Topic 1: The World Cup
With the conclusion of today's matches, we have arrived at the end of round 2 of the group stage. What follows are brief thoughts about each side's performance thus far, and their prospects moving forward through the competition.
Before I begin though, a brief explanation of the standings. Each team in a group plays the other three teams in that group. 3 points are awarded for a win, 1 for a draw (Yes, they still have those. Get over it.), and 0 for a loss. Once all the teams have played each other, the top two squads advance to a single-elimination tournament playoff to crown a champion. The winner of Group A faces the runner up of group B, so there is an incentive to win your group, as it affords an easier match-up in the next phase. Ties in the standings are broken by goal differential. For example, Switzerland through two matches has scored 1 goal and allowed 1 goal, so their differential is 0. Brazil has scored 5 goals and allowed 2, so their differential is +3. North Korea has scored 1 goal and conceded 9, making their differential -8. Got it? Good. If goal differential is identical, the team that has scored the most goals advances. If the number of goals scored is identical, whoever won the head to head match advances. If the head to head match ended in a draw, a coin is flipped to determine who advances (seriously). So, with that out of the way:
GROUP A
Uruguay (1-0-1, 4 pts, +3 gd) Uruguay have done themselves proud thus far, earning a draw against France before their complete implosion, and spanking south Africa, all but ending their tournament in the process. They have yet to concede a goal, and need only a draw with Mexico to win the group and probably bypass Argentina for another round. They also have wonderful uniforms.
Mexico (1-0-1, 4 pts, +2 gd) The Tricolores recovered from an uninspired showing against a hyped up South Africa (they were lucky to escape with a draw) to humiliate France and all but assure themselves a spot in the round of 16. A victory is of paramount importance in their match with Uruguay, as the three points would secure top standing in the group and spare them from facing Argentina in the round of 16. I should say here, in the interest of full disclosure, that I HATE THE MEXICAN TEAM. I hope they lose 150-0.
France (0-1-1, 1 pt, -2 gd) The French are an embarrassment. Their fans are rightly ashamed by their men's performance both on and off the pitch. That they have yet to win could be understood, if not condoned, but they barely seemed to try. The underperforming players have been openly feuding with their (incompetent) coach, resulting in one player, Nicolas Anelka, being kicked off the team mid-competition, and the rest of the team refusing to practice in protest. With a final match against South Africa still to be played, Les Bleus have a slim hope of advancement, though they justly no longer control their own destiny. They will need to hope for a non-draw between Mexico and Uruguay, and they will have to beat South Africa by a wide enough margin to make up the goal differential. Really though, you get the sense that France just want this whole thing over. I would say they were playing for pride, but they lost that several days ago.
South Africa (0-1-1, 1 pt, -3 gd) Bafana Bafana have largely performed to expectations, playing energetic but undisciplined soccer against the superior competition in their group, and so find themselves on the verge of becoming the first host in the history of the tournament to fail to advance beyond the group stage. If anything, considering the dearth of world-class talent on their roster, they ought to be quite proud of their 1-1 draw with Mexico in the tournament's opening match. They have a chance to notch a signature victory against an imploding France, and while their goal differential disadvantage is likely too great to be overcome in the event of a tiebreaker with Uruguay or Mexico, they can exit as victors over a world power, giving them momentum and making a statement going forward into the future.
Predictions
Mexico 1-0 Uruguay
France 1-2 South Africa
Mexico wins group A, Uruguay advances.
GROUP B
ARGENTINA (2-0-0, 6 pts, +4 gd) The most impressive side in the entire tournament through two matches, the Argentineans can wrap up the group against a weak Greek squad with either a win or a draw. Look for them to win handily, and look also for Lionel Messi, the best player in the world today, to score at least once. They have looked scary without Messi playing his best, and if he gets going as I suspect he will, Argentina will reach at least the semifinals. They have arguably the most talented roster in the world, and much maligned coach Diego Maradona has yet to make a significant tactical error while bringing some much-needed levity to the sidelines with his cheap suits and excitable manner.
SOUTH KOREA (1-0-1, 4 pts, -1 gd) It’s hard to get a handle on the Koreans, as they have played against a Greek team beat itself, and ran into the Argentinean buzz saw. They face a depleted and desperate Nigeria in their final group match, and can expect to advance out of the group with a win or a draw. They play very disciplined soccer, but have yet to show the flashes of quality that have marked them in past tournaments as a team to fear.
