USA - Brazil

Arrival...


Yet another off-key anthem...


America loses, but there are pretty fireworks...

Why I Still Love the World Cup

On my flight back from Cape Town, a group of 10 Uruguians (spelling?) were really rowdy. Then the loudest one got up and walked all the way down the plane taking a poll to see which passengers were rooting for Ghana and which for Uruguay. When I said Uruguay I got an applause. Ghana was favored about 2 to 1 though.

Then I struck up a conversation with the guy next to me. Turns out he is a Brit who is at his fourth World Cup. His first was USA '94 and he stayed at the Sharon Motel. Unlike Swansea, Sharon is in Massachusetts, but I still thought that was hilarious.

As far as Cape Town, I have a few thoughts:

1) Holy crap is it a beautiful city. Infinitely nicer than Joberg. Lush, green, on the water. I was really unprepared for it.

2) Had we stayed there, we would have died. I don't think it's any more dangerous than Joberg, but the problem is it feels too much like home. Long Street is the "Bourbon Street of South Africa" because it is lined with balconies with bars. While enjoying a beer on the balcony we saw a ridiculous scene take place about 20 feet away that included three police cars, two ambulances, a fight, a gate used to keep people out of an ally, several people on their knees with hands against the wall, a guy getting into a moving cab, and general confusion. The woman standing next to us said she saw a guy come out of the ally with a stab wound and get into a cab to go to the hospital while his friends yelled at police to do something. Overall, I could see some issues arising for us.

3) I also, for the first time in RSA, felt like a jackass for wearing my USA hoodie. The scene that I witnessed was very Euro/hipster and - although it could have beeen because it was the first day without a game - I did not see any World Cup spirit around. Except for the Uruguains. I love the World Cup.

See you in Brazil

I can't put everything into words yet.

But this trip has been an incredible experience.

Last night's loss was terrible. The hatred that I know have for Ghana is solidified in a way that it wasn't in 2006. They spent 30 minutes diving left and right. Terrible. That being said, we didn't finish; we didn't possess in the midfield; our back line got beat; and Tim Howard didn't show up in a major way. Crushing defeat.

We were in the stadium until they kicked us about 45 minutes after the game ended. But the experience was summed up by our time at the bar/cafe across the street, where we spoke with Germans, South Africans, Brits, hundreds of Americans, some Ghanians. Incredible, global experience.

As I sit here, delirious and exhausted, my heart is still very full.

I have no idea what this means

but it sounds really good:

"Against England, though, Algeria coach Rabah Saadane reverted to a far more orthodox back three. One of the reasons 3-5-2 and its variants have largely gone out of fashion (although it seems to be making something of a comeback at this tournament) is the prevalence of 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1. Against a customary 4-4-2, two center backs mark two center forwards with a spare man, with the wing backs given the green light to advance, ideally pressing the opposing wide midfielders back onto their fullbacks. A team playing 3-5-2 overmans three-to-two in central midfield, the wing backs tend to be forced deep by opposing wingers, leaving three central defenders to deal with one center forward. One spare man is fine; two is redundancy, allowing the side playing the lone central striker to overman elsewhere, usually from the fullback positions. Of course, one of those two spare central defenders could push into midfield, but if he does that he may as well be a midfielder to start with."

for other insights into how we may be plotting to overthrow the algerian dictatorship of our win on wednesday, I really think this article is the shit.

if i can ever figure out what the hell he's talking about.