of the game-- is different from deliberating handling the ball.
There are many instances where defenders do not actually follow through with professional fouls. There are many instances where players in the same situation as Suarez actually try to head the ball instead of becoming a volleyball player. And then there's Suarez's reaction. I have not read or heart a single account of him actually apologizing. Instead here's a quote from a Guardian article:
"The Hand of God now belongs to me. Mine is the real Hand Of God," said Suárez. "I made the best save of the tournament. Sometimes in training I play as a goalkeeper so it was worth it. There was no alternative but for me to do that and when they missed the penalty I thought 'It is a miracle and we are alive in the tournament'."
Does this sound like a guy who even feels a bit of remorse or guilt for what he did?
Darke seems to believe that egregious acts are excused when the circumstances are intense and the stakes are high. I wonder what he thinks of the original Hand of God goal? Maradona would almost certainly use the same line of "reasoning" that Suarez used with his act. Perhaps Darke (and others) believe that players are justified using their hands only when preventing goals?
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Winning at Any Cost
Uruguay has been one of the more positive sides during the 2010 World Cup but Luis Suarez's deliberate handball was deplorable. He turned what would have been one of the classic comeback stories for African soccer into one of the most heartbreaking "what could have been" exits from the World Cup. With the win at any cost mentality, Suarez's action was completely understandable. But with any other mentality, one can only hope that Ghana still feels very proud of what they accomplished -- with the youngest team in the tournament -- and that FIFA follows through with its threat to ban Suarez for two matches instead of simply one. At the least, Suarez should not be able to enjoy more matches during this tournament.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Wave Your Flag
This is a great video and song that captures the exuberance and joy of the World Cup: 2010 World Cup - Wavin Flag
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
2010 World Cup First Round Final Matches
Sometimes managers really matter. France's behavior during this World Cup has been disgraceful. Apparently the Sports Minister changed their return flight arrangements from Airbus 380 first class to a chartered coach-class flight. They might want to change their return destination as well. I have no doubt that the players contributed to their fiasco of a World Cup but as manager it was Raymond Domenech's job to, well, manage the situation. Does anyone think that other teams don't have ego clashes? And just when I thought he could not go any lower, he actively refused to shake Carlos Alberto Parreira's hand. What possible reason could he have for making this his final gesture?
Carlos Alberto Parreira is one of those managers who is called upon to rescue teams. Parreira had managed Brazil previously to win the 1994 Cup but he had not never won a match with any other team. Until the match with France. It was never much of a hope for South Africa to advance into the knockout phase. But at least they played well, earned a victory and left the tournament with their heads held high. And Parreira deserves some of the credit.
Uruguay and Mexico needed only a draw for both teams to advance. Both Uruguay's manager Oscar Tabarez and Mexico's manager Javier Aguirre spoke of the importance of maintaining the integrity of the World Cup. And both teams responded to their call. The fact that there was a winner -- and for a brief time the fantastic, unrealistic prospect of a South African miracle -- is enough evidence that they did not conspire beforehand. Both teams played well, there were several scoring chances and soccer integrity won the day. In 1982, West Germany and Austria did conspire together for a 1-0 fixed match that resulted in Algeria being eliminated deliberately. This match was the genesis for the simultaneous final matches in the first round. The next time one of my soccer buddies tries to tell me how European soccer sets the standard, I'll remind them of the way both Tabarez and Aguirre approached the Uruguay v. Mexico match.
I never thought I would say it. Diego Maradona managed the Argentina v. Greece match very well. He played his B team but then again Argentina's B team is better than most country's A team. But he kept Messi in the lineup. He said the world deserved to see Messi. Sound silly? Maybe. But I enjoy every opportunity to see Messi. And while he didn't get his first goal, as usual, he caused havoc that helped his teammates find space, generate opportunities and score goals. Including Martin Palermo who became the oldest Argentine to score a World Cup (surpassing Maradona's record). Why would Maradona pick 5 world class strikers and then choose a 36 year old Palermo who hadn't played for Argentina in 10 years? I don't know. What I do know is that Palermo scored a critical goal for Argentina during the qualifiers and that he coolly put away the rebound from a Messi shot. And that his entire team seemed to surround him in a moment of euphoria. Maradona may not know much about tactics but he is definitely tapping into the passion and emotion of this team. When he channels it, great things happen for this team. Channeling his own emotions is another matter.
Group B started the final matches with Argentina in a very secure spot. The other three teams -- one from Europe, one from Africa, one from Asia -- all had a chance to make it through depending on the outcomes of the matches. South Korea and Nigeria played an entertaining match that had both teams feeling hope. Nigeria will undoubtedly feel disappointed and it's sad that neither South Africa or Nigeria made it through. But South Korea would have also felt disappointed and they deserve to advance.
The first matches in the first round are usually cautious, even tentative. The second matches feature some teams coming out of their shells trying to ensure their passage through to the second round. The final matches of the first round feature drama and nothing exemplifies this more than the US v. Slovenia match. The US was another inappropriately disallowed goal and 2 minutes away from heading home. Instead with one fantastic goalie distribution from Tim Howard, one incredible run from Landon Donovan and a goal that no one could disallow, the US won Group C. This US team never seems to quit. ESPN's commentators mentioned that the US team has scored 9 goals during qualifiers and the World Cup in the last 10 minutes of matches. Adidas has playing an ad focusing on the celebrated #10 jersey. In their first edition when they included Donovan I thought it was a stretch. Pele, Maradona, Matthäus, Zidane, Kaka, Messi...and Donovan? Well, maybe it's still a stretch but the newest version of the ad shows Donovan's goals from the World Cup. Definitely makes him seem much more worthy of the #10 jersey. While England must be relieved to just get through, they finished in second place and now will face Germany in the second round.
Ghana remains the sole African team within the tournament. Despite their loss to Germany, they secured passage once the Australians defeated the Serbians in their final match. I know Australia no longer plays in Oceania but it seems that both Australia and New Zealand have come a long way. One has to wonder if New Zealand will now dominate Oceania the way Australia had done prior to joining the Asian region. While South America, Concacaf and Asia celebrate tremendous success, Africa must regret the lack of representation in the second round. ESPN's South African commentator Shaun Bartlett was direct when he said lack of proper administration hampers African teams.
