In just 25 small minutes, we’re going to hit the local pub and root for Germany. With England out and the USA a fading memory, I need a new team to get behind. I have chosen Germany.
Why have I decided to root for Germany? Sure, they have no Crouch but that’s OK. There can only be one Crouch. I always root for the underdog. Plus, they haven’t won in a while. I can’t root for Portugal because they fall down way too much and, quite honestly, it’s so annoying to see them do that all the time. (Bunch of wimps.) I can’t root for Italy because there seems to be a lot of scandal around them as of late. (Although, admitedly, those details are still a bit foggy for me and I know little about what I’m saying.) And, I know it’s not a very good reason (at least it’s not about the color of their uniforms!) but I have decided not to root for France because of that one fella from the Red Bulls who lied to his team declaring he had to go back home suddenly because of “family issues” when in all actuality he left to see the World Cup. (Loser. I hope he’s kicked off the team for that.)
All that said, GO GERMANY!
Update: Germany lost to Italy in the last two minutes of the second overtime. It was quite a game. This time, we went to Iona in Williamsburg to watch the game. I took a few pictures.
I totally forgot to write in my blog today about how awful it was watching England lose to Portugal in penalty shots. We were crushed in this household!
We don’t care anymore…we can’t watch. All I know is I’m rooting for Portugal to LOSE. ;-)
I hated watching their theatrics on Saturday…they should get Academy Awards for some of those performances. I’ve never watched this stuff before, and I had no idea how big a part the fouls/theatrics played a role. I think it stinks.
I hope you have a great 4th! I hope to come up to NY again soon for dinner, though it won’t be until July is over.
Looks like you will have to choose yet another time to support….Italy just won.
2-0
Two knife thrusts into the heart of entire nation.
Brilliant. Just brilliant.
Forza Italia!
We’re back. I did get some photos!
Rome must be nuts, hell, all of Italy must be insane. I wonder what Graham Avenue (Italian area in our hood) looks like right now…
That was pretty amazing, scoring two goals in the last two minutes. Wow.
Jim – so dramatic!
I’m not sure that Germany rates as an underdog. They were in the final in 2002 against Brazil and many commentators were choosing them as the favorite, along with Brazil, at the beginning of this cup. I understand the national concern about Klinsmann telecommuting, but – that’s kind of incidental. Not to mention they have won the WC 3 times before. Ghana would’ve been an underdog, but Germany is a powerhouse.
I thought it was a great game (though I am biased about the outcome). I only developed a small ulcer.
hahah! Nora. Tobyjoe and I both mentioned you and Jim at the bar. I bet you two were/are so super excited! I have to admit, football is a LOT more enjoyable to watch when it’s not a team you are totally and completely rooting for.
Also, for the record, I think it’s a good time to admit that I have grown very, very fond of the British teams (players) during this Cup. Does that make me a bad American? Ah well.
i’m sad.
jim – whatever…
i hope portugal wins now!
oh and the word really is “WIENER SCHNITZEL” – WIENER meaning “from vienna” so not exactly german but the SCHNITZEL part should be okay i guess (not really a fan of that). thanks for rooting for our team, mihow ;)
Screw Portugal – especially Christiano. I hope that kid gets his pretty nose broken when he gets back to Manchester.
Rooney’ll take care of him!
Uh…mihow…I think that’s the problem…the only thing Rooney needs to “take care of” is scoring goals for his team, not lashing out at other players like a petulant child.
Unfortunately, he has a long and sordid history of this sort of thing. I would hope that the next England manager tells him he won’t get a sniff of the three lions shirt unless he goes to a anger management therapist and proves himself in league play that he can control himself.
Of course, that’s all too much to hope for and he’ll go right ahead cheapshoting (cheapshooting?) opponents and ridiculing referees and all of England will make excuses for him. Shame.
Not to change the subject, but all honor to Germany – their fans, their players, their coach, their everybody. An excellent tournament played wonderfully. They just didn’t have luck on their side this time. If you are a long time World Cup viewer, then you know that this wasn’t a typical German side. They played with brio and panache – two quite atypical German qualities. “Kalifornia Klinnsi” deserves all the credit in the world. Hopefully his detractors won’t put the kibosh on his continuing as manager, and he can finish his experiment.
Today’s game should be a classic as well. Enjoy!
I can’t watch today’s game. Work. :[ I will have to refresh a browser window over and over again instead. Tell me, why, in a world where they can give people new faces is it so impossible to get a streaming video to work? We were even willing to pay for it and still we found nothing. I hate that.
Rooney is a mere lad. He’ll change. He’s like 18 or 19. Not that that’s an excuse and I know he causes a bunch of problems, but I gotta tell ya, it’s a LOT more entertaining than seeing a bunch of grown men fall to the field holding their shins and ankles like they’re dying. Not that I wouldn’t be willing to get rid of both forms of excitement. But one is a little less annnoying than the other. I’ll take Rooney’s British antics over the fake fall downs any day. For now.
Side note: did you see that one guy fall to the ground yesterday when someone apparently elbowed him? At first everyone mocked him and faked “wahed!” like a baby. THen, they showed the replay. Holy crap! He really got nailed. I felt badly for him. Forget who it was—and Italian player.