FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa is over, and what a relief it is. This was the saddest display of "talent" I have ever experienced in a World Cup, and I have a list of the biggest disappointments in the tournament. These are MY biggest disappointments, so if you disagree, then let me know about it.
1. So-Called "Stars" - Ronaldo? One goal. Messi? No goals. Torres? No goals. Some of the highest paid footballers in the world were EPIC FAILURES in this tournament. When Landon Donovan scores THREE goals, and Messi fails to score one, I wonder why Messi is being paid so much. (Of course, Messi is an incredible player with amazing talent, but can anyone explain why he was blanked in the biggest football tournament in the world?)
2. Vuvuzelas - Well, specifically, I'm talking about my disappointment at the people who found them irritating. I mean, can you people NOT adapt to a changing environment? Sure, they were loud. Bring ear plugs. Sure, they were all match long. People LOVED the vuvuzelas, and the detractors are just party-poopers. I will miss the sound of the vuvuzelas as the distinct sound of South Africa. Never will I forget the sound of thousands of people blowing into these horns. I think it was a fantastic atmosphere. The disappointment was in the people who had agendas that were trampled by this popular activity. It all comes to the detractors' FAILURE to adapt. I feel bad for people who did not have fun at the World Cup because of these noise makers. Was it that hard to tune them out and watch the matches? Really? Sad.
3. The Play: I have not seen a more lackluster play by teams that were supposed to be the best in the world. Brazil plays anything but "beautifully," and hence, Dunga, their coach, is FIRED. France gets owned, on and off the pitch, and every France 2010 player should be banned from future World Cups forever. Argentina has some good play, but nothing like the hype suggested, and Maradona's cult of personality is over. I wish the play was inspiring. It was anything but. I wish the play was exciting. There were flourishes here and there, but overall, it was a tepid tournament, and one I hope is never repeated.
4. France: This country's national side deserves its own place on the list. Horrible play, a horrible coach, selfish and petulant players who disgrace the game, and the most pathetic exit I have ever seen from a contending team. When Anelka was sent home for calling the France coach a "son of a whore," the players revolted and refused to practice for their final match. A practice that was attended by a few hundred loyal fans of the French team. After signing autographs for a little bit, the players walked off the pitch and sat in their bus in solidarity for their sacked friend, Anelka. It was the final straw. Most of the main squad was left out of the final match, and the team was forced to fly coach back to France to meet a throng of questions, such as "Why did you disgrace your country like that?" It was awful, and I hope children are taught that this was not the way to behave no matter what happens. The French team deserves our scorn.
5. The Adidas "Jabulani" ball: I was willing to give the ball a chance, but when NASA scientists prove that the ball acted erratically in the elevation of South Africa, the verdict is clear: Adidas FAILED. Retire that abomination of a football, and start back at the drawing board.
In closing, none of my teams made it to the Final. I *did* have a bracket pool going where I picked Spain all the way, but I didn't win the pool because the winner also picked Spain to win.
This was a World Cup where South Africa shined, African culture shined, people had a great time at the matches, but the football was woefully lacking.
Let's hope Brazil 2014 is a vast improvement. We know they can play a beautiful game, so maybe they will inspire beautiful play from the teams in four years. Let's all hope.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Random Blasts: South Africa World Cup
It's been a little over one week into the World Cup in South Africa, so here are my "Random Blasts" about the world's most watched, single sporting tournament.
1. Vuvuzelas. If you've watched any of the World Cup matches in South Africa, you recognize the constant sound of bees buzzing around every stadium. These are actually plastic horns called "vuvuzelas," which are part of the current landscape of South African soccer supporters. Fans have been blowing into these horns non-stop for entire matches. Some people are annoyed by the buzzing sound, and I have one piece of advice for them: Shut the hell up and watch the match. If the vuvuzelas' sound is enough to detract from your enjoyment of watching a game, you don't care enough about the sport. Relax, and tune it out. It's really not that hard.
2. The ball. Adidas was given the privilege of designing the official World Cup match ball for the South African World Cup, and we've heard everyone from keepers to forwards to pundits criticizing the ball for being too light, and reacting bizarrely when kicked. My view? The players should shut up and play. The pundits have to fill up broadcast time, so they can criticize the ball all they want. But the ball isn't changing, and the players need to use this ball to score. If they can't use this ball properly, they don't deserve to win the World Cup.
