The coverage is next. ESPN has ditched their traditional broadcast team of a bunch of washed up American has beens. Now, they seemingly have a former superstar from every national team rotating in to the pre and post match coverage team. The game crews are top notch. Of course the glorious HD broadcasts are great. However, now I can watch every game on any computer, TV, smartphone, and I can even listen to them all on Sirius radio if I'm in the car!
Of course we then get to the play. The first 2 days of matches have been maybe the best I've ever watched. Wide open games, lots of shots, lots of scoring. Amazing goals. I still can't even believe that first goal by Robin van Persie. I've never seen anything like that. Heck, even a 1-0 win had 3 disallowed goals, so the score was a bit misleading. I also love the minor tech improvements to really improve the game. Goal line tech is long overdue. How about the spray foam to mark 10 yards on free kicks? Brilliant! I can't wait to see what's next. The only thing I pray for is a miracle run by USA to advance through the group stage.
A lastly, back to that unrest in Brazil. I think FIFA and the world are watching closely. Cost overruns, unfinished stadiums, grass that looks like a cow pasture (how do you not grow grass in the Amazon?), massive protests and transportation breakdowns. This all in the foreground, while in the background MASSIVE allegations are facing Qatar's bid for 2022. I think FIFA will eventually have to reopen bidding for 2022. No other country can be ready in time other than the USA. It isn't Europe's turn, so everything bad in Brazil leads toward USA 2022!!!
Oh one last thing, did I mention... NO VUVUZELAS!!!!
3 comments:
Into the last day of the first round of the group stage and there has been only a single draw? Inconceivable!
USA beating Ghana on a 86th minute goal? SPECTACULAR!
I agree, this Copa Mundial has been extremely fun and the surprises everywhere have been awesome. I think the two biggest surprises have to go to Netherlands destroying Spain and Costa Rica upending Uruguay. US over Ghana is probably my #3 surprise. Hopefully the fun continues!
How about what I will declare:
"The best play-on in the history of soccer"
Ecuador fouls Switz hard on the Swiss half. Only seconds remain and ref decisively indicates play-on. Switz promptly moves down the field and scores a last second goal to win. 100% this game is a draw if ref doesn't recognize advantage.
Put that ref in the finals.
I saw that play live, and I give tons of credit to the Swiss player. He bounced back up quick when he saw that no one was near the ball and that the Ecuador player was not getting up (he assumed he made a good foul to stop the play).
So far that was the second best finish of the tournament for me, just because of how late in the game it was. The US finish was first, because I went from thinking we were going to lose to getting three points. God bless you, John Brooks.
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