Multicultural Australia

Melbourne is a cultural mashup. At alternating times it felt like the US, Europe, or Asia. Maybe I should realize that it was Australia with its own distinctive culture. Like some other cities, there were people of varying appearance, lots of ethnic cuisine, a variety of languages being spoken and religions being practiced. There was a Chinatown as well, but it looked similar to other instances throughout the world. I often wonder if this familiar "safe" appearance is deliberate. One of the reasons I enjoy Big Trouble in Little China is its playful, campy premise that there's something lurking below the facade of Chinatown.

Looking below the obvious surface revealed a great deal about multiculturalism in Melbourne. There was a Scottish Christian church, which might not seem that unusual, but the church sign mentioned a guest sermon from an Indonesian pastor. A movie theater showcased the latest Hollywood hits, but also featured a list of Bollywood movies. One of my cousins who grew up in Bangladesh attended graduate school in Australia. It seemed like an unusual choice to me, but he pointed out that Australia's a lot closer to Bangladesh than the US. Australia feels remote because it's a 14 hour flight from the west coast of the US (or 20 hours of flying from Baltimore). But recent events have started to demonstrate that maybe the US isn't the "center" of the world anymore.

When I visited Melbourne in September, the US stock market meltdown had started. Through a combination of BBC, CNN International, Asian and Australian news sources, I managed to learn about worldwide perspectives regarding the US economic meltdown. The interconnectedness of our world became very evident as finance ministers from several countries started assessing their exposure to the US financial crisis. I also learned some very interesting facts about the influence of China's holdings in Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

In a rather interesting juxtaposition of events, Australian news also covered China's first space walk mission. While Chinese news agencies showed images of the Chinese applauding the "tigernauts" (astronauts) as national heroes, US news agencies showed people wondering about who to blame. Folks in China were looking to the stars above while folks in the US were staring at the bottom line. Australia may seem remote, but by being equidistant from so many places in a flat world, at times it felt like a crossroads of the world.

Cultural Melbourne

One of the most appealing aspects of Melbourne is its emphasis on the arts and culture. I had the pleasure of visiting the State Library of Victoria, which was a short walk from my hotel (it's interesting how everything seems like a short walk when I'm outside the US).

The Library featured a fantastic reading room with an overhead ceiling that invited sunlight to stream into the open space. I was struck by the number of young people studying in the Library, especially since I often read about the demise of libraries. These youngsters certainly had their share of electronic gadgets, but there were quite a few engaged in the satisfying act of reading a book in solitude. The magazine section with offerings from various countries and wide ranging topics provide ampled evidence of the diverse interests within Melbourne. I examined what types of job were available within the library. More than anything, I noted that every job posting included a phrase about "commitment to work, life and family balance."

The National Gallery of Victoria provided my first exposure to aboriginal art. At first glance from the uninitiated viewpoint, it seemed nothing more than geometric figures and lines. After spending some time learning about--most powerfully through a video of aboriginal artists at work--I started to see the art as connections to the dream world and ancestral stories. I kept moving along the emotional path for appreciating art when I read the following phrase at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI):

"Because here it is about something other than just the registering of events, that ultra-modern impulse that converts, through the use and abuse of new technologies, human experience into an archive."

I was spellbound by an exhibit called "Correspondences" that brought together the cinema of Abbas Kiarostami and Victor Erice, an Iranian and a Spaniard. I can still vividly recall Kiarostami's film clip featuring images seen through his rain soaked car windshield and Erice's "sea-mail" correspondence. The intertwining of water and different cultures seemed an especially appropriate theme for Australia.

Down Under

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Melbourne, Australia. It's quite a journey from Baltimore. When I landed at Melbourne airport, I wanted to check into my hotel asap. But my bag apparently chose to stay in the US. The very friendly folks from Qantas Airlines noted my local hotel information, but they also asked me if I had enough clothes for a day and offered me a toiletry kit. Even in my confused state of being, I could tell that this was a nice, thoughtful touch.