Everyone expected the Netherlands to cruise into the second round and they certainly did so. They are firing on all cylinders but they have yet to face stiff opposition. Nonetheless, 3 wins, 9 points, and a team seemingly in harmony. No one expected Japan to advance in this group but they did so with style and substance. If not for Wes Sneijder's swerving rocket shot, they might have drawn with the Netherlands. Japan dominated Denmark and Honda played exceptionally well. HIs move in the box for their third goal was world class and his pass to a teammate was unselfish. If he had taken the shot, he would almost certainly scored -- and tied for the lead in the race for the Golden Boot.
Wine and scotch generally get better with age. Soccer players might do so for a time, but their shelf life eventually expires. This seems to be the sad reality for the Italians. A team that won the World Cup in impressive fashion 4 years ago looked 4 years too old on this occasion. Injuries to Pirlo and Buffon undoubtedly hurt. Their backup goalie Marchetti must be getting a complex. Though I suspect Buffon might have gotten one of those shots, that would not have been enough for the Italians. Italy is notorious for starting slow and turning it on when they need it. Not this time. Wholesale changes are undoubtedly coming for the Azzuri as they prepare for European Cup qualifying. Paraguay has impressed during the first round but even they could not beat New Zealand which goes home without tasting defeat. What a tremendous accomplishment for a team ranked 78th according to FIFA.
Group G seemed to offer a tantalizing array of matchups yet Portugal managed to choke the life out of two of them. In their matches against Ivory Coast and Brazil, their defensive tactics disrupted both teams. They seemed to relish pounding a team with far less talent in North Korea yet seem unwilling to play openly against opponents with comparable if not better talent. I sincerely hope they don't continue to bore their opponents to death in the knockout phase. Brazil wins Group G and avoids a showdown with Spain in the second round.
Or should I say Spain managed to avoid the showdown with Brazil? Spain has yet to display its full brilliance. Torres in particular seems out of sync and unable to find his scoring touch. Spain left it to the last match to secure not only passage to the second round but first place in the group. Even a man down, Chile found a way to score and make things interesting -- until the last 15 minutes. Spain has yet to receive a single card making them clear front runners for the Fair Play award. They play fairly and elegantly but I am left to wonder if there's something more "systematic" going on in terms of their treatment!
16 teams left, 6 from Europe, 5 from South America, 2 from Concacaf, 2 from Asia and 1 from Africa. The first time all 5 South Americans move through, a new low number for Europe (which has never won the World Cup outside of Europe), surprisingly impressive performances from Concacaf and Asia and disappointment for Africa. No Italy, no France -- the first time neither finalist from the previous World Cup has advanced to the knockout phase. In order to advance, the US will have to knock out the new sentimental favorite of the home crowd. Three matchups feature European teams playing each other with Slovakia being the surprising team in the mix. Only one all South American encounter between Brazil and Chile. The two Asian teams play what are supposed to be the weaker South American teams, but it's possible that South America could advance 4 teams into the quarter finals.
It's time to get ready for extra time and penalty kicks.
Carlos Alberto Parreira is one of those managers who is called upon to rescue teams. Parreira had managed Brazil previously to win the 1994 Cup but he had not never won a match with any other team. Until the match with France. It was never much of a hope for South Africa to advance into the knockout phase. But at least they played well, earned a victory and left the tournament with their heads held high. And Parreira deserves some of the credit.
Uruguay and Mexico needed only a draw for both teams to advance. Both Uruguay's manager Oscar Tabarez and Mexico's manager Javier Aguirre spoke of the importance of maintaining the integrity of the World Cup. And both teams responded to their call. The fact that there was a winner -- and for a brief time the fantastic, unrealistic prospect of a South African miracle -- is enough evidence that they did not conspire beforehand. Both teams played well, there were several scoring chances and soccer integrity won the day. In 1982, West Germany and Austria did conspire together for a 1-0 fixed match that resulted in Algeria being eliminated deliberately. This match was the genesis for the simultaneous final matches in the first round. The next time one of my soccer buddies tries to tell me how European soccer sets the standard, I'll remind them of the way both Tabarez and Aguirre approached the Uruguay v. Mexico match.
I never thought I would say it. Diego Maradona managed the Argentina v. Greece match very well. He played his B team but then again Argentina's B team is better than most country's A team. But he kept Messi in the lineup. He said the world deserved to see Messi. Sound silly? Maybe. But I enjoy every opportunity to see Messi. And while he didn't get his first goal, as usual, he caused havoc that helped his teammates find space, generate opportunities and score goals. Including Martin Palermo who became the oldest Argentine to score a World Cup (surpassing Maradona's record). Why would Maradona pick 5 world class strikers and then choose a 36 year old Palermo who hadn't played for Argentina in 10 years? I don't know. What I do know is that Palermo scored a critical goal for Argentina during the qualifiers and that he coolly put away the rebound from a Messi shot. And that his entire team seemed to surround him in a moment of euphoria. Maradona may not know much about tactics but he is definitely tapping into the passion and emotion of this team. When he channels it, great things happen for this team. Channeling his own emotions is another matter.
Group B started the final matches with Argentina in a very secure spot. The other three teams -- one from Europe, one from Africa, one from Asia -- all had a chance to make it through depending on the outcomes of the matches. South Korea and Nigeria played an entertaining match that had both teams feeling hope. Nigeria will undoubtedly feel disappointed and it's sad that neither South Africa or Nigeria made it through. But South Korea would have also felt disappointed and they deserve to advance.
The first matches in the first round are usually cautious, even tentative. The second matches feature some teams coming out of their shells trying to ensure their passage through to the second round. The final matches of the first round feature drama and nothing exemplifies this more than the US v. Slovenia match. The US was another inappropriately disallowed goal and 2 minutes away from heading home. Instead with one fantastic goalie distribution from Tim Howard, one incredible run from Landon Donovan and a goal that no one could disallow, the US won Group C. This US team never seems to quit. ESPN's commentators mentioned that the US team has scored 9 goals during qualifiers and the World Cup in the last 10 minutes of matches. Adidas has playing an ad focusing on the celebrated #10 jersey. In their first edition when they included Donovan I thought it was a stretch. Pele, Maradona, Matthäus, Zidane, Kaka, Messi...and Donovan? Well, maybe it's still a stretch but the newest version of the ad shows Donovan's goals from the World Cup. Definitely makes him seem much more worthy of the #10 jersey. While England must be relieved to just get through, they finished in second place and now will face Germany in the second round.
