a hundred degrees

Dynamo win Texas Cup

Wednesday, March 5
Houston Dynamo 4 - 3 Toronto FC
DC United 2 - 1 Chivas USA

Friday, March 7
DC United 1 - 0 Toronto FC
Houston Dynamo 1 - 0 Chivas USA

Sunday, March 9
DC United 1 - 1 Houston Dynamo
Toronto FC 3 - 2 Chivas USA

Dynamo won not on Points (3 for a win,1 for a draw) nor on goal difference, but on the second tie-breaker: goals scored.

There was an actual trophy awarded. I'm pretty sure that this "Tournament" didn't deserve it. But it's nice to have a little something to hold up and let the large number of traveling fans cheer for.

2007 North American SuperLiga - Matchday 3(b)

It's halftime of the final match of the group stage of the inagural SuperLiga tournament. Houston beat DC Utd to win the group in the first game. However the day started like this:
DCU 4
HOU 4
MOR 2
AME 0

Club America is already out. They have every reason to rest their best players as the Mexican league begins this weekend. Why not give Morelia a walk-through? Yet at medio tiempo the score is one - nil to Club America. Now I wonder if they are doing Monarcas a favor by eliminating this competition from their calendar.

The million dollar prize is significant to MLS clubs, but paltry to the big Mexican sides.

Houston 1 - 1 Morelia

I know that this story is a few days old, but I really think that the goof-up that led to the equalizer from Monarcas was due to the inexperience of those guys in the center of defense.

Cochrane is pretty young. Ianni will be a good defender, but he's a new introduction to a back four who are solid mostly because they know each other so well. Then you have Wells in the net instead of an authority like Onstead who would have screamed at somebody if needed. It's no wonder that Waibel felt that he needed to get involved in the central coverage. Still, it was he who stood over the ball and had every chance to clear it. Morelia had not looked dangerous on set pieces.

I'm not sure why Pat was out. Robinson came out because Morelia was putting a beat-down on him and the ref seemed to be encouraging bloodshed.

Morelia looked the more skilled squad for most of the game, but they didn't deserve the goal that the Dynamo handed them.

Inverse Relationship of Empire to World Sport

A year and a half ago I wrote about soccer's impediments to success in the US. I now have boiled down my thoughts a bit.

As long as the US continues to believe that it is the sole economic and military superpower it will not be important to prove anything on the international sports stage. The draw and importance of the Olympics is much less than it was during the time of the Cold War and our need to prove ourselves against the Russians.

Believing we are the only ones worth competing against we continue to focus on national sports. Assuming that we are the best in the world because the rest of the world is too unsophisticated for our sports, we name "World Champions" the winners of the NFL, NBA, and MLB playoff tournaments.

The good news for fans of the beautiful game is that the empire is crumbling. India and China are making great strides toward being our economic superiors. Wars in the middle east are streching and depleting our military might and will. My boss says he believes that we are not far from civil war. The American century is over.

As the future for my children becomes dimmer the future of world sport becomes more assured. Given the choice I'd rather have the dominance of the United States continue unabated. History shows us that is not possible.

Forty Years in the Wilderness

The last time Venezuela won a match in Copa America, my parents weren't yet married. On January 28, 1967, they beat Bolivia 3-0. That was the only match that they got points from in that tournament.

A few minutes ago the drought ended with the 2-0 win over Peru. Add the point from the (2-2) draw with Bolivia from earlier in the week and they have a good chance of making the knockout round.

The second goal in the game came just after a mildly harsh yellow card against the hosts which saw a man sent off. So to score and then hold with ten men for the last quarter hour or so was wonderful for the fans.

It seemed appropriate that the rain was sheeting down on the game for truly the drought was over.

Cuatro a Uno

I missed the first half hour plus some of USA boys versus the Argentina men last night.

After watching the Paraguay scalping of Columbia (5-0) on Telefutura I decided that I wanted to see the game with English commentary. I hopped in the van and drove over to where I'd heard there was a pub on Blanco called the Firkin' Bull. It was out of business. I thought, well there's supposed to be a Lion and Rose around here too. I drove up Blanco, but there was no sign. I circled around to Stone Oak and drove around the shopping blocks, finally going in to the Cigar Bar and asking where the place was. The tender told me I needed to go Stone Oak to Huebner and take a right. This led to a dead end. Going the other way on Huebner didn't turn up much either. After driving around more shopping blocks I stopped at a Wine Bar and asked directions. They told me to go back down Stone Oak and take a left on Sonterra. It was way the heck down Sonterra. I finally found it. I got inside and found that they had several screens tuned to GolTV, but none running the audio. I watched the last twelve or so minutes of the half and was informed by a few not-too-football-savvy patrons that we had got the penalty in the sixth minute. It was 1-1 at the half. At the halftime whistle I left for home. I got Telefutura back on by about two and a half minutes back in to the segundo tiempo.

After about the hour mark, our boys were done. We had brought all we had and it was not nearly enough for the quality on the Argentina side. I thought Kyle Beckerman looked particularly overawed when he came on.

In the early game, I thought that Columbia was technically more gifted over most of the field, but the strikers for Paraguay were real quality. Santa Cruz' first two goals made the Columbian keeper look like crap. When a US striker gets a keeper in front of him, he looks for an open teammate. Santa Cruz just lifted it by the keeper like he wasn't even there.

I think that the US will have it's hands full trying to get points in this group.

2007 Copa America

Commissioned

I've agreed to be the U6 Commissioner for the soccer league that Kevin and I have been participating in for three seasons. What that means right now is that I'm working on trying to put 156 kids on 26 teams according to preferred practice times and locations and other special requests. Oh, and the registration got extended through today. Tomorrow is the coaches' meeting where we need to have the rosters.

I'm actually writing a blog entry, if that shows just how much I'm wanting to get on the phone with parents right now...

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Finals

Saturday (Third place match)

Germany :: Portugal
ESPN & Univision @ 2p
The third place finisher gets individual medals, not so the fourth. There is a little something to play for here. Still it's hard to get excited about the match as a spectator, so how much more so as a player? I'm hoping for the referee to call a good game and neutralize or penalize the diving. These two teams could put on a good show if they wanted to.
My Guess: Germany 1 - 2 Portugual   GER 3 - 1 POR

Sunday

Italy :: France
ABC & Univision @ 1p
This feels like a true final. This is the best competition that either side have faced so far in the tournament. Park Ji-Sung (South Korea 1 - 1 France) is the only opponent to score from open play against either team. Italy has a "1" in the Goals Against column after six matches and that only because they conceded an own goal in the draw with USA. The last thing anyone expects is a goal fest.
Italy have to find a way past the phenomenal French midfield. If they do, then they have to beat Gallas and Thuram at the back. But they are patient. They might just find a way if they can keep their famous tempers under control.
France will need some miracle to beat Buffon. Henry hasn't looked miraculous yet. Lucky against Brazil, but not showing the brilliant skills he possesses.
The referee in this game is the same one from the England - Portugal match. The terrible news is that he is persuaded by acting and whining. Both teams in this final have needlessly participated in this reprehensible behavior and I fear that what should be a great football match will be decided by a cheat or mama's boy. I pray that Monday I will not be wistfully wondering what might have happended if the stupid ref hadn't ruined the game.
My guess: Italy 1 - 0 France   ITA 1(5) - 1(3) FRA

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Semifinal 2

France :: Portugal
ESPN & Univision @ 2p
Whiners and old guys. Tim says everything depends on Zidane. If he has a good game then les Bleu will triumph. Portugal are brutes and whiners and don't deserve even to play Germany on Saturday.
My guess: France 1 - 0 Portugal   FRA 1 - 0 POR

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Semifinal 1

Germany :: Italy
ESPN & Univision @ 2p
Italy have looked as strong as expected against opponents since the group stage. They also are extremely skilled divers as they proved against America and Australia. The Germans are playing with the confidence of an experienced host country. They will want to avenge the March friendly which Italy won 4-0.
My guess: Germany 1 - 2 Italy   GER 0 - 2 ITA

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Quarterfinals

After fifty-six matches only one of the eight original seeds has failed to come through. Or is it two? I'm not sure if Mexico or Portugal was the seed in Group D.

