There's a WORLD Cup?

The title's a joke. I am of course aware of the World Cup. I would wait for our "futbol" columnist ANDY_HAMS to write an entry, but we'd probably have to wait until 2014.

Anyway, I woke up early tomorrow to get brunch and mimosas at a WC function. I ended up with a table from which I couldn't clearly see a TV, but I think I got the gist of it. Greece lost, somebody won, whatever.

By the time the USA played (and by the time I'd chanted U-S-A 50 times) I had a good seat. Good thing too - America is going to make some noise this year! They tied England, a supposedly top 4 team, 1-1.

This basically ensures the United States berth into the next round. If you want specifics look it up yourself, but a tie against the best team of their grouping makes the USA that much closer to advancing. A win and a tie against the other (much shittier) teams in the group would give America a pass into further WC play. Realistically, they should get two wins. They basically stole a point by tying the English.

Anyway, I usually don't follow Soccer (futbol?) or baseball, but the USA and the Cincinnati Reds are both sweet right now. I'll take what I can get.

Esteban Ochocinco

GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!



How did he do it? How the hell did a wide receiver convince his coach to let him kick an extra point?

Yes, it's just a meaningless preseason game. Yes, Bengals kicker Shayne "Where-da-party-at" Graham was out with a groin injury. And yes, apparently he did really play youth soccer (and he was probably pretty good at it). And yes, this is the Bengals - not a real professional franchise.

But seriously? Did that really happen?

Awesome!

Here's what the Ocho had to say about it:

"Esteban Ochocinco is back. The most interesting footballer in the world. Everyone has to remember, I've always said that soccer is my No. 1 sport. I think Ronaldinho would be proud of me right now."

(HAMS, penny for your thought!)

SlimMcCraveDick even sent me the Youtube link:

basketball doesn't start until october: booooooooring!

while my boy slim here waxes nostalgic about the 08-09 NBA season, i am busy preparing for a far more stressful and important endeavor that is about to get really real in like 8 or 9 days: arsenal's coming premier league, champion's league, carling cup, and FA cup campaigns. i've only been following the team for one season, but the i'm already feeling the nausea and anxiety that comes with supporting a football[1] club. in the offseason, we have replaced kolo toure at centerback with thomas vermaelen, and sold striker emmanual adebayor. there is a possibility that we'll bring in this moroccan dude who looks like a brown cristiano ronaldo as a replacement for adebayor, which i am pretty much ambivalent about, especially given dude's appearance. while i would welcome any player that could help us win games, i'd rather see our current talent show than import somebody who whines to the media and bears a resemblance to my least favorite footballer in the world. besides our more proven strikers: van persie and eduardo (please stay fit!), we have three other forwards in vela, walcott and, yes, bendtner who i believe are capable of winning a trophy in at least one of the aforementioned competitions this season. in the midfield, i am real excited about seeing more from last year's midseason acquisition andrey arshavin, seen here scoring a physically impossible winning goal in the 90th minute last weekend at the emirates cup (a preseason competition):



and for posterity's sake, his four-goal appearance against liverpool:



our captain, cesc fabregas (no youtube testimonial necessary), could well have the best season of any footballer in the world. nasri, who scored on his debut against the third most hated club in the premiership: manchester united, is sure to continue producing and enforcing once he's back from injury. denilson will prove the haters wrong, and youngsters aaron ramsey and jack wilshere are ready for breakout seasons, especially in the FA and carling cups. wilshere's two-goal performance against rangers last weekend has him in the discussion for england's world cup side:



[1} i know it sounds pretentious, but it just sounds retarded to refer to the english game as soccer. whatevs...