Thoughts on the World Cup

After thirty days and countless vuvuzela complaints, the 2010 FIFA World Cup is finally coming to a close. Thirty-one teams have fallen, and the last team standing is the nation of Spain. After falling numerous times in the finals, Spain finally had their day against the Netherlands, going 120 minutes and squeezing out just one goal from Andres Iniesta (wooo FC Barcelona). Sorry kids, no headbutt action here this time around, although there was an interesting little call when someone took a shot to the chest with a spike. Why that wasn't red-carded, I'll never know. That'll be mentioned later on in the entry.

Knowing how good Spain is, I called for them to take it this year with Brazil being the runners-up. Obviously, I was half wrong. I can't tell you how many upsets there were in the World Cup in general and how much money I could have lost if I were to bet money in these matches. <-- Say NO to gambling.

I have a lot of thoughts and comments on what went down during the World Cup. A lot of them are negative reactions toward this past month, other ones are just random tidbits that I have opinions on.

1. The Jabulani ball used throughout the World Cup is a piece of crap.
A lot of the players were heavily complaining about the ball during World Cup qualifiers as well as the matches during the Cup. At first thought, I just thought they were being a bunch of sissy-nannies and should have sucked it up. After looking at some of the physics and statistics of the ball, a lot of things started making sense to me, such as why there were so many bad crosses or a lot of inaccurate free kicks/penalty kicks. Due to the threading form and design of the Jabulani ball, the wind resistance of the ball did some funky stuff to it. From a source found by a physics major, the ball will begin to knuckle at 44 mph. That's not fast at all for some players' shots. If you watch some slow-mo replays, you'll notice the ball making awkward and sharp movements in the air, and totally messing up goalkeeping judgments. Games that come to mind quickly in which that has happen have been the past couple of knockout stage games that Uruguay have played. Diego Forlan totally used and abused the ball's knuckling ability.

2. Most of the officiating during the World Cup was beyond poor.
I can't tell you how terrible the officiating during the Cup was without swearing like a sailor. I'll try my best to give you a PG-rated response to it: WHAT THE HELL??
See, it was so bad that offside calls were either nonexistent or so obvious that they weren't called, the carding was ridiculous, and fouls were called on things that never happened. Remember that nonexistent offside/foul call on Maurice Edu against Slovenia? Remember that disallowed goal against England while playing Germany? Remember that disaster we call Japan vs. Paraguay? Exactly. I understand that you need to have particular credentials in order to officiate during the World Cup, but does one of them include "missing one huge call during each game?"

3. Diego Maradona: Football coach by day, mob boss by night.






I guess he gave Lionel Messi an offer he wasn't allowed to refuse...







4. I am not surprised Italy and France were eliminated early in the group stages.
I'm being dead serious. I really didn't think the top two teams from the last World Cup were going to make it that far. A lot of players have come and gone since 2006 (cough cough Zinedine Zidane cough cough) and both teams didn't look structurally as good as they did back then. France literally looked pitiful during their group games and although Italy looked good on paper, they didn't mesh well together. That's okay, Theirry Henry, you can come on over to the MLS Retirement Home and look good again.

5. No Ronaldinho?! CRAP!
I bet Dunga really wanted to kick himself in the dunga after getting numerous death threats from Brazilian fans and getting knocked out by the second place Dutch. Congratulations for basically handing yourself your own rear end, dude. Ronaldinho, after being called one of the greatest footballers that ever lived, wouldn't you be asking yourself why you didn't make the World Cup team? It's okay, I would be too. Considering that you're 30 and still having a decent career with AC Milan, I would be scratching my head just as much as you did when you were cut from the team.

6. Adidas curse? Pffffftttt.
Okay sure, every guy that was involved with a sports product-related commercial [Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Messi, etc.] was eliminated in the tournament, but really? Blaming a commercial? Oh God, I know most sports are filled with large egos, but I don't think sponsorship alone can be the cause of upsets and eliminations. Stop acting like they were all eliminated in group play--each guy (except for the man mentioned in #5 because he wasn't even involved at all) made it relatively far in the tournament. No man is an island, my children.

7. Ghana killed every bit of the US actually beginning to embrace the sport.
Ghana took down the US in the last Cup too, and now the game of futbol will still be a lowly sport in the United States for the next four years. Sigh. Darn you, padded, fat guys.
PS - S-O-S! (lol at Kofi Kingston reference)

8. Was 3D really necessary for this event?
Yeah, I like the idea of 3D as much as the next guy, but I wouldn't be so thrilled to see someone shoot a 3D snot rocket before they start running on the field. A 3D diving Cristina Ronaldo wouldn't be so mind-boggling either. Let's keep 3D in the theaters, shall we?