Friday

Germany :: Argentina
ESPN & Univision @ 10a; ESPN Classic @ 4p
Germany have rolled over Costa Rica, Poland, Ecuador and Sweden. Now they are in a real match. Argentina have battled past Ivory Coast, Serbia & Montenegro, Netherlands, and Mexico. Either team could win without calling it an upset.
My guess: Germany 2 - 3 Argentina   GER 1(4) - 1(2) ARG

Italy :: Ukraine
ESPN2 & Univision @ 2p; Galavision @ 4:30p
Ukraine have made a great world cup debut. Fought through to be the least likely of the teams in the quarterfinals. They don't play physical enough football to take Italy out.
My guess: Italy 2 - 0 Ukraine   ITA 3 - 0 UKR

Saturday

England :: Portugal
ABC & Univision @ 10a
England won their group and beat Ecuador, but still have their fans bemoaning their dull play. They say Lampard is not getting his head in the game, or Sven is unable to manage, or they have no strikers. Portugal have lost key midfielder Deco after the sixteen caution, four ejection match with Netherlands. Cristiano Ronaldo wants to have a lot of impact, he will have the opportunity here though he may have to win his own balls.
My guess: England 2 - 1 Portugal   ENG 0(1) - 0(3) POR

Brazil :: France
ESPN & Univision @ 2p; Galavision @ 4:30p; ESPN @ 7p
France pulled the big upset of the round of sixteen when they knocked out Spain who cruised through group H. Was that the last bit of energy they had or are they just now showing their hand? Brazil have easily dismissed their inferior competition so far. Some say they've played down to their opponents instead of showing the wild skills and flair they normally favor. Perhaps then France will push them to more brilliant play.
My Guess: Brazil 2 - 0 France   BRA 0 - 1 FRA

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Day 19

Brazil :: Ghana
ESPN & Univision @ 10a; Delayed on ESPN Classic @ 4p
Brazil slept through their first two wins. In the third game of the group, Japan scored first and woke the sleeping giant. I only saw Ghana play against the US. Their scores there were first from a terrible mistake of the defense and then of the referee. Maybe I'd have a better idea if I'd seen them win over the Czechs. Brazil are awake, though.
My guess: Brazil 3 - 1 Ghana   BRA 3 - 0 GHA

Spain :: France
ESPN & Univision @ 2p; Delayed on Galavision @ 4:30p
Spain are on fire and determined. France are sputtering. Perhaps France can turn it on like Mexico did on Saturday. It would certainly be a shame for Spain to go out here after such a strong beginning.
My guess: Spain 2 - 1 France   ESP 1 - 3 FRA

Why Americans Hate Soccer

Italians.

That dive.

That is not sport.

You make my beautiful game ugly.

I am sickened.

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Day 18

Italy :: Australia
ESPN & Univision @ 10a; Delayed on ESPNCL @ 4p
The Socceroos have led matches for all of five minutes so far in this tournament, yet here they are in the round of sixteen. Italy have been more convincing, with the exception of the draw with the US. If this were to be decided by heart, though, you'd have to favor Australia.
My guess: Italy 2 - 1 Australia   ITA 1 - 0 AUS

Switzerland - Ukraine
ESPN & Univision @ 2p; Delayed on Galavision @ 4p
I'll come clean: I haven't watched any of the Swiss' matches. After an early goalless draw with France, they beat Togo and South Korea each at 2-0. The only Ukraine match I saw any of was their 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia. Ukraine have struggled to score against better defenses. The Swiss have not conceded a goal yet in the tournament, but we must consider their opponents. I'm hoping this will actually be a hard fought but mostly clean match.
My guess: Switzerland 1 - 0 Ukraine   SUI 0(0) - 0(3) UKR 1 caution

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Days 16 & 17

The knockout rounds are finally here. After playing 48 matches to winnow half the field, there are only sixteen teams and sixteen games remaining. Draws are no longer an option, there will be extra time and penalty "shoot-outs" when necessary.

This weekend, winners and runner's up from groups A, B, C & D will compete at ten and two our time.

Saturday

(1A)Germany :: (2B)Sweden
ABC & Univision @ 10a
The hosts are hot and not showing signs of slowing. The Swedes best showing was against a lackluster England.
My Guess: Germany 2 - 1 Sweden   GER 2 - 0 SWE

(1C)Argentina :: (2D)Mexico
ESPN & Univision @ 2p
Argentina will annihilate the Mexicans, who have limped into this round.
My Guess: Argentina 3 - 0 Mexico   ARG 2 - 1 MEX

Sunday

(1B)England :: (2A)Ecuador
ABC & Univision @ 10a
After shutting out Poland and Costa Rica, Ecuador themselves were shut out by Germany. England are really hurting for strikers. Michael Owen is out and Wayne Rooney is not fully fit. England have gone out of the last two tournaments on penalties, they don't want it to get that far in such an early round.
My Guess: England 1 - 0 Ecuador   ENG 1 - 0 ECU

(1D)Portugal :: (2C)Netherlands
ESPN & Univision @ 2p
Portugal's nine points in group D aren't terrifically meaningful against the near co-winners of Group C. Still their form seems to be improving. They'll need everything they can get against the Dutch.
My Guess: Portugal 1 - 2 Netherlands   POR 1 - 0 NED

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Day 15

Ukraine :: Tunisia
ESPN2 & TeleFutura @ 9a
Ukraine asserted themselves against Saudi Arabia 4-0 after losing by the same score to Spain. Tunisia are not a bad side but if Ukraine stay on track then the Eagles of Carthage will have to fly back home.
My guess: Ukraine 2 - 0 Tunisia   UKR 1 - 0 TUN

Spain - Saudi Arabia
ESPN & Univision @ 9a
Spain, already advancing and not fearing anyone from group G, are fielding their reserves. The Saudi's might take umbrage with the snub, but their hopes of qualifying are a real long shot. Best case is a 1-0 Tunisia win in which case the arabs only need to win by 4-1.
My guess: Spain 2 - 1 Saudi Arabia   ESP 1 - 0 KSA

South Korea :: Switzerland
ESPN2 & TeleFutura @ 2p
If this game has a winner then they will advance. If France lose or draw then both of these teams will advance. South Korea is the highest scoring team in the group, but Switzerland own the goal difference advantage, so the Swiss are in with a draw.
My guess: South Korea 1 - 1 Switzerland   KOR 0 - 2 SUI

France :: Togo
ESPN & Univision @ 2p
France must win or they are out. That would be just sad since Zinedine Zidane, one of the game's masters who has announced his retirement after the cup, got booked in games 1 and 2 and so may have already played his last match. Togo are already eliminated, but with France only managing two draws so far, they may fancy their chance to play giant killers.
My guess: France 2 - 0 Togo   FRA 2 - 0 TOG

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Day 14

Anything can happen. Let's see how:

Ghana :: United States
ESPN & Univision @ 9a
The USA must win to have a hope of staying in the tournament. We have to have all three points. Cheer for Italy. Ghana played well against the Czechs and are now the favored side in this match. They've got speed and endurance. We'll need creativity and grit. And goals.
My guess: Ghana 2 - 1 United States   GHA 2 - 1 USA

Czech Republic :: Italy
ESPN2 & TeleFutura @ 9a
These two must assume that Ghana will win the other match. In which case Italy could sneak in with a draw, but would prefer the number one spot that a win would earn them. A Czech loss would put them out if Ghana win or draw or lose by a lot. Okay, this is getting too full of conditions. Let's just say that all four teams in this group are eager to win. The two sides in this match got surprised in the last round. They ought to know each other better than they did the folks from other continents.
My guess: Czech Republic 1 - 3 Italy   CZE 0 - 2 ITA

Croatia :: Australia
ESPN2 & TeleFutura @ 2p
Australia need only a draw here as they can assume Brazil will not lose to Japan. Croatia go through if they win based on the same assumption. Looks like a good match.
My guess: Croatia 1 - 1 Australia   CRO 2 - 2 AUS

Japan :: Brazil
ESPN & Univision @ 2p
Japanese have a history of not surrenduring. This is just a really tall order. If Croatia cooperate and win 1-0 and Japan win 2-0, they can get through.
My guess: Japan 0 - 2 Brazil   JPN 1 - 4 BRA

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Day 13

Yesterday I got all the results right if not the exact scores. Today is much harder to call.