Ghana remains the sole African team within the tournament. Despite their loss to Germany, they secured passage once the Australians defeated the Serbians in their final match. I know Australia no longer plays in Oceania but it seems that both Australia and New Zealand have come a long way. One has to wonder if New Zealand will now dominate Oceania the way Australia had done prior to joining the Asian region. While South America, Concacaf and Asia celebrate tremendous success, Africa must regret the lack of representation in the second round. ESPN's South African commentator Shaun Bartlett was direct when he said lack of proper administration hampers African teams.
Everyone expected the Netherlands to cruise into the second round and they certainly did so. They are firing on all cylinders but they have yet to face stiff opposition. Nonetheless, 3 wins, 9 points, and a team seemingly in harmony. No one expected Japan to advance in this group but they did so with style and substance. If not for Wes Sneijder's swerving rocket shot, they might have drawn with the Netherlands. Japan dominated Denmark and Honda played exceptionally well. HIs move in the box for their third goal was world class and his pass to a teammate was unselfish. If he had taken the shot, he would almost certainly scored -- and tied for the lead in the race for the Golden Boot.
Wine and scotch generally get better with age. Soccer players might do so for a time, but their shelf life eventually expires. This seems to be the sad reality for the Italians. A team that won the World Cup in impressive fashion 4 years ago looked 4 years too old on this occasion. Injuries to Pirlo and Buffon undoubtedly hurt. Their backup goalie Marchetti must be getting a complex. Though I suspect Buffon might have gotten one of those shots, that would not have been enough for the Italians. Italy is notorious for starting slow and turning it on when they need it. Not this time. Wholesale changes are undoubtedly coming for the Azzuri as they prepare for European Cup qualifying. Paraguay has impressed during the first round but even they could not beat New Zealand which goes home without tasting defeat. What a tremendous accomplishment for a team ranked 78th according to FIFA.
Group G seemed to offer a tantalizing array of matchups yet Portugal managed to choke the life out of two of them. In their matches against Ivory Coast and Brazil, their defensive tactics disrupted both teams. They seemed to relish pounding a team with far less talent in North Korea yet seem unwilling to play openly against opponents with comparable if not better talent. I sincerely hope they don't continue to bore their opponents to death in the knockout phase. Brazil wins Group G and avoids a showdown with Spain in the second round.
Or should I say Spain managed to avoid the showdown with Brazil? Spain has yet to display its full brilliance. Torres in particular seems out of sync and unable to find his scoring touch. Spain left it to the last match to secure not only passage to the second round but first place in the group. Even a man down, Chile found a way to score and make things interesting -- until the last 15 minutes. Spain has yet to receive a single card making them clear front runners for the Fair Play award. They play fairly and elegantly but I am left to wonder if there's something more "systematic" going on in terms of their treatment!
16 teams left, 6 from Europe, 5 from South America, 2 from Concacaf, 2 from Asia and 1 from Africa. The first time all 5 South Americans move through, a new low number for Europe (which has never won the World Cup outside of Europe), surprisingly impressive performances from Concacaf and Asia and disappointment for Africa. No Italy, no France -- the first time neither finalist from the previous World Cup has advanced to the knockout phase. In order to advance, the US will have to knock out the new sentimental favorite of the home crowd. Three matchups feature European teams playing each other with Slovakia being the surprising team in the mix. Only one all South American encounter between Brazil and Chile. The two Asian teams play what are supposed to be the weaker South American teams, but it's possible that South America could advance 4 teams into the quarter finals.
It's time to get ready for extra time and penalty kicks.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
2010 World Cup Second Matches
The second matches are over. More random thoughts and observations:
It is sad indeed to watch the collective dream of a nation disintegrate. Uruguay soundly and decisively defeated South Africa, which will be without the services of their starting keeper Khune when they face France. Without a major miracle, South Africa will become the first host nation to bounce out after the first round. Even if the South Africans do not advance, I hope they play well against France and continue to revel as good hosts. Uruguay adjusted well to both of their opponents but it remains to be seen how they will fare against a top level team firing on all cylinders.
While it took an impulsive and foolish Nigerian red card to bring out the offense in Greece, it was encouraging to see them play attacking soccer. Not the most potent attack but 2 goals in one game is quite a breakthrough for a team that hadn't scored in 4 straight World Cup games. It might seem odd to praise a goalie whose team has allowed three goals but Enyeama has looked like the best keeper so far -- despite his mistake on Greece's second goal. Nigeria remains in the hunt even with no points from two matches.
Argentina seems determined to outscore their opponents. It turns out that on another day Higuain did get a hat trick and the early lead for the golden boot. However, Messi and Tevez were the ones causing all the havoc. There are doubts about Argentina's defense and midfield (why would Maradona leave out Zanetti and Cambiaso?) but with 5 top class strikers, they look like they could outscore anyone. South Korea continues to play positively and look lively but they are perhaps a bit too quick to attack. As much as I like their play, I confess that what I really admire is how seemingly none of their players complain to the ref.
If the French team was in a bad mood after the first match, what kind of mood are they in now? Easily one of the most talented teams in the tournament yet also one of the least inspired. Players blaming the manager and manager blaming the players. It's hard to know which is the chicken and which is the egg but consider the managers' decisions regarding substitutes. Hernandez scores, Barrera secures the penalty and Blanco takes a perfect penalty. What did Gignac and Valbuena manage to do during this match? And why leave Cisse and Henry on the bench? Whoever lines up for France against South Africa, I hope they at least play with some passion.