9. The vuvuzelas really didn't bother me at all.
I know that it's more annoying to hear when you're actually at the stadium, but I'm going to be honest. If you're a real futbol fan, you're going to tune out the sound on the television by either your own interest of what's going on down on the pitch instead of what's going on in the stands or the simplest way--the mute button. They've gotten controversial as of late; the buzzing noise has been blamed for hearing loss and have been huge in drowning out calls and team talking down on the pitch. Is it skin off my nose? No, but I kind of do feel bad for all of the people that will go "WHAT?? CAN YOU SPEAK UP" when they get older.

10. This event will never cease to bring an ailing country together.
For you history buffs, you know that this country has been in a lot of turmoil over it's history. Sure, the World Cup alone isn't going to unite a country, but it's going to bring them together in peace over something everyone enjoys in some way for a short period of time. It was awesome to see 91-year old Nelson Mandela during some of the events despite the murder of his great-granddaughter at the beginning of the tournament. It was also great to see the big turnouts for each match and how many were cheering on teams other than their own. Great stuff.

I love watching big events like this. It's a shame that it has to end, but in order for the feeling to stay good and fresh, it has to be in short bursts, like the one month out of every four year time period that has been set. To a lot of people around the world, futbol is a religion, and the World Cup is their Christmas. Everyone's favorite footballer comes together and plays for the biggest title in the whole sport. To me, the World Cup is like a showcase of how a sport is treated outside of this country. The World Cup is my way of feeling the magic emitted from so many people that I don't know who are coming together for two things: glory and unity. I wish that magic was as powerful in the United States as it is in a place like Spain or Italy or Germany. I can still dream, right?

--AZ

I'm sorry, PETA, but this is the cutest thing ever.

Everybody, say hello to Paul.

Paul is an octopus. He is about two years old, which is considered very old for an octopus. Why am I writing about him? He's gotten some international attention during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Before this, he has only been making predictions for the German National team as a sort of oracle. Due to his great predictions (10 for 12 thus far predicting Germany's games), he has now predicted Germany to beat Uruguay in the third place match and for Spain to win the final against Holla--The Netherlands.




How does he do it, you ask? Like this.



Two boxes with the corresponding team flags are filled with food (fish). Whichever box Paul chooses is considered the "prediction."





Okay, here's my rant:
PETA doesn't like this. This is because he is placed in "confined spaces" and is treated unfairly in obtaining his food, causing him suffering. PETA, if I may ask, wasn't he born in a reserve? If he was born in the wild, I would totally understand your position. Wait...why am I saying "born?" He was hatched. Good gravy. Anyway, since he has been raised this way for two years, there is no possible way he could survive out in the wild and obtain food for himself. Isn't it easier for anyone to obtain food when it's all in one spot anyway? It's like a fishy supermarket for him.

Animals aren't stupid, either. Most especially common octopi. They can determine shapes and examine many things with their tentacles. They can unscrew jars, for cripes' sake. Paul might know what we're doing too. It's like when we train dogs and cats to not go to the bathroom on the carpets in the house. Okay, Paul's not a domestic pet, but he was raised in a docile environment, and his environment has given him the adaptive qualities to be a passive and simple creature. He isn't being tortured, he's actually being babied a little. If he didn't like it and felt like he was in danger, the keepers would certainly know about it. But anyway, he is getting old, and he won't be doing this for much longer. Who knows? Maybe since he's in a reserve, he'll live a little longer or something. He has an interesting little trait to him, so maybe he's meant to stick around longer than usual. Isn't God awesome like that?

(EDIT - I love animals. Trust me. I just have a spiritual hunch that animals are meant to have more characteristics than from what we know from examining them out in the wild.)

But wait, there's more!!
There must be more to his power, right? Well, the Argentinians think so. According to recent (dead serious) reports, this little old guy is receiving death threats. He won't have any of it though. He'll survive, kids.

--AZ

Extreme Makeover: SNB Edition

Hokay, not a sports-related post, but one worth noting.

HI.
NEW LAYOUT.

....do you like it?

I still have all of the old banners and photos from the last one, and I honestly felt like giving this place a new and improved look. I kind of wished I saved the old template, but oh well. Life goes on. I understand the Brian Dawkins in the banner is from his Eagles days, but there weren't any "epic looking" ones where he's in a Broncos uniform. With that said, I'm going to continue tweaking the place when needed, because the whole blog in general is a work in progress, and I'm hoping to get more readers soon. Please. I beg you (I don't beg much, either). Please please please if you read this blog, comment on here so I know I'm not doing this for my own health.

