I’ve been super busy with work and non-work stuff lately so I’ve had basically no time to write anything, but there is no way I couldn’t comment on the WC. Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows that I follow US Soccer very closely and I’ve been waiting for this Cup to come back around since we unceremoniously crapped out of ’06.
Beyond watching the US try to improve on their terrible showing last time around, its a month long indulgence in the best soccer there is on offer. Any soccer haters just think about it like its March Madness, but with a better sport, but only every four years and with the best teams there are in the world. Seriously, all the annoying stuff in life melts away when I’m watching a game.
Moving beyond the general love fest, thank you to ESPN for ESPN3.com. The time difference from hear to South Africa means games are on during the day. ESPN3 makes it possible to watch as many games as I want without filling the DVR. Plus, I can watch games on the laptop while The Wife watches crappy TV on the TV and everyone is happy. The bonus is that you can watch multiple game feeds at the same time on the same screen. Pretty awesome. (Note: I started writing this last night. I’ve now been trying to watch the Brazil game from earlier for 30 mins and the video won’t continue to play so I may have spoken too soon. Concept is awesome, let’s fix the execution guys.)
Mini-review of the US-England match. I thought it was a great game to watch. I thought the result was pretty well deserved. We played solid defense, including a really good game from Tim Howard, save one major breakdown that cost us. Our attack wasn’t overwhelming but we did create some pretty decent chances and we could have had another one if Jozy had finished his break away. And obviously, all US fans owe Robert Green a debt of gratitude for his less than stellar play that gifted us our goal. Sidebar, I commented not two minutes before our goal to my Brit friend I was watching with that, despite their advantage in individual talent on the field I was confident that our goalkeeper was better than theirs.
The one major dislike so far. Who wants to help me make a huge bonfire and melt down some vuvuzelas? Those things are horrendous. And while I understand where its coming from, is every announcer going to comment that the Cup is being played to a soundtrack of angry bees? South Africans, vuvuzelas are horrible and shouldn’t be allowed into matches until people stop blowing them incessantly and use them at appropriate times of excitement.
Last thing I’ll mention in this random collection of WC thoughts is if you haven’t seen the Daily Show’s take on the Cup try to find it at Comedy Central’s website or YouTube. Their Brit correspondent has done some really fun bits on it.
Okay, going back to fighting with ESPN3.com’s feed to see if I can actually watch a game.