Much of my early impressions of Australia were formed by Olivia Newton-John (who was actually born in England), Men at Work, and Crocodile Dundee. Fortunately, I had a richer, more nuanced view from Midnight Oil, Mad Max, and Peter Weir's Gallipoli and The Year of Living Dangerously. Anytime I travel, I experience the disorientation cocktail of jet lag, culture shock, and novelty. In Melbourne, the disorientation dissipated quickly (except for the 14 hour time difference). On the surface, the scenes were familiar to what I see in the US. McDonald's meals still cost the local equivalent of US $4-6. But I noted that Burger King is called "Hungry Jack's". This was my first clue that I wasn't in Kansas anymore. Apparently, there is a "takeaway food shop" in Adelaide with the name Burger King. According to one of my friends from Australia, it's an individual business. Can you imagine a small business owner maintaining a trademark against a corporation in the US?

My initial superficial impressions of Melbourne gave way quickly as I visited the amazing Queen Victoria Market (I heard a local refer to it as "the Vic") and walked around the city. Whenever I travel, I'm most fascinated by evidence of cultural exchange. Japan, and Tokyo in particular, felt like a culture clash on several occasions. Melbourne felt like a true cultural mashup. Given its geography, history, demographics, and politics, it's no surprise that Australia felt familiar and exotic at the same time. I explored this reality over the course of my two week visit down under.

A Day of Penalty Kicks

When one hears about penalty kicks, it would be natural to assume that the Italians found themselves on the short end of the stick. Italian fans are convinced that the Azzurri are cursed to lose through penalty kicks, or doomed to failure because of conspiracies (most often manifesting themselves through referees' decisions against the Italians). So when the Italians were a man down, through a questionable red card, it seemed that they might be heading for another self-fulfilling prophecy. But not on this day.

Italian manager, Marcello Lippi, showed some courage by putting Totti on the bench, and starting Del Piero in the midfield. On another day, Luca Toni would have had a hat trick. Today, he just kept shaking his head after near misses. Lippi showed a willingness to adapt to the needs of the day when he brought Totti into the fray, something Van Basten wasn't willing to do with Van Nistelrooij. Lippi showed even more courage by allowing Totti to take the penalty kick. I thought it was important to have someone fresh take the kick, but I thought it would be Iaquinta. Totti did not hesitate, and he did not disappoint. Given the Italians recent woes with penalty kicks, it must have been very satisfying for the Italians to win with a penalty kick in the 95th minute.

As for the Socceroos, they deserve a lot of respect. I have been questioning their move into the Asian confederation but, after their performance in the Cup, it's only right to state that the Asian confederation will be richer for Australia's presence. I'm not sure what Australian defender, Lucas Neill, was doing or thinking. Perhaps he just lost his head. At that point in the match, Neill could have shouldered or bumped Grosso fairly aggressively without consequence. But when he lay down on the pitch and reached back, the referee had to call the penalty.

I think Hiddink might have been assuming that the game was destined for extra time. He has made so many prescient substitutions in earlier games, but he made only one today. More than anyone else, the Italians find a way to win through one quick strike, so perhaps he should have not expected more time for additional substitutes. But it's hard to criticize Hiddink. He showed class when he gathered his players, and persuaded them to absorb and recognize their fans' cheering and applause. Now Russia get a chance to experience the Hiddink effect.

"Where's the quality?" John Harkes said it best when he asked this question in the Ukraine v. Switzerland match. He later added, "ambition, imagination, and creativity" to the list of missing elements. For much of the match, both teams worked hard, but an errant pass, or a missed run, or a poor finish left the match without a goal. Both Shevchekno and Frei hit the woodwork, providing evidence that with appropriate service, they could have broken the deadlock.

At least the Swiss kept trying until the end. I fear that we may have found the "anti-soccer" team of the tournament with the Ukraine. After showing that they can score against the Saudis, Ukraine has chosen too often the lowest common denominator. Honestly, Switzerland deserved to win, but even their penalty kicks didn't have enough quality.

It''s too bad they couldn't bring Totti into their lineup.

