USA! USA! USA!

I'm surprised they didn't disallow the goal, ruling Dempsey offside.

Holy S**t! That was the best, most emotional game I've ever seen!

• USA Win? CHECK.
• USA Win in most dramatic way possible? CHECK.
• Improbably winning our group over England? CHECK.
• Advancing to a sugary sweet draw in the round of 16 (Ghana, then Uruguay/S. Korea)? CHECK.

I can't say enough about this team. First, you have that amazing comeback against Slovenia that really should've been a win. Then we almost go down early, again, against Algeria only to see another perfectly good goal disallowed. But the team kept their wits and Donovan, a player who as recently as this time last year I despised but who I have grown to love since, came through just before the final whistle.

Special props to Bob Bradley who made some gutsy calls today. Dropping Onyewu to make way for Bornstein? Paid off. And then he left nothing in the tank, bringing on all offense as the game wound down searching for the winner. Hard to believe, but he has outcoached every opponent we've faced. I know I've given him a lot of grief over the years, but... well played, sir!

Now I just need to get my game jersey washed before Saturday after soaking it in sweat today. Payback is a bitch, Ghana!

Group C Breakdown

Big day today. BIG day for US soccer. The US takes on Slovenia at 10AM, and I know I'm taking off work to watch the most important game for the US in the World Cup. I think you should too. But let me explain why it's so important for us.

All good World Cup teams, upon reaching the World Cup Finals (WCF), know how important it is to get a good result in the first game. In the last 3 WCF, only 3 of 36 teams losing their first game qualified out of their group. The US pulled off a stunner by tying England, and that was absolutely HUGE! Here's why:

If the US and Slovenia tie today, the US gets to play Algeria in it's last game, and Algeria is not very good. Slovenia, conversely, has to play England, who is pretty good (except for their goalies). In the third game, both the US and England are favored to win. If this happens, the US will have 5 pts (1 win, 2 ties) and Slovenia will have 4 pts (1 win, 1 tie, 1 loss) and the US goes through with England (2 wins, 1 tie). We would then get absolutely destroyed by Germany.

A tie today is nothing to get upset about - but it would mean we'd need to beat Algeria, and score some goals in doing so. If the US, Slovenia, and England tie each other, and all beat Algeria each would end up with 5 pts. Determine 1st and 2nd place in the group would go down to goal differential. Therefore, the US would need to beat Algeria by at least 2 goals (since Slovenia only won 1-0). Having all three teams tie is not an unlikely scenario, because teams in the WCF play "not-to-lose" soccer. That's how Italy won it all back in 2006 in Germany. However, I don't see England tying Slovenia. I think both teams play that game to win.

A loss today wouldn't eliminate the US entirely, but it would come pretty close, and we'd have to count on a LOT of variables to go through, which are pretty unlikely (i.e. England tying Algeria and losing to Slovenia).

It's going to be a good game today, I hope. And I also hope the US wins, since that puts us in the driver seat. Heck if we win today and against Algeria, we can win the group and avoid playing Germany entirely! Yeah, we'll probably play Ghana or Serbia, but we'd have a chance against them! So get out your flags, find your local bar, and go cheer on the Yanks as we play a big match against Slovenia!

Ugh

The first game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup hasn't even started and I'm already sick of the EA Sports FIFA 2010 commercials.

"Ohhh ohhhhhhh oh oh oh..."

I'm gonna be singing that shit in my head for the next month. Die, EA Sports!

Nevermind...

Remember this post I made a few months back? Well, let me go ahead and remove my foot from my mouth to say I take it back. I take it all back. Sorry, Apple...

I had the chance to play with an Android device quite extensively this past week. And it didn't leave me with a great taste in my mouth. In fact, it left me very much appreciating what I have with my iPhone.

It's not that Android is bad, per se, but it reminds me very much of Ubuntu Linux. Ubuntu is a great OS, but pales in a usability comparison to OS X or Windows 7. There are just things that both of those latter OSes have learned and implemented over time that make them a much more pleasant experience. That's how I see Android at this stage in the game. It's nice, and it gives you some much appreciated freedom, but it's no match for the veterans.

With a computer you may be willing to make some compromises for your freedom, because working in that environment is a not a big deal if you know what you're doing. All the tools and software you need to tinker are provided. Not so in the mobile world. Although you are free to tinker, you'll be voiding warranties on your device. Also, doing the tinkering is much more difficult because the environment just wasn't made to do that. You tinker and you brick your phone and you're done. No reinstalling the OS.

In the end, I learned to appreciate what I have in the iPhone. At the end of the day, it's a phone first and a device second. If I can't install PostgreSQL or download apps with *ahem* questionable content, I guess that's a sacrifice I can make for a phone that I don't have to swear at.

UPDATE (6/11): So it seems that Motorola's co-CEO has promised a 2GHz Android super phone by year's end that will make iPhone 4 look like two cans attached by a piece of string. I guess I'll just upgrade my 3GS's OS in a couple weeks then continue to hold off to avoid buyer's remorse. Seriously, with the way manufacturers are upping the ante with their devices combined with the draconian contracts that wireless companies make you sign and nobody is going to upgrade their device for fear that it will be obsolete in two weeks. It's like Moore's Law on steroids...

Copa Mundial

All the recent developments as teams make final preparations for the World Cup in South Africa have prompted me to make my World Cup analysis post. I have been cautiously optimistic about America's chances this year, and I think you will share my optimism after this analysis.