Angola :: Iran
ESPN2 & TeleFutura @ 9a
Nobody wants nukes in Iran and nobody wants them to have points in the world cup either. Iran were supposed to be this group's spoiler, but all they can spoil now is Angola's slim advancement hopes. For Angola to advance they and Portugal must win by four clear goals in aggregate. (Three clear goals are enough if Angola score at least four.)
My Guess: Angola 0 - 1 Iran   ANG 1 - 1 IRN

Portugal :: Mexico
ESPN & Univision @ 9a
Things are not looking great for El Tri. The Angola debacle was a real morale killer. Still, if they keep it close they ought to go through. If they don't win, though, they will be out in the round of sixteen to Argentina. If they do win, they will need all the momentum they can get to carry them past the Netherlands. Portugal have not started as strongly as they would like either. It's time for them to start taking it a little more seriously.
My Guess: Portugal 2 - 1 Mexico   POR 2 - 1 MEX

Ivory Coast :: Serbia & Montenegro
ESPN2 & TeleFutura @ 2p
Ivory Coast deserved better. In most of the other groups they could have probably gotten through. Great showing. S&M got slaughtered by Argentina, and with nothing to play for may have a hard time getting up for this one.
My Guess: Côte d' Ivoire 2 - 0 Serbia & Montenegro   CIV 3 - 2 SER

Argentina :: Netherlands
ESPN & Univision @ 2p
Is this a preview of the final? These two are playing well, and both will want the best of this test. They may play with a touch of caution, since cards from this game will go forward to the knockout stages. Both are guaranteed advancement and may fear neither Portugal nor Mexico so this is not the time for rash challenges.
My Guess: Argentina 2 - 1 Netherlands   ARG 0 - 0 NED

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Day 12

Costa Rica :: Poland
ESPN2 & Telefutura @ 9a
These two teams are already eliminated. This is basically a friendly, though Poland might like to score in the competition this year.
My guess: Costa Rica 0 - 2 Poland   CRC 1 - 2 POL

Ecuador :: Germany
ESPN & Univision @ 9a
Though both teams will advance regardless of the result, there is momentum to play for, Ecuador's clean sheets to protect, and Germany's pride as hosts to be first with 9 points. The winner of this match (or Ecuador in case of a draw) will play #2 from Group B on Saturday. The loser will play #1 from Group B on Sunday. If England and Sweden can be taken for granted, the number one seed in this group is almost sure to face Argentina in the quarter-finals.
My guess: Ecuador 1 - 2 Germany   ECU 0 - 3 GER

Paraguay :: Trinidad & Tobago
ESPN2 & Telefutura @ 2p
Paraguay have nothing to play for but pride. T & T must get a win to have any chance of going through. Paraguay have allowed only one goal in each of their two losses.
My guess: Paraguay 1 - 0 Trinidad & Tobago   PAR 2 - 0 TRI

Sweden :: England
ESPN & Univision @ 2p
These two just-enough-to-get-it-done's need only play a draw to both go through. England can even let Sweden win and still they both go through. Number two here (Sweden in a draw) will see Argentina in the quarters if they can beat number one from group A.
My guess: Sweden 0 - 0 England   SWE 2 - 2 ENG

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Day 11

Togo :: Switzerland
ESPN2 & Univision @ 8a
Switzerland must step up here. France's draw has opened a path.
My guess: Switzerland 3 - 1 Togo   SUI 2 - 0 TOG

Saudi Arabia :: Ukraine
ESPN2 & Univision @ 11a
If Ukraine can get a goal up I expect them to defend better than Tunisia. Though their defense was less than impressive in the four-nil loss to Ukraine. Saudi Arabia did not look as lost and unorganized as was expected. I'm actually interested in following this game at lunchtime.
My guess: Saudi Arabia 1 - 1 Ukraine   KSA 0 - 4 UKR

Spain :: Tunisia
ESPN2 & Univision @ 2p
Spain's opening game showed a lot of promise, though there were perhaps some lucky calls.
My guess: Spain 2 - 0 Tunisia   ESP 3 - 1 TUN

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Day 8, 9, 10

We're going away for the weekend. In the hustle I'm afraid I don't have time for all the analysis I've enjoyed writing up.
SoccerTV has the listing I've been using for television. Check there for times and channels.

My guesses:
June 16 - Friday
Group C
Argentina 1 - 0 Serbia & Montenegro   ARG 6 - 0 SER
Netherlands 1 - 1 Ivory Coast   NED 2 - 1 CIV
Group D
Mexico 1 - 0 Angola   MEX 0 - 0 ANG

June 17 - Saturday
Portugal 2 - 1 Iran   POR 2 - 0 IRN
Group E
Ghana 1 - 2 Czech Republic   GHA 2 - 0 CZE
Italy 2 - 0 USA   ITA 1 - 1 USA

June 18 - Sunday
Group F
Japan 0 - 1 Croatia   JPN 0 - 0 CRO
Brazil 2 - 0 Australia   BRA 2 - 0 AUS
Group G
France 1 - 0 South Korea   FRA 1 - 1 KOR

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Day 7

Ecuador :: Costa Rica
ESPN2 & Univision @ 8a
I didn't see anything except the highlights of the Ecuador - Poland match on opening day. With Germany's win over Poland, Ecuador could seal their advancment with a win here. As a matter of fact, with two clear goals they would only need to draw with Germany to finish at the top of the group. (Top should see England's tag-a-long then Argentina, second England then Mexico or Portugal.) Costa Rica need a result, but don't expect them to sit back and try to get the draw. Ecuador won't be so obliging with the high back line as Germany.
My guess: Ecuador 2 - 0 Costa Rica   ECU 3 - 0 CRC

England :: Trinidad and Tobago
ESPN2 & Univision @ 11a
In the opening round England won with gutless play and an own goal in their favor. T&T on the other hand played half their game down a man and defended a goalless draw with heart and determination. The biggest selling shirt in north Britain is a Trinidad and Tobago jersey with "Scotland" as the name on the back. I admit, I'd like to see T&T take them and let England get their other three against Sweden. Unfortunately I still don't see where their goal will come from.
My guess: England 2 - 0 Trinidad & Tobago   ENG 2 - 0 TRI

Sweden :: Paraguay
ESPN & Univision @ 2p
I imagine Sweden coming out to the tune of The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again." These three points have become impossibly important for them. Paraguay on the other hand just might mount more sophisticated attacks than T&T could manage.
My guess: Sweden 2 - 1 Paraguay   SWE 1 - 0 PAR

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Day 6

Spain :: Ukraine
ESPN2 & Univision @ 8a
These two teams are the quality of Group H. Spain have a legacy of great teams on paper that always fall apart on the field. Appearing in eleven of the seventeen previous tournaments, they have never gotten past the quarter-finals. If this is finally their time, then they have their best test of the group stages in this game. Ukraine are in their first World cup but boast renowned striker Andriy Shevchenko, who, in the wake of Italian scandal, is finally willing to take millions of Roman Abromovich's pounds for the move to Chelsea this summer. Since I don't actually know what I'm talking about nor is there any investment of mine riding on this prediction, I'm going out of line and calling an upset. The bookies would pay me 17 to 1 if the exact scoreline below came true. Seeing as how not one of the fourteen I've predicted so far was right, I could stand to hit one.
My guess: Spain 1 - 2 Ukraine   SPA 4 - 0 UKR

Tunisia :: Saudi Arabia
ESPN2 & Univision @ 11a
Hey, I can take a lunch at somewhere without a televsion! If this turns out to be a great game, I'm glad for those who bought a ticket. I'm just not terribly interested.
My guess: Tunisia 2 - 0 Saudi Arabia   TUN 2 - 2 KSA

Legend: (Points in Group | Goal Difference in Group)

Germany (3 | 2) :: Poland (0 | -2)
ESPN2 & Univision @ 2p
So we're back around to Group A. After the somewhat unlucky loss to Ecuador, Poland must get a point to keep alive hopes of advancing. Good luck. Germany's offside trap can be sprung, as Costa Rica twice proved, but the hosts also found the net four times. The Poles may slow up Germany, but counters aren't their game.
My guess: Germany 2 - 0 Poland   GER 1 - 0 POL

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Day 5

South Korea :: Togo
ESPN2 & Univision @ 8a
Manchester United's Park Ji-Sung and Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor square off in this battle of the unlikely advancers. Sleep in.
My guess: South Korea 1 - 0 Togo   KOR 2 - 1 TOG

