Brazil, of course. What an undignified way to go. Against France, the Brazilians seemed to play as if someone had paid them not to. They were disorganized, scattered, listless, dirty and diving most ignominiously, and after a while, even I started rooting for the French, who at least played some freaking soccer that day. Plus, anybody who looks and plays like Zinedine Zidane has my immediate, undivided worship.
My favorites, Argentina and Brazil, are gone, stupidly and suspiciously so. I never stop entertaining conspiracy theories: keep the players European (although why, beats me), keep Germany safe from truly threatening competitors. The real final seems to have been the suspenseful Argentina-Germany game, which was lost not by the Gaucho team, who fought fiercely and evenly, but by their handsome coach and his weirdass casting decisions (plus the goalie leaving his post, OMG).
So now, to tell you the truth, I don't care anymore. I don't like anyone at the semis. I don't wish the Germans to win, although I am willing to bet that they will, by hook or by crook, because ces't la cup.
The Italians don't deserve it because they were given the pass by an either stupid or dirty ref, or both, they've been playing badly and they are smartasses and histrionic to boot. The Portuguese are nasty and thoroughly unlikable, though they can play. So that leaves me with France. Who would have thunk? Allez, Zidane!
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BYE BYE BRAZIL! They seem afraid to penetrate, or even go for the fouls in the goal area. What "jogo bonito"? It was conspicuously absent in most of their other games. Then they seemed to gain some steam and Opa-Oh-pow!
ReplyDeleteIt was tremendously painful to watch as Brazil becomes the default South American team we root for when everyone else falters. They are not really a cohesive team and it showed with a real tough, gritty opponent. France has been growing and getting better, and their annoying defense was unbreakable. Zidane is showing some fine extra wind, he was sweating his whole weight in that game.
Both Portugal and Italy play real physical but dirty soccer. Saw some of that from Germany too. But they ALL come to play. They take it to the line, they seem truly hungry for the win.
Now why don't they ADOPT the replay? FIFA would fix a lot of the suspicions swirling around the referees if they adopted a review system. They already waste enormous amount of time on histrionics and tantrums. The whole thing, in fact, seems bloated to me...yeah, yeah, it's part of the game they all say. Then let's make it NOT part of the game, and let's spend some of that time usefully for once!
It might be Germany and France in the final. They seem to be playing the best as well rounded, deep teams. I think that Klose is going to get the Golden Shoe, as haughty and superior as he looks. And did that Podolski salute at the end of the Argentina game as he was walking away? I'm not making this up. They even commented on this at the Fan Chat at the fifaworldcup.com live match cast, which is pretty cool.
My takeaway so far? Jogo Bonito has been trumped by Jogo Sucio. But that seems to be sport lately - whether a fix for decades by the mafia in italy or Judges on the take in the Olympics, or the Ballco, steroid Human Growth hormone scandals in Baseball and the Tour de France. Hey, but I'm still gonna watch the rest of the cup.
On a lighter note, Happy 4th grande enchilada!
Allez, Bleus!!!
ReplyDeleteI was rooting for Brasil until halftime, then they lost me. And having just returned from France, it wasn't hard to switch allegiances. The Brasil players seemed to be waiting for Pelé to come down from the stands and score some goles. A national disgrace.