World Cup Miracle

[Phil Bunch]

I continue to find the US-based reporting of the series to be interesting in a strange sort of manner.  I think what's interesting to me are the differences between US-based and rest-of-world-based analyses.  Perhaps I'm just overreacting but in any event it's certainly enjoyable to watch the drama and the spectacle of the event!

Small excerpt from WSJ article:

Wednesday's World Cup semifinal between Germany and Spain showcases a team with dazzling creativity against a technically sound and largely predictable side that has been downright boring for much of the tournament.

Yet in a startling game of role reversal, the Germans, long considered the archenemies of dynamic soccer, are the dazzling ones, having scored four goals in three different games and with players attacking seemingly from every direction. The Spanish, meanwhile, have been squeaking by and putting everyone to sleep, scoring just six goals in five games.

"The way they play, they have surprised everyone, especially the 82 million people in their country," Franz Beckenbauer, the guru of German soccer who both captained and coached Die Mannschaft to world championships, said of his country's current side. "They never played like this before. They have ideas."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704862404575350881149286238.html?mod=WSJ_hps_MIDDLEThirdNews  

(May be for subscribers only.)

[Will]

Didn't see that one coming... Paul the octopus was right.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/06/paul-the-octopus-stuns-ge_n_636118.html

[frumpy]

yeeehaaaaaa!  :mrgreen:

[Will]

They will be eating calamari in Germany tonight.

[Hardy Heinlin]

Congrats to the better team :-)

Olé!

[Will]

Apparently, the calls for calamari are increasing.

"BERLIN - Some Germans are calling for a public roasting of the oracle octopus who correctly picked the winner of all six of their national soccer team's World Cup matches -- including a bitter defeat to Spain on Wednesday.  Paul, a two-year-old octopus in a German aquarium, turned into a global celebrity for his uncanny ability to predict the winner of all Germany's matches -- even a group stage defeat to Serbia and an ousting by Spain in the semi-finals.
"Nothing beats grilled octopus," said Dolores Lusch, a Germany fan who works on a Berlin fish stall. "Cut him up in thin slices and grill him on all sides with a dash of lemon juice, olive oil and garlic on it. Delicious!""

Remainder here: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/07/08/test/life-us-germany-octopus-soccer.html?hp

[Shiv Mathur]

And a nasty one someone sent me:

The Nigerian goalkeeper says he will refund those fans who
travelled to South Africa to support the Nigerian football team.
To process claims, he just needs their bank details and
mother's maiden name.

[torrence]

Re Calamari etc.

What I can't figure is why the Germans seemed so tentative for the first half.  They just got finished trouncing another highly touted team with essentially only one striking threat in Messi.  Missing Muller shouldn't have made that much of a difference.  Spain was good but not as good in my opinion as some of the talking heads (all nationalities) made them out to be.  Netherlands should get the message and play their game from the start.  Sure, Spain will likely score one, but as I used to tell my my kids, "You can't win a game unless *you* put the ball in the back of the net at least once." , and the orange guys have shown they can do that.  Good luck, Jeroen (assuming you have figured out what all the fuss is about   )

Cheers
Torrence

[Will]

What a great thread.  I've been really appreciating all the commentary and ideas.  I would have watched Germany/Netherlands with conflicted loyalties, but now my allegiance is with the Netherlands all the way.  Torrence, I agree. They need to come out as a team, working hard from the beginning, and get the job done; they shouldn't watch & wait or save anything for later.

P.S. I love calamari, especially grilled and served with olive oil and lemon juice, but eating the messenger seems a bit barbaric.  Besides, maybe Paul can pick horses (or stocks).

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

We'll see -- the messenger will speak out again today. Although it isn't exactly the same, as this time he won't be forecasting a German game. So we should not put too much trust in the prediction  :mrgreen:

[James Lacey]

You blokes are getting octopus confused with squid!

Torrence - I don't think the Germans were tentative but rather the Spanish pressed them, wouldn't let them settle into any kind of rhythm and didn't give their creative players any space(Oezil was closed down completely). The Spanish are also very, very good at retaining possession. The Germans were disappointing but they were beaten by a very good team - the fact that Spain were only able to put one past them (and that by the centre half) and that Vila was closed down is testament to the German defence.

I think the Spanish will win on Sunday.

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

Occy predicted Spain would win.


!?!? Occy and La Paz agreeing??!?    zOMG

[John Golin]

Scanno hasn't predicted anything as far as I can tell???

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

Dutch police has new portable weapons.



Jeroen

[Phil Bunch]

Americans propose new rules for "soccer"!! (humor)

Entertaining article in a newspaper proposing a few "minor" rule changes.  

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Excerpt:

A Modest Proposal for Improving a Dull Game
Use your hands, dummies. Also, add body slams, get rid of useless nil-nil ties and play on an extremely steep slope. With a few modifications, soccer could become hugely popular world-wide.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704862404575351432670409258.html?mod=WSJ_hps_MIDDLESecondNews

[Will]

Paul the Octopus continues his winning streak.  Congratulations, Hardy and Germany!

[martin]

Dutch police has new portable weapons.

Niu Gini had them thousands of years ago; used more versatilely, too...

[Avi]

Paul the Octopus continues his winning streak.

I hope he will fail Sunday as he did 2 years ago in the final (and eat him and put an end to this sh_t).

[Richard McDonald Woods]

Phil,
I feel that, apart from the steep slope, you have just reinvented the supreme game of Rugby Union.
Cheers, Richard

[Phil Bunch]

Dutch National Anthem anticipates their defeat in 2010 World Cup!!  It is the oldest national anthem in the world, according to wikipedia.

From wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Het_Wilhelmus

Translations at bottom of the above web page.
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Nothing so moves my pity
As seeing through these lands,
Field, village, town and city
Pillaged by roving hands.
O that the Spaniards rape thee,
My Netherlands so sweet,
The thought of that does grip me
Causing my heart to bleed.

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