So now we know that the 2010 World Cup final will be contested by Holland and Spain. As both are first-time finalists, this means we will have a new winner the eighth in all of the Jules Rimet trophy, joining the elite group of Uruguay, Italy, Germany/West Germany, Brazil, England, Argentina and France.
The legends of the game have made an exit from the World Stage and a new Champion will be crowned, which is probably a good thing. After all, did you really want to see Maradona naked?
The way people go on about soccer at World Cup time is reminiscent of the way people like to talk about politics around elections. People who usually don’t show much of an interest in the sport become armchair analysts once every three of four years, willing to throw their two cents in on the eventual winner and what they need to do to get there. The difference between the World Cup and elections is people actually seem to enjoy having conversations about it a lot more than they do about politics. I am not going to talk about why England left early (embarrassed), or how Brazil and Argentina did not get through. Instead – DID YOU KNOW?
The 'curse' of Nike's World Cup ad
Almost every soccer player featured in Nike's sensational World Cup commercial has bombed out of the tournament. Could the glitzy spot be jinxed?
The way people go on about soccer at World Cup time is reminiscent of the way people like to talk about politics around elections. People who usually don’t show much of an interest in the sport become armchair analysts once every three of four years, willing to throw their two cents in on the eventual winner and what they need to do to get there. The difference between the World Cup and elections is people actually seem to enjoy having conversations about it a lot more than they do about politics. I am not going to talk about why England left early (embarrassed), or how Brazil and Argentina did not get through. Instead – DID YOU KNOW?
The 'curse' of Nike's World Cup adAlmost every soccer player featured in Nike's sensational World Cup commercial has bombed out of the tournament. Could the glitzy spot be jinxed?
Didier Drogba (COTE D'IVOIRE): The curse strikes: The Cote D'Ivoire striker almost didn't make the World Cup at all, after fracturing his arm shortly before the tournament began. But even with the Chelsea star playing, his team "collapsed in the group stage." An injury-hampered Drogba scored just one goal in the World Cup.
Fabio Cannavaro (ITALY): The curse strikes: The Italian defender is shown in the ad heroically saving a goal with a backflip kick. If only he had shown such skill on the actual field — Cannavaro's typically stingy "past-it Italian defense" let in five goals in three games, and the world champions failed to get past the group stage.
Wayne Rooney (ENGLAND): The curse strikes: The English striker failed to score a single goal in the World Cup, and "barely ventured into the German area" during England's 4-1 defeat in the knock-out stage. As predicted in the ad, the British tabloids have ripped him to pieces. Our "so-called talisman couldn't even control the ball," said the Sun's Steven Howard. "What an embarrassment."
Fabio Cannavaro (ITALY): The curse strikes: The Italian defender is shown in the ad heroically saving a goal with a backflip kick. If only he had shown such skill on the actual field — Cannavaro's typically stingy "past-it Italian defense" let in five goals in three games, and the world champions failed to get past the group stage.
Wayne Rooney (ENGLAND): The curse strikes: The English striker failed to score a single goal in the World Cup, and "barely ventured into the German area" during England's 4-1 defeat in the knock-out stage. As predicted in the ad, the British tabloids have ripped him to pieces. Our "so-called talisman couldn't even control the ball," said the Sun's Steven Howard. "What an embarrassment."
Franck Ribery (FRANCE): The curse strikes: The sensational meltdown of France's World Cup squad barely needs repeating, but Ribery was also accused of soliciting sex with an underage prostitute before the tournament even started. The winger could not inspire his team beyond the opening stages in South Africa.
Roger Federer (SWITZERLAND): The curse strikes: Even star tennis players aren't immune from the curse. Shown briefly playing Rooney at table tennis, Federer lost his No. 1 world ranking soon after the Nike ad premiered, and narrowly avoided a humbling first round defeat at Wimbledon last week.
Ronaldinho (BRAZIL): The curse strikes: The curse struck the A.C. Milan star early — he was dropped from the Brazilian World Cup squad in May.
Cristiano Ronaldo (PORTUGAL): The curse strikes: The Portuguese striker is the last to be afflicted by the curse. After a lack-lustre begininng, Ronaldo broke his scoreless international run during his team's 7-0 drubbing of North Korea — but Portugal's game against Spain showed that he too could not escape the curse.
Roger Federer (SWITZERLAND): The curse strikes: Even star tennis players aren't immune from the curse. Shown briefly playing Rooney at table tennis, Federer lost his No. 1 world ranking soon after the Nike ad premiered, and narrowly avoided a humbling first round defeat at Wimbledon last week.
Ronaldinho (BRAZIL): The curse strikes: The curse struck the A.C. Milan star early — he was dropped from the Brazilian World Cup squad in May.
Cristiano Ronaldo (PORTUGAL): The curse strikes: The Portuguese striker is the last to be afflicted by the curse. After a lack-lustre begininng, Ronaldo broke his scoreless international run during his team's 7-0 drubbing of North Korea — but Portugal's game against Spain showed that he too could not escape the curse.
VUVUZELA !!!
WIMBLEDON, England — Quiet, please.
Organizers are making sure there will be no racket from vuvuzelas at the Wimbledon tennis championships. The plastic horns which have provided a constant drone at the World Cup in South Africa will be banned from the Grand Slam tournament.
WIMBLEDON, England — Quiet, please.
Organizers are making sure there will be no racket from vuvuzelas at the Wimbledon tennis championships. The plastic horns which have provided a constant drone at the World Cup in South Africa will be banned from the Grand Slam tournament.
The vuvuzela is fast becoming extinct from its brief relationship with rugby and South Africa could be the latest country to ban the noisy trumpet from its rugby stadiums.
Vuvuzela's will be banned from all Test venues for the Springboks home leg of the Tri-Nations campaign, which includes the Test to be played at the National Stadium (formerly known as Soccer City), where vuvuzelas have been most welcome throughout the FIFA World Cup.
The vuvuzela's existence at sporting events aside from football appears to be in doubt after its ban from Wimbledon and next year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Vuvuzela's will be banned from all Test venues for the Springboks home leg of the Tri-Nations campaign, which includes the Test to be played at the National Stadium (formerly known as Soccer City), where vuvuzelas have been most welcome throughout the FIFA World Cup.
The vuvuzela's existence at sporting events aside from football appears to be in doubt after its ban from Wimbledon and next year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
And that is - As I See It!
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