France :: Switzerland
ESPN2 & Univision @ 11a
These two are expected to advance from their group. France is ageing, but still has a lot of quality.
My guess: France 2 - 0 Switzerland   FRA 0 - 0 SUI

Brazil :: Croatia
ESPN2 & Univision @ 2p
These two are expected to advance from their group. Brazil are masters. Croatia will dig in and look for the counter.
My guess: Brazil 2 - 1 Croatia   BRA 1 - 0 CRO

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Day 4

Australia :: Japan
ESPN2 & Univision @ 8a
Oceania only get's a team in the finals if they can knock out one from CONMEBOL. Australia made it and good for them. Japan are a nifty little team with a Brazilian coach. They're dangerous late in the game.
My guess: Australia 1 - 2 Japan   AUS 3 - 1 JPN

Czech Republic :: USA
ESPN2 & Univision @ 11a
Time for Arena and the US to put up or shut up. I have a hard time seeing them get past Petr Cech in goal. If we are to get a point out of the first two games we might look for the goalless draw here. This looks like it will be a dreary trying game to watch. I hope they surprise me.
My guess: Czech Republic 1 - 0 United States   CZE 3 - 0 USA

Italy :: Ghana
ESPN2 & Univision @ 2a
Italian football is in a bit of a mess. Will this distract the players or give them something to prove? I think the latter. A very strong team, while Ghana is not so heavily packed.
My guess: Italy 3 - 0 Ghana   ITA 2 - 0 GHA

Faith and Family Night

Remember that silly thing I wrote about worship songs at soccer games?

Apparently Forrest's church wasn't the only one who might have thought it was a good idea.

I wonder if the Bayou City Boot Boys will be there?

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Day 3

Serbia & Montenegro :: Netherlands
ESPN2 & Univision @ 8a
All those soccer moms who think this is a non-contact sport should watch this one. I'm guessing we'll see four or more yellow cards and perhaps some tournament-ending injuries. Serbia are big, defensive, and angry. The dutch are good enough to feel they deserve to go through and might get a little fervent about making that point.
My guess: Serbia & Montenegro 1 - 2 Netherlands   SER 0 - 1 NED  6 cautions

Mexico :: Iran
ABC & Univision @ 11a
This is an important match for Mexico. Iran are dangerous and not to be underestimated. If I were only going to watch one match this weekend this would be the one.
My guess: Mexico 2 - 2 Iran   MEX 3 - 1 IRN

Angola :: Portugal
ESPN2 & Univision 2p
Angola are the minnows of group D. Portugal are a traditional power and should dispatch them without difficulty.
My guess: Portugal 2 - 0 Angola   POR 1 - 0 ANG

T & T Get A Point With Ten Men!

W00000000 H0000000000000!
No they didn't score. But after Avery John's second yellow in the opening seconds of the second half it was flat out impressive and thrilling to see the Soca Warriors hold out against Henrik Larsson in the way that Arsenal couldn't. Brent Sancho read the game brilliantly and cleared an amazing number of balls. Hislop in goal put up some brilliant saves. And there was a little luck.
Like the late season match where Sunderland got a point at Old Trafford. But more meaningful.

The England-Paraguay match this morning was a snoozer and I didn't watch the Ecuador upset of Poland. So this goalless draw is the most exciting game I've seen yet. Scores simply can't tell the story.

I'm off to Tim's in a little while to see the Nazi harborers and the Elephants.

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Day 2

England :: Paraguay
ABC & Univision @ 8a
England have a powerful team and a lame duck manager. Strong defenders, amazing midfield, a little weak up front and in goal. Midfielders should step up to make finishes. Paraguay shouldn't really challenge.
My guess: England 2 - 0 Paraguay   ENG 1 - 0 PAR

Trinidad & Tobago :: Sweden
ABC & Univision @ 11a
Look, I'm going to root for T&T just because they look like they enjoy the game. And Stern John is just a cool name. And they're from our confederation (CONCACAF). And there's that story of Papa Doc's cheating them out of qualifying in 1974. Okay, so they will be fortunate to score a goal in the tournament. Sweden have a decent squad and are expected to take second in Group B.
My guess: Trinidad & Tobago 1 - 2 Sweden   TRI 0 - 0 SWE

Argentina :: Ivory Coast
ESPN2 & Univision @ 2p
Like Costa Rica up against Germany, the Ivory Coast will be relying on the counter against a quality front to back South American squad. Argentina have some wonderful players, but they don't seem to understand the game as anything but war. The beauty in their game is mostly in its clinical precision. Any joy in this one will come from the Elephants.
My guess: Argentina 3 - 2 Côte d' Ivoire   ARG 2 - 1 CIV

First Goals

I took lunch at eleven today. While I was driving to Double Dave's I flipped the radio over to AM to see if I could find any coverage. Much seeking later I found the game in Spanish on 1250. I can pick out some names and a very few words. The only word that really mattered was "gol."

Sure enough, before I could get to the restaurant, the announcer was letting out his first extended hold on the famous word. I could tell from the crowd noise that Germany had opened the scoring. I later learned that this was in the sixth minute of the tournament. In the flurry of Spanish that followed I picked out "golaso" which is reserved for particularly impressive goals. When I saw the replay at the half I had to agree. What a gorgeous shot!

Upon arriving at the pizza place I found that none of the four televisions were tuned to the game. I rectified the situation in time to see Costa Rica equalize in the twelfth minute. I saw the breakaway and thought, "Oh, that's offsides... flag stayed down?" then exclaimed "Oh my god!" as the shot went past Lehmann. A couple folks nearby asked if I was okay. Replays made it clear that my first impression was right, the striker looked behind the last man when the pass was made.

Five minutes later Germany retook the lead and never gave it up. When I left the pizza place at about the sixty-fifth minute, the score was the 3-1 I had predicted.

On the way back to work "goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool" rang out again. It took a little more time, but when the whistles came, I knew that Costa Rica had narrowed the margin.

At my desk I started an online match tracker and learned from that about Germany's safety margin gained in the last ten minutes.

FIFA World Cup 2006 - Opening Day

The group stages begin today.

Germany :: Costa Rica
ESPN2 & Univision @ 11a (CDT); Repeat on ESPN Classic @ 4p & Telefutura @ 6:30p
German star Michael Ballack will probably not start, though he is saying he wants to. Still there is plenty of enthusiasm on the side of the host team. Costa Rica meanwhile have no wins behind them in recent friendlies to generate some confidence. Upsets often happen in opening games, but no one expects one here.
My guess: Germany 3 - 1 Costa Rica   GER 4 - 2 CRC

Ecuador :: Poland
ESPN2 & Univision @ 2p; Repeat on ESPNCL @ 1a
Ecuador qualified by winning all their games at the insanely high altitude of their home country. Elsewhere, closer to the core of the earth, they have not been very good. Poland is often described as "solid." This game has "uninspiring" written all over it. Perhaps this will provide the opening day surprise with a goal fest.
My guess: Ecuador 0 - 1 Poland   ECU 2 - 0 POL

Houston Dynamo 4 - 3 FC Dallas

One of my dad's Christmas gifts to me was a coupon for a game of the as of then unnamed Houston MLS team. It turned out to be one of my best gifts!
Had a lot of fun at the game last night. Stomped, clapped, waved, shouted, and sang myself hoarse. And most of the time I was chanting things in Spanish which I assume were very rude.

SBC and MLS announce alliance

Admitting the need for passion in the stands, Major League Soccer today announced their partnership for growth with the Southern Baptist Convention. A spokesman for the eleven-year-old league told reporters, "There is a venue in this country where grown men and families stand, sing, wave their hands, and use language they never use elsewhere: Church. To achieve the alpha-state trance of worship is what many of the grass roots supporters groups have sought with only beer and some televised European soccer as inspiration. We appreciate their past efforts, but they simply do not have the experience or resources to raise the atmosphere of the MLS experience to compelling levels of excitement. It's time to bring in the heavy-weights."

The SBC also expressed pleasure with the partnership noting the opportunities to promote physical and emotional well being in their constituent churches. Already a Sunday school curriculum featuring Landon Donovan called "Embrace the Saviour," complementing MLS' current advertising campaign is being distributed to enrolled congregations.

