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DEL.ICIO.USFor the sake of The Beautiful Game
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Associated Press
As the leading artiste of “O Jogo Bonito,” Ronaldinho thinks Brazil is worthy of special protection from those who wish to make it ugly. This amounts to an open invitation to Croatia, Australia and Japan — none of them stylish sides, to say the least — to really muck it up.
The fact is that the dropoff between Brazil and the rest of the field, both in talent and creativity, is so large this year that anybody wishing to unseat the defending champions will likely resort to any means necessary to stop them.
FIFA usually issues get-tough mandates before every World Cup, and with the most glamorous side of all perhaps as talented as the great 1970 team that concluded Pelé’s fabulous international career, I don’t think Ronaldinho has much to fear.
But it surely doesn’t hurt to raise the issue. For daily goings-on about O Seleçao Brasileiro, it’s hard to top this English-language blog by the author of a terrific book on Brazilian footy published before WC ‘02.
I promise this will be the last attention paid to the Why America can’t get into the World Cup spiel. This take on the subject tells the Yanks they’ll be hated even more if they do something like actually win the damn thing. (hat tip: duNord.)
Vocabulary stretcher for the day: spatchcocked. Don’t ask me what it means, read it for yourself. I’m thinking something along the lines of “bollixed.”
The author takes Frank Deford to task for his usual attitude about soccer, but he must not have heard Deford’s weekly NPR sports commentary this morning.
I do believe he’s on the W.C. bandwagon. Just a little. Yes, it shook Off the Ball out of a deep slumber too. Better than the ole cup of java in the a.m. If you don’t believe it, have a listen.
It didn’t take long for new L.A. Galaxy Alexi Lalas GM to show Steve Sampson the door, although the latter probably had it coming with a winless May. Isn’t this the team Landon Donovan plays for, BTW? The defending MLS champs were a mess before Alexi came over from Red Bull New York. The move comes just two days before Thursday’s Super Classico against Chivas USA.
L.D. will be reunited with his former San Jose Earthquakes coach Frank Yallop, who will succeed Sampson. Yallop had been the Canadian national team coach and coached the Quakes to two MLS Cups.
Lalas was one of the leading malcontents against Sampson’s Reign of Error during WC ‘98, and didn’t see a minute of action. But he says here it’s all behind them. Right? Funny old world, though, isn’t it?
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Deacon
June 7, 2006 4:21 PM | Link to this
Gee Boris, that might be the first time you’ve ever complimented Wendy. Now if you could just get Pratten to change his tune.
Great venue.
By HornGuy Dos
June 8, 2006 10:37 AM | Link to this
Hate to tell you this, but Mexico has some goalkeeping issues right now.
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=AtsC39rGCNsDu.CzZexb2DMmw7YF?slug=ap-wcup-mexicogoalkeeper&prov=ap&type=lgns