World Cup Craziness

I've been so into the World Cup, and I've been cheering for Germany and USA. Germany is 3-0, won their group, and gets a game against sweden in the round of 16 I have to think they will win pretty easily. The US, not so much. Admittedly I think there is NO DOUBT that America was in the group of death (Argentina, Holland, Ivory Coast, and Serbia was supposedly better than Italy, Ghana, Czech and USA: I do not buy it at all after the games are done). Still the effort overall is disappointing and must improve in 4 years if the US is to be respected worldwide.

I post mainly to show you how crazy I got today. I woke up early and instead of going to a bar or to Columbus Crew stadium which is right down the street from me and was apparently having a viewing party (they showed them multiple times during the game...and here's Washington DC in a bar, and here's Times Square, and here's Columbus Crew Stadium!), I decide to bring my TV upstairs and watch both games at the same time from the comfort of home! Yay! I have picture proof.

Beginning of the Game: Hopes are high!


24th Minute: Italy and Czech still playing strong and scoreless, US hopes dashed by mistake and injury to our captain Claudio Reyna (the guy on the ground on the big screen). Bonus picture 2 seconds later of Bruce Arena with his 2006 World Cup face (AKA pissy and disappointed)


27th Minute: Italy and USA get corner kicks almost simultaneously. The US chokes, but Italy converts and all of a sudden spirits are raised for me again. Given Italy's great defense, I assume now the US is in control of their own destiny.


44th Minute: THE US SCORES! GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! Flags waving in Germany, and Columbus Crew Stadium fans a half mile from my seat at home going crazy on national TV. Now Spirits are VERY HIGH...could we actually make it out of the group?


Stoppage Time First Half: More good news as the Czech's get a red card and will be even more unliekly to come back against Italy for even a draw, so the US only needs another goal to win and move on. Then a terrible call against Oneywu since apparently big guys aren't allowed to try for the ball anywhere near the Ghana striker...what bullshit. Ghana drains the penalty kick in the back of the net and the US is in trouble.

Second Half: Here's my only photo, showing Ghana's 2-1 lead in the middle of the half.


This last photo above was right after the US had another great header off the goal post. Just like Reyna's miss off the bar to tie the game against Czech Republic and another miss off the crossbar agaisnt Italy to win the game (as well as Beazley's go-ahead goal against Italy getting called back due to bad positioning by McBride)...4 opportunities off the post in 3 games. Unacceptable. You have to squeak some of those in and each one was critical. Agaisnt the Czechs the game atmosphere would've changed at 1-1, against Italy it would have won the game, and against Ghana 2-2 with 30 minutes left who knows what happens?

So no more USA in the World Cup. Oh well, still lots of good soccer worth watching.

What's more crazy, me dragging my TV upstairs to watch both games at the same time or me taking pictures of it to show you all how crazy I am? I'll call it a push bet, but maybe you could get 6:5 odds.