J.P. Sparks, Senior Minister of Music for First Baptist Church, Dallas, discussed some of the ways he was working on the task of filling Pizza Hut Park with the spirit. "We will make Saturday as holy as Sunday with two hours of praise songs reverberating around all our new Soul-Saving-Stadium. Sure, the songs will be modified a little, but the message will be clear for those with ears to hear. Our older crowd are preparing classic hymns like 'Standing on the Promises of AEG' and 'What a Friend We Have in Pepsi.' The younger crowd will enjoy simple substitutions such as 'goalie' for 'holy' in many choruses such as 'I Want to Be Goalie.'"

Apparently the Baptists are not the only holy rollers hot to get into "the safe sport." The Mormon Tabernacle Choir are rumored to be preparing a special version of the "Hallelujah Chorus" for Real Salt Lake's first goal at home this season, expected during June when opposing teams are playing with squads weakened by the World Cup.

Four Step Up

Kevin got sick Saturday morning. The strawberries he had at breakfast have added a permanant feature to our living room carpet. Lexie's already talking about getting laminate installed. My folks were going to take him and Madeline to Houston after the game, but since he couldn't play, they left before the game.

When I arrived at the soccer field only two of my players were present. By 12:00 we had three players and were talking about possibly only playing half a game. I asked the coach of the other team about the quality of his players and he told me that they were all new to the game. I figured I could rest one and field two occasionally and still do okay based on that knowledge. Just as we were going to kick off the game, my fourth player arrived.

This game started where the last one left off: The other team kicked off, Micah got the ball and scored. Elapsed time: less than five seconds.

While the first game was the Kevin and Micah show, this one got everyone involved. Jackson found some confidence and speed and scored a couple breakaway goals. Alicia netted a pair of goals as well. Aiden was a committed defender and scored at least one goal.

The Right Name for the Team

Houston's MLS team is now Houston Dynamo.

Back when I was consulting I thought about naming my company (if I ever got around to making myself a company) Trestle Computing. Like I built stuff to bridge the gap between you and your data. That sounds dorky until you read some of the justifications for the name of the soccer team.

The scientific genius behind the dynamo's invention is the rotation of a single magnet, whose North and South poles create electricity in a nearby coiled wire.

"We believe a parallel can be drawn to the two major communities in Houston: English speakers and Spanish speakers, who together will create electricity at games unlike any other in MLS."

Still, names can grow on you. I remember trying to name my team of four and five year old players last year. Here we are in the third season as the Jackrabbits and Saturday I just got affirmed in it.

As we were running over the poor little All Stars (we scored at least 12 goals to none) their coach commented on the appropriateness of our name seeing as how my kids "sure are fast."

I'm non-plussed about the Dynamo name. If there had been no 1836, it would be about the same. I was looking forward to singing "Texas Our Texas" in the supporters section. Chanting "Let's go, Dynamo" just doesn't inherit the massive Texan pride. But let them run rampant over their opponents and the pride will grow.

Weather vs. Practice

It was drizzly for most of yesterday. The National Weather Service had predicted that the drizzle would only last until eleven in the morning and that we would see a high around sixty-nine. Instead the yucky stuff hung around until the late afternoon and we topped out at fifty-seven.

As a result I had a player absent. His mom didn't know if we would have practice when it was cold and wet.

In fact, the field was only dampish. Not even wet enough to soak through the pants when you sat down on it. I'll admit that it was a little cool, but after running around we were all warm under our outer clothes. It's not immediately clear to me if mid-fifties is more dangerous than the upper nineties we practiced in during the fall.

We hope to meet Aiden next time around. I've emailed his mom that we would have practice unless she got a call to cancel. The NWS is predicting a pretty good chance of rain on Thursday. I hope their accuracy is off in my favor this time.

My biggest problem at practice last night was that I forgot my big stack of little cones. Most of the ideas I had for skills practice involved having the cones. As a result, the time wasn't as focused as I hoped it would be and it was really hard on the new kids. Alicia [uh LEE see uh] was crying and Bryce kept ducking out and away.

Finally I asked David to take Kevin, Jackson, and Micah and "go over there and do something." I did some simple dribbling with Alicia and Bryce, but ended up with only Alicia. Bryce is just very young and little.

When we started to scrimmage Alicia really began to shine. I teamed her with Kevin against Micah and Jackson. She was happy and had a lot of fun with us. She laid a ball off to Kevin to score, and even scored one herself. She has a lot of power in her kick, she just needs some practice to strike the ball correctly.

Alicia really warmed my heart by her ability to take instruction. I told her, "When Kevin throws the ball to you, stop it and then run to the goal." She did exactly that. She stopped the ball, left it there, and ran to the goal. I laughed and praised her for how well she followed directions.

Bryce's mom, who is the U7 commissioner and coach of a U7 team and a U9 team, came over later and told me she thought Bryce might do better next time. It's different for him than it was for Kevin and Jackson. When they were about his age, a year ago, they were on a team that had only one experienced player and no pre-existing identity. This team is a little more daunting to join.

U5 Clausura Commencing

The Jackrabbits third season is about to get started.

We have half of the team back from the fall. Kevin and Jackson who joined the original team a year ago at the age of four years and three months are back to trouble opponents and teammates with their experience and pride. Micah, who trails them by only two months, is back to dazzle with his speed and enthusiasm.

We are adding size and various experience with our new arrivals this season. Following in the path of Jackson and Kevin, Bryce just turned four in January but has older siblings in the game and according to his mom is dying to get going. Aiden played for another team in the league in the fall. Alicia has been taking karate, but that no longer fits with her mom's schedule, so she's trying something new with soccer. She's the only girl on the team, but she's by a couple months and at 4'1" the tallest by a head.

I'm sure the differences in experience will be challenging to deal with, but David (Jackson's dad) has agreed to be an assistant coach for me this year and I plan to split the group for skills lessons.

Building a Burning Bridge

Unless you live in Houston you probably haven't heard the new name of the Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise that relocated to that city this year.

There was a vote for the name on their official site. I saw the list once, but only briefly looked over it. When I returned to cast a vote, the poll had closed. Honestly, none of the names were all that appealing: Lonestars, Apollos, Toros, Generals.

My wife and I discussed it a little and she liked my suggestion of Supernovas. Later I recalled the "No va" problem Chevrolet experienced in Hispanic countries and thought that maybe the name would not appeal, except in an ironic sense (depending on the team's performance), to the many Hispanic fans that owners hope to fill seats at the games.

So I was a little surprised when they revealed the name Houston 1836.

Okay, I know this one is not the owners fault. Well, not entirely. They probably should have known better than to put the name on the list.

MLS is trying not to make the mistakes of the NASL but this is America and we are sometimes oblivious. We forget that our historical victories had losing sides. Britain seems mostly to be over it, but we're not trying to play basketball with England, so I'm sure that very few folks there give a whit about Philadelphia's hoopsters' nickname. MLS, however, should be working toward opportunites to play it's clubs with our international neighbors.

Now if you're a wilfully ignorant white boy, like me, you might think that the number of Mexicans flooding across our borders might say that they think the better side won at San Jacinto. That if they hold us any ill will, it is only that we haven't yet annexed their whole country and brought them up to the relatively wealthy level that is called poverty in this country.

My guess is that most of the voters just didn't think. A number representing the year of Houston's founding and Texas' independence sounded good. They probably didn't even think that it was Texas' independence from Mexico.

The votes may have been drawn simply by the pseudo-European style of the name. A number of German clubs have the year of their founding as part of their name. If you're going to go that way, then have the guts to do it right and use 2006.

I wish that MLS would have American style nicknames and mascots. It's not futbol here, its soccer. Let's have that be the part that appeals to middle America. But let's do the things that matter in the way that the international community does. Starting with one table. Why the heck should a twelve team league need divisions? The SPL could be a useful pattern.

And, you know, it's possible that the name won't offend most Mexicans and Mexican-Americans. Many of them may be as oblivious as other history-light hard-working citizens. But you can be sure of whining from the educated and leisurely ones.

Deus ex Mano

I've been playing a video game. An amazing individual in my Sunday School class mentioned that she had bought a piano so that she could finally learn what she had not had time for earlier in life. I replied that I had bought video game controllers for the same reason. Except of course that I expect she will be a better piano player than I will ever be a video gamer.

The game is Winning Eleven. It is a soccer game. I have a version that I bought a little less than a year ago at Half-Price Books for seven dollars. I then spent twice that on a game controller from Wal*Mart. Of course I did spend as much on my monitor as most game console systems, so I've got to save money where I can.