First, things first... England. We play them first on June 12. That helps, as England usually starts slow. 2006 was a 1-0 win against Paraguay. 2002 was a draw with Sweden. Also, England's captain Rio Ferdinand hurt his knee today and is out of the Cup. He is their stopper. That helps. Jozy Altidore is also nursing a sprained ankle, but he should be fine for the opening match. I think this match is the key to our World Cup, and we better come out strong!

Next, Group C. USA got it's best draw EVER in the World Cup. The top side is obviously England. After that, with Algeria and Slovenia, USA automatically is favored to be runner-up in the group. However, I think we have to win the group to have any real chance to make a run in the knock-out rounds. Can we do it? Well, a strong start against England is a must. But we have to beat Algeria and Slovenia too. I think we should expect that.

So why is it so important to win Group C? Because if we are runners-up, we lose in the second round. Check out the bracket above. Group C runner-up takes on the winner of Group D. Think we have any chance of beating Germany? Me neither. So we look much better taking on the runner-up of Group D, maybe Ghana or Serbia. That puts us in a winnable quarterfinal game against overrated France. If we make it to the semis, I call it a rousing success.

So the bottom line is, our first game against England is the key to our fortunes in South Africa. A win sets us up to make a run at the semi-finals. A loss will not end our hopes of advancing, but will surely lead to an early exit in the knock-out rounds.

Saved!

We don't have a landline in the house (actually, we do, but's it's local calls only and pay-per-call and it's just there for emergencies). We've got our iPhones and AT&T for 99% of the phone calls we make and 100% of the phone calls we receive. Problem is, AT&T coverage sucks in our house. If I had one or two bars I was lucky. It was rare to get through a phone call without at least one drop, and whenever I had to make a call I'd have to wander around looking for the sweet spot to stand. Until now...

This weekend I purchased an AT&T 3G MicroCell for the house. Basically, it's a mini cell tower in our house that piggy-backs on our broadband. Setup took about 5min and we now have 5 bars anywhere in the house and the extended yard. You must provision allowed numbers for usage with it, which is a pro and a con - Pro: leaching neighbors can't steal your shit, Con: Visitors and guests are still screwed. For us, it is a lifesaver.

The downside is it did cost $150, which is bullshit that I should have to pay for AT&T's lack of coverage. But that's a small price to pay for peace of mind, I suppose. Besides Colin called me from our house using "The Network" during last week's baby fire drill and his call got dropped. So maybe our house is in some sort of cell phone black hole and we'd be plagued on any network. At least that's what I'm telling myself to make the expenditure more worthwhile.

Oh, Bornstein. I Hate You...

I love this photo, which ussoccer.com has continued to prominently feature for the past several months. I feel like it captures my feelings for Jonathan Bornstein perfectly via the other members of the US Men's National Team. In it you can clearly see members of the team sharing a moment, laughing and joking... and then there's Bornstein - scowling. I like to think he's the butt of some awesome joke Landon concocted at his expense - probably about how bad he sucks and who he blew to get called into another camp. In the middle of the group physically, but far outside the circle in reality - which is exactly how I hope the World Cup selection process plays out for him.

Bailey, Strasburg - Meet Mike Leake

In honor of the Reds taking the series from the Cards in resounding fashion today, and taking over 1st place in the NL Central, I would like to make a little tribute post to what I feel is THE MOST UNDERRATED STORY IN MLB THIS SEASON!

Mike Leake is f-ing amazing. After 7 starts this season his stat line is:

4-0, 33 K, 20 BB, 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP

After playing last year at Arizona State, he was drafted #8 in the 1st round by the Reds. He had a stellar spring training and became the first pitcher to skip the minors since Darren Dreifert in 1994. That's 16 years ago! Now, he is arguably the best pitcher for the Reds. How good is he? He pitched a complete game 1-hit shutout last week in which the only baserunner got a hit that deflected off Janish's glove. That's right, a deflected ball away from a perfect game.

So I wonder why nobody is talking about Mike Leake. After all the years of hoping and praying Homer Bailey would be our ace, Leake's performance should put to rest any hope that may linger for Bailey to become something that he is clearly not.

And what about the chosen one Stephen Strasburg? He was the most hyped pitcher maybe ever, drafted #1 in the same draft ahead of Leake, and he is still throwing in the minors. I read minor league updates on his prowess against AA and AAA hitters every week, and everyone wonders when he will finally make his major league debut. Maybe they should look at GABP and see the rookie phenom who is already here!

Father of the Mother-F**king Year

One Paragraph Children's Show Reviews: Max & Ruby

A new feature, which you parents with children of a tv-watching age will hopefully enjoy and which I can bang out regularly since I'm limiting myself to a paragraph. First cut, Max & Ruby.

A show that any adult will find enraging, yet children somehow love. The show follows brother and sister rabbit protagonists, Max and Ruby, who, from what I can piece together, are orphans who are somehow independently wealthy, through their daily adventures. They have no parents to speak of, just a grandmother that occasionally pops up, and they live in a pretty awesome house - for two juvenile rabbits, that is. Throw aside the implausible premise for a moment, what really makes this unbearable for me is the fact that Max is obviously semi-retarded. He seems moderately grown up, based on his size relative to Ruby and his motor skills, but his speaking skills and actions frustrate beyond belief. He never learns anything, content to carry on in his mouth-breathing, mongoloid ways. You know how when your kid is in a really bad mood but won't vocalize the issue, instead preferring to scream and cry and throw shoes? That's Max ALL THE F*CKING TIME, sans the screaming, crying and shoe tossing! I want to reach into the television and strangle him at least 20 times every episode.

To summarize: Max & Ruby, two rabbits I would much rather eat than watch. Die.