3. Commentators. I find it fascinating how some people love certain World Cup commentators, and other people hate these same commentators. What is it that people want? I've been told that some people want accuracy in their announcers. Well, announcers are not computers. They will get rules wrong, they will be emotional, they might see the game differently than some viewers, and ultimately, these men are human. Give them a break. Then, I have heard people say that certain commentators are not emotional enough, as if the level of excitement shown by the play-by-play man is important enough to affect the emotion of the viewer. Really? Do you really need your play-by-play man to scream uncontrollably after a goal is scored? I don't. In fact, I don't need to hear the commentators at all to feel the emotion and energy of the matches. People are WAY too critical of really inconsequential things.
4. Optimism vs Pessimism - I find it fascinating that some supporters will practically guarantee a win from their favorite teams, and others are so pessimistic as to predict ultimate disaster for their team well before the kickoff. I fall on the side of holding out hope, but I don't like to predict outcomes. Why do people risk humiliation by claiming that their favorite team is guaranteed to win? Also, why be so down on your team to predict failure before the final whistle? Have hope, pray, watch, and enjoy the moment. Your team might not win, but you can make it more enjoyable by moderating your attitude.
More later . . .
1. Vuvuzelas. If you've watched any of the World Cup matches in South Africa, you recognize the constant sound of bees buzzing around every stadium. These are actually plastic horns called "vuvuzelas," which are part of the current landscape of South African soccer supporters. Fans have been blowing into these horns non-stop for entire matches. Some people are annoyed by the buzzing sound, and I have one piece of advice for them: Shut the hell up and watch the match. If the vuvuzelas' sound is enough to detract from your enjoyment of watching a game, you don't care enough about the sport. Relax, and tune it out. It's really not that hard.
2. The ball. Adidas was given the privilege of designing the official World Cup match ball for the South African World Cup, and we've heard everyone from keepers to forwards to pundits criticizing the ball for being too light, and reacting bizarrely when kicked. My view? The players should shut up and play. The pundits have to fill up broadcast time, so they can criticize the ball all they want. But the ball isn't changing, and the players need to use this ball to score. If they can't use this ball properly, they don't deserve to win the World Cup.
3. Commentators. I find it fascinating how some people love certain World Cup commentators, and other people hate these same commentators. What is it that people want? I've been told that some people want accuracy in their announcers. Well, announcers are not computers. They will get rules wrong, they will be emotional, they might see the game differently than some viewers, and ultimately, these men are human. Give them a break. Then, I have heard people say that certain commentators are not emotional enough, as if the level of excitement shown by the play-by-play man is important enough to affect the emotion of the viewer. Really? Do you really need your play-by-play man to scream uncontrollably after a goal is scored? I don't. In fact, I don't need to hear the commentators at all to feel the emotion and energy of the matches. People are WAY too critical of really inconsequential things.
4. Optimism vs Pessimism - I find it fascinating that some supporters will practically guarantee a win from their favorite teams, and others are so pessimistic as to predict ultimate disaster for their team well before the kickoff. I fall on the side of holding out hope, but I don't like to predict outcomes. Why do people risk humiliation by claiming that their favorite team is guaranteed to win? Also, why be so down on your team to predict failure before the final whistle? Have hope, pray, watch, and enjoy the moment. Your team might not win, but you can make it more enjoyable by moderating your attitude.
More later . . .
Sunday, March 7, 2010
"The Hurt Locker" Wins Best Picture. Na'vi Everywhere Are Pissed!
"KATHERYN BIGELOW IS NO JAMES CAMERON!" Na'vi warriors chant after Oscar thievery.
Na'vi all over the planet are enraged that the 2010 Academy Awards chose to give their greatest prize to a flawed movie about a guy who would rather face the prospect of being blown into tiny pieces than go home and be a father and a husband.
Yes, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences chose to give the Best Picture award to "The Hurt Locker," a movie that, by some strange twist of fate, did not have a single Na'vi warrior in it.