So far the officiating had been quite good. And then we had the Germany v. Serbia match. While the ref (Alberto Undiano) may have been applying the letter of the law (for the most part though he wasn't entirely consistent doing so), it's never a good outcome when the ref has tremendous influence over the outcome of the match. Sending Klose off changed the game but Germany had its penalty chance. Before the penalty, I thought it was a bad idea to put Podolski on the spot. He was off the entire match. Klose was looking to tie Pele for 4th place on the World Cup all-time scoring list and score his 50th international goal. With the red card suspension, if Germany doesn't make it into the round of 16 (seemingly unthinkable but possible), the Serbia match could be his last World Cup match. That would be a sad way for such a prolific goal scorer to end his World Cup career.
Perhaps the one person happy about the refereeing during the Slovenia v. US match was Alberto Undiano (well, perhaps the Slovenians were happy as well). Everyone stopped talking about Undiano's refereeing once the US match was over. The US doesn't get any style points and they need to stop allowing early goals, but they certainly showed a lot of spirit in coming back from a 2-0 deficit. To come back like that and then score a goal in the 85th minute, only to have it inexplicably taken away is unfortunate indeed. This type of egregious error is part of soccer and FIFA seem to be perfectly content to turn a blind eye to such incidents. It certainly generates buzz but it does leave some teams out in the cold. At least the US can make it through to the next round if they beat Algeria. At least the US is in the World Cup. Ask the Irish about officiating controversies.
The English team seems determined to compete with the French for most underwhelming play. ESPN commentator Alexi Lalas questioned whether this team is really any good ("above average") but this same team won 9 of 10 qualification matches with one of them being a dismantling of Croatia 4-1 in Zagreb. Something is definitely wrong and no one seems to really care. They were resoundingly booed by their fans and deservedly so. Algeria certainly showed enough of a display that the US should take nothing for granted in the final match for both teams. Will the real Wayne Rooney please stand up?
It looks like the Netherlands are putting aside their egos and playing well as a team though they haven't exactly overwhelmed two opponents with far less talent. Nonetheless, six points from two games and passage through to the next round. And they have yet to put Arjen Robben on the pitch. Japan's keeper might have done better with Sneijder's shot though that looked like a world class strike. I think it might have even bent at the last second. I guess Sneijder won't complain about the ball. Japan still looked competitive even when a goal down and I wouldn't rule out their chances against Denmark.
Neither Serbia nor Ghana pressed their advantage against teams with 10 men. Ghana's choice to lay back seemed particularly odd given how easily the Australians had been giving up goals (not only against Germany but they also gave up 3 to the US in a pre-World Cup friendly). In a group where Germany has a +3 goal differential after two matches, you have to wonder if Serbia and Ghana will regret not pressing their advantage. Harry Kewell was off the post when he handled the ball. No guarantee the outcome would have been different but there's a good reason why anyone on the back line is told to hug the post. Australia are now without Cahill or Kewell for their final match.
Denmark and Cameroon decided to leave their defenses at home for the most free-flowing match so far. Soccer is cruel to teams that don't finish and kind to those that do. Spain learned that against Switzerland but they have another day to change their fortunes. Cameroon's near misses end up making them the first team to crash out of the World Cup (and makes the Netherlands the first team to move through). Even though Algeria defeated West Germany in 1982, Cameroon's remarkable run in 1990 really marked the arrival of African soccer on the world stage. It's been 20 years and it's time for Cameroon to write a new chapter in their history. Maybe in 2014.
South American teams have yet to be defeated and Paraguay did more than its part to ensure that this streak remains in tact. Clinical finishing on both goals ensured a comfortable margin of victory. Paraguay feels like the tournament dark horse at this point. ESPN commentators kept talking about questionable defense but Slovakia didn't even have a shot on goal until the 92nd minute. I bet Slovakia really regrets dropping two points against New Zealand in the last minutes of their match especially given the New Zealand result against Italy.
It might seem strange to identify a 1-1 draw as one of the greatest -- perhaps the greatest -- upsets in World Cup history. I had speculated that New Zealand's goal against Slovakia marked their arrival on the world stage. Not so. Ranked 78th according to FIFA, New Zealand ranked 1st in courage and teamwork in their match against Italy. We saw both the ugly and elegant side of Italy. Down 1-0, they resorted to dives and feigned injury. Yet in the second half, with the exception of one incident, they turned to their skilled strike force and played well. Plenty of chances some of which were denied by great goalkeeping from Paston. And in the 81st minute, 18 year old Chris Wood -- who I'll be very interested to see play in the Premier League -- beat 36 year old legendary Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro and missed scoring by a foot. If he had scored, that would have been quite a striking juxtaposition of exuberant youth versus seasoned professional experience. At the end of the match, the Italians realized that they were on the short end of soccer history. I respect their reaction. I am sure they did not imagine trading jerseys with New Zealand players, some of whom are still looking for a professional club. Seeing Cannavaro walk off the pitch with an all-white jersey over his shoulder, right next to the captain's arm band, simply point to the crowd and clap was quite a sight. He must have known that this was one of those magical World Cup moments.
Didier Drogba started for Ivory Coast a mere 15 days after breaking his arm. But he didn't quite seem himself. Or his teammates didn't find him nearly enough. The two times they crossed the ball to him, he scored once and nearly scored on the second occasion. Brazil showed flashes of brilliance once again and Kaka seemed to hitting his stride more easily during this match. Until he was sent off for a second yellow card through a dubious incident. I'm not sure how the ref missed not one but two handballs by Fabiano on his second goal. Ivory Coast resorted to some fairly ugly tackling with studs up on several occasions. Elano looked like he suffered an injury as he limped into the locker room. So much was expected of Ivory Coast which made their rough tactics even harder to watch. South American teams have done very well and African teams have done very poorly.
When I started watching the Portugal v. N. Korea match, I noted the obvious change in approach and tactics by the N. Koreans. I also recall thinking that's a curious choice. They had a great showing against Brazil but they should have shown more respect for Portugal despite Portugal's recent goal scoring challenges. No challenges for goals on this day. I can recall playing in a soccer match when I was a kid where we lost 5-0. It's hard to describe what it feels like to be part of a complete meltdown when the losing side simply falls apart and just stares at the clock begging for the match to end. ESPN commentators mentioned that N. Korea practices at a public gym. What a sad state of affairs. Cristiano Ronaldo's goal was almost comical but you could see the relief on his face. He set up his teammates exceptionally well and they looked genuinely pleased when he scored. The results of that kind of camaraderie and teamwork were impressive indeed but you have to wonder why they don't do this against other teams. And why they felt the need to pile it on an obviously overwhelmed N. Korea.