I originally wrote this blog to improve on my writing skills--and political correctness, mind you--and for people to critique my ideas and my style. I almost stopped this place back in April because I wasn't getting any responses--wait, my sister commented on a few of them; thanks, Jen--and I didn't think I was going anywhere with this place. But let's be serious here, over the past few years, I've found writing to be very therapeutic, and I enjoy writing about things I like; ergo, I write about sports and how much I love them. Sure, not everyone will like what I think, but isn't that normal? Being a rebel is some cool stuff, y'know. Anyway, for those of you who have read this blog at some point since it's inception in February, you guys are great, and I appreciate you for stopping by. In my life so far, I have found it heartwarming to make people smile and laugh over my awkwardness in life or my spontaneous wisdom. I live not just for my successes, but for paying it forward to people who are having a rough day. I try to do it as much as I can in work, and I try harder every day to make a person's day less stressful.

I hope I can do that for the blog readers out there as well.
Thanks for reading (so far).

-- Stephanie
(AnimaniacZero)





...Is it a sin that I want Jewish Apple Cake right now after posting this picture??

The "For Sale" Series - Cliff Lee

Okay, Rod Roddy, what's the next item on our list?



"A BRAND NEW CA-- ...Cliff Lee!"
(Awesome 'The Price is Right' music is played here.)

Okay, so our lovely item here is a 2008 AL Cy Young award winner who went from Cleveland [Rocks] to Philadelphia in a mid-season trade last year and literally tore it up in the 2009 Postseason.

Then Philadelphia went back to pursuing Roy Halladay just like George W. Bush went back after Osama bin Laden while being sidetracked by Saddam Hussein. In December, the trade was made, and my dearest 'Cliffie' was gone to the Mariners. Since then, Roy has been a god on the mound, and the Phillies give him no run support. Good trade?


Well, the Mariners don't think so anymore. They're looking to beef up their team in order to get that run support that their starting rotation needs. It's tradin' season, and the Mariners are looking to put this man's blood on the market. Just their luck, a lot of sharks are circling this one, and they are all willing to fight to the death for him.
A lot of teams have already shown interest in him, including the LA Dodgers, the Minnesota Twins, the New York Yankees and Mets, and of course, the Phillies--the guys who originally ditched him. Certain teams are willing to dish out massive cash for him, others are willing to give some of their starters up to get him.

IT'S LIKE A FREAKING CATTLE AUCTION.











Who will get him? From the looks of things, the Twins are looking mighty pretty to Lee, and the Mets are coming in a close second. It would take a Christmas miracle for the Phillies to get him back (or it could take Jayson Werth, for that matter). Seeing him in a Twins uniform could most likely make the AL Central mad--or even jealous if you're a Wahoos fan. However, their pitching is faltering, and getting him could be the best medicine for the Twins--even the Mets. But let's be honest, I wouldn't want to see that because A - I'd be torn, and B - I'd be prejudiced against the Mets even more because I live in Philadelphia and it's almost my job to show a bit of hatred toward New York sports.

Anyway, that's it for me. I'll have to see who else is on the market. I bet Johnny Olson could help me out on the next one.


"You bet I could, AZ!"
(NOTE: He never said this. He's actually dead.)







--AZ

The "For Sale" Series - LeBron James

WHO'S IT GON' BE????

Yes my children, I'm actually going to talk about this. Most people who are unfamiliar with the NBA will still likely know who LeBron James is. Jeez, he's only been in so many advertisements and has been mentioned numerous times on other sports broadcasts. For starters, he was drafted out of high school and has played with the Cleveland Cavaliers since the 2003-04 season. Where is he now? Free agency, of course. His contract recently expired, and practically every team in the NBA is fighting to the death to get this man they call a "King"--well, everyone except Miami, since they just got Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh today, which is a nice little rebound (no pun intended).