Word has it that Na'vi activist groups are scrambling to protest the outrageous decision. For the Na'vi, giving the Best Picture to the ex-wife of their deity, James Cameron, is tantamount to inter-species racism, and the Na'vi are considering a fatwa on the Academy, if they only had a word in their language that meant "irrational anger at anything that does not conform to your culture."
Reports are coming in from London, Cairo, Sydney, and New York city of people witnessing various groups of Na'vi warriors flying their winged beasts and shooting arrows at random civilians.
One Na'vi warrior was interviewed by CNN, and he said, "We do not accept this travesty of nature, this Bigelow person, as being a better diety than James Cameron. We will fight for his honor by killing everyone we can find until this decision is overturned. We have much work to do." After that, the Na'vi warrior killed the reporter.
No word on how long the Na'vi will persist in their struggle, but I, for one, want to welcome our new Na'vi overlords and I want to offer my services as a blogger to help them take revenge against the followers of the Anti-Cameron.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Olympic Observations From the DMZ
Random Blasts about the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics
1. A luger from the country of Georgia died after he overshot a turn and flew into a concrete barrier. Yeah. This one hurt. Watching an athlete die in the way this Georgian luger died was about the biggest buzz-kill the Olympics could have experienced. I felt horrible for his family, but I asked myself why there were concrete barriers exposed at that turn? This was Vancouver's first embarrassment, and unfortunately, it cost a precious life for them to erect a safety barrier. Unconscionable.
2. The Opening Ceremonies were fun up until the end when four famous Canadians, including Wayne Gretzky and Steve Nash, stood with separate torches awaiting the emergence of four towers that would comprise the Olympic Cauldron. The only problem was, it didn't happen the way it was planned. One of the towers was unable to raise, so three towers formed the impartial Cauldron. Three of the four Canadians lit their torch, with poor Catriona LeMay Doan standing with nothing to do. Catriona, a Canadian speed-skater of great renown, was left holding a torch that didn't light anything, and Canada was left with a very awkward end to a day that began in sadness.
3. Before the Olympics, Canada promoted an "Own the Podium" campaign to encourage Canadian medal wins. Apparently, in the last two Canadian-hosted Olympic Games, Canada won a whopping ZERO medals. So, Canada spent billions of dollars trying to "Own the Podium." In response, one US athlete remarked, "We'll be renting their podium from them for the month of February, and after that, they can have it." Nice. Don't you just love the neighborly attitudes? I sure do.
4. Let me just get this out of the way. While I do respect the athleticism of figure skating, it's not a sport that I enjoy very much. Figure skating involves a certain physical excellence, but how many legitimate sports require MUSIC as a crucial part of the competition? Figure skating is only one of MANY Olympic sports that are judged by a panel of observers. I make no apologies when I say that I really do not like judged sports. I dislike EVERY judged sport from mogul skiing and olympic diving, to boxing and synchronized swimming. Nothing aggravates me more than watching a sport where an athlete performs a spectacular routine, and then must wait for a panel of snooty experts who knock heads to determine exactly how good that routine was. That's why I like timed events, or team sports with goals, baskets, and clear points being scored that any layman can understand. When the US Men's Hockey team won their game against Canada, no one could argue the fact that the US won the game. However, when Even Lysacek defeated Evegeny Plushenko in Men's Figure Skating, the voices of protest against Lysacek began before the medal ceremony began. Rather than awaiting the judgment of a panel of faceless, nameless, and self-important men and women in suits, divining who should win and who should lose, I prefer to watch the sports that are scored on the field of play. It's ridiculous. Sports should have an inarguable winner and loser.
5. Our local NBC affiliate, KNBC-Channel 4, starts its evening newscast at 11:30pm, and goes through a virtual half-hour of Olympics coverage. To KNBC, no other news is happening than the Olympics. KNBC-TV in Los Angeles apparently does not realize that there is a massive military operation in Afghanistan. That's American news for ya.
6. I love Canada, but I want them to lose the gold in Men's Ice Hockey. I don't even need the Americans to win. As long as the Canadians lose, I'll feel better. Why? Canadians are too freaking cocky about their hockey. Let's bring them down a few notches and make them humble. Let them win the curling gold, and the USA can have the hockey gold medal.