Chile plays attractive soccer and obviously features several players with great creativity and skill. However, after playing Honduras and 10 man Switzerland, they only have 2 goals. Their goal differential is a respectable +2 but in this group it is entirely possible that goal differential will determine which team goes through to the knockout phase. Chile dominated both of their matches for large stretches of time so they might deeply regret not scoring more goals. And speaking of regret. Switzerland had a golden opportunity to tie the game and strengthen their position in the group. They face Honduras for their last match so they are probably hoping for a victory in their last match but they could easily secured a point against Chile.
I admire the way Honduras played against Spain. But their approach resulted in a predictably dominant performance by Spain. David Villa's two goals were impressive efforts but his penalty miss was inexcusable. Spain sits within this group where goal differential might become critical so they might really miss that penalty goal. At least Villa took shots. Spain must have had over 50 touches in Honduras' penalty area but they kept looking for the perfect pass or perfect goal. As an Arsenal fan, I know all too well the wonderful spectacle of such great soccer without results, which are especially important at the World Cup given the little margin for error. I'm sure Spain assumes that they will beat Chile but they also probably assumed they would beat Switzerland. Honduras has one more chance to win, tie or even simply score a goal. They have good players so I hope they put on a good show for their final match.
It is sad indeed to watch the collective dream of a nation disintegrate. Uruguay soundly and decisively defeated South Africa, which will be without the services of their starting keeper Khune when they face France. Without a major miracle, South Africa will become the first host nation to bounce out after the first round. Even if the South Africans do not advance, I hope they play well against France and continue to revel as good hosts. Uruguay adjusted well to both of their opponents but it remains to be seen how they will fare against a top level team firing on all cylinders.
While it took an impulsive and foolish Nigerian red card to bring out the offense in Greece, it was encouraging to see them play attacking soccer. Not the most potent attack but 2 goals in one game is quite a breakthrough for a team that hadn't scored in 4 straight World Cup games. It might seem odd to praise a goalie whose team has allowed three goals but Enyeama has looked like the best keeper so far -- despite his mistake on Greece's second goal. Nigeria remains in the hunt even with no points from two matches.
Argentina seems determined to outscore their opponents. It turns out that on another day Higuain did get a hat trick and the early lead for the golden boot. However, Messi and Tevez were the ones causing all the havoc. There are doubts about Argentina's defense and midfield (why would Maradona leave out Zanetti and Cambiaso?) but with 5 top class strikers, they look like they could outscore anyone. South Korea continues to play positively and look lively but they are perhaps a bit too quick to attack. As much as I like their play, I confess that what I really admire is how seemingly none of their players complain to the ref.
If the French team was in a bad mood after the first match, what kind of mood are they in now? Easily one of the most talented teams in the tournament yet also one of the least inspired. Players blaming the manager and manager blaming the players. It's hard to know which is the chicken and which is the egg but consider the managers' decisions regarding substitutes. Hernandez scores, Barrera secures the penalty and Blanco takes a perfect penalty. What did Gignac and Valbuena manage to do during this match? And why leave Cisse and Henry on the bench? Whoever lines up for France against South Africa, I hope they at least play with some passion.
So far the officiating had been quite good. And then we had the Germany v. Serbia match. While the ref (Alberto Undiano) may have been applying the letter of the law (for the most part though he wasn't entirely consistent doing so), it's never a good outcome when the ref has tremendous influence over the outcome of the match. Sending Klose off changed the game but Germany had its penalty chance. Before the penalty, I thought it was a bad idea to put Podolski on the spot. He was off the entire match. Klose was looking to tie Pele for 4th place on the World Cup all-time scoring list and score his 50th international goal. With the red card suspension, if Germany doesn't make it into the round of 16 (seemingly unthinkable but possible), the Serbia match could be his last World Cup match. That would be a sad way for such a prolific goal scorer to end his World Cup career.
Perhaps the one person happy about the refereeing during the Slovenia v. US match was Alberto Undiano (well, perhaps the Slovenians were happy as well). Everyone stopped talking about Undiano's refereeing once the US match was over. The US doesn't get any style points and they need to stop allowing early goals, but they certainly showed a lot of spirit in coming back from a 2-0 deficit. To come back like that and then score a goal in the 85th minute, only to have it inexplicably taken away is unfortunate indeed. This type of egregious error is part of soccer and FIFA seem to be perfectly content to turn a blind eye to such incidents. It certainly generates buzz but it does leave some teams out in the cold. At least the US can make it through to the next round if they beat Algeria. At least the US is in the World Cup. Ask the Irish about officiating controversies.
The English team seems determined to compete with the French for most underwhelming play. ESPN commentator Alexi Lalas questioned whether this team is really any good ("above average") but this same team won 9 of 10 qualification matches with one of them being a dismantling of Croatia 4-1 in Zagreb. Something is definitely wrong and no one seems to really care. They were resoundingly booed by their fans and deservedly so. Algeria certainly showed enough of a display that the US should take nothing for granted in the final match for both teams. Will the real Wayne Rooney please stand up?
It looks like the Netherlands are putting aside their egos and playing well as a team though they haven't exactly overwhelmed two opponents with far less talent. Nonetheless, six points from two games and passage through to the next round. And they have yet to put Arjen Robben on the pitch. Japan's keeper might have done better with Sneijder's shot though that looked like a world class strike. I think it might have even bent at the last second. I guess Sneijder won't complain about the ball. Japan still looked competitive even when a goal down and I wouldn't rule out their chances against Denmark.
Neither Serbia nor Ghana pressed their advantage against teams with 10 men. Ghana's choice to lay back seemed particularly odd given how easily the Australians had been giving up goals (not only against Germany but they also gave up 3 to the US in a pre-World Cup friendly). In a group where Germany has a +3 goal differential after two matches, you have to wonder if Serbia and Ghana will regret not pressing their advantage. Harry Kewell was off the post when he handled the ball. No guarantee the outcome would have been different but there's a good reason why anyone on the back line is told to hug the post. Australia are now without Cahill or Kewell for their final match.
