Tuesday, June 23, 2009

NBA draft: Key questions answered about Blake Griffin, Ricky Rubio, Hasheem Thabeet

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Monday, June 22, 2009

World Cup 2006 Blog

World Cup 2006 Blog

Link to World Cup Soccer - South Africa 2010

In Defence of the Vuvuzela…

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 03:40 AM PDT

…it actually sounds pretty good in the hands of those who know how to play it.


The above video is of the Vuvuzela Orchestra, practicing in private and then performing at the South Africa vs USA game in Novemeber 2007. (Tip of the hat to this Pitch Invasion post where I spotted the video).

More importantly, I watched the Egypt vs USA game yesterday with precisely zero vuvuzela induced pain. Mostly because I forgot they were even there.

Maybe that was because I spent most of the game doing maths in my head (goal difference, goals scored, etc) or maybe because I couldn’t quite believe what was happening (are the USA really through to the semis?).

But most likely it was because I’d just gotten used to the sound after a week of watching (and listening to) the Confederations Cup. It was annoying to begin with, mostly because I wasn’t used to it. But five matchdays in, I’m 100% vuvuzela adjusted.

For a completely different opinion, read Chris’s Death to the Vuvuzela post.

Confederations Cup Recap and Highlights: Brazil and USA (yes, USA!) go Through

Posted: 21 Jun 2009 03:12 PM PDT


Okay, show of hands. Who, before today, predicted that USA — with one goal (a penalty), zero points and an excruciating -5 goal differential up to this point — would progress out of the group stages ahead of World Cup winners Italy and African champions Egypt?

Anybody? You, there, in the back? No?

Yeah, me neither.

For that to happen, Italy would have to lose by three to Brazil, and Egypt (a team I’ve always considered underrated) would have to lose to the US by a similar score. Improbable, right? Maybe even impossible?

And yet that’s exactly what happened.

In Egypt-USA, Egypt came in a little flat after losing Mohammed Zidan to a hamstring injury in the Italy game, and they never quite found their stride. And the US showed up ready to play, then had their confidence boosted by a fluky 21st minute Charlie Davies goal when Egyptian goalkeeper Essam el Hadary was taken out by his own player. And after that they never looked back. Further goals by Michael Bradley (on a Landon Donovan assist) and Clint Dempsey.

The US will have to hope they haven’t used up their miracle quota, because now they play Spain in the semis.

And in the other match, Italy had a night to forget. They especially won’t want to think much about a ten-minute period at the end of the first half, when Brazil scored all three of their goals. Although they did have some help from Andrea Dossena, who capped off the half with an own goal, put in like he meant it.

Ouch.

I caught a lot of the replay, and outside of those ten minutes, Italy had plenty of opportunities and didn’t really look bad. It’s just that Brazil looked better. And (dare I say it?) younger. Robinho and Luis Fabiano in particular looked on fire, and Italy had nothing to match that. I think we may be seeing some housecleaning (and maybe younger players?) in this team before World Cup.

And here’s what the semifinals will look like:

Spain vs. USA, Weds., 6/24
Brazil vs. South Africa, Thurs. 6/25

Confederations Cup Group B Liveblog: Egypt vs. USA AND Italy vs. Brazil

Posted: 21 Jun 2009 10:48 AM PDT

Final day of the group stages in the Confederations Cup. What are we doing to celebrate? A great big jumbo liveblog. Both games, one liveblog, all your main-page bloggers in one spot. I think Chris is going to take charge of Italy-Brazil, Daryl is going to head up USA-Egypt, and I’ll maybe bounce back and forth between the two. At least until the pain of watching Bob Bradley’s men get slaughtered by play against another non-CONCACAF side becomes too much.

(On the plus side? Gold Cup coming up. We can OWN that one.)

Liveblog below, and be sure to leave lots of comments.


Starting Lineup Italy according to FIFA: Buffon, Chiellini, Cannavaro, Toni, De Rossi, Iaquinta, Camoranesi, Zambrotta, Montolivo, Pirlo, Dossena.

Brazil:
Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Juan, Felipe Melo, G Silva, L Fabiano, Kaka, Robinho, A Santos, Ramires

Egypt:
El Hadary, A. Elmohamadi, Hani, A. Fathi, Hosni, A Eid, M. Shawky, A. Farag, A. Abdelghani, W. Gomaa, Abo Terika

USA:
Guzan, Bornstein, Onyewu, Dempsey, Davies, Donovan, Bradley, Clark, DeMerit, Altidore, Specter

(And it took me till I got to the US to realize that these are in numerical order, not team position order. I need more caffeine.)
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As interleague play winds down, SN Today checks out MLB's week ahead

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Sunday, June 21, 2009

World Cup 2006 Blog

World Cup 2006 Blog

Link to World Cup Soccer - South Africa 2010

Confederations Cup Group A Results and Highlights: Spain and South Africa go Through

Posted: 20 Jun 2009 07:13 PM PDT

South Africa knew going into today that they didn’t need to score against Spain to advance to the next round of the Confederations Cup, and they didn’t. They didn’t even manage a single shot on goal. It didn’t matter.

What they did need was for Iraq not to score against New Zealand, and Iraq came through with a vengeance. Final score in their match with New Zealand: 0-0.

And Spain and South Africa go through form Group A.

Before the tournament I predicted a +8 goal differential for Spain in the group stages based on the weak competition. I wish I’d put money on it, because that’s exactly what they got. Eight goals for, zero against. I’ll be very curious to see whether the stronger competition from Group B will put up more of a fight.

On an interesting note, today’s games were firsts for both Spain and New Zealand. Spain sets the record for most consecutive games ever won by a national team with 15, and New Zealand gets its first point ever in an international tournament.

Proving yet again that success is all a matter of perspective.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for our liveblogs of the Group B matches, Egypt vs USA and Italy vs. Brazil.

Spain-South Africa Highlights:

Iraq-New Zealand Highlights:

Confederations Cup Open Thread: Iraq vs. New Zealand, Spain vs. South Africa

Posted: 20 Jun 2009 10:59 AM PDT


Today is the day for Group A! As in: The day to see who comes in second behind Spain. (The group winner has been a foregone conclusion since the groups were drawn.)

South Africa plays Spain today, and I’d state with close to 100% certainty that the Bafana Bafana have all the points they’re gonna get with 4. Iraq are sitting on 1 and could still theoretically go through with a win over New Zealand and some goals. (This would be their first win in a year if it happens.) Iraq currently has a -1 goal differential, with South Africa at +2.

Both games are being played at the same time to keep the results in any game played first from affecting the results of the second. (Because the betting syndicates hate that.)

I’ll be hanging out here on the site during the matches. If you’re watching either game in the vicinity of your computer, stop by this post and leave comments to keep me company. And especially keep me informed in Iraq-New Zealand, because it’s not being shown till later in the day where I am, and my online streaming hasn’t worked well lately.

(Also, tomorrow, Sunday, June 20, we’ll be doing liveblogs for the final group games of US vs. Egypt and Italy vs. Brazil. These games are going to be fun, and Chris and Daryl are giving up parts of their weekend to keep you entertained.)

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