Anyway, several teams have come up as huge candidates for this big guy. Notable teams that have come up in conversation include the New Jersey Nets, the Chicago Bulls, and the New York Knicks. Hmm, interesting...three teams near the bottom. It's might not be that he hasn't grown out of his "teamwork" personality, but it looks like he wants to be a big standout star and a--instead of "King"--monarch in another city. He's been visiting teams for nearly two weeks, and he'll finally spill everything tomorrow night during a press conference.
Where do I think he'll go? Since I'm not an NBA fan, I'm going to be a rebel and say that he's going to sign with a team that nobody expects he'll sign with. If I'm really going to have to choose, I'd say he'll go with the Knicks. They haven't won a 'champeenship' since '73, and they're still a growing team that needs a bit of a boost. Not only that, people will want to see some more magic at MSG (or Madison Square Garden for you who don't like abbreviations). James will definitely want to go to a sports-heavy city and get some crowds riled up for a night of showboating and skill.

I understand this wasn't a real blog or anything, but what else is there to write about? I could tell you about what teams have already offered him, but this isn't the point of the blog. I just want to show my opinion and the ultimate lack of it (in all honesty too). I did my best, right?

I'd actually like to do more of this, so I made this a series. I'll most likely do some more familiar things next. For those who know me personally, I'm pretty sure you'll know who the next one will be...
Cliff Lee, duh.

--AZ

Thoughts about Interleague Play

Hi kids. Yes, I missed the boat by a week and a half, but it was hard to get thoughts together because there are so many pros and cons to this concept.

Soooo....interleague play--the 3 weeks out of the year where you see AL pitchers bat for themselves and see massive in-city rivalries unfold. Is it good? Yes and no. I'll give my opinions on why.

Why it's good:
--You prepare certain teams/players for the All-Star game in July and possibly the World Series in October. A lot of people complain about how they haven't seen certain people ever pitch or not able to get used to playing in particular stadiums. You get it in interleague play.
--You widen your fanbase by getting kids (and adults) to see you in person and watch you kick serious butt. Getting traded doesn't count here, because you need to be like a flash in the night and not a prostitute to teams, per se. Hey, it gets the stadiums some more revenue, am I right?
--It shows your versatility. I'm not going to lie, the AL and NL are different worlds, and only playing certain teams kinda makes you susceptible to show alienation or signs of a funk once you go up against a team you've never seen or haven't played in six seasons.
--I sort of mentioned this already, but it's also great for stadium revenue. Shoot, I highly doubt people ever go to Camden Yards to watch a game anymore, but interleague definitely helps especially when you have teams like the Mets, Phillies, and Braves come around with faithful fans and have them watch you get schooled.
--It's interesting to watch the NL teams get the DH role. See, I've never agreed with the idea of the designated hitter. I'll explain why: if a pitcher is in the majors, he should show more versatility and use his pitching mechanics to decipher an opposing pitchers' moves and style, therefore, being a smart and mindful batter (cough cough Cliff Lee cough cough). I hate to see the idea of these really old (and fat, mind you) guys that should have retired years ago still playing because they can hit home runs. I say home runs because let's be honest, can old fat guys run well? The first guy that comes to mind is Frank Thomas. He finally retired last year, and that was probably the best decision ever. Of course, you get skinny guys like Matsui or Morneau in there, but I'm just trying to make a point--the American League is way too offensive for my liking whilst the National League is a bit more strategical since you have to ultimately have to work things around the skill of your pitcher more than usual.

Why it's bad:
--First things first, American League pitchers HATE to bat. We National League fans laugh at them for it.
--National League players hate the fact that they don't have the DH and that it takes a toll on their own morale. A main offender of complaining as far as my recent memory goes is Chipper Jones. He's whined about it for quite some time, and a lot of other players can agree with them--because yeah, he's sorta right on how the AL is more offensively-oriented and it can make a difference in play, but shouldn't you be prepared for that with your smarter pitching and bulkier bullpens? Just sayin', Larry.
--It may actually mess your offense up due to heavy adjusting against different pitching. There have been a lot of issues with that lately. The Phillies went into a massive funk after going against knuckleballer Tim Wakefield in mid-May. Could you imagine how much more demeaning it would be if it was that Japanese chick owning them instead?
--It proves nothing on how tops you are in your own respective division/league. Awesome, you did well against the opposing league, but how are you doing in your own division/league? Sucky? Oh, well that's too bad.


Well, that's my view on things about Interleague Play. It has it's kinks, but it also has it's massive downsides. What do you think about it? Comment, please!!

--AZ

PERFECTION UPDATE - Are you kidding me???

Seriously, they better review that blown call from El Diago's perfect game last night.
This would officially break the record of time period inbetween perfect games thrown by one day. This record is outside the modern era, but who cares?

I call this the new Year of the Pitcher.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Bud Selig refuses to reverse the call. What a sour son of a gun. I never liked this guy, and now I have several more reasons to hate this guy. Maybe that will be another blog post.