My Week in Soccer Utopia

It hurts man it really hurts… Going through WC withdrawals is something I never want to experience again. This is ten times worse then the sausage sweats. I don’t know how you guys handled it all last week. I miss the days of waking up at 6am and sitting on the couch drinking some coffee and settling in for 4+ hours of soccer.

I loved to see the Goose out for the US v. Italy game… I believe that he helped will the 9 man team to a draw…What happens when you take a group of people who don’t care for soccer and put them in an apartment to watch the WC? – You get Real World Cup ’06… I smell a TV series in the making. I can attest that Goose was into the game and when he saw blood he thought to himself this might not be such a bad sport. Do I think that Goose is going to watch MLS or the FA Cup this year no but I love that he came and supported a sport I love. Thanks Mother Goose.

Kudos to Addidas and there non stop ads during halftime and generally any time the WC is on. I don’t know if it is the fact that it strikes a cord with all who pretended that they were playing with real stars as a kid or the fact the commercial just doesn’t get old after the 100th time. Beckenbaur?

This has been commented on but I have to reiterate the passion of the Croatians and the So-Ko’s (South Koreans). Once I saw the signal flares in the stands during the Croatia game I knew the Cup had started. I don’t know which is better the fact that the fans are that passionate or the fact the stadium officials don’t care that there 200 Million Euro stadiums might be burned to the ground all in the name of soccer.


Poland and Germany still hate each other and I don’t think they would have it any other way… “There here” – HOOLIGANS are awesome oh, and the game between the two countries was top notch and heart breaking at the same time.

Davies has talked about this but I also have to say Eric Wynalda has been top notch on the pre and post game discussions…. Move over meat helmet… PS – did Jack Edwards die? How can he not be there…? Because someone needs to replace Babs Balboa ASAP. That guy went to the Ron Fairly School of broadcasting… Is there a team he likes? For the most part ESPN has had decent coverage. I have to admit of the American broadcasters I have enjoyed JP Delacamera and John Harwks. JP knows when to talk and after a goal he gives a nice pause to let you hear the crowd and feel the emotion. Harwks knows how to describe the game like a true player without sounding bigger then the game – Learn from the Balboa. Top Notch broadcasting goes to The English guy and Tommy Smyth. True soccer callers plus you get some nice England vs. Ireland talk.

I love the fact that all the talk is focusing on Spain and Argentina one country is all potential and tends to just !@#$ all over it’s self and the other has a Cocaine poster boy as a mascot. Slowly the JOGA BONITA is building and Building. I fear for the teams that will face them in the knock-out stage.

Africa has not brought it this time around…. Ghana is the hope of a continent. To bad they are playing the US otherwise I would be in full support of the Black Stars. (It’s there nickname so everyone don’t play the race card)


Red, and Yellow – the color of the Cup. I have had mixed emotions on the fouls/officiating this year. The majority has been correct but a few have been utter crap. Zidane got carded and will miss his last match. It was a horrible call and it is even sadder that I watched him play in a game where the team was robbed of a goal. Last time I checked if your keeper is behind the line and the ball hits him it is a goal. Zidane deserved a better exit to the Cup – damn you Barthez and the Ref.

I can’t wait for the Knock-out rounds…