Denmark and Cameroon decided to leave their defenses at home for the most free-flowing match so far. Soccer is cruel to teams that don't finish and kind to those that do. Spain learned that against Switzerland but they have another day to change their fortunes. Cameroon's near misses end up making them the first team to crash out of the World Cup (and makes the Netherlands the first team to move through). Even though Algeria defeated West Germany in 1982, Cameroon's remarkable run in 1990 really marked the arrival of African soccer on the world stage. It's been 20 years and it's time for Cameroon to write a new chapter in their history. Maybe in 2014.
South American teams have yet to be defeated and Paraguay did more than its part to ensure that this streak remains in tact. Clinical finishing on both goals ensured a comfortable margin of victory. Paraguay feels like the tournament dark horse at this point. ESPN commentators kept talking about questionable defense but Slovakia didn't even have a shot on goal until the 92nd minute. I bet Slovakia really regrets dropping two points against New Zealand in the last minutes of their match especially given the New Zealand result against Italy.
It might seem strange to identify a 1-1 draw as one of the greatest -- perhaps the greatest -- upsets in World Cup history. I had speculated that New Zealand's goal against Slovakia marked their arrival on the world stage. Not so. Ranked 78th according to FIFA, New Zealand ranked 1st in courage and teamwork in their match against Italy. We saw both the ugly and elegant side of Italy. Down 1-0, they resorted to dives and feigned injury. Yet in the second half, with the exception of one incident, they turned to their skilled strike force and played well. Plenty of chances some of which were denied by great goalkeeping from Paston. And in the 81st minute, 18 year old Chris Wood -- who I'll be very interested to see play in the Premier League -- beat 36 year old legendary Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro and missed scoring by a foot. If he had scored, that would have been quite a striking juxtaposition of exuberant youth versus seasoned professional experience. At the end of the match, the Italians realized that they were on the short end of soccer history. I respect their reaction. I am sure they did not imagine trading jerseys with New Zealand players, some of whom are still looking for a professional club. Seeing Cannavaro walk off the pitch with an all-white jersey over his shoulder, right next to the captain's arm band, simply point to the crowd and clap was quite a sight. He must have known that this was one of those magical World Cup moments.
Didier Drogba started for Ivory Coast a mere 15 days after breaking his arm. But he didn't quite seem himself. Or his teammates didn't find him nearly enough. The two times they crossed the ball to him, he scored once and nearly scored on the second occasion. Brazil showed flashes of brilliance once again and Kaka seemed to hitting his stride more easily during this match. Until he was sent off for a second yellow card through a dubious incident. I'm not sure how the ref missed not one but two handballs by Fabiano on his second goal. Ivory Coast resorted to some fairly ugly tackling with studs up on several occasions. Elano looked like he suffered an injury as he limped into the locker room. So much was expected of Ivory Coast which made their rough tactics even harder to watch. South American teams have done very well and African teams have done very poorly.
When I started watching the Portugal v. N. Korea match, I noted the obvious change in approach and tactics by the N. Koreans. I also recall thinking that's a curious choice. They had a great showing against Brazil but they should have shown more respect for Portugal despite Portugal's recent goal scoring challenges. No challenges for goals on this day. I can recall playing in a soccer match when I was a kid where we lost 5-0. It's hard to describe what it feels like to be part of a complete meltdown when the losing side simply falls apart and just stares at the clock begging for the match to end. ESPN commentators mentioned that N. Korea practices at a public gym. What a sad state of affairs. Cristiano Ronaldo's goal was almost comical but you could see the relief on his face. He set up his teammates exceptionally well and they looked genuinely pleased when he scored. The results of that kind of camaraderie and teamwork were impressive indeed but you have to wonder why they don't do this against other teams. And why they felt the need to pile it on an obviously overwhelmed N. Korea.
Chile plays attractive soccer and obviously features several players with great creativity and skill. However, after playing Honduras and 10 man Switzerland, they only have 2 goals. Their goal differential is a respectable +2 but in this group it is entirely possible that goal differential will determine which team goes through to the knockout phase. Chile dominated both of their matches for large stretches of time so they might deeply regret not scoring more goals. And speaking of regret. Switzerland had a golden opportunity to tie the game and strengthen their position in the group. They face Honduras for their last match so they are probably hoping for a victory in their last match but they could easily secured a point against Chile.
I admire the way Honduras played against Spain. But their approach resulted in a predictably dominant performance by Spain. David Villa's two goals were impressive efforts but his penalty miss was inexcusable. Spain sits within this group where goal differential might become critical so they might really miss that penalty goal. At least Villa took shots. Spain must have had over 50 touches in Honduras' penalty area but they kept looking for the perfect pass or perfect goal. As an Arsenal fan, I know all too well the wonderful spectacle of such great soccer without results, which are especially important at the World Cup given the little margin for error. I'm sure Spain assumes that they will beat Chile but they also probably assumed they would beat Switzerland. Honduras has one more chance to win, tie or even simply score a goal. They have good players so I hope they put on a good show for their final match.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
2010 World Cup First Matches
The first round of matches has ended. My random observations and comments:
It was perfect that South Africa scored the first goal of this World Cup and what an amazing shot it was. You could feel the collective sense of relief for an entire nation that was literally on the edge of its seats. Siphiwe Tshabalala is now the answer to what will become a famous trivia question.
Why is the French team in such a bad mood? Much to the chagrin of France's Deputy Sports Minister, they are staying at a luxury resort with rooms starting at $600/night. Yet this group of players seemed almost irritated to be playing. If they are finding it such a burden to play in the World Cup, I'm sure the Irish would be happy to take their place.
While Maradona seems to keep making headlines, it took Lionel Messi perhaps five minutes to demonstrate why he is worthy of wearing the Argentine #10 jersey. If not for Nigeria's goalkeeper Messi could have had a hat trick. On another day, Higuain could have also had a hat trick. Yet despite the firepower, Nigeria almost equalized late in the match. Let's hope the on-field artistry of Argentina overwhelms the off-field chatter from Maradona.
South Korea looked lively and Park Ji Sung made an impressive run for his goal. But beware of Greeks playing soccer. That might have been the worst performance of the first matches.