Group F Finales

Reports of Ronaldo's death were greatly exaggerated.

He has now tied Gerd Müller's all-time scoring record, and he stands poised to pass all the great strikers who have graced the pitch during The World Cup. Brazilian manager, Parreira, deserves a lot of credit for properly gauging the Ronaldo pulse. With a few turns, a well placed header and a thunderous shot, Ronaldo announced his arrival in Germany. Robinho's presence has proven useful for Brazil, and he might displace Adriano in the starting lineup.

I'm sure Zico wished that Ronaldo had remained in abeyance. If Zico had asked Japan to begin in a defensive shell, he might have been called a hypocrite. How could he encourage Japan to emulate Brazilian football and then put every man behind the ball against Brazil? Japan should be credited for playing with Brazil in the early stages, and even taking the lead. After their goal, Zico seemed to realize that waking up a sleeping giant is a dangerous affair. While Japan started to sit back, waiting for a counter-attack, they faced a barrage of shots, near misses and, eventually, goals. Falling behind might have been the wake-up call that Brazil needed. It's amazing that they have a winning record in World Cup play when they concede the first goal.

Japan can't be happy to have the dubious distinction of leading, but ultimately losing two games, and remaining winless outside of Asia during World Cup play. Zico may be right in pushing Japanese players to be more creative and free-flowing, but they might have more to accomplish on the defensive side of the pitch. Maybe it's difficult to generate offense when you're back on your heels, but Brazil's opponents don't score many goals. For now, Japan has to be considered an Asian power, still waiting to make its big splash on the World stage.

There is an Asian team that's already made a splash on this World Cup stage. OK, I'm being premature. No, I'm not referring to South Korea, who may or may not qualify tomorrow. I'm referring to Australia's move into the Asian Confederation following the tournament. For now, Oceania can claim a team in the knockout phase.

Though they must be pleased (and rightly so), I don't think the Australians are ready to name stadiums or bestow honorary citizenship to Guus Hiddink yet. He deserves credit for getting Australia into the knockout phase, but I didn't understand his decision to play Kalac in goal today. Perhaps Schwarzer was hurt? Maybe Schwarzer was being disciplined? When Kalac's blunder gave Croatia the lead, Guus Hiddink looked like he was thinking about whether Korean Airlines flies directly to Russia. But, it seems, he and the team that he manages lead a charmed life. Kewell was clearly offside when he struck the second goal. As I mentioned elsewhere, missed calls are a part of soccer. Australia has now scored four goals in the last quarter hour of their three games. Given the way that Italy plays, the Socceroos might find themselves needing one of those last minute miracle comebacks.

Day Four

In Guns, Germs and Steel, Jared Diamond provides interesting evidence and arguments regarding the impact of geography on a matter no less important than the fate of civilizations. On a less important scale (well, at least to some people ;-) Australia's place on the globe has haunted them for World Cup qualification. As part of Oceania, they have been asked to win their region, and then meet the fifth place qualifier from South America in a playoff game. Until the 2006 World Cup, they had lost this playoff game. They have argued that a region winner should automatically qualify. Seems reasonable. But when one of the results from this region is Australia 31, American Samoa 0 (or was it 32-0? Apparently, the scorekeeper lost track of the score), one has to wonder about the relatively quality of the region. South Americans, of course, argued that Australia simply needed to beat their fifth place qualifier. It's my understanding that Australia will now qualify in Asia, ostensibly because they believe this arrangement will result in their qualification on a more regular basis. Is Australia seeking soccer justice? Or are they acting with a sense of entitlement?

This backdrop provided some interesting context for their match with Japan, a team coached by legendary Brazilian striker, Zico. On the other bench, Guus Hiddink hoped to continue his winning ways in The World Cup. Zico has encouraged Japanese players to be more creative, more confident, more free-flowing, more...Brazilian. Some Japanese players, including star Nakata, have questioned this approach. It would be great if more teams played like Brazil, but few teams can even come close to the talent level of Brazil. Hiddink, on the other hand, seems to manage to a team's strengths. When the Dutch complained about Australian rough play following a recent friendly, he declared that everyone should realize soccer is a man's game. This might resonate with the Socceroos, but I wonder what women's soccer teams thought of his comment.