GREECE (1-0-1, 4 pts, -1 gd) Greece, after looking like the worst team in the field against South Korea, beat shorthanded Nigeria to put itself in contention to advance. To do so, they must beat mighty Argentina, likely by multiple goals. That will not happen. Regardless of that match's outcome, this tournament will be looked at in the future as at least a minor success; prior to this year, Greece had never scored in a World Cup match, let alone picked up a victory. They can console themselves with that knowledge after Argentina finishes running them off the pitch.
NIGERIA (0-0-2, 0 pts, -2 gd) The wonderfully named Super Eagles held their own in defeat to Argentina, and looked to be on their way to an easy victory over Greece before Sani Kaita momentarily lost his mind and tried to kick a Greek player in the stomach, which got him ejected with an hour left in the match. Nigeria was unable to hold their lead playing 10 men against 11, and fell 2-1. Despite the two losses, Nigeria finds itself in decent position to advance if they can defeat South Korea by more than 1 goal. Such a result, combined with the likely Argentinean victory over Greece, would put the Nigerians through on goal differential. They had better advance, for Kaita's sake; since his blunder, he has received a reported 1,000+ death threats.
Predictions
Nigeria 1-1 South Korea
Greece 0-2 Argentina
Argentina wins Group B, South Korea advances.
That's enough of that for today. Tomorrow, Groups C and D.
Topic 2: Watch this Movie!
June 17, 1994, directed by Brett Morgen
Do you remember where you were on June 17, 1994? No? Let me rephrase the question: do you remember where you were when the O.J. Simpson Bronco chase happened?
In June 17, 1994, Brett Morgen chronicles the events of the sporting world on the fateful day of O.J. Simpson's all to public fall from grace. He does this not through interviews or anecdotes, but by cutting together raw footage from the day's events in chronological order. The various pieces of footage comment back and forth on each other, drawing a compelling portrait of the day that permanently and irrevocably ended the paradigm of unquestioning hero-worship of star athletes, arguably created the "Reality TV" genre, birthed the modern gossip industry, and paved the way for all of those idiots who are "famous for being famous." More a piece of social commentary than a sports movie, the film explores the need of media to create a narrative, and what happens when that narrative is subverted in real time. Watching the normally unflappable Bob Costas and Tom Brokaw trying to reconcile the O.J. they knew as a football legend, broadcast colleague, nice guy (he was supposed to play the Terminator, but it was determined that he was "too nice" to be believable in the role) and friend with O.J. the double-murder suspect and fugitive from justice is riveting.
It's not all O.J. all the time. Even without the Bronco chase, June 17, 1994 would have been a historic day in sports. On that day, Arnold Palmer played his final round at the U.S. Open, The New York Rangers had their Stanley Cup Championship Parade (their first in over 50 years), Ken Griffey, Jr. tied Babe Ruth's Record for most home runs before June 30 with roughly two weeks to spare, the World Cup began, and the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets were playing a crucial game 5 in the NBA finals. Each a compelling event that would be worthy of a film of its own, and yet even combined, they pale in comparison to the Bronco.
In his review for avclub.com, Noel Murray sums up the experience better than I can:
June 17, 1994 is structured like a day of television as experienced by a restless channel-surfer, and yet it becomes about the different ways the media tries to hold our attention and keep our hands off the clicker, by making every moment into something we can’t afford to miss. That approach to storytelling is summed up by a reporter outside the Simpson estate, arrogantly wasting the nation’s time by muttering into his microphone, “It looks like something… is going to happen… right now.”
I would argue that behind 9/11, June 17, 1994 was the defining moment of my generation, and who wouldn't want to explore that?
June 17, 1994 airs in an encore presentation on Wednesday, June 23 on ESPN2 at 10 pm Chicago time. It only lasts an hour, and is well worth your time and attention. Watch this movie!
http://30for30.espn.com/film/june-17-1994.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxqP1_MFPnc
Topic 3: Stuff I Read or Saw That I Thought Was Interesting Today
This is the link section. The title should be fairly self-explanatory.
Politics
-Texas GOP proposes the outlawing of "sodomy" in its official platform
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/06/texas-gop-platform-calls-for-making-it.html
-Huckabee '12?
http://douthat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/the-secret-frontrunner/
-Not Palin '12?
http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2010/06/18/no-really-palin-has-no-political-future/
-Are Teabaggers hurting the GOP more than they're helping?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7842229/The-Tea-Party-is-a-turn-off-for-US-moderates.html
Movies
-Armond White is wrong (mild Toy Story 3 spoilers).
http://www.nypress.com/article-21357-bored-game.html
-"I Am Love" trailer (coming soon)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZBrWVvn9xA
-"Winter's Bone" trailer (now playing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE_X2pDRXyY
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