Robert Green. A name that will go down in infamy. For his and England's sake, I really hope that gaffe is behind him.
Luckily for Algeria's goalkeeper, his name isn't as easy to remember as Robert Green. His mistake leaves Slovenia sitting pretty in Group C.
Germany sure knows how to start their World Cup campaigns. In addition to the impressive soccer, I found it interesting that Germany started two Polish-born strikers and substituted one of them with a Brazilian-born striker. Diverse composition of players, same result.
Ghana secures the first African victory during the first African World Cup without even having Michael Essien in the lineup. I do think they'll miss him as the tournament continues.
The Netherlands start their campaign off with a victory over the Danes but through an own goal and a follow-up move by Dirk Kuyt -- that was not matched by the Danish defender who was originally between Kuyt and the ball.
What a cool finish by Keisuke Honda on the only shot of the first half for Japan. I understand Australia's reasons for switching to the Asian qualifying zone. But it is ironic that both the other Asian qualifiers, South Korea and Japan, won their opening matches. Samuel Eto'o looked like he needed much more support to showcase his talents.
Even when Paraguay scored, I knew Italy would find a way to equalize. They must love to torment their fans. Apparently Italy's manager Marcello Lippi complained about Paraguay's tactics stating that they tried to choke the game after they led 1-0. Hmmm...I wonder who else plays like that?
I completely understand why Winston Reid took off his shirt to celebrate New Zealand's last minute equalizer. Who cares if he got a yellow card? This was history in the making!! I wonder if New Zealanders will look back at this goal as their debut onto the world stage of soccer.
Ivory Coast v. Portugal. What a letdown. Cristiano Ronaldo had an impressive shot hit the cross bar but what I recall most vividly was his deplorable dive. Why doesn't he just focus on the tremendous soccer he's capable of playing? I can't believe Didier Drogba is playing but I hope he starts in their next match against Brazil. For me, best striker in the world.
North Korea held their own against mighty Brazil for 55 minutes. Was Maicon actually crying tears of relief after he scored? Was that goal the result of keeper error? Or did Maicon fake him out into believing a cross was forthcoming? Robinho's pass to Elano was the best pass of the first set of matches. ESPN's commentators claimed that the North Korean fans were actually paid Chinese actors. You can't make up this kind of stuff.
Honduras didn't look totally outclassed by Chile but they never looked particularly threatening either. I bet most people forget that Chile qualified in second place during the South American qualifiers. With this victory and Spain's defeat, Chile is in a good position for moving through to the second round.
Spain. Wow. They were about 10-15 degrees off the entire match. Or in the case of Xavi Alonso's rocket shot, 10-15 inches off. Why didn't Iker Casillas use his hands to stop the original shot from the Swiss. He would have undoubtedly been clobbered by the Swiss striker but better that than an entire nation being clobbered by this shocking loss. ESPN reported that during the last three World Cups, only 8% of the teams that lost their first match made it through to the second round. That's disheartening indeed. But if anyone can do it, Spain can.
It was perfect that South Africa scored the first goal of this World Cup and what an amazing shot it was. You could feel the collective sense of relief for an entire nation that was literally on the edge of its seats. Siphiwe Tshabalala is now the answer to what will become a famous trivia question.
Why is the French team in such a bad mood? Much to the chagrin of France's Deputy Sports Minister, they are staying at a luxury resort with rooms starting at $600/night. Yet this group of players seemed almost irritated to be playing. If they are finding it such a burden to play in the World Cup, I'm sure the Irish would be happy to take their place.
While Maradona seems to keep making headlines, it took Lionel Messi perhaps five minutes to demonstrate why he is worthy of wearing the Argentine #10 jersey. If not for Nigeria's goalkeeper Messi could have had a hat trick. On another day, Higuain could have also had a hat trick. Yet despite the firepower, Nigeria almost equalized late in the match. Let's hope the on-field artistry of Argentina overwhelms the off-field chatter from Maradona.
South Korea looked lively and Park Ji Sung made an impressive run for his goal. But beware of Greeks playing soccer. That might have been the worst performance of the first matches.
Robert Green. A name that will go down in infamy. For his and England's sake, I really hope that gaffe is behind him.
Luckily for Algeria's goalkeeper, his name isn't as easy to remember as Robert Green. His mistake leaves Slovenia sitting pretty in Group C.
Germany sure knows how to start their World Cup campaigns. In addition to the impressive soccer, I found it interesting that Germany started two Polish-born strikers and substituted one of them with a Brazilian-born striker. Diverse composition of players, same result.
Ghana secures the first African victory during the first African World Cup without even having Michael Essien in the lineup. I do think they'll miss him as the tournament continues.
The Netherlands start their campaign off with a victory over the Danes but through an own goal and a follow-up move by Dirk Kuyt -- that was not matched by the Danish defender who was originally between Kuyt and the ball.
What a cool finish by Keisuke Honda on the only shot of the first half for Japan. I understand Australia's reasons for switching to the Asian qualifying zone. But it is ironic that both the other Asian qualifiers, South Korea and Japan, won their opening matches. Samuel Eto'o looked like he needed much more support to showcase his talents.
Even when Paraguay scored, I knew Italy would find a way to equalize. They must love to torment their fans. Apparently Italy's manager Marcello Lippi complained about Paraguay's tactics stating that they tried to choke the game after they led 1-0. Hmmm...I wonder who else plays like that?
I completely understand why Winston Reid took off his shirt to celebrate New Zealand's last minute equalizer. Who cares if he got a yellow card? This was history in the making!! I wonder if New Zealanders will look back at this goal as their debut onto the world stage of soccer.
Ivory Coast v. Portugal. What a letdown. Cristiano Ronaldo had an impressive shot hit the cross bar but what I recall most vividly was his deplorable dive. Why doesn't he just focus on the tremendous soccer he's capable of playing? I can't believe Didier Drogba is playing but I hope he starts in their next match against Brazil. For me, best striker in the world.
North Korea held their own against mighty Brazil for 55 minutes. Was Maicon actually crying tears of relief after he scored? Was that goal the result of keeper error? Or did Maicon fake him out into believing a cross was forthcoming? Robinho's pass to Elano was the best pass of the first set of matches. ESPN's commentators claimed that the North Korean fans were actually paid Chinese actors. You can't make up this kind of stuff.