7. NBC's coverage is not live, which comes as no surprise to those of us on the West Coast. To you East-Coasters, you are fortunate to get live events. Those of us on the West Coast need to wait THREE FREAKING HOURS after an event ends to actually see it. For that, I say that NBC should burn in sports broadcasting hell for all eternity. No. Really.
8. NBC's coverage is sickeningly America-centric. Essentially, every American athlete is given preferential treatment, long segments of American athletes. This is patently absurd. Give me stories about the champions regardless of nationality. NBC needs to get its jingoistic head out of his ass.
More later . . .
1. A luger from the country of Georgia died after he overshot a turn and flew into a concrete barrier. Yeah. This one hurt. Watching an athlete die in the way this Georgian luger died was about the biggest buzz-kill the Olympics could have experienced. I felt horrible for his family, but I asked myself why there were concrete barriers exposed at that turn? This was Vancouver's first embarrassment, and unfortunately, it cost a precious life for them to erect a safety barrier. Unconscionable.
2. The Opening Ceremonies were fun up until the end when four famous Canadians, including Wayne Gretzky and Steve Nash, stood with separate torches awaiting the emergence of four towers that would comprise the Olympic Cauldron. The only problem was, it didn't happen the way it was planned. One of the towers was unable to raise, so three towers formed the impartial Cauldron. Three of the four Canadians lit their torch, with poor Catriona LeMay Doan standing with nothing to do. Catriona, a Canadian speed-skater of great renown, was left holding a torch that didn't light anything, and Canada was left with a very awkward end to a day that began in sadness.
3. Before the Olympics, Canada promoted an "Own the Podium" campaign to encourage Canadian medal wins. Apparently, in the last two Canadian-hosted Olympic Games, Canada won a whopping ZERO medals. So, Canada spent billions of dollars trying to "Own the Podium." In response, one US athlete remarked, "We'll be renting their podium from them for the month of February, and after that, they can have it." Nice. Don't you just love the neighborly attitudes? I sure do.
4. Let me just get this out of the way. While I do respect the athleticism of figure skating, it's not a sport that I enjoy very much. Figure skating involves a certain physical excellence, but how many legitimate sports require MUSIC as a crucial part of the competition? Figure skating is only one of MANY Olympic sports that are judged by a panel of observers. I make no apologies when I say that I really do not like judged sports. I dislike EVERY judged sport from mogul skiing and olympic diving, to boxing and synchronized swimming. Nothing aggravates me more than watching a sport where an athlete performs a spectacular routine, and then must wait for a panel of snooty experts who knock heads to determine exactly how good that routine was. That's why I like timed events, or team sports with goals, baskets, and clear points being scored that any layman can understand. When the US Men's Hockey team won their game against Canada, no one could argue the fact that the US won the game. However, when Even Lysacek defeated Evegeny Plushenko in Men's Figure Skating, the voices of protest against Lysacek began before the medal ceremony began. Rather than awaiting the judgment of a panel of faceless, nameless, and self-important men and women in suits, divining who should win and who should lose, I prefer to watch the sports that are scored on the field of play. It's ridiculous. Sports should have an inarguable winner and loser.
5. Our local NBC affiliate, KNBC-Channel 4, starts its evening newscast at 11:30pm, and goes through a virtual half-hour of Olympics coverage. To KNBC, no other news is happening than the Olympics. KNBC-TV in Los Angeles apparently does not realize that there is a massive military operation in Afghanistan. That's American news for ya.
6. I love Canada, but I want them to lose the gold in Men's Ice Hockey. I don't even need the Americans to win. As long as the Canadians lose, I'll feel better. Why? Canadians are too freaking cocky about their hockey. Let's bring them down a few notches and make them humble. Let them win the curling gold, and the USA can have the hockey gold medal.
7. NBC's coverage is not live, which comes as no surprise to those of us on the West Coast. To you East-Coasters, you are fortunate to get live events. Those of us on the West Coast need to wait THREE FREAKING HOURS after an event ends to actually see it. For that, I say that NBC should burn in sports broadcasting hell for all eternity. No. Really.
8. NBC's coverage is sickeningly America-centric. Essentially, every American athlete is given preferential treatment, long segments of American athletes. This is patently absurd. Give me stories about the champions regardless of nationality. NBC needs to get its jingoistic head out of his ass.
More later . . .
Subscribe to:
Comments
(
Atom
)