So when the first goal came as a result of some pushing and shoving--and a really bad read by Australian keeper, Schwarzer--it seemed that if you live by physical play, you might die by physical play. It was especially odd because goalies often bowl over players in their efforts to reach the ball. If Schwarzer had aggressively punched the ball, and the Japanese player, I doubt the ref would have called a foul. Unfortunately, this referee didn't seem to follow a consistent pattern with calling fouls. He had too much of an impact on the game, which is always a problem for a referee.

For nearly the rest of the game, the Japanese looked to be in control, and the Australians looked increasingly frustrated. But things can change so quickly in soccer--especially with crafty intervention from a manager. The Japanese had their chances to put in another goal, without pushing and shoving, but they failed to do so. You have to admire Hiddink's willingness to throw caution to the wind with his substitutions. Soccer is also a game of adjustments. And with the three substitutions, two of whom who scored three goals in eight minutes, Hiddink showed everyone why his stock as a manager continues to soar.

Did the Australians prove that they belong in The World Cup? Yes. Did they prove that they are one of the premier teams? I think the jury is still out on that one.

At the other end of the managerial spectrum, Bruce Arena didn't make a lot of friends with his decisions before, during or after the ass kicking that the US experienced at the hands of the Czech Republic. I really wish that the US commentators, press, etc. would just stop making predictions or claims about the US team. When the US team faced no pressure or expectations in 1994 and 2002, they performed well. In 1998, with higher expectations, they collapsed. This team looked confused and befuddled; the Czechs outclassed them in every aspect of the game. Eddie Johnson showed that playing with energy can make a difference, but Arena's willingness to hang out to dry certain players is a curious choice. I know he's trying to get them pumped up. But he made the decision to play the 4-5-1, and to put DeMarcus Beasley on the right side--both moves that proved ineffective. During the game, he didn't do much of anything to get this team out of its funk. And, afterwards, he talked about how the players didn't rise to the occasion. They didn't. But is this the best approach as they prepare for the Italians? Does Arena bear any responsibility for what happened?

It's difficult for casual soccer fans in the US to understand that building soccer capacity takes time. The US could become one of the teams to watch on a regular basis, but almost certainly won't dominate the sport. It's not as if the US doesn't have the athletes--imagine if Deion Sanders had chosen to play soccer. But he didn't. He, like so many other athletes, played a sport with big money. As long as this remains true, the US will have to be content with being one of the good teams. It is the proverbial chicken and egg. It will probably take a World Cup victory for people in the US to really care (i.e., put up the $$$), but it takes $$$ to create the right conditions to win The World Cup. Did I just admit that soccer is actually about money? Speaking of money...

The Italian team is surrounded by controversy. A match fixing scandal has gripped the nation, and created massive distractions for the Azzuri. It didn't seem to matter. This team had a different feel than previous offerings from Italy. It's still strange not to see Paolo Maldini in the back line. And it was even stranger to see so many offensive options for the Italians. It's not as if the Italians haven't had their fare share of great strikers; it's just that they seem to feature them one at a time during The World Cup. Not so on this occasion. It was encouraging to see the Italians making sincere efforts to extend their 1-0 lead.

Ghana held its own for much of the match. Their bookends seem to be the concern. Their keeper, Kingston, actually had a good overall game, but he looked really lost on several corner kicks or crosses into the box. Their defense also looked shaky on several occasions. If Jan Koller recovers from his injury during the US game, imagine what he might do against Ghana. They also suffered from a lack of finishing or firepower from their forwards. On too many occasions, their midfield would admirably gain possession, move it through the Italian midfield only to take long shots, or pass to strikers who didn't complete the task. Nonetheless, it was their first World Cup game, and they certainly shouldn't feel embarrassed by their effort. They lost to a very good Italian team.

It's worth noting that the second place team from this group will face the winner from Group F in the second round. That would be the group with Brazil.