Honduras didn't look totally outclassed by Chile but they never looked particularly threatening either. I bet most people forget that Chile qualified in second place during the South American qualifiers. With this victory and Spain's defeat, Chile is in a good position for moving through to the second round.
Spain. Wow. They were about 10-15 degrees off the entire match. Or in the case of Xavi Alonso's rocket shot, 10-15 inches off. Why didn't Iker Casillas use his hands to stop the original shot from the Swiss. He would have undoubtedly been clobbered by the Swiss striker but better that than an entire nation being clobbered by this shocking loss. ESPN reported that during the last three World Cups, only 8% of the teams that lost their first match made it through to the second round. That's disheartening indeed. But if anyone can do it, Spain can.
Keeping Some Perspective
I'm enjoying my quadrennial vacation -- or perhaps I should say homage -- for the World Cup. I've been collecting some random thoughts about things that have happened on the field or within the stands but today it's important to focus on the host nation. South Africa suffered a rather decisive defeat at the feet of Uruguay today. Adding insult to injury was the red card handed out to their starting goalie meaning that he won't be eligible to play in the crucial match against France. Having to defeat France for any chance of moving into the second round is not a good position. South Africa could very easily become the first host nation to bounce out of the World Cup in the first round. Despite serious doubts, the US team managed to make it into the second round in 1994; South Korea and Japan also managed to do so in 2002 (with the South Koreans making it all the way to the semi-finals). Host nations are supposed to rise to new heights. I hope South Africa can somehow pull out a miracle.
But then again, South Africa has already pulled out many miracles. Today is South African Youth Day marking the anniversary of the Soweto riots. Prior to the match, ESPN showed clips of current South African students who thanked the brave souls who protested in 1976. Not only did those earlier students make a stand for education in South Africa, their actions were also powerful expressions against apartheid.
While the World Cup may seem all encompassing at the moment, I hope South Africans reflect on this day against the backdrop of history and not the bleak picture of today's soccer. It was sad to see South Africans leaving the stadium early and to note the sad expressions of those who chose to remain to the bitter end of the soccer match. But no soccer result should diminish South Africa's journey. In the movie "Invictus" there is a scene where Morgan Freeman (playing Nelson Mandela) notes that black South Africans are cheering for England during a rugby match. One of South Africa's defenders, Matthew Booth, is injured for this World Cup. When I first watched him play, I wondered if some fans -- non-white fans -- were actually booing him. Not the case. He has become a fan favorite to the point where fans yell "Boooooooooth" when he touches the ball. During South Africa's matches, the stadiums has been filled with South Africans of all varieties cheering for the team. Those students during the Soweto riots were protesting for fundamental rights but in less direct ways their actions may have also led to the sights we're witnessing during the World Cup.
I'm sure that there remains much to do in South African in terms of racial equality or harmony or economic progress and equity. But then again how many nations can claim that they are done when it comes to such things?
But then again, South Africa has already pulled out many miracles. Today is South African Youth Day marking the anniversary of the Soweto riots. Prior to the match, ESPN showed clips of current South African students who thanked the brave souls who protested in 1976. Not only did those earlier students make a stand for education in South Africa, their actions were also powerful expressions against apartheid.
While the World Cup may seem all encompassing at the moment, I hope South Africans reflect on this day against the backdrop of history and not the bleak picture of today's soccer. It was sad to see South Africans leaving the stadium early and to note the sad expressions of those who chose to remain to the bitter end of the soccer match. But no soccer result should diminish South Africa's journey. In the movie "Invictus" there is a scene where Morgan Freeman (playing Nelson Mandela) notes that black South Africans are cheering for England during a rugby match. One of South Africa's defenders, Matthew Booth, is injured for this World Cup. When I first watched him play, I wondered if some fans -- non-white fans -- were actually booing him. Not the case. He has become a fan favorite to the point where fans yell "Boooooooooth" when he touches the ball. During South Africa's matches, the stadiums has been filled with South Africans of all varieties cheering for the team. Those students during the Soweto riots were protesting for fundamental rights but in less direct ways their actions may have also led to the sights we're witnessing during the World Cup.
I'm sure that there remains much to do in South African in terms of racial equality or harmony or economic progress and equity. But then again how many nations can claim that they are done when it comes to such things?
Monday, May 03, 2010
Finding my edge
I spoke today in public. For the first time in years -- many years -- I completely froze when I walked up to the stage. I stuttered once, I repeated myself, and I nearly lost my entire train of thought. During the unveiling of a plaque, I lost my focus and shook someone's hand behind the plaque instead of in front of it. I hope whatever useful message I might have had to offer made it through.
I felt as if I lost my edge on a sheet of ice. This period of being in between pushing forward on what has become familiar and discovering what is real is disorienting, perplexing, frustrating, challenging and draining.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
Saturday, May 01, 2010
Awake
Now that I am awake, I realize that circumstances and the past don't have to define me but rather that I can define my circumstances and the future. The question before me is what I am more afraid of: failure or success?
High definition
I'm thinking about buying a new TV. I have an incredible TV right now. But it is four years old. And as I noted while walking around Best Buy today, that's ancient in the electronics world. The new LED TVs are so vivid, so thin, refresh so quickly and use so much less energy!
As I drove home (without a new TV), the sun was setting. It pierced the clouds with its fiery orange and red. Only the nascent shades of blue, indigo and violet gave the hint that soon it would be dark. As I saw the range of colors of the sunset, it dawned on me that nothing is as high definition as nature.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Berkeley Riot
On February 26th, a group of people rioted on the streets of Berkeley. The Daily Californian described it in the following manner: "A crowd of more than 200 people swarmed the streets of Southside early Friday morning in a riot involving seven law enforcement agencies, runaway dumpsters, flaming trash cans, shattered windows and violent clashes between riots and police."
I am very sympathetic to students who are experiencing unprecedented tuition increases, but I also realize that people who are experiencing far more difficult challenges have not resorted to rioting. There is a video of this riot on YouTube. I was struck by a particular scene that starts at 1:25 of this video. It is a stark juxtaposition that really caught my attention:
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