So I have Winning Eleven 7. For some reason that I haven't bothered to research, the North American version of the game comes out about four or five months after the European counterpart and is four version numbers to the fore. That is, Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) 5 has been out for several months in Britain, but Winning Eleven 9 won't be available here until February. So I can go to www.pesfan.com and see video of folks entries for Goal of the Month and only drool in envy.

Anyway, I've been playing for a while. I just started my third season in which I've just been promoted to the first division. I've got three league games played (Loss-Win-Win) and the first leg of the first cup tie. In that cup game I was away, so if we tie in total scores my goal in this game would count double. Most of my first team were in lackluster moods and my leading scorer was injured. In meatspace, I was just about done in for the night as I had played all three previously mentioned games and three pre-season games (win-win-draw) already that day. I decided to play the game anyway.

I looked like I should have a strong team against his on raw stats, but he was taking the ball away much too easily. So we played ninety minutes without a goal.

In stoppage time I made a final break for goal. Beating a couple defenders with raw speed, I took a shot from twelve yards out. The goalkeeper, who was just in front of the six yard box, deflected the ball with his fore-arms which should have been enough to prevent the goal. But when my man shot, he got a little off-balance and as he tried to regain his feet his flailing left arm struck the ball in the air and sent it into the net.

Of course this is not the quarter-finals of the World Cup or anything, but I still think it was a remarkably unlikely goal.

MLS Cup is a Cup

I read this article by Frank Dell'Apa and it cleared a little path in my brain. The MLS Cup awarded to the champion of the playoffs is really like a cup competition. It would certainly make sense to award it separately from the league championship.

This year the San Jose Earthquakes were the clear league winners at the top of the table, but they were knocked out in the first round of playoffs. Doesn't it make sense to split the awards? Reward the long-term league winner with a championship trophy, and award the winner of the leaders tournament with the MLS cup.

I know several people who say that they only watch basketball during the playoffs. They even say it's like a mini-season. Playoffs are interesting, but they shouldn't diminish the season's long term accomplishments.

The Colts bowed out of the playoffs this weekend in the NFL. What did their great regular season record buy them but a crappy seed at the draft?

I'm all for tournaments. But they are separate competitions and should be separately rewarded.

Oh, and I really like Frank's idea about the MLS and Liguilla getting together.

SuDoku Solving

Paul put me on to this puzzle. I've spent a little time playing with it and what I write below is expressed many other places on the web. I promise that unless I write a program (like many other people have done) to solve them, this will be my only post on the subject.

Random thoughts about the problem of Soccer in the United States

The quality/popularity of soccer in the United States suffers from geography and prejudice. Without exceedingly fast and cheap transportation (Star Trek-esque teleportation) we will not regularly compete with Europe and we tend to think of our neighbors (particularly to the south) as second and third-world countries who are frighteningly passionate (probably as a result of being desperately poor), ineducable (since they don't even know English), and infamously corrupt.

So we play our own games and call ourselves World Champions. And it's true. Our world is that small. But it won't stay that way. Basketball is going to kill us. No, that's not quite right. It's going to show us how dead we already are. Tony Parker is one of the Europeans who are already making a huge impact. There's no doubt that the NBA will remain one of the premiere basketball leagues for many years to come, but the day is coming where the World championship of basketball will be fought for by teams that don't come from the Americas. Witness the Olympics.

When the P in GNP referred to real things, and oceans made delays, we really were in our own world. As information becomes more highly prized and traded, the world gets smaller.

We keep trying to make things fair. Salary caps are in conflict with billionaire owners.

The club system is pretty confusing from the American perspective. With us it's mainly about regions and school attendance. I guess that in the big towns like Chicago they have a couple of baseball teams to choose from, but for most of the country there is only one home team. On the other hand, we have golf and stock car racing. As far as I can tell people align their support based on personalities and effectiveness. But these (and bowling, boxing, and X-games) are individual sports and perhaps should be exculded from this discussion based on that attribute alone.

Television gives us regular access to extremely high quality play. On the other hand, people still attend high school football games in significant numbers.

Every third house in suburbia has a basketball goal in the driveway next to the postage stamp yard and is six miles from the nearest park.

Baseball occasionally gives up some amazing feats of athleticism.

There are two ways to approach the problem of soccer's limited popularity in the US compared to the rest of the world. One is to discern why other sports are popular in the US. And the other is to ask what makes soccer popular in other countries.

I've got to be willing to support MLS and other less-than-premium soccer. Put my money in the pot. Put my body in the stands. Put my beer in my throat. Put my voice on the pitch.

Kevin 4 - 1 Penguins

Our first game of the season, against the Lightning Bolts, was pretty even. I don't know what the score was since I honestly wasn't keeping track, but there were multiple goals scored by both sides.

On this Saturday, we were missing a player, but had a very long game in which each of the three Jackrabbit boys present scored between two and four goals. The Penguins' coach had them well trained to respect the crease which was nice for a change as I didn't have to explain it or be the only one policing it. On the other hand, we scored off a couple long range kicks that the kids couldn't quite catch before they got to the crease and had to stand and watch slowly roll into the goal.

The Penguins' coach told me that they had crushed the Lions, the team that they had played the first week. We don't play them until week five. I know that the kids have good and bad days, and that four weeks of training will make a difference so I hope they've gotten better by the time we face them.

I know that young kids don't have the sympathy to not run up scores despite the best efforts of coaches. I remember a game when I was little where I scored three goals in the first quarter as a forward, then was unusually benched for the second quarter, scored two goals as a half-back (midfielder), and was taken out for the remainder of the game. The final score of that game was about seventeen to one. Their score came when our coach put someone in goal who was previously unaware that he had hands.

We're In!

Caught the second half of the US-Mexico match on ESPN Classic on Saturday night. Ralston and Beasley's goals clinched our ticket to Germany. And Kasey Keller is now at 507 minutes of clean sheet play for World Cup qualifying games. None have gone past him since the loss down in Mexico City.

One of the magazines I bought recently had a little DaMarcus Beasley poster in it which we hung up in Kevin's room. It's in his PSV club kit, but that's okay.

ESPN2 will have the mostly Europe free team playing in Guatemala at 9:00 tomorrow night. Maybe I'll bug Tim and see if his couch is available.

U S A!

Bear Creek in Grapevine

While I was in the Metroplex last week for programming training I had a chance to play the course at Bear Creek park in Grapevine.

This is a heavily wooded park with lots of creeks and poison ivy and other chances to lose discs. I managed to lose my one really overstable disc (a KC Banshee) off the first tee on my last round. However, while hunting for other wild throws I found an old red Polaris and a new orange Champion Eagle.

Despite the dangers, and yes, because of them, this was a fun course to play. Drew and I played the front twelve on Saturday afternoon and the full eighteen on Sunday morning. It was Thursday evening before I made my final round on my own. I was plus a lot on Saturday but ended both full rounds at six over. If my short game wasn't so pathetic I would have had at least three fewer counts against me.

The really challenging thing about the course is that they move the baskets around a lot. Between the time Drew and I played, and when I played later in the week, a couple of the baskets had moved. This is okay when they move from one visible position to another. But really annoying when you curve the disc nicely around one stand of trees only to find that the basket is now behind another stand of trees on the other side of the "fairway" about twenty yards further on.

All the links had standard and advanced concrete tees. Mostly we played the standard tees, but occasionally the advanced ones beckoned and I answered. On Sunday I managed a birdie at twelve from the advanced tee. This is a really cool hole that goes through a foliage bound window and across a lightly wooded maze of deep creek ditches. Hard to describe the joy of watching a disc curl just through and around to fall within putting distance on the other side. My birdie throw actually involve a lucky glancing blow on its way out of the window.

Thursday (if I recall correctly): 011 011 010 - 901 910 010

Just Enough Tape

We only pay for "Basic" cable. This means we get most of the broadcast stations plus a couple of others. They didn't lock us out too tight on the top end and so we get HGTV at 77 and an only sightly fuzzy Bravo at 76. Home and Garden TeleVision is Lexie's default channel. There are very few shows on there that she won't watch.

One of the broadcast stations that we don't get is Telefutura. This is broadcast at UHF 17, but on cable at 41 -- way past where ours peters out at about 24 (very fuzzy ESPN). ESPN2 has Soccer Saturdays, which is to say that they show an MLS game most weeks but are unreachable for me at 25.

All twenty-five of the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2005 games will be televised. The majority of the games seem to have been on Telefutura. During the first week, I was picking up mail and watering plants for a friend who had digital cable. He invited me to watch all his HBO channels while he still had them. Instead I watched soccer on Telefutura. Now, don't get me wrong, a number of the games have been on Galavision (6) and Univision (8) and some have been replayed there. In fact the final on Sunday at 2:00pm CDT will be on Univision.

Last night, however, both semi-final games were on Telefutura and for a number of reasons I needed to stay home. The first game was the one I was most interested in (USA vs. Honduras). After most of the guys I called were either not answering or not going to be home, I reached Rob and he agreed to tape the game for me.

Soccer games usually run two hours on TV -- two forty-five minute halves, a fifteen minute half-time and some opening ceremonies. In elimination games, however, a draw will not do, so we run the risk of extra time (two fifteen minute periods I think) and if that is insufficient then we go to penalty kick "shoot-outs."

I found out how the 12 teams that took part in the tournament were chosen a couple of weeks ago. The tournament started with three groups of four teams playing round robin. The top two teams from each group, plus the two third-place teams with the best records advanced to the quarter finals. These games took place on Saturday and Sunday. It turned out that every team that advanced from Group A (Honduras, Panama, Columbia) won its quarter final match. The only game which did not include a team from group A was the easy win for USA(B1) over Jamaica(C3).

The first game of the entire tournament was Panama's surprise win over Columbia 1-0. Columbia was also beaten by Honduras (2-1) in group play, but it's win over Trinidad & Tobago (2-0) was enough to allow them to advance. In the first game on Sunday at Reliant Stadium (Houston, TX), Columbia(A3) sent home reigning Cup champs, Mexico(C1), after an amazing kick by Abel Aguilar from 35 meters out curved over the hands of the hopelessly retreating Mexican goalie Muñoz and under the bar.

In the short history of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the only winners have been North American teams: USA (1991, 2002), Canada (2000), and Mexico (1993, 1996, 1998, 2003). Canada placed third in group B and it's goal shortage kept them from advancing to the quarter-finals. USA and Costa Rico led group B, each beating Canada and Cuba and playing each other to a draw.

After their strong performance against Mexico, I expected Columbia to wrap up Panama without a problem last night, particularly following the embarassment they suffered on the tournament's opening night. Could it be that Columbia might be not only the first non-Norte-Americano, but non-CONCACAF team to win the Cup? Despite other folks calling Aguilar's goal a fluke and making other dismissive comments, I feared it was a real possibility. Panama had other plans. The game I didn't get to see last night saw Panama victorious three goals to two.

That result was still over five hours in the future when the USA and Honduras entered the pitch.

I got to Rob's at about twenty after seven to get the tape of the game. I had warned him that this game which started at five might go long, so he shouldn't stop recording at seven. He assured me that he just put in a "four or six hour tape and hit record." He'd pull it out when I arrived to get it, whenever that was. I was planning on stepping out of the room and having him check to make sure the game was over before stopping the tape. There was no need.

When we got to his back room where the VCR was running, the tape was ejected. Immediately I understood that he had not checked the recording speed, and no matter what the current state of the game, I would be watching the first two hours and no more. I chatted with Rob a bit, thanked him for the tape and took it home.

There were very few commercials before the broadcast started, but kickoff did wait for the opening ceremonies a bit. I knew that the time was tight, but maybe we'd get lucky and it would be such a blowout that it would be decided long before time ran out. That hope evaporated as Honduras played tough in the first half and was the first to break the deadlock with a goal at thirty minutes. The play was rough and two minutes of injury time were added to the end of the half. During the injury time there was another injury. This meant that the first half ended up taking about fifty minutes.

The second half saw USA's play improve, but while they spent a lot of time on the Honduran's half of the field they couldn't seem to get anything solid enough to finish. All the while, I felt certain that the USA would eventually win, but I was doubting whether I would see it happen. With maybe five minutes of tape left the USA finally got a ball in the net without being called back.

A couple more minutes elapsed and I went to get the laptop so I could navigate to the official site and see how the game ended. I sat on the sofa and had the laptop on the ottoman booting up, when Lexie exclaims, "That's a goal!" I looked up just in time to see a camera angle from behind the net showing someone kicking the ball offscreen, possibly into the goal, then the camera scrolled down to the left and I thought I saw the ball, when "Click! Whirr..." the tape ended and started to rewind.

I wasn't even sure who had scored, but Lexie assured me it was us. I stopped the rewind and watched the entire play. Sure enough, we caught the goal being scored and the shot of the ball lying in the corner of the goal just before the end of the tape. On the website I found that was indeed the final score of the game. USA 2 - 1 Honduras.

Banner Ads Strike Back

A couple months ago Mark Pesce wrote an article about hyperdistribution and the death of broadcast television. In contrast to my comment about the inferior power of banner ads on Monday, he sees them as the future of video advertising. The article is long, but interesting. I can't agree with all of it because democracy strikes me as progressive revolting towards aristocracy. There will be shifts in membership, but the number of big winners will always be small.

UC Last Saturday

The last couple of weekends I got in rounds at Universal City Park. I hadn't been there in quite a while and they moved five of the holes. In fact there was an official looking sign stating that holes five through nine were gone until further notice, upon which there was a handwritten annotation in marker that they were now to be found following twelve. I don't know what they're officially calling these links. I'm unofficially referring to them as A-E. This makes the eighteen flow this way 1-2-3 4-10-11 12-A-B -- C-D-E 13-14-15 16-17-18.

A is a dogleg left from a rise and through too many trees. B is a short downhill through even more trees. C begins with a small right turn on to a long, long straightaway, ending in another right turn to the basket on top of a four-foot anthill. No ants, just that shape: misses are nearly guaranteed to roll away. D is the only new link without a concrete launching pad. More tight squeezes through trees to the left. E hasn't given me that much trouble.

The first time I played, I didn't keep score, but I can report that I birdied on number fourteen. Last Saturday was pretty windy, so I figured on about plus twelve after one or two baskets. I just beat it with a nice run down the middle of the back and a very rare par on the four hundred foot par three basket eighteen.

100 110 130 - 110 000 110

They Moved the Pad at Two

Kevin and I went to the park this evening for a few baskets. He played all the way from launch-pad to basket for number one. He put it in on his eleventh throw, four less than the last time.

They moved the pad about six feet to the right at two. You no longer have to thread the split trunks of the tree to tee off.

The tree that they moved in to make five a little harder didn't survive the transplant. It's just dead. I wonder if Live Oak Parks Department got a waranty on that purchase.

When we visited my folks over Mother's Day weekend, I played a round at TC Jester with dad. When I sent a disc over the ridge and nearly down to the cement of White Oak Bayou, I came back with a second one. I gave the Aerobie Epic driver a good toss across the field from five's basket toward six. The air was warm and humid but still. I got a nice little ess curve and a long flight. I'll see what I can do with it in real conditions.

901-00

Round Interrupted: +2/15

Had a great round going, but I guess I was taking a little longer than usual. Lexie called and wanted me home. When I tried to finish the hole I was on when she called (fourteen), I double bogeyed it. Prior to that I had a par round going.

000 090 x00 - 00(11)9 02- ---

Five Over - Blown at the End

I had a par round going and then bogeyed sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen. Well, it was a par round if you don't count those new holes. I bogeyed both of them too. Still a good day. Just a bad end.

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Three Over, Bird at Two

An incredibly gorgeous day today. About 73° in the shade. Very little wind. I took half a day of personal leave to go play a round.

I got my first ever birdie at two. I followed this with a birdie at three. I was playing with some guys who were more familiar with the changes to the course and showed me two new links that had been added between eleven and twelve. They said that they were calling these holes 11a and 11b. I got three on the first one and four on the second. Including this bogey at 11b I only had five bogies which put me near my record round of two over.

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Eight Over on a Sunny Day

A bad drive sunk me at one, but I had some short game problems today that account for most of the bogeys. Still you can't beat a 75° sunny day even with a little wind in mid December.

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Best Disc with Four - Five Under

The first Sunday of Advent saw us out on the course. It was windy but we did alright. I played best disc with Gordon, Chris, and Mark. Mark has some experience with Ultimate Frisbee, but he's pretty new to disc golf.

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The recent rains flooded the park, so the grass was covered with dried mud which was dusty as we broke it up while the underlying ground was still mucky and caking our shoes. A double whammy of dirt.

Six Over and then Some

Madeline fell asleep on the way home from church. We got five Arby Melts with Cheddar at the drive through and sucked them down at home. Lexie saw her opportunity for a nap and shooed Kevin and I out to the park.

It looked like a windy day, but it wasn't too bad. I did get messed up in a few places by headwinds and crosswinds that had a bigger than expected effect.

Part of the point of the exercise was to tire out the boy. When we got to sixteen he was not showing any signs of weariness, so we played some of the optional holes. I got a nice par at seventeen, but the others we played did not go as well. I'm proud to report that Kevin was a pretty reliable spotter. I sent him down range and asked him to watch where the discs went. He got good at showing me and, most importantly, leaving them where they were laying.

A couple of bounce outs on the last two baskets were a bit disappointing, but maybe we tired out Dad instead of Kevin. After all this he headed to the playground to ride the big slide again and again and again.

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Five Over - Big Bird

The weather was gorgeous today. Clear skies. No wind. Temperature in the high sixties or low seventies. I had to play a round. I made the park at five.

It started well. A group of five guys just beat me to the pad at one. I interrupted to ask if I could go ahead, since I was clearly playing by myself. Under pressure I drove cold down just a little beyond the basket. Twelve foot putt and I was in for birdie. Good to do with an audience.

At two I managed a rare par. At three I met another group (four this time) and they invited me to play through. Again I got a decent drive. I flubbed the putt a little and had to settle for par.

The next triple was mixed. I drove over closer to one than four. The first group was just finishing their putting as I got down there. A weak approach led to a bogey. Then I birdied five. At the new six I kept it out of the baseball field for the first time, but again had a weak approach and a flubbed putt and took a bogey.

Seven is gone, probably forever. I birdied eight with my Z plastic XS. I noted earlier that I was turning it over and it was probably the least stable disc in my bag. I got the best drive I've had in quite a while at this short hole. The putt for bird was a gimme. Then I got tangled in the trees a few times and ended up with a double bogey on nine.

Starting the back nine smoothed out. Par, par, par. I had a wild drive at eleven that went out to the left, but found that I had a fairly open shot and managed a great approach.

Then it went to crap for four holes: bogey, bogey, double bogey, bogey. It is pretty rare for me to bogey fifteen. The double was the result of a drive that turned way over and landed at the edge of the rough behind the round trees on the ridge. The trees tangled me a few times and my fourth throw went wild, too.

At seventeen (marked "27" since there are an optional ten baskets between), I was concentrating on keeping my throw down and straight. Another ten degrees up and I might have been in birdie land. As it was I made a very nice approach and got in easily for par.

I didn't want to end badly. I formulated plans at eighteen but didn't over think it. I chose the Proline Beast and launched it. Execution went as usually only happens in dreams. A very straight drive. Not too high. A hint of an 's' curve. Down a yard from the basket. My first ever birdie at that basket. You should have seen it. The flight was just for me and God, but I can show you where it landed.

The timestamp on this photo is 17:44. I got around the course pretty fast.

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Plus Nine on Sixteen

The winds were up a bit this morning when Dad, Kevin, and I hit the golf course. Dad gave me his tri-color Cheetah which was the first disc I threw today. It landed quite near the basket and made for an easy birdie to start the day. There was some little league football happening which is why nine got screwy and we had to skip hole number ten altogether. Pars at thirteen and fourteen were the other highlight. These were offset by double bogeys at fifteen and seventeen.
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Sporting Weekend

We managed to get athletic this holiday weekend. We celebrated Labor Day with sweat.

Friday night we went to see Copperas Cove play at Judson. We got there about halfway through the first quarter and left right after halftime. Apparently we didn't miss much since the only scoring after we left was a Bulldog field goal. Lexie taught her first year at Copperas Cove but we never went to a football game up there.

We sat on the visitor side since the home side was full. This meant that we could see the bands, but not hear them very well. Of course more than half the time was wasted by dance teams and drill squads anyway. Who besides these girls parents and boyfriends cares about these things? Couldn't they just do their routines on the sidelines while the band plays and marches? They could even be integrated like flag corps and improve the show.

Sunday night Lex and I got a date in. We went to Cool Crest and tied at mumblemumble over par. We actually didn't sweat too much. It was not that warm a night, though on the back side of the course the breeze does get cut off a bit. The plants were beautiful and lush. Some of the carpets were new and surprisingly slow.

This morning Lexie was feeling bad and I took the kids out for some disc golf. We played nine holes. That's one to ten at Live Oak minus the defunct seven. I threw three bogies and one birdie. (010 901 x01 - 0 ) Kevin put it in at one with seventeen throws. He could have had fifteen, but instead of dropping the disc in the basket when he was right next to it he kept trying to throw it in. It was pretty humid and in fact by the time we got home and got cleaned up it was raining.

Hot and Still for Seventeen

Dad and I got a round of disc golf in this afternoon. It was about a hundred degrees and nearly windless for the duration of our round. If I remember correctly, I was around six over. Dad did well, too. He posted his first par at ten. In fact he put in a lot more pars than I've seen him do before. Primarily on the strength of his improved short game.

The first hole was predictive of most of the round: I drove thirty feet past the basket. He drove about halfway to the basket. We both scored three.

The folks who do such things have drained the lake. They've moved the basket for six and entirely eliminated seven.

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Plus One at Five with Both Kids

Saturday morning while Lexie was working at school, the kids and I went to the park. Madeline was happy to be pushed in the swing, but Kevin just wasn't very interested in slides and climbing. So he golfed with me. (Maddie rode in the stroller.)

Kevin really golfed on the first hole. He threw the disc he had chosen from my bag (the putter). Then he went and picked it up and threw it again from near where it landed. Then he did it again. It took him something in excess of twenty strokes to get it down to the basket, but he just kept plugging.

For the remaining four holes he only putted, but that was okay too. He stayed with me or where I told him to. He helped with Madeline. He was good to be with.

I bogeyed at two and made par on the other four.

Church Guys, Disc Golf, Beer, and Naval War

An enjoyable evening with Gordon and Tim. We met at Live Oak for a round of disc golf at six o'clock. Gordon brought a guy named Johnathan along to play with us. Since none of us had played in a while we just played "best disc." Johnathan had never played before and ended up saving us from a bogey on seventeen(27). There were a couple of slow groups in front of us so we skipped 3, 4, & 5 and played 17, 22, and 26 instead. We managed four birdies and no bogeys. There was a group of younger golfers that we played with on the last two holes. Gordon, Tim and I hit trees and generally threw pathetically on 17/27. But after the other folks threw their tee shots at 18/28, Gordon threw a nice shot on the green to the right, which I followed with a beautiful shot straight at the basket on the green about twenty-four feet short. None of us managed to put in the bird there, but Gordon glowed later describing the beauty of my shot blowing those guys away while I was wearing my "World's Greatest Dad" t-shirt and goofy plaid beret.

Gordon and I went to Tim's place and enjoyed conversation, nachos, pizza, beer, and an old Avalon Hill card game. Well, Tim and I enjoyed the beer. I struck out with Gordon tonight on beer. Admittedly, the Ommegang had gotten a little too warm. The Chimay Red actually went well with the pizza. When I started describing the experience they said I should write about it. Okay, well, um, it had a nice opening flavor (a pleasant flowery bouquet?) and a clean (this might as well be water) aftertaste. The Delirium Nocturnum was a bit too sparkly (like homebrew) for this crowd. Perhaps it's the bottle fermentation. It is bottle fermented, right? The Old Speckled Hen was decent plain beer. Best cold and muddled with food.

Naval War is a simple card game of naval battle. I doubt that Tim used more than five sentences explaining all the rules of the game. We had fun. Tim won. Tim and I made plans for some gaming next week when Lexie takes the kids to her mother's house for the week. I'm looking forward to playing Bowl Bound the college football board game.

A good first day of summer.

Blustery Nine

  Dad and I went for a round this afternoon. The wind was gusting between 10 and 20 miles per hour. Otherwise it was a gorgeous day. I got a little red from the sun. Kevin rode in the stroller for most of the round, but walked a